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Rugged is in, and at this point, just about every automaker has an off-road-oriented trim, all with names that are trying to give off a suitably tough vibe. At Kia, that variant is the X-Pro, and the Sorento is the third Kia to get the treatment, after the Telluride and Sportage. As hockey great Wayne Gretzky famously said, “You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.” So we can’t fault Kia for adding the off-road treatment to yet another model. The X-Pro trim is a highlight of the 2024 Sorento’s mid-cycle refresh, which also earned the mid-size SUV redesigned front and rear ends, plus revised tech inside. Little has changed for the Sorento mechanically, however. Whereas Kia’s other three-row SUVs, the Telluride and the EV9, are each offered with one powertrain, the Sorento—like the Beatles or the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles—has a quartet. Base models are equipped with a 191-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder with front- or all-wheel drive, and they feel woefully slow; upper trims get a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder that churns out 281 ponies. A pair of hybrids mate a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with an electric motor to produce a far more acceptable 227 horsepower in the standard hybrid and 261 horsepower in the plug-in hybrid. The latter two launch later in 2024 as 2025 models, while the rest of the lineup is on sale now.The Sorento X-Pro is available as a $1000 option on the top $47,765 SX-Prestige trim and comes only with the 2.5-liter turbo four, paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. We don’t have test results on the updated Sorento yet, but previous versions with this powertrain have accelerated to 60 mph in as quick as 6.0 seconds and never felt underpowered. A larger radiator fan for the X-Pro increases towing capacity by 1000 pounds to 4500, putting it nearly level with the base Telluride’s 5000-pound maximum. New for 2024, the more powerful unit comes standard on all but the base LX and S trims. Unlike the lesser ones, the X-Pro and just sort of off-road-y X-Line trims come standard with all-wheel drive. Upgrading to the X-Pro increases the Sorento’s ride height to improve ground clearance from 6.9 to 8.2 inches, and it swaps the standard 20-inch alloys for a smaller set of 17-inch wheels wrapped in BFGoodrich Trail-Terrain T/A all-terrain tires. On paved roads, the extra cushion provided by the all-terrain’s taller sidewall made for a comfortable ride, perfectly suited for eating up highway miles on a family road trip or jogging around town completing errands. Ditching the pavement for the dirt roads surrounding the Rocky Mountains, the X-Pro really made its case. The Sorento performed well in the slush and mud—especially in Snow mode, which sends more of the engine’s power rearward. In a segment where steering feel is likely quite far down most shoppers’ checklists, the Sorento’s is par for the course. Twisting the drive mode dial from Normal to Sport adds some extra heft to the wheel but fails to improve overall feel. From a stop, the dual-clutch automatic lurches slightly as it engages first gear—we had quite a few drivability and reliability issues with our long-term Sorento with this powertrain—but once on the move, any transmission issues faded to the background. On the plus side, we didn’t notice any excess road or wind noise, despite the all-terrain rubber, and actually found the cabin to be a perfectly suitable conversation pit—even when cruising at 80 mph. The refreshed Sorento’s interior environs make for pleasant space to eat up highway miles. The $295 dual-tone, Olive Brown leather package and faux-wood on the dash help make the attractive cabin feel like it belongs in a car with a higher price—though there’s still more hard plastic than we’d like to see. The leather-upholstered front seats offer plenty of support and feature both heat and ventilation to keep your bum as warm or cool as you please. EX and above trims swap the second-row bench seat for a pair of captain’s chairs, which are heated in SX models and above. Unfortunately, third-row space remains minimal, with a low seat cushion forcing your knees up toward your chest and making the space a hard ask for most adults.Besides the X-Pro introduction, the biggest change for 2024 is the addition of dual 12.3-inch display screens behind a large, curved piece of glass. One is situated in front of the driver, serving as a digital gauge cluster, while the other is located more centrally to take on infotainment responsibilities. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto now come standard on all trims. Similar to the EV6 and Sportage, there’s now a touch bar situated below the infotainment screen on the dash that can switch between HVAC and media/navigation controls. The dual-use dials are easy enough—provided you’re in the right mode. Typically, they require a quick glance down to avoid accidentally blaring Creedence when you’re really after more heat.Related StoriesWith a $48,765 starting sticker price on the X-Pro trim, the rugged Sorento lands squarely in the larger Telluride’s price range. Kia’s higher trims check nearly all the equipment boxes, so our sample model’s $49,400 price didn’t have much room to rise before hitting the ceiling; there was that $295 for the Olive Brown leather package, $225 for the carpeted floor mats, and $115 for a carpeted cargo mat. Kia seems unconcerned with the Telluride overlap. “We want to make it harder to choose between [the Sorento] and a Telluride,” a Kia spokesperson said. “We want the differentiating factor to be how much space you want.” That may be, but despite making strides in features and capability, the Sorento’s flagship trim fails to rise to the Telluride’s high bar of driving dynamics or match the practicality of its larger footprint. SpecificationsSpecifications
2024 Kia SorentoVehicle Type: front-engine, front- or all-wheel-drive, 6–7-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
LX, $33,365; S, $35,765; S AWD, $37,765; EX, $39,365; X-Line EX AWD, $43,065; SX, $43,065; X-Line SX AWD, $44,865; X-Line SX-Prestige, $47,765; X-Pro SX-Prestige, $48,765
ENGINES
DOHC 16-valve 2.5-liter inline-4, 191 hp, 195 lb-ft; turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve 2.5-liter inline-4, 281 hp, 311 lb-ft
TRANSMISSIONS
8-speed automatic, 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 110.8 inLength: 189.6 inWidth: 74.8 inHeight: 66.7 inPassenger Volume, F/M/R: 57/55/32 ft3Cargo Volume, Behind F/M/R: 76/39–45/13 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 3850–4300 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 6.0–9.6 sec100 mph: 15.4–26.0 sec1/4-Mile: 14.6–17.5 secTop Speed: 124–131 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 23–26/20–23/27–31 mpgJack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. More

Maserati first spliced into the electric-vehicle revolution with the GranTurismo Folgore, its reborn GT enhanced by elements from the automaker’s Formula E racing program. The wish-list specs on its data sheet include: a dog-bone-shaped battery for the lowest possible center of gravity, three motors that spin to 17,500 rpm, silicon-carbide inverters, 60 mph in a claimed 2.7 seconds, and a 202-mph top speed. And while it makes do with 818 horsepower, it stands ready to supply up to 1206 horses—it already makes 995 pound-feet of torque—once more robust high-performance batteries become available.Maserati’s Grecale compact SUV, on the other hand, is marketed with the tagline “everyday exceptional.” Whether powered by an internal-combustion engine or, in this case, a battery-electric powertrain in Grecale Folgore trim, that “everyday” indicates fare closer to a staple dish than the GranTurismo Folgore’s five-star Modenese treat. Thing is, anyone who’s been to a fine Italian restaurant knows that a proper chef can make even an earthy staple like pork ragu over polenta a molto insigne experience. Grecale Folgore’s EV StatsFor the Grecale Folgore, engineers reworked the floor plan to fit a skateboard-style battery. The pack is made up of 33 modules, 29 laid out in a flat rectangle, four on a level above, hidden by the rear seat. Knowing they wanted the EV’s interior dimensions to match those of the gasoline-powered SUV, while maintaining aero efficiency, engineers lowered the floor instead of raising it. The ICE Grecale’s 8.3 inches of ground clearance becomes 6.7 inches in the Folgore, and the Folgore’s roof sits a third of an inch closer to the ground. The Grecale Folgore’s reworked ingredients relative to the GranTurismo start with the battery. Whereas the high-performance coupe’s 83.0-kWh pack gets lithium-ion cells from LG feeding an 800-volt architecture, the Grecale Folgore’s 98.6-kWh pack is powered by lithium-ion cells from CATL electrifying a 400-volt architecture. The GranTurismo’s three motors are built by Marelli Motori to a Maserati design; the Grecale’s two motors come from Jing-Jin Electric (JJE). They spin slower than the GranTurismo’s, and you’ll find no fancy silicon carbide in the inverters. Together, the two motors make 550 horsepower and 605 pound-feet of torque, split evenly between the front and rear axles.Maserati estimates max European WLTP range at 311 miles. Peak DC fast-charging of 150 kilowatts refills the pack from 20 to 80 percent in a claimed 29 minutes. Plugged into the highest-powered Level 2 outlet, the 22.0-kW onboard charger restores 100 kilometers (62 miles) of range in an hour.From a standstill, 62 mph takes 4.1 seconds, according to Maserati, while top speed is limited to 137 mph. However, you’ll only enjoy the best performance or range if you choose the appropriate options.The Grecale Folgore is offered in a single trim, dispensing with the ICE model’s GT, Modena, and Trofeo divisions. Maximum range requires the 19-inch wheels, but the U.S. won’t get those; we’re limited to 20- or 21-inch wheels on either Pirelli Scorpion Zero all-season or Pirelli P Zero Elect summer tires. The 21-inchers, bearing a slightly more ornate, less aero-friendly design, drop range to an estimated 265 miles of WLTP range; the 20-inchers will fall between that and 311 miles. Maserati said the range delta between the 19- and 20-inchers would be smaller than the 19- to 21-inch delta, because of the smaller wheels’ identical design. We estimate EPA numbers coming in at 255 miles for the 20s and 225 miles for the 21s.Of the four driving modes—Offroad, Max Range, GT, and Sport—only Sport frees the Grecale’s full power output, the circular Thrust gauge on the left of the digital dash running to 100 percent. In GT (the default), only 80 percent of the horsepower reaches the axles. In Max Range, it’s 75 percent, dropping to 50 percent if the power limiter is activated. Changes vs. the Gas-Powered GrecaleBeyond the powertrain, the rest is effectively the ICE-powered Grecale we’ve known since last year. The Folgore barely diverges from the ICE version’s muted, muscular look. The regular Grecale’s grille features vertical slats, whereas Folgore gets slim oval cutouts instead. Solid panels outlined with body-colored brackets replace the standard model’s front side intakes. And, naturally, the Folgore sports no tailpipes; the rear-diffuser inserts obscure two loudspeakers that create the mandated sounds to warn pedestrians of an approaching EV.Inside, the EV’s interior design and dimensions copy its ICE sibling’s. Instead of the wheel-mounted paddles operating a gearbox, they control four stages of regen (coasting, combustion-engine braking feel, 0.14 g of recuperation, and 0.21 g of recuperation). The infotainment system adds a folio of EV-specific pages. Econyl, a recycled nylon made from fish nets, supplies the seat center material for the Folgore’s standard chairs, trimmed with Feeltek imitation leather. The fabric is ornamented with patterns inspired by the Italian architect Pier Luigi Nervi, although the seats can be ordered in full bovine leather to match the dashboard, which always comes covered in stitched hides. Pricing for the electric Grecale is expected to come in just north of $100,000; the gasoline-powered version starts at $69,995.Driving the Grecale FolgoreWhen pressed to perform, the Folgore hits high notes like the Grecale Trofeo—and in a couple of ways, higher notes. The Trofeo’s 523 horsepower and 457 pound-feet stalk the Folgore’s outputs, the EV’s added gumption necessary to move its extra weight; the Folgore’s 1490-pound battery pushes curb weight to a claimed 5745 pounds, or by Maserati’s scales, roughly 1000 pounds more than the Grecale Trofeo. As we’ve seen in other SUVs, no matter their power sources, the witchcraft of modern suspension tuning negates trends toward portliness. The steering feels less twitchy than the Trofeo’s, the low-down mass is a natural damper against minor road flaws, the standard air springs and adaptive dampers are more than up to the challenge of shifting copious weight smoothly. Only sharp bumps and potholes disturbed the ride on 21-inch wheels. The Trofeo takes a claimed 3.8 seconds to hit 62 mph, versus 4.1 seconds for the Folgore. Even at the Max Range’s 75 percent power setting, the Folgore throws down compelling acceleration. In GT or Sport, passengers need to hold onto objects in the cabin they don’t want flying toward the rear window.During a 120-mile tour of Italy’s Puglia region, the Folgore’s only sour note was its manufactured sound in Sport. In the other modes, synthesized sounds are subdued, in order to be inoffensive in the city, and they’re overwhelmed by driving noise at highway speed. The more emphatic composition in Sport, at a claimed three decibels louder, occasionally lacks harmony when accelerating and decelerating, then hovers on the cusp of droning when cruising. The sound can be turned down but not off. It’s possible a future over-the-air update could revise the soundtrack or allow full shutoff. We already have a hand up for a silent interior option.The Folgore is pleasantly quiet otherwise, thanks to measures like double layers of isolation on noise-making electric-motor parts and acoustic laminated windows. And the Pirelli P Zero tires barely registered a whisper in the cabin, a boon compared to the Trofeo’s Bridgestone Potenza Sport summer tires that can’t help making an uproar on all but the kindest pavement.More on the Maserati GrecaleMaserati doesn’t want to characterize the Grecale Folgore as an electric version of the twin-turbocharged V-6-powered Grecale Trofeo. But we’re reminded of that old saw about what looks like a duck . . . the Folgore might not quack like its Trofeo cousin, but in every substantial way, the Grecale Folgore is the same exciting ride. And plenty of actual ducks, like the Muscovy and Cayuga, don’t really quack either. SpecificationsSpecifications
2025 Maserati Grecale FolgoreVehicle Type: front- and rear-motor, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE (C/D EST)
Base: $100,000
POWERTRAIN
Front Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC, 275 hp, 302 lb-ftRear Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC, 275 hp, 302 lb-ftCombined Power: 550 hpCombined Torque: 605 lb-ftBattery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 98.6 kWhOnboard Charger: 22.0 kWPeak DC Fast-Charge Rate: 150 kWTransmissions, F/R: direct-drive
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 114.3 inLength: 191.5 inWidth: 76.7 inHeight: 65.0 inPassenger Volume, F/R: 55/49 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 5750 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 3.9 sec100 mph: 10.0 sec1/4-Mile: 12.5 secTop Speed: 137 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 83/90/85 MPGeRange: 225–255 mi More

From the July 1999 issue of Car and Driver.Explaining the appeal of extremely powerful cars to nonenthusiasts can be like trying to explain sex to a three-year-old. “Why in the world would you need so much power?” they ask. If you have to ask, well, you’ll probably never understand.Some cars that grace our parking lot, though, leave us almost asking the same question. Dodge Viper Venoms from Houston-based Hennessey Motorsports come to mind. HMS Venoms we’ve tested, packed with 550 or more horsepower, could rocket to 60 mph in well under four seconds and could top out at nearly 200 mph. For street-legal machinery, that’s outlandish speed. Use such capability often on public roads, and your license wouldn’t be the only thing you would be putting in jeopardy. This dilemma is one reason HMS owner John Hennessey developed the Venom 650R. Like the Porsche RSR in Europe, it’s a sports car intended for the racetrack that just happens to be street legal. Hennessey got the idea for the 650R from attending some “Viper Days” club races. These increasingly popular events, which include a driving school for novices, are now held in conjunction with a series sponsored by Michelin called the Viper Challenge. Some of Hennessey’s customers at these events expressed interest in a purpose-built Viper race car that’s cheaper than Dodge’s factory-built $325,000 Viper GTS-R. The Venom 650R is Hennessey’s answer. As with HMS street cars, the engine is the heart of the 650R. After disassembly, the crankshaft is reground with a 4.03-inch stroke, and the cylinders are rebored to an equivalent dimension, yielding a dis­placement of 8424 cc—nearly half a liter more displacement than the stock V-10. The block is restuffed with forged steel connecting rods, forged aluminum pistons, and a revised camshaft, and the heads are ported, polished, and fitted with a heavy­-duty valvetrain. Feeding those heads is a Hennessey low-restriction airbox with K & N filters, 70 mm throttle bodies, and a ported and polished stock intake manifold. Aft of the engine are 1.75-inch HMS stainless-steel headers dumping into twin 3.0-inch HMS stainless exhausts. For these modifications, HMS charges $37,500, but that sum doesn’t complete our 650R’s driveline. There’s also an aluminum fly­wheel for $1500 and an aluminum radiator upgrade that goes for a similar amount. On Hennessey’s Dynojet dyna­mometer, this balanced-and-blueprinted concoction rings up 583 horsepower and 585 pound-feet of torque at the rear wheels, which translates to about 670 horsepower and 673 pound-feet at the fly­wheel. The stock V-10’s 450 horsepower and 490 pound-feet seem almost mild in comparison. With such bodacious power, this Viper is capable of spending more time at higher speeds. Aerodynamics questions this may pose are answered by the 650R’s “VenomAero” body package, which Hennessey says he spent more than $100,000 developing with the help of race-car designer Steve Everett. It consists of a front fascia with brake cooling ducts, a rear bumper with an underbody air diffuser, and a rear wing. In fiberglass, it’s $12,500, and in the lighter carbon fiber on our tester, it’s $20,000. Hennessey claims the wing generates about 100 pounds of rear down­force at 130 mph, and the new schnoz adds about 200 pounds up front (when a remov­able three-inch carbon-fiber lip is installed). These numbers were deter­mined at speed using a Pi data-acquisition system that monitored front and rear sus­pension compression. For $6500, the suspension sports Penske adjustable shocks with Hypercoil springs at all four corners that lower ride height by 2.0 inches in the front and 1.5 inches in the rear. A power-steering-cooler upgrade is $800. There’s also a $12,000 Brembo racing brake package with mas­sive 13-inch discs gripped by four-piston calipers front and rear. Another $5000 buys custom HMS polished alloy wheels. They’re wrapped with $1500 Hoosier racing rubber, 275/35ZR-18 in the front and 335/35ZR-18 in the rear. Typical racing accouterments wrap up the package. Inside are $3400 of Sparco racing seats with Simpson five-point har­nesses. A Halon fire extinguisher adds $200 and mounts to a four-point roll bar ($1500). A short-throw HMS shifter for $300 tightens the H-pattern. For visual stimulation, Hennessey adds $950 of carbon-fiber instrument bezels and fin­ishes off the entire beast in clear-coated Plymouth Prowler yellow for $6500. No race-car transformation would be complete without a diet. Aside from the lighter body parts, seats, and flywheel, Hennessey removes the hood hinges, the spare tire, and the air-conditioning system. Our test car weighed in at 3271 pounds, which is 139 pounds less than the Viper GTS in our July 1997 supercar comparison.With such lean muscle, the Venom takes easily to the track. In the straight­away, it explodes out of the hole, grabbing 60 mph in 3.4 seconds and the quarter-mile in 11.3 seconds at 129 mph. Its blistering 207-mph top speed, though, comes with an asterisk—Hennessey removed the drag-­inducing rear wing, windshield wipers, and side-view mirrors for that test. Figure more like 200 mph with those items installed. Our car also had the catalysts removed for all testing—including the dyno run—as they would be for racing, claims Hennessey. Fair enough.We won’t fuss over the rest of the 650R’s performance. Cornering grip is a neck-straining 1.04 g’s. Braking from 70 mph requires just 143 feet. That’s 34 fewer feet than in the last Viper GTS we tested. In fact, it’s the shortest stopping distance of any street-legal car we’ve ever tested. That’s without ABS, too. On a road course, it works marvelously. The steering, which is distracted on the street, gains composure and precision at speed. The brakes scrub off triple-digit speeds with excellent feel and balance. As we exit the corners, the big V-10 shoves our posterior firmly into the Sparco. With little practice and one passenger on board, we managed to lap DaimlerChrysler’s proving-ground handling course in 1 minute and 12 seconds. Our best time in a stock GTS with ample practice (and no passengers) was 1:13. As a street car, the 650R barely quali­fies. The nearly open exhaust is so loud, you’re noticed everywhere you go; even puttering drives around town turn into a kind of psychological torture. Quieter muf­flers that cost a few horsepower are avail­able from HMS. More Viper From the ArchiveOne more thing. Take the 650R plunge, and you’ll also get one free day of instruc­tion at the Justin Bell Viper Driving School at Moroso Motorsports Park in Florida. Free is a relative term here. Add up that tab, not forgetting the $74,081 price of a new Viper GTS donor, and you’re looking at $173,031 for our 650R test car. Figure that’s the cost of justifying to your slow-poke friends why you need all that power.SpecificationsSpecifications
1999 Hennessey Venom 65RVehicle Type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door coupe
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $165,581/$173,031(base price includes all performance-enhancing options)
ENGINEpushrod 20-valve V-10, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injectionDisplacement: 514 in3, 8424 cm3Power: 670 hp @ 5800 rpmTorque: 673 lb-ft @ 4600 rpm 
TRANSMISSION6-speed manual 
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 96.2 inLength: 175.1 inCurb Weight: 3271 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 3.4 sec100 mph: 7.1 sec1/4-Mile: 11.4 sec @ 129 mph130 mph: 11.6 sec150 mph: 16.7 sec170 mph: 24.0 secRolling Start, 5–60 mph: 4.3 secTop Speed (drag ltd): 207 mph*Braking, 70–0 mph: 143 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 1.04 g *With windshield wipers, side-view mirrors, and rear wing removed and with smaller 17-inch wheels and tires fitted.
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 12 mpg
C/D TESTING EXPLAINED More

Sometimes an automaker defines a trend, as Toyota once did with the Prius hybrid. Other times they stumble into greatness by accident. The latter describes the life story of what has now become the 2024 Lexus GX550, which started as a less capable and more luxurious version of the 4Runner back when body-on-frame family SUVs were all the rage. For the most part, those early GX470s spent their days as pampered mall wagons, maintained within an inch of their lives at Lexus dealers, eventually finding new purpose as dirt-road warriors with subsequent owners.Today, unibody SUVs have made great strides in improving off-road capability, so the case for a third-generation body-on-frame GX may at first seem shaky. But Lexus recently released the TX SUV, a three-row family crossover for those who avoid dirt. Meanwhile, overlanding has become mainstream enough that first owners are risking their rigs off-road—or kitting them out so it looks like they do. Also, unibody-based crossovers can only manage towing to a middling degree. The ladder-framed GX550, on the other hand, is a legit tow vehicle, and this latest iteration of GX feels like a welcome change from the ordinary at just the right time.Leaning into Those Truckish RootsThe new GX550 lineup includes three tiers, each with an upgraded “+” variant. At one end there’s the $64,250 Premium: a three-row, seven-passenger base configuration (a six-seater setup is optional on the Premium+) that rides on 20-inch wheels and 265/55 Yokohama tires. The Luxury starts at $77,250 and rolls on 22-inch wheels and 265/50 Dunlops, and it’s available in the optional six- or standard seven-passenger configurations. In between there’s the Overtrail, an off-road-focused five-seater that wears 18-inch wheels and 265/70 Toyo Open Country A/T III all-terrain tires standing at a lofty 33 inches.The Overtrail’s lack of a third row could trouble some, but the result is a lower load floor (2.0 inches, by our reckoning) that creates a significantly larger cargo volume (46 instead of 40 cubic feet) behind the second row. This and other minor equipment deletions trim enough cost that a lockable rear differential, adaptive dampers, multi-terrain select, multi-terrain monitor system, crawl control, downhill assist control, a roof rack, the Cold Area package, and the new E-KDSS (Electronic Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System) with independently detachable front and rear anti-roll bars can be had for the same $69,250 they charge for a Premium+ that lacks such equipment. Less 4Runner, More Land CruiserIn the Lexus lineup, the big-boy LX600 is essentially a 300-series Land Cruiser dressed for a night on the town. But that’s not the one we get. Toyota infamously decided against the 300-series for the USA, opting instead to go with 250-series Land Cruiser Prado roots for the soon-to-be-(re)released edition of their marquee model. The GX550 is the Lexus version of that 250, and not getting the 300-series may seem like a raw deal, but the Toyota platform that underpins them makes the chassis differences between the 250-series GX and the 300-series LX so small as to be insignificant. Example: The GX550’s 112.2-inch wheelbase matches the LX600, while the GX’s width range of 78.0 to 78.7 (depending on wheel/tire combo) brackets the LX’s 78.4 inches. Suspension track widths follow the same pattern, as their front and rear suspension layouts match. Both have full-time four-wheel drive with a lockable Torsen center differential inside their low-range transfer cases. Both receive motivation from a twin-turbo 3.4-liter V-6 backed by a 10-speed automatic. They even share the same impressive torque peak of 479 pound-feet at just 2000 rpm.For the GX550, this represents a humongous 150-lb-ft gain over the outgoing GX460, and that wallop arrives a full 1500 rpm earlier. Sure, the LX600 makes 409 horses while the GX550 is detuned to 349 horsepower, but that’s still a 48-pony windfall compared to its predecessor. The extra punch is palpable, and the significant uptick in grunt does away with the 460’s notorious initial hesitation that made it feel even heavier than it was. Lexus says the GX550 is in fact some 400 pounds heavier, but you’d swear it was lighter. Lexus also claims the new GX will accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds, which destroys their 7.8-second GX460 claim. For reference, the last GX460 we tested achieved 60 mph in 7.2 seconds.A maximum tow rating of 9096 pounds goes along with the uprated chassis and fortified engine, a huge increase from the 460’s comparatively pedestrian 6500-pound effort. Surprisingly, the gains carry over to the pump, where the 460’s 16-mpg combined (15 city/19 highway) improves to a Lexus-estimated 17 mpg. The GX550’s 21-mpg highway claim comes from copious low-rpm torque and 10 forward gears instead of six.Smooth Operator, On- or Off-Road The GX’s Premium+ trim is fitted with conventional passive dampers to go with its 20-inch rolling stock, but it delivers a smooth ride and crisp steering. Road cracks and seams can penetrate the suspension’s defenses, but to a more subdued degree than the old GX. It’s by no means a rough ride, but the TX is on standby for those who seek crossover cushiness.Ironically, the Overtrail is smoother over rougher pavement than the Premium+, perhaps because those 33-inch tires and 18-inch wheels equate to 1.5 inches of extra sidewall. Standard adaptive dampers smooth those edges even further. The Overtrail’s setup also rewards on washboard dirt roads, but the killer app that makes this new trim practically glide off-road is the new E-KDSS.Lexus’s old KDSS tech disabled the front and rear anti-roll bars simultaneously because of how its passive hydraulics were plumbed, but E-KDSS uses an ECU to disable the bars independently, so each end responds in turn as an obstacle is encountered. The result is far less head toss through angled ditches and a sense that the dampers are more sophisticated than they are. Actually, it’s E-KDSS that’s doing the work. We have not yet measured an RTI (Ramp Travel Index) score, But Lexus’s claimed 24.5 inches of articulation suggests a healthy score of some 630 points.The Overtrail’s transfer case engages quickly, but we were particularly smitten with a small change to the operational logic of the lockable center differential. In the past, switching into low range automatically locked the center diff. The button was provided if you wanted to lock it in 4Hi. This always seemed logical, on the basis that 4Lo was for rough going. But a locked center diff plays havoc with turning radius, and tight trails have tighter switchbacks. Solution: The GX550 keeps the center diff unlocked when switching to 4Lo and makes locking an independent choice. Result: extremely tight off-road hairpins and fewer three-point turns.Inside OutInside, the GX550 impresses with a lush and attractive interior. The 12.3-inch configurable instrument display and 14.0-inch infotainment touchscreen are similar to those found in the new Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road, but the GX-specific instrument graphics are surprisingly dim, as if the adjustment range only covers nighttime driving. The crystal-clear infotainment screen works as expected, though.The thing that stands out more is the stellar outward visibility. The GX’s hood styling features a broad trough that offers a clear view of the road and makes easy work of judging the forward limits, while the fender creases that look striking in profile telegraph a clear idea of where the tires are. Moreover, the glass dips down at the cowl to expand the side view downward, and the mirror sits back from the roof pillar to allow a sneak peek in between. The end result is a driving position that gives a commanding view without being so upright that it feels overtly truckish and buries your coif in the roof.In fact, our tallest tester didn’t merely fit well in front, he was able to sit behind his own front seat. He also fit in the third row, sort of, but six feet two is a bit much to ask back there, especially since the live rear axle pushes the rearmost floor up, sending knees skyward. Those of above-average height need not apply, and if that won’t do, the TX is right across the showroom. The Overtrail neatly sidesteps this conundrum, of course, by not offering a third row.April, FoolsThe 2024 Lexus GX550 is a vastly improved version of its former self. The existence of the TX three-row crossover SUV allows the GX to lean into its body-on-frame roots, which arguably allowed the Overtrail to come into existence. In fact, one could argue that this off-road-focused GX550 trim is now a more capable Lexus-badged Land Cruiser than the 300-series-based LX600. After all, the LX only theoretically offers 18-inch wheels and tires and doesn’t bother with a lockable rear differential or disconnecting anti-roll bars. More on the Lexus GXLexus expects the Premium+ to be the sales-leading trim when the GX goes on sale this April, and that’s certain to be the case because the Premium is a fantastic three-row SUV that can either wander off the beaten path or tow 9000-plus pounds on it. But the new Overtrail represents a huge bargain for those gearing up to off-road—or just look like they will. This is the 2024 Lexus GX550 trim that value-seeking, dirt-loving second owners will prize on the used market. What’s more, we got through this whole piece without once mentioning how much less hideous the GX’s new grille looks. Perhaps there’s hope for BMW yet.Specifications Specifications
2024 Lexus GX550Vehicle Type: front-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 5-, 6-, or 7-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Premium, $64,250; Premium+, $69,250; Overtrail, $69,250; Overtrail+, $77,250; Luxury, $77,250; Luxury+, $81,250
ENGINE
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, port and direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 210 in3, 3445 cm3Power: 349 hp @ 5200 rpmTorque: 479 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm
TRANSMISSION
10-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 112.2 inLength: 197.1Width: 78.0-78.7 inHeight: 75.4-76.2 inPassenger Volume*, F/M/R: 56-59/51-52/34 ft3Cargo Volume*, Behind F/M/R: 77/40-46/10 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 5600-5750 lb*Overtrail model is two rows only.
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 6.5 sec1/4-Mile: 15.3 secTop Speed: 109 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (MFR EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 17/15/21 mpgDan Edmunds was born into the world of automobiles, but not how you might think. His father was a retired racing driver who opened Autoresearch, a race-car-building shop, where Dan cut his teeth as a metal fabricator. Engineering school followed, then SCCA Showroom Stock racing, and that combination landed him suspension development jobs at two different automakers. His writing career began when he was picked up by Edmunds.com (no relation) to build a testing department. More

From the February 1985 issue of Car and Driver.Ever since the rebirth of the GTO, Ferrari fanatics have been pushing and shoving to queue up for the new supercar. None that we know of have actually succeeded in lay­ing hands on one as yet. The process seems to be a lot like waiting for campaign prom­ises to come true: the factory in Maranello is known for talking big and delivering lat­er, if at all.An alternative worth considering is the injection of some of the GTO’s twin-turbo magic into a current Ferrari Quattrovalvole (308GTSi). This requires doing without the GTO’s other exotic performance ac­couterments, but the prospect of old-fash­ioned twelve-cylinder muscle in a car wear­ing the rampant-stallion insignia is usually enough to make the faithful salivate in anticipation. We recently tested such a double-blown car, a 308 Quattrovalvole supplied by Prancing Horse, Inc., a Ferrari service and high-performance emporium in Campbell, California. Although Prancing Horse supplies and installs its own kits, this particular development was undertaken jointly with now defunct Pfaff Turbo, in nearby San Jose. As turbo kits go, this is one of the most straightforward installations we’ve ever seen. Each bank of the V-8 feeds an IHI RHB52 turbocharger via a special exhaust manifold. Each compressor mouth is pro­tected by a K&N air filter, and the twin streams of compressed air produced by the turbos are gathered and then routed through the K-Jetronic fuel-injection sys­tem’s metering unit on the way to the origi­nal intake manifold. Peak boost pressure is 7.0 psi, regulated by the turbo’s integral wastegates. Minor modifications to the fuel-pressure regulator provide a slightly richer mixture whenever manifold pres­sure rises above atmospheric. On the ex­haust side, Prancing Horse has fitted a Eu­ropean, catalyst-free system to minimize back pressure. There are no internal changes to the 32-valve engine, no major intake-system revisions, and no complicat­ed engine-control systems. According to Rick Brady, the proprietor of Prancing Horse, this simplicity is made possible by the inherent stoutness of the Ferrari V-8. The good combustion and detonation resistance inherent in a four­-valve combination chamber are also help­ful, and the modest, 8.6:1 compression ra­tio doesn’t hurt. There’s no denying that this turbo instal­lation really brings the 308 engine to life. As a matter of fact, it transforms the mid-­engined machine into one of the fastest road rockets going. The twin-turbo 308 sprints from a standing start to 60 mph in just 5.6 seconds, to 100 mph in 12.3 sec­onds, and then claws to 130 mph in 23.0 seconds. In the process, it devours a quar­ter-mile in 13.5 seconds, achieving 107 mph through the traps. Top speed is limit­ed to 147 mph by gearing and the engine’s redline, but with an estimated 350 horsepower, it doesn’t take long to get there. Any 308 driver should be able to appre­ciate the benefits of a major boost in horse­power. The turbos trim nearly two seconds from zero-to-sixty and quarter-mile times, so the homemade GTO should never have to sneak around, fearing encounters with Porsche 911s or 928s, Chevrolet Cor­vettes, or the current domestic pony cars. In fact, the double-blown 308 reminded us of the much revered Ferrari Daytona. Ex­cept in top speed, its performance almost perfectly matches the older twelve-cylin­der’s, putting the 308 at the overachieving end of the speed spectrum, exactly where Ferraris belong. In exchange for this vast improvement, the modified engine extracts little penalty in everyday, nonfrenetic driving. One rea­son is the essentially stock intake system, which keeps low-speed response respect­able. In top gear, the modified 308 goes from 30 to 50 mph in 9.5 seconds and from 50 to 70 mph in 8.1 seconds—versus 8.7 and 8.8 seconds, respectively, for the stan­dard car. Obviously, in the 1500-to-3500-rpm range used in this test, there’s not much boost available; but once the engine is turning 3000 rpm, the boost gauge is on the rise and there’s a full 4000 rpm worth of engine operation left. The engine’s sound is also thoroughly refined. At the upper end of its rev range, the well-known Ferrari shriek is very much in evidence. At the low end, however, the twin-turbo V-8 is surprisingly silent and docile. Indeed, at a steady 70 mph, we mea­sured a sound level of 78 dBA, 3 dBA lower than a standard car. Our impressive C/D fuel economy of 17 mpg is another indica­tion that this car is a capable cruiser. The 308’s chassis accepts the extra pow­er with eagerness. Our test car, equipped with Goodyear NCT tires, retained the ba­sic combination of initial understeer and terminal oversteer, but the transition could be prompted a bit sooner with the stronger engine. The 308’s handling characteristics are still quite manageable, as long as the driver doesn’t get carried away with the extra horsepower. More FerrariObviously, this twin-turbo installation eliminates all the emissions controls, and it’s unlikely to enhance the engine’s lon­gevity. Still, the system did withstand the rigors of our performance tests, and Brady says he’s seen excellent reliability in several similar installations. The complete pack­age costs $6000, but you can save a grand if you bolt the hardware on yourself. Consid­ering that some dealers are demanding $10,000 for a highly dubious GTO “reser­vation,” $6000 for a pair of turbos to tide you over sounds entirely reasonable.SpecificationsSpecifications
1985 Ferrari 308 Twin-TurboVehicle Type: mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door targa
PRICE
Kit: $6000
ENGINEtwin-turbocharged V-8, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 179 in3, 2927 cm3Power (C/D est): 350 hp @ 6500 rpm 
TRANSMISSION5-speed manual 
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 92.1 inLength: 174.2 inCurb Weight: 3350 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 5.6 sec100 mph: 12.3 sec1/4-Mile: 13.5 sec @ 107 mph130 mph: 23.0 secTop Speed: 147 mph 
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 17 mpg
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDCsaba Csere joined Car and Driver in 1980 and never really left. After serving as Technical Editor and Director, he was Editor-in-Chief from 1993 until his retirement from active duty in 2008. He continues to dabble in automotive journalism and LeMons racing, as well as ministering to his 1965 Jaguar E-type, 2017 Porsche 911, and trio of motorcycles—when not skiing or hiking near his home in Colorado.  More