Reviews

Porsche has drawn a lot of attention lately for its electric-vehicle efforts, namely for the Taycan sedan that’s currently on sale, but also for the upcoming electric version of its Macan small SUV. Just recently, we spied development mules of the upcoming Macan EV in Germany, indicating that it appears to be on track for an introduction in 2023. But what about the rest of the Macan lineup? Proof that the company hasn’t neglected the gas-engine models came recently when we traveled to Stuttgart to drive a prototype version of the facelifted 2022 Macan, which will be the current model’s seventh year of production.

For most automakers, seven years would represent a vehicle’s full generation and signal that it’s high time to introduce a successor. Porsche, however, has once again reworked the existing, 10Best-winning Macan—the last was for the 2019 model year—updating it with a freshened styling, a revised interior, and a series of tweaks to its conventional powertrains. The number of models within the lineup also has been reduced. When sales begin in the United States later this summer, there will be three models: Macan, Macan S, and Macan GTS. The Macan Turbo has been dropped from the lineup, replaced in part by the upgraded GTS.
The latest Macan’s exterior changes are rather mild. Up front, there are new bumpers across the range, and the accent panels on the lower part of the doors have gained a new texture. At the rear, there is a new bumper with a more prominent diffuser. There is also a revised range of wheels, including the 21-inch RS-design units on the GTS prototype we drove. The changes to the interior are similarly modest, although they do make for a more pleasant driving environment. We weren’t allowed to photograph any of it in detail, but there’s a shortened gear selector, a new multifunction steering wheel, a new digital instrument cluster, and an updated center touchscreen. The Macan GTS adds a GT sports steering wheel from the 911 along with sport seats and various Alcantara trim pieces.The new GTS will provide similar performance to the outgoing Turbo. Under the GTS’s hood is the Turbo’s twin-turbo 2.9-liter V-6—rated for 434 horses and 406 pound-feet of torque—and should propel the SUV to 60 mph in a similar 3.5 seconds. The 375-hp version of the 2.9-liter that previously powered the GTS now calls the Macan S home. In the base model, the 2.0-liter turbo-four’s output is bumped up to 261 horsepower and 295 pound-feet, gains of 13 and 22, respectively.
The prototype GTS certainly benefits from the Turbo’s heart transplant with greater low-end grunt and a stronger pull through its midrange, although it remains willing to spin to its 6800-rpm redline. Those who considered the Macan Turbo a little lacking in drama will definitely prefer the new GTS and its raspier exhaust note, which can easily be toned down for subdued cruising. This broad flexibility is bolstered by the continued fitment of Porsche’s responsive and almost clairvoyant seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. But what really sets the GTS apart is its handling, which feels sharper and more composed than before. Few, if any, SUVs stand out for their dynamic qualities, but this one definitely does. Porsche has done a lot of detailed work here, including revisions to the adaptive dampers and air springs, which are 10 percent stiffer in front and 15 percent firmer at the rear. The prototype we drove also was fitted with sticky Pirelli P Zero Corsa summer tires, sized 265/40R-21 up front and 295/35R-21 in back.
On the road, the GTS’s crisp steering feels nicely weighted and probably more involving than you’ll find in any other SUV. Aided by standard all-wheel drive and an optional torque-vectoring rear axle, our prototype exhibited exceptional poise and agility in corners, as well as large amounts of grip. As before, ride quality is adequately compliant in the suspension’s default Comfort mode but quite firm in Sport—almost too firm over poorly maintained surfaces. Still, there’s excellent wheel control over bumps, and the ride never feels unbearably harsh.There’s a welcome familiarity to the revised Macan, but you can also sense the improvements. There’s a more purposeful look to the exterior, and the detailed interior changes give a more contemporary feel if no more stretch-out space, which we’ve always described as intimate.
It’s the Macan GTS’s driving experience that will win over prospective buyers more than anything else. Yes, this was a prototype and our drive time was limited to mostly traveling in a convoy with Porsche’s development team. But it was quickly obvious that the GTS continues to deliver a level of driver engagement that you won’t get in a BMW X3 M or a Mercedes-AMG GLC63. Expect pricing for the updated GTS to fall somewhere between the 2021 model’s $73,450 entry point and that of the $85,950 Turbo. While Porsche’s updates haven’t resulted in a revolutionary driving experience, they should be more than sufficient to keep the Macan GTS a highly compelling performance SUV until an electric version shakes up the lineup.

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The outgoing 10th-generation Honda Civic left a mark. Nimble, engaging, affordable, and efficient, that Civic had everything an entry-level car shopper could want. For those looking beyond entry level and toward performance, the Civic’s performance-minded siblings, the Civic Si and Type R offered even more excellence for not much more money. Now a new generation is here, and it has all of the things that made us love the last one, wrapped in a package that is a departure from its polarizing predecessor.When we say the new car has all of the things that we loved about the last one, we mean that (almost) literally. Although the 2022 Civic is entering its 11th generation, the machinery is largely carried over from the 2021 model. Base versions are still powered by a 158-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder, but the optional turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine (tested here) gains 6 horsepower and 15 more pound-feet of torque compared to the last Civic, for a total of 180 hp and 177 pound-feet. [image id=’f23713e1-9907-4cc9-9b33-e0d9552544e4′ mediaId=’c5ff49f6-0132-4554-9877-cb81bb5a9f3f’ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=” expand=” crop=’6×4′][/image][pullquote align=’center’]HIGHS: Massively improved exterior design, upscale interior, reasonably priced.[/pullquote][editoriallinks id=’2d532099-1e43-4c70-8e5d-10020ab81270′ align=’left’][/editoriallinks]Both engines still come bolted to a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). Manual buyers are out of luck and will have to look to the performance-oriented models in the wings. The CVT and engines receive light changes to boost efficiency and minimize vibration. The fuel economy gains vary by trim level. The EPA estimates the 2.0-liter engine’s efficiency will improve by 1 mpg in the city and 2 mpg on the highway in the base LX trim—that’s 31 mpg city and 40 mpg highway for the new car. The 1.5-liter turbo engine has bumped up its EPA rating by 1 mpg in the city in both the EX and Touring trims for 33 and 31 mpg, respectively.Our test of a 2022 Civic Touring suggests that those efficiency tweaks may have affected acceleration. With the turbo engine, the new Civic needs 7.5 seconds to accelerate to 60 mph and 15.8 seconds to cross the quarter-mile mark. We wrung out plenty of previous-gen Civics with the 1.5-liter turbo and a CVT, and they were all in the neighborhood of a 6.8-second sprint to 60 and a 15.2-second quarter-mile. The new car carries 130 more pounds, possibly gained in the interest of greater structural rigidity, but we’d expect that sort of weight gain to add just a tenth to 60-mph acceleration times. [image id=’72de15cf-2842-446e-a903-2e047b1fdf09′ mediaId=’145db565-3ad9-4a22-84d3-d0396b333405′ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=” expand=” crop=’original’][/image][pullquote align=’center’]LOWS: Unexpectedly slower than before, the pulse-pounding models aren’t out yet, best content reserved for top trim.[/pullquote]Honda assures us that its internal tests showed only a 0.1- or 0.2-second gap between the old car and the new one, but our test car was slower in nearly every metric. Its rolling-start 5-to-60-mph figure slipped by 0.6 second, and while it matched the previous-generation car’s 4.0-second 30–50-mph passing time, the 50–70-mph time was worse by 0.2 second. We’re working on testing a second Civic, so we’ll have to see if our low-mile test car is an outlier or representative of the new model. Given the mechanical similarities between the generations, the rest of the new Civic’s numbers line up almost exactly with the old car’s. A respectable skidpad grip result of 0.83 g on the Touring’s 18-inch all-season tires is no surprise, given that we already knew the Civic had stable and secure handling. The braking distance from 70 mph has shrunk by 4 feet to 174 feet in the 2022 model. The steering is just as light and accurate as it was in the previous-generation Civic. The basics of Honda’s entry-level sedan haven’t changed, and aside from slower-than-expected acceleration from our test car, we don’t mind.[image id=’a07f0a2b-30e1-46f3-af43-343a5255ca9b’ mediaId=’3f79ecca-c857-4e85-8616-ec42193104f4′ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=” expand=” crop=’6×4′][/image]But that’s all prologue to what has changed about the Civic. Its looks have been totally overhauled, inside and out. Gone are the various cutlines and fake vents, replaced by a design that borrows heavily from the Accord and appears more premium and mature than the previous Civic.Inside, the new Civic is comfortable and well thought out. A 1.4-inch longer wheelbase goes primarily toward the comfort of rear-seat passengers. Front seats are wider in the shoulders to fit bigger people more comfortably, and after several hours in them we emerged happy. The center console area is covered with a textured and attractive material instead of the currently trendy piano-black trim that looks great until it’s covered in fingerprints. At 70 mph, the new car registered 69 decibels, a significant 2 decibels below its predecessor.[image id=’2917a34e-2ef4-4042-9059-c2adad004e4e’ mediaId=’d2829d2b-3f90-4739-8eed-805f43cbe28e’ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=” expand=” crop=’original’][/image]Some of the best features are reserved for top Touring models like our test car. The Touring has an easy-to-use 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with a convenient ledge to rest your hand on while engaging with the screen. All models get a real and easy-to-use volume knob. There’s a Bose-branded audio system—a first for a Civic—plus a wireless charging pad.More mature and upscale than its predecessor and much of its competition, Honda is largely holding the line on pricing. Base LX models will start at $22,695, which is $450 more than in 2021. The Touring trim costs $29,295, the same as the outgoing model. Perhaps the best news of all is that our favorite Civics are still awaiting the 11th-generation treatment. The Civic hatchback, which will be available with a manual transmission, is due to be revealed next week, and we’re expecting performance-oriented Si and Type R models in the months ahead. If those models look as good as this one does, we’ll all be in for a treat.[vehicle type=’specpanel’ vehicle-body-style=” vehicle-make=” vehicle-model=” vehicle-model-category=” vehicle-submodel=” vehicle-year=”][/vehicle]

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About a decade ago, compact sports sedans offered naturally aspirated V-8s that absolutely ripped. Before everyone went turbo, the E90 BMW M3, the B7 Audi RS4, and the W204 Mercedes C63 AMG crammed in sweet-sounding V-8s to create experiences that we still remember fondly today. Now that we’re feeling sufficiently nostalgic for those four-door screamers, we’ll get to the point that Lexus apparently shares our passion for those cars, because the new 2022 IS500 is essentially a return of Lexus’s V-8 compact sedan, the IS F.There are no turbos under the IS500’s hood. What is under there is closely related to the IS F’s 5.0-liter V-8 from a decade ago. The engine—shared with the RC F—now produces 472 horsepower and 395 pound-feet of torque, or 56 more horsepower and 24 more pound-feet than its spiritual predecessor. In a turbocharged world, the V-8’s horsepower and especially its torque numbers aren’t at the level of the M or AMG models’, so Lexus is setting expectations by positioning the IS500 as an F Sport Performance model rather than a full-blown IS F.

What does that mean for the IS500’s driving experience? We can’t quite say yet, but we did recently get the chance to ride in the passenger’s seat of the IS500 prototype at an event at Eagles Canyon Raceway in Texas, near Toyota’s headquarters in Plano. Professional race-car driver Townsend Bell was behind the wheel.Keep in mind that the IS500 prototype we rode in wasn’t exactly the same car that you’ll be able to buy at Lexus dealerships later this year. Wrapped in an obnoxious neon-yellow and black livery, this car was specially prepped for the IS500’s debut at Sebring International Raceway earlier this year. It wore an aftermarket exhaust, 20-inch wheels, and grippier Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires compared to the stock car, which will have 19-inch wheels and the same Bridgestone Potenza S001L summer tires as the IS350 F Sport with the handling package.This means that our impression of the IS500’s handling isn’t exactly representative, but we weren’t behind the wheel anyway. We can tell you that the 5.0-liter V-8 engine is a lovely addition to the latest IS and brings back a lot of those tingly V-8 memories. We’re familiar with the glorious sound of this Lexus V-8 by now, and it makes itself known in the IS500. Although the prototype’s aftermarket exhaust surely enhanced the auditory experience, we’d still rather listen to this characterful engine run up to its 7300-rpm redline than a BMW M3’s twin-turbo inline-six.
Unlike the V-6-powered IS350 F Sport we drove that day on the test track, the V-8 has the grunt to shove you into the back of your seat, and the eight-speed automatic transmission upshifts and downshifts quickly. Lexus claims that the IS500 is 143 pounds heavier than a rear-wheel-drive IS350, and we assume that most of that weight is in the nose. Like the IS F that came before it, a noticeable hood bulge is the clearest sign that this is packing something special under there.Thanks to the ability to completely deactivate stability control, the IS500 will play as much as you like—as Bell demonstrated by easily swinging the tail out wide for a satisfying drift. It also features the same torque-vectoring rear differential that’s optional on the IS350 F Sport. But this car is not meant to be a track monster, and we felt plenty of compliance in the suspension tuning, with more body roll than you’d find in an M3 Competition or a C63, for instance.We’re enticed by the overall package that the IS500 promises to deliver, and we hope that the price is attractive enough to further increase its enthusiast appeal. Lexus has strongly hinted that it will be positioned closer to the M340i and AMG C43s of the world, meaning it could bring back a V-8 to the low-$60,000 range. If so, this could become the hidden gem of the sports-sedan world. Now all that’s left is for Lexus to let us in the driver’s seat.

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The modern sports-sedan world has been dominated by German brands. Japanese and Korean automakers are getting closer to bottling the driving magic once enjoyed by the BMW 3- and 5-series, but Jaguar’s commitment to luxury often overshadows its cars’ sportiness. Jaguar did capture the magic when the first-gen Jag XF launched for the 2009 model year and garnered a 10Best trophy, but it’s been a bumpy ride since then. Quite literally in the case of track-focused Jaguar’s XE SV Project 8. Introduced in 2016, the current XF lineup had ballooned to 10 derivatives last year. To simplify matters, Jaguar is reducing the number of XF models from 10 to just three—the V-6 and the gorgeous wagon are gone. For 2021, the XF will come only as a sedan, and buyers will have a choice of a 246- or 296-hp 2.0-liter turbo-four. The contraction and otherwise standard mid-cycle refresh seem to have allowed Jag to hone the XF without getting bogged down in an overly complex portfolio.

The first thing you notice in the new XF is the reworked dash and instrument panel. Gone is the retractable dial-a-gear shifter, and in its place is an electronic shifter for the ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic transmission. As expected, you can shift yourself with steering-wheel paddles, although we don’t really see the point. Once we were underway, there was never a need to grab a different gear. An 11.4-inch touchscreen controls Pivi Pro infotainment, which if you have never sampled can be confusing at first glance. Don’t be intimidated; it is thoughtfully designed, and you quickly acclimate. And for those looking to use the back seat, six-footers comfortably fit back there.Switching to an all four-cylinder lineup is a curious simplification because Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has a new inline-six that would work well in this sedan. The need for more from the engine room doesn’t really arise in casual driving, but put loafer to accelerator and an uncouth snarl of a stressed 2.0-liter makes itself heard. The car we drove was an all-wheel-drive variant, dubbed R-Dynamic S, the only model with the 296-hp four. Rear-drive models, of which there are two (S and SE), come with the 246-hp four-cylinder. When we’re able to do our battery of tests on the XF, we expect its nearly 300-hp engine will net a 60-mph time less than six seconds, with the less-powerful rear-driver about a second behind. For some reference, a 248-hp BMW 530i gets to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds.
Of course, acceleration isn’t the only way to judge a sports sedan. The XF competes in a segment that includes cars such as the Genesis G80, Lexus ES, and Volvo S90 in addition to the Audi A6, BMW 5-series, Mercedes-Benz E-class. But only the XF, G80, and the ES have base prices that start with a four. Jaguar is looking to undercut the competition. Prices for the XF begin at $45,145. The 5-series and A6 start at about $10,000 more. Spending 10 grand more at the Audi store buys a little more insulation from road and wind noise, but the XF does a wonderful impression of German isolation and over-the-road refinement. Isolation is hard to quantify because it is about the absence of things, annoying things. You don’t realize the importance of isolation until it’s missing.
A sports sedan must also handle, and the XF’s chassis is a willing participant in the chase for g-forces. The steering delivers on sporting intentions with accurate and crisp responses. While it breaks no new ground in terms of electrically assisted units, the feedback through the wheel and the responses are solid and reliable. It gives the impression that you’re driving a car that’s a class above mid-size. Only the brakes, which suffer from a dead spot at the top of the pedal stroke, let us down. Maybe a good brake-bleed job could correct this. We’ll know for sure when we get one for instrumented testing.Jaguar doesn’t fit the XF with the overly complex settings and controls of its German rivals. It just quietly goes about its business and never annoys or flummoxes its driver. Jag is looking to electrify its lineup by 2025, but there’s plenty of life in this XF. Dropping in the new inline-six would extend its life even more. Skewed more toward luxury than the German offerings, the XF is sporty in a mature way. So, it’s right in line with what Jaguar should be about, now with a more attractive price.

Specifications

Specifications
2021 JAGUAR XFVehicle Type: front-engine, rear- or all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE
Base: S, $45,145; SE AWD, $48,245; R-Dynamic AWD, $51,145
ENGINES
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve 2.0-liter inline-4, 246 hp, 269 lb-ft; turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve 2.0-liter inline-4, 296 hp, 295 lb-ft
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 116.5 inLength: 195.4 inWidth: 78.0 inHeight: 57.3 inTrunk Volume: 18 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 3900–4100 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 5.9–6.8 sec1/4-Mile: 14.4–15.1 secTop Speed: 130–155 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 27–28/23–25/33–34 mpg

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It shouldn’t be this easy to beat a Bugatti Chiron Sport in the quarter-mile. This level of acceleration should require more driver skill, some rare manual dexterity lacking in Joe Commuter. Admittedly, it’s pretty easy to do a full-bore standing-start launch in a Chiron or any gas car that shifts gears for you. But the electric Rimac Nevera’s acceleration and its physiological impact on you are so extraordinary that you feel it shouldn’t be accessible to anyone able to afford the $2,400,000 price and brave enough to hold the accelerator down. You do need bravery. Scary is often synonymous with fast, but the Nevera, the Croatian carmaker’s latest creation, is unnerving. Find a long straight and bring the car to a stop. Select Track mode from the closer of the two big in-house CNC-milled rotary switches that control the major driving functions, and maximum torque will flow through the four electric motors. Hold the brake, push the right pedal all the way in, and the back of the car squats as the rear motors flex on the suspension. Take a breath and then let go.

It’s not too brutal at first. Doling out twice the power of a modern Formula 1 car all at once isn’t possible, so the initial rollout is gentle compared to what happens later. In those first few tenths, the Nevera precisely matches motor output to available grip. But then the unnerving part starts as the rate of acceleration begins to increase with speed. The Nevera gets quicker as it’s going faster. Your breathing changes, becoming a slightly panicked eight-second inhalation. The fluid in your eyeballs seems to ripple, distorting your vision. The noise is intense: Four motors scream and whine as 1.4 megawatts—that’s 1877 horsepower—pump through them, and four tires rip at the tarmac, constantly on the edge of grip. It takes a very conscious effort to keep your foot in until the quarter-mile marker passes and you can finally exhale, use an expletive, let your head slump forward, and shake in the wake of the adrenaline.To make matters slightly more stressful, Rimac founder and head honcho Mate Rimac came along to watch the proceedings and the Nevera is a pre-production prototype and particularly important to his business. We’re also taken by the fact that this one car represents about 10 percent of Croatia’s entire car production this year. There will be plenty more, though. Named for an electrical storm that occasionally ravages the Croat coast, 150 Neveras will be produced, and the first 50 are already sold. After a few runs, Rimac himself showed me the onboard telemetry that will be available to customers. With no effort, the car did an indicated 8.7-second quarter-mile at 160 mph. Once the launch control is finalized, Mate promises 60 mph in 1.9 seconds, 100 in 4.3, and the standing quarter-mile in 8.6 seconds. In C/D testing, the Chiron Sport hit 60 mph in 2.4 seconds, 100 in 4.4, and passed the quarter-mile in 9.4 seconds at 158 mph.
So other than terror and what could be the quickest car in the world, what do you get for nearly 2.5 million bucks? Quite a lot, actually. Unlike many small-batch manufacturers, a lot of the Nevera is designed and made in-house. Rimac claims the Nevera’s carbon-fiber monocoque is the largest and stiffest of any car, deflecting at 70,000 newton-meters per degree. It has four motors, one for each wheel and each with its own single-speed gearbox. In front, each motor makes 268 horsepower, and the rear gets two 671-hp motors. The system totals of 1400 kW or 1877 horsepower and 1741 pound-feet of torque. The Brembo-supplied 15.4-inch carbon-ceramic brake rotors work in conjunction with up to 300 kW of regen to slow the car. The key-shaped 120.0-kWh battery is mostly behind the seats but also under them and down the center tunnel. Rimac promises it’ll be able to charge at up to 500 kW when that becomes possible; at a 350-kW hookup, it will go from 20 to 80 percent in 18 minutes. The bodywork is all carbon fiber, and some of it moves with an active aero package so smart it can even create the optimum plume of tire smoke behind you in drift mode. On a track, the onboard Driver Coach uses artificial intelligence to figure out the best line, give you a demo, and then tell you where to brake and turn in. More than just a feral and extreme racer with license plates, Rimac intends the Nevera to be a usable grand tourer. Climbing in is easy, thanks to narrow sills. Outward vision is aided by 360-degree cameras. Three-stage adjustable accelerator sensitivity makes the colossal power simple to manage in traffic. This nearly 1900-hp car is no harder to drive than an Acura NSX. The low-speed ride can occasionally get choppy and noisy, with shock transmitted unabated through that ultra-stiff carbon-fiber structure, but mostly it’s possible to drive it every day.
There isn’t a lot of steering feel, but it’s quick and accurate, and the torque vectoring granted by individual drive motors pulls the nose tight to every apex. The ride is mostly fluid, body control tight, roll contained. And the brakes are mighty, if a little sensitive in their current setup.The Nevera is no one-trick pony, but the powertrain is definitely the main attraction. Skeptics argue that cars like this have unusable power. But the same case could be made for a 617-hp BMW M5 Competition. The power here isn’t excessive; it just seems unlimited. The Nevera has power like the Fed has money. It just cranks out whatever you need. Passing is instant, at any speed. It is a distinctly digital experience but no less thrilling for it because the acceleration is unreal. Hypercars like the Nevera aren’t for everyone, but there’s no denying its significance as the moment a battery-powered car toppled the Bugatti Chiron. The internal-combustion engine may never catch up.

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The Volkswagen GTI belongs to a much larger clan of models in Europe than it does in the United States. On the other side of the Atlantic, the GTI sits above the workaday Golf that we no longer get and below the latest all-wheel-drive Golf R that we’re anxiously awaiting to hit our shores later this year. There also are electric GTE and diesel GTD models. More interesting, though, is another higher-performance Golf positioned in the narrow gap between the GTI and the R, one that’s closer in spirit to the Honda Civic Type R: the GTI Clubsport.

Both Volkswagen and Porsche have used Clubsport and Club Sport monikers over the years, generally for more athletic models intended for semi-regular track use. In the case of the latest GTI Clubsport, that means a significant bump in performance over the standard GTI, with a new turbocharger upping the output of its 2.0-liter inline-four to 296 horsepower. That places the Clubsport much closer to the new Golf R’s 316 horses than the regular GTI’s 241 as well as not far off the 306-hp Type R. As with that Honda, the Clubsport’s output reaches the road exclusively through the front wheels. VW also fits larger brakes, shorter gear ratios for the standard seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, revised suspension settings, and some subtle visual distinctions to proclaim the car’s specialness. We drove a right-hand-drive example in England to see just how hot these updates make VW’s hot hatch.

Volkswagen

Aesthetic changes versus garden-variety GTIs are subtle but present if you know what to look for. While Volkswagen doesn’t add any Clubsport badging, there is a model-specific front bumper and lower grille, plus a rear spoiler, plastic sill extensions, and striped graphics on the lower edge of the front doors. Updates to the cabin are less obvious and include unique fabric upholstery on the seats, but the interior is pretty much identical to the regular GTI’s. That means the same abundance of dark plastic trim and a rather slow, unintuitive central touchscreen. However, buried deep within the Clubsport’s interface is one key difference versus regular GTIs: an additional drive mode beyond Sport that’s simply labeled Nürburgring.Select ‘Ring mode and the Clubsport adopts the same dynamic settings that VW used to set a 7:55 lap around the 12.9-mile Nordschliefe last year. That time makes the new model just five seconds slower than what the previous-generation Clubsport S managed in 2016 when it set a front-drive record at the track. On the road, the hot setup actually softens the car’s optional adaptive dampers slightly from their firmest Sport position, but keeps the engine, gearbox, and steering in their most aggressive modes. It quickly proved to be ideal for dealing with bumpy British backroads.

Volkswagen

Not that the Clubsport feels substantially different from the regular GTI in normal use. It sounds louder under acceleration, although much of that is the result of tweaks to the cabin’s sound augmentation system. The shorter gearing and snappier mapping for both the transmission and throttle sharpen reactions and give a sense of fiercer acceleration. With adequate traction, the Clubsport surely will beat the 5.1-second 60-mph time we recorded for the normal GTI. The electrically boosted brake pedal also feels better than it does in the regular car, feeling firmer under gentle use. The steering has more weight as well, if no obvious improvement over the limited feedback of the standard model. Pressing the Clubsport harder reveals that the most significant difference is a greater degree of front-end bite when turning into corners. It doesn’t take much enthusiasm to get the regular GTI washing wide in tighter turns, but the Clubsport grips harder and is far better at finding traction, thanks to both its revised suspension and an aggressive electronic limited-slip differential. Understeer is kept in better check and the car is easy to place and hold on a chosen line, even when approaching the tires’ grip limits—perfect qualities for a fast Nürburgring lap. Still, the car’s rear end doesn’t rotate as easily as the Civic Type R’s when you pitch it into corners. This is a car that feels very quick and secure, but its thrills come from raw velocity rather than intimate feedback. Other nitpicks include the Clubsport’s insubstantial plastic paddle shifters on its steering wheel that it shares with the regular GTI. And given the car’s more aggressive character, we wish the dual-clutch transmission would hold gears up to the engine’s rev limiter, yet it upshifts early even in full manual mode.

Volkswagen

But it’s hard to be overly critical about a slightly faster and more agile GTI that doesn’t require any significant sacrifices over the basic car. Even the price premium is pretty modest. The GTI Clubsport costs the equivalent of about $ 42,500 in the United Kingdom when the punitive 20 percent VAT sales tax and registration charges are removed, which is roughly $5K more than the price of an automatic-equipped GTI. That makes the Clubsport an awfully tempting proposition, even from across the Atlantic.

Specifications

Specifications
2021 Volkswagen GTI ClubsportVehicle Type: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 5-door hatchback
PRICE (C/D EST)
$42,500

ENGINE
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, iron block and aluminum head, direct fuel injection
injectionDisplacement: 121 in3, 1984 cm3Power: 296 hp @ 6500 rpmTorque: 295 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 103.4 inLength: 169.9 inWidth: 70.4 inHeight: 57.7 inCurb Weight (C/D est): 3150 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 4.7 sec100 mph: 11.1 sec1/4-Mile: 12.8 secTop Speed (mfr’s claim): 155 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 25/22/30 mpg

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Just as we’ve become comfortable with there being Porsche luxury sedans and SUVs, the company has started to throw more curveballs at us. While the 911 and the 718 sports cars still tug at our heartstrings, they’ve now been joined by an electric Porsche in the form of the Taycan sedan, multiple Cross and Sport Turismo station wagons, and whatever the Cayenne coupe is trying to be. Against this backdrop, the four-door Panamera, even in its most driver-focused GTS configuration, is starting to seem positively conventional—possibly even a bit irrelevant.[editoriallinks id=’cb83bdcf-da25-41cf-87f6-b07ccabe29d0′ align=’left’][/editoriallinks]Porsche is trying to keep the Panamera in the conversation by updating it for the 2021 model year with a few new configurations and minor styling tweaks. Among those changes, the GTS model tested here now develops 473 horsepower from its twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8, a gain of 20 ponies over last year. Within the Panamera lineup, which ranges from the 325-hp base V-6 model all the way up to the 690-hp Turbo S E-Hybrid, the GTS remains the cheapest way to get a V-8 in a Panamera, and its finely honed chassis setup lends it the sharpest responses of the bunch. As before, the GTS features all-wheel drive and an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Also unchanged for 2021 is the exhaust note of the GTS’s mellifluous V-8, which continues to emit a powerboat-like burble at idle that builds to a soulful bellow as the engine spins to its 6800-rpm redline.[image id=’9589adcc-11d7-4579-a332-49adfd2312a9′ mediaId=’0814ed8d-a5bf-48ba-890c-55ada9210579′ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=” expand=” crop=’6×4′][/image][pullquote align=’center’]HIGHS: Gripping V-8 soundtrack, more power than last year, impressive braking and handling for its size, the cheapest path to a V-8 Panamera.[/pullquote]Unfortunately, we didn’t see the results of the latest power bump at the test track. Compared with the 2019 Panamera GTS we last tested, the 2021 iteration’s launch-control-enabled 3.2-second zero-to-60-mph run was a tenth of a second slower, a difference it maintained over its 11.7-second, 116-mph quarter-mile pass. That’s hardly to say the latest GTS feels slow—even without launch control the GTS does the 5-to-60-mph sprint in 4.2 seconds—but we would’ve expected at least a slight improvement in acceleration considering that the newer, 4714-pound car weighed a scant 35 pounds more than before. Conversely, the 2021 GTS did beat out its predecessor on the skidpad and under braking. Riding on 20-inch Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires, it outgripped the 2019 model by 0.01 g (1.02 g) and stopped from 70 mph in nine fewer feet (145 feet). Those are sports-car-worthy figures, and they combine with the gutsy V-8, the clairvoyant dual-clutch gearbox, and the GTS’s fluid steering action to produce a stirring driving experience on pretty much any road. [image id=’aca19f37-4b9b-4cc9-85b6-78e7f5cb07dd’ mediaId=’5eb80ee7-eb31-4d0d-866a-7dd1de4f3340′ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=” expand=” crop=’original’][/image][pullquote align=’center’]LOWS: No quicker than before, still awfully expensive, looks plain next to the newer Taycan.[/pullquote]Putting our test car’s performance numbers into context is complicated by the strength of its competition, though. For example, the electric Taycan 4S, which starts at $105,150 to the Panamera GTS’s $130,650, is only 0.2 second slower to 60 mph, and it pulled 1.03 g on the skidpad. What’s more, the Taycan packs a greater visual punch for most onlookers. While the second-generation Panamera’s proportions are undoubtedly more attractive than the original’s hunchback design, we think that the Taycan is a far better-looking interpretation of a four-door Porsche, even if it is considerably smaller inside. But if highway range is what you’re after, the Panamera GTS dominates the Taycan 4S’s 220 miles between charges. We averaged 30 mpg at 75 mph, which translates to a bladder-busting 710 miles between fueling.It’s also worth noting that the winner of our most recent high-performance-luxury-four-door comparison test, the Audi RS7, will only set you back $115,045 to start. That 591-hp Audi also beats the Panamera GTS in our acceleration tests, as it should, yet maintains an impressive degree of luxury-car comfort.[image id=’93ca0423-c005-422d-bd26-a6eb8d4bcf2d’ mediaId=’ca32f90c-395e-4019-86e8-bc3dee08d35b’ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=” expand=” crop=’original’][/image]Porsche’s formula for its GTS models generally includes some value packaging compared to similarly equipped lesser versions. That positioning does apply to the Panamera, but it’s tough to call the GTS variant a smart buy unless it’s in the company of the 620-hp Turbo S model (base price, $179,050) or the 689-hp Turbo S E-Hybrid ($189,050). Even with a relatively light load of options for a Porsche, our test car stickered at $148,800 yet lacked extras such as adaptive cruise control and ventilated seats. It wasn’t long ago that the Panamera was abuzz with attention, both positive and negative, as it brought Porsche into a new, profitable market segment. But as the brand enters a new era, the luster of its once controversial four-door hatchback is beginning to fade as more enticing alternatives crop up both within the Porsche lineup and elsewhere in the high-performance luxury space. Along with the Taycan, we imagine the strength of the Cayenne lineup, including the new-for-2021 GTS model, will continue to hamper Panamera sales, which amounted to a paltry 3870 units last year—less than every other Porsche model except for the 718 sports cars. As engaging as the GTS is to drive for a sports sedan, we won’t be shocked if the Panamera doesn’t return for a third generation.[vehicle type=’specpanel’ vehicle-body-style=” vehicle-make=” vehicle-model=” vehicle-model-category=” vehicle-submodel=” vehicle-year=”][/vehicle]

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From the July 2004 issue of Car and Driver.Riding the range in the Hill Country of Texas singing “Whoopee Ti-Yi-Yo” and drawing bovine stares from longhorn steers ruminating among the mesquite on a 40,000-acre ranch, we wondered if there could be a better place to wring out a new Jeep Wrangler. There could not. This patch of Willie Nelson land is crisscrossed with every kind of road from interstate to meandering macadam to dusty dirt. And for some earnest off-roading, the vast expanse of the YO Ranch near Fredericksburg offers steep escarpments made treacherous by mud, loose shale, and rocks the size of armadillos (and vice versa).

Jeep had chosen this slice of the Old West to preview its new Wrangler Unlimited to the press. But unlike other automakers who use such occasions to focus on the “all-new,” the Jeep posse sought to assure us that the latest Wrangler is just like any other Wrangler-tough, uncompromising, and true to its long tradition-except that it’s longer. It’s a strategy designed not to offend Wrangler traditionalists, who welcome change about as much as did 18th-century French aristocrats, while offering something to people who find existing Wranglers a bit cramped.The Unlimited’s box-section frame adds 10.0 inches to the standard Wrangler’s wheelbase, extending it to 103.4 inches. There’s also an additional five inches of rear overhang, which pulls its overall bumper-to-bumper dimension to 165.1 inches, or 15.0 more than the abbreviated model. The additional space is unequally apportioned in the interior. Leg and knee room in the back seat are expanded by just under two inches. But a whopping 13.0 inches is allotted to the area behind the rear seat. Cargo volume goes from 9 to 29 cubic feet. Out-of-sight cargo space has about doubled, not a bad thing to have in a vehicle that can easily be entered by villains with a box cutter-at least in the fabric-topped version.
Detail improvements to the Unlimited include a “tip and slide” driver’s seat for easier rear access; more padding under the hood, behind the dash, and beneath the cargo area to reduce noise; and the so-called Sunrider softtop, which manually flips back to open a 45-by-23-inch sunroof above the front seats. There’s also an optional hardtop ($795), which would be a prudent buy for people in the Frostbelt states.All this gear, plus the extra metal needed for the length enhancement, adds up to about 200 pounds and requires some fine-tuning of spring and damper rates, the practical effect of which is imperceptible on the road. Although a longer wheelbase should make for a less choppy ride, the long Wrangler runs along on the road much like the short one. That is, compared with a conventional passenger car, it’s harsher, bouncier, and noisier, but not so much so that it blurs your vision or agitates your internal organs.
But a relatively rough ride on the road is the price of agility off the road, and there is no out-of-the-showroom SUV that can match the Wrangler in the rough stuff. And that’s true for either wheelbase version. The longie does yield a few degrees of breakover angle-21.4 versus 28.1-to the shortie and doesn’t turn as tightly (39.2 feet versus a 36.7-foot turning radius). But in practice-negotiating rocky grades steep enough to ground the skid plates and make a sound like razor wire being dragged across a tin roof-these were not noticeable disadvantages. One thing the Unlimited does have to offset what little it gives up to the short-wheelbase, 4.0-liter model is a greater towing capacity-3500 pounds versus 2000-thanks in part to the added strength of an additional rear crossmember.Otherwise, the Unlimited is identical to the regular Wrangler. It uses the same 190-hp straight-six hooked to an automatic four-speed transmission (a manual gearbox comes along for 2005), stout transfer case, and robust four-wheel-drive system. With lots of standard equipment-including air conditioning, AM/FM with CD player, and power steering-the Unlimited bottom-lines at $24,995, a hefty sum for a vehicle we wouldn’t recommend for primary transportation. But with nothing else comparable on the market, its price will likely not deter hard-core Wranglerites who want more space.

Specifications

SPECIFICATIONS2004 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited VEHICLE TYPEfront-engine, rear/4-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 2-door truck or 3-door wagon BASE PRICE$24,995 ENGINE TYPEpushrod 12-valve inline-6, iron block and head, port fuel injection Displacement241 in3, 3956 cm3Power (SAE net)190 bhp @ 4600 rpm Torque (SAE net)235 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm TRANSMISSION4-speed automatic DIMENSIONSWheelbase: 103.4 in Length: 165.1 in Width: 66.7 in Height: 70.8-70.9 in Curb weight: 3700-3800 lb PERFORMANCE RATINGS (C/D EST)Zero to 60 mph: 10.5 sec Standing ¼-mile: 17.8 sec FUEL ECONOMY (mfr’s est)EPA city/highway driving: 14/18 mpg

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