Reviews

From the November 2002 issue of Car and Driver.
A funny thing happened at the 1934 Eifelrennen race at the Nürburgring. Alfred Neubauer, the Zeppelinesque chief of the Mercedes team, directed his crew to grind off all the bone-white paint that distinguished the Benz factory racers.

2003 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG First Drive

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Hence the origin of silver as the German color for racing. But that’s not the point. Neubauer’s motive had nothing to do with aesthetics. In those days, the competition weight regs specified a maximum limit, rather than a minimum. Neubauer’s paint trick was designed to get the cars down below the max. The rulemakers set an upper limit, because they saw weight as a dynamic asset. A bigger car would have a bigger engine, and thus go faster. The objective was to slow the cars down. Ha.
This story came to mind early in our first lap of Wisconsin’s Road America racetrack in the new Mercedes SL55 AMG roadster. The Neubauer parable flickered in my mind’s eye like a prewar movie as I hit the rumble strips on the exit of Turn Five and started up the hill. Wow. Was ist los?
See, getting out there onto the exit curbing was not the intent upon entering the turn. First lap in a new car—and an expensive one at that—lots of power, cold tires, etc. Easy does it. But when the throttle went down at the apex, the car was across the track and onto that alligator curbing before you could say, “Götterdämmerung!”

Highs: Prodigious thrust, execujet style, execujet comfort.

This little tableau, reinforced by other examples of mass exerting its relentless influence, emerged as the overriding impression of an all-too-brief Road America experience, laid on by Mercedes-Benz as the finale of its North American SL55 AMG press launch. Given the car’s capabilities, it was certainly the right venue—long straights punctuated by hard braking and generally uncomplicated turns. No esses, no tricky transitions. Moreover, Mercedes had enlisted a platoon of pro road racers to demonstrate those capabilities as dramatically as possible. The demos came after we ordinary mortals had done a few laps, and with a light rain at the end of the session, this became quite dramatic, indeed.
But as we strapped on a new SL55 to head home, the nagging question persisted: What’s up with all this avoirdupois? The standard SL500 we tested last April was certainly no wraith. When the readouts on the C/D scales finally settled, the tally for that one stood at a resounding 4172 pounds. That’s SUV territory, but even so, the AMG version is heftier: 4411 pounds. What’s the deal? Weight is the enemy. These guys must know that.
Make no mistake, this is a formidable automobile, Moby Dick mass notwithstanding. Check the motivational specs: 493 horsepower at 6100 rpm, 516 pound-feet of torque manifesting itself along a wonderfully flat curve from 2650 to 4500 rpm. It’s the most potent Benz ever offered in North America, according to the manufacturer, and also the quickest factory Benz we’ve ever tested: 0 to 60 in 4.5 seconds, 0 to 100 in 10.9, the quarter-mile in 13 seconds flat at 110 mph.
In contrast, the SL500 tested in our April issue hit 60 mph in 5.8 seconds, 100 in 14.5, and covered the quarter in 14.3 seconds at 99 mph. The disparities seem minor on paper, but the real-world distinctions are dramatic. Crack the throttle, and this posh heavyweight lunges forward like a shark that’s been invited to nibble a chunk of Britney Spears. It dissects traffic like a superbike and exudes a sense of mechanical resentment when a soulless microchip arrests the rush at 156 mph.

There’s a corollary to the traffic-sorting prowess, incidentally. This car seems to stir up civilians like few others, and not always in a delighted (read “Lookit that!”) way. All too often we’d cruise past some joker only to find him angrily attached to the Benz’s rear bumper, somehow offended at being overtaken. We believe a similar emotion animated the people who divided Marie Antoinette into two unequal portions in 1793, and we furnish this observation as a public service to potential buyers: Caveat emptor.
But we were discussing the SL55’s power and its increased mass, and in fact the two are directly related. There is, for example, the weight of the AMG car’s supercharger and its air-to-water intercooler, the latter designed with its own separate supply of fluid. Made by IHI, the belt-driven supercharger is of the Lysholm type, with a Teflon-coated screw-style impeller delivering boost up to 11.6 psi. Quietly, too. No supercharger whine.
Although this is basically the same SOHC 24-valve aluminum V-8 used in the SL500, there are significant differences. The hand-assembled AMG version is stroked from 84 millimeters to 92, increasing displacement from 4966cc to 5439, and the forged aluminum pistons drop the compression ratio from 10.0:1 to 9:0:1, an anti-detonation measure. There are heavy-duty bearings with cross-bolted mains at the bottom end, plus a new sump and a more powerful oil pump. Top-end mods include double valve springs, reprofiled cams, and bigger intake and exhaust plumbing.
The supercharged eight feeds its power to a five-speed automatic transmission that incorporates an updated edition of the Mercedes SpeedShift manumatic. This one offers three modes—normal, winter, and manual. Its basic function is essentially the same as Chrysler’s AutoStick: Waggle the lever, and you can shift up or down, or operate in full automatic mode. Unlike AutoStick, the manual mode allows shifting via rocker switches mounted on the backs of the steering-wheel spokes. And unlike the other modes, selecting manual allows the driver to hold a particular gear right up to the rev limiter.

Lows: Full-size-SUV curb weight.

Consistent with the law of opposite and equal reactions—that which goes must stop—there’s also extra mass associated with the SL55’s braking apparatus. The rotors are big enough to double as manhole covers—14.2 by 1.3 inches in front, 13.0 by 0.9 in the rear, vented and cross-drilled at both ends. The diameters are bigger than the garden-variety SL’s, and the fronts are squeezed by eight-piston calipers.
Oddly enough, braking distances failed to match those recorded by the SL500, and by a bunch: 155 feet from 70 mph for the SL500, 175 for the SL55. Moreover, although we didn’t record any brake fade during our testing, we did encounter a squishy pedal while lapping Road America, even with all the electronic enhancements (Sensotronic Brake Control) incorporated into this system.
Grip doesn’t seem to be the problem. Although the SL55’s footprints are essentially the same as the SL500’s—the only difference is a slightly lower rear-tire profile (285/35ZR-18 versus 285/40ZR-18)—the AMG edition’s Pirelli P Zeros pulled a higher skidpad number: 0.91 g versus 0.88. So the SL55’s added mass seems the most likely braking-distance culprit.
Which brings us to this car’s all-around dynamics. Mercedes refers to its “catlike handling reflexes,” which is true—if you envision a cat the size of a Siberian tiger. The key to the SL55’s level cornering attitudes is the corporate Active Body Control electro-mechano-hydraulic almost-active suspension, recalibrated in this application for firmer responses without compromising ride quality. Although this sophisticated system can’t erase weight—it’s always there, always tangible—it manages that weight amazingly well, whether the car is clawing the pavement in a fast sweeper or unkinking a set of switchbacks. This kind of activity is abetted by the SL55’s speed-sensitive rack-and-pinion steering, which seems to deliver a little more tactile information than the SL500’s system, and by the availability of all that torque for blasting off corners.

The Verdict: Proof that heft and passion are not mutually exclusive.

As you’d expect, the SL55 is posh-plus inside, with all the hedonistic goodies that distinguish the SL500, which is far from a torture chamber itself, plus some AMG fillips such as a sport steering wheel, aluminum interior trim, Alcantara suede atop the instrument binnacle and in the headliner, a superb 10-speaker audio system, silver-face AMG instruments with red needles, and, the most seductive interior element, deep leather-clad power bucket seats with serious torso bolsters, for those moments when the owner feels moved—probably rare—to rub up against the limits of adhesion.
Why rare? Check the bottom line. With a base price of $118,295, including luxury and gas-guzzler taxes, the SL55 AMG starts $30,340 north of the SL500. Start adding extras such as Distronic auto-distancing cruise control ($2950), Parktronic proximity warning ($1035), the Panorama sunroof ($1800)—an interesting touch on a retractable hardtop convertible—and the tally escalates rapidly. All of which makes this an unlikely toy for young guys prone to red mist. The SL55 is an executive hot rod for folks with lots of disposable income and Kevlar-clad portfolios. So even though we wonder what this car could do if it shed about a thousand pounds, it’s probably irrelevant. Lose the sander, Herr Neubauer. Scraping the paint off this one ain’t gonna make much difference.
Counterpoint
Hmm, let’s see here. Supercar horsepower, a shape to die for, the trickest top in the land, and active suspension. Sounds like a study-hall dream car, and for the most part, it is. But why did Mercedes leave out an automatic-shifting manual gearbox? You know, the tranny you can get at the Ferrari or BMW store? For a slushbox, the SL’s automatic tranny is fine. But it’ll never provide the control or response that a manual tranny would. I can understand the omission in the standard SL, but the SL55 is supposed to be the supercar that packs the best of Mercedes’ vast engineering talent. Am I wrong to think a $123,000 car should have it all? —Larry Webster
Behold the German Ferrari. We didn’t think those buttoned-down, left-brain Deutschers had it in ’em, but this latest AMG accurately captures the otherworldly rocket-propelled acceleration and Gravitron cornering effects and even some of the charming quirks of a small-line Italian exotic. What corporate engineer could okay white-on-white gauge legends, for example? Sure, they’re invisible most of the time, but they look so cool when you can see them. And the driver’s vanity-mirror lid that obscures the mirror’s overhead light — that’s to prove this is a serious sports car, not a boudoir, right? Message received, through all four bellowing exhaust tips. —Frank Markus
A few years ago, I likened the Mercedes 500SL to a Duesenberg SJ because it occupied a nexus of performance, style, and luxury that seemed beyond modern, more narrowly focused cars. This new SL55 takes that SL concept into overdrive. Motivated by its velvety and vigorous blown V-8, the SL55 doesn’t just accelerate from one speed to another, it gobbles velocity in leaps and lunges. Despite its fleetness, this SL feels as substantial as any convertible on the market. And its swashbuckling styling, bolstered by AMG musculature, instantly conveys its patrician bloodlines to even the densest bystanders. What’s not to like about this 21st-century Duesenberg? —Csaba Csere
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From the November 1994 issue of Car and Driver.
Awright, we knew you’d write in. It was no shock here in the ice-cube quarry that is the magazine’s Michigan domain. You were sure to gripe that Acura’s uncanny Integra GS-R could never better other sports coupes because it was just a “glorified economy car.”

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That was after an Integra GS-R took first place in our June ’94 “Good Sports” comparison test of seven sports coupes, winning with its all-around worth rather than speed alone. (The group also included the Eagle Talon TSi AWD, Ford Probe GT, Honda Prelude VTEC, Mitsubishi Eclipse GS-T, Nissan 240SX SE, and Toyota Celica GT.)
The Integra had speed, but others in the test had more of it. What the GS-R offered was the purest talents at the lowest price (all cars comparably equipped). The Acura never gave us that cut-rate feeling of a bargain item. But some of you chose to read more into test-track results than did we.
Oh, our usual go/stop/turn tests put the Integra mid-pack, but in a group capable of running rings around most cars on the road. Especially on up-and-downy, in-and-outty, hook-and-loopy roads. The GS-R won by doing what a great road car does: it made us want to slip in, buckle it on, turn the key to its mesmerizing powertrain, and press its chassis to the task just for the joy of it.

PHIL BERG, TOM COSGROVE

That feeling does not turn up in test data. If you’re into that, hey, more horsepower to you. As for us, our long-term test of the Integra GS-R brought 35,000 miles of unadulterated fun, the fun being always at hand and right underfoot. Our GS-R was the sum of some impressive parts: A howling 170-horsepower, DOHC, 16-valve 1.8-liter engine with port injection and Honda’s VTEC variable-valve-timing system for good performance and good fuel economy. All-independent suspension with front unequal-length control arms (instead of ubiquitous struts) and a rear multilink layout. Four-wheel disc brakes with ABS. Michelin 195/55 XGT-V4 all-season performance tires on 15-inch alloy wheels. Dual airbags. Side-impact protection. Air conditioning. Power moon-roof. Cruise control. An AM/FM/cassette stereo with six speakers. And all for just $19,894 (the same package would run you $20,215 today).
This Acura arrived in late 1993 as a pilot-production model with 1500 miles on it. Usually we avoid pilot cars. They rarely deliver the performance and reliability that come after the assembly line begins real production. But this GS-R was from Honda’s fancypants branch, so we chose to proceed based on experiences with earlier Acuras. By the end of the test, it seemed that about the only thing risked was the finish that peeled off the alloy wheels—apparently not a fault on customer cars. For an Acura that was used hard and wrung out by our Mr. Berg on the One Lap of America, that’s dandy.
We hustled so quickly that we finished the GS-R’s miles in just under ten months.
At 7578 miles, the GS-R toured Ann Arbor Acura for its first service, specified for 7500 miles. It required only an oil-and-filter swap: 30 cents for a washer, $5.75 for a filter, $8 for oil, $1 for “hazardous waste disposal,” $5.40 for “miscellaneous charges,” and a costly $54 for labor, which consisted of a front brake-pad inspection. The total came to $74.45, plus tax—a lot for a first service.

PHIL BERG, TOM COSGROVE

The 15,000-miler came at 15,270 miles, needing the same plus a valve-clearance adjustment and a muffler and tailpipe inspection, done by Acura City in Rochester, New York. The price jumped to $169.
We paid $151 at the 22,500-mile massage, but $76 of that went for repair of a “leaky valve-cover gasket installed improperly on the 15,000-mile service.” As with the first stop, the remaining $75 went to an oil-and-filter swap and a brake-pad inspection.
The 30,000-mile service called for an oil-and-filter change; a new air cleaner; a valve-clearance check; inspections of the alternator drive belt and the fuel, cooling, and exhaust systems; and a change of transmission oil. That service ran $334. And all those brake inspections finally paid off. The technician replaced the rear pads for $108, bringing the total bill to $442.
The service grand total of $653 is more than we expected, given the Integra’s economy-car genes. The need for rear-pad replacements was a surprise, too. Perhaps it had something to do with our tendency to test-drive the GS-R deep into corners.
The GS-R kept logbook notes coming. Wrote Schroeder: “I couldn’t get comfortable due to the seat’s lack of lumbar support [fortunately not a problem for all drivers]. And the droning engine at 80 to 85 mph gets tiresome—the short gearing and final-drive ratio would never fly on an autobahn. From the passenger seat, my housemate marvels at the wonderful engine, then asks, ‘How much is this thing, $14,000?’ Oops. Honda maybe needs to jazz up the conventional interior. But the Michelin XGT V4 tires (normally not so hot in winter) got me through horrendous snow in Buffalo on Christmas Eve. Barely made it through unplowed two-foot drifts, but I expected more trouble.”
“Buzzy at 85 mph,” noted Yates. “But not bad. And that motorcycle rev limit and taut steering are marvelous. I love this thing—it’s the Sugar Ray Robinson of automobiles, the original Sugar Ray having been considered, pound-for-pound, the greatest fighter in history.”
Another staff writer echoed Schroeder’s assessment of the interior, saying it reminded him of a dentist’s office—comfortable and functional but not likable, and definitely in need of a splash of color. Other drivers felt this serious atmosphere encouraged good driving. “The Integra GS-R is a pure pleasure. I drove it all day without a pain, ache, or complaint. At 70 to 85 mph with the A/C on, it got over 325 miles per tankful.”
As for oil additions, the lone log entry showed a half-quart at 27,256 miles (the day after the GS-R returned from the rigors of One Lap—ahem). A windshield chip was fixed at 28,406 miles for $30. The saddest incident came in a parking lot when the T-Bird of a driver new to America clipped the GS-R’s left-front corner. This left a besmirchment painful to see and brought an insurance estimate for $501.28 in repairs.
The Acura’s wild four-cylinder wore its 35,000 miles well. At the concluding test, the 0-to-60-mph time rose by 0.1 second to seven seconds flat, and top speed increased 1 mph, to 136. Despite all our revvings and our hustling far across the vast reaches of the West, the GS-R also averaged an excellent 30 mpg.
Wait now—that almost is good enough to make the Integra GS-R an economy car.
But to actually declare this splendid Acura a glorified economy car?
Nah . . .

PHIL BERG, TOM COSGROVE

Rants and Raves
The Integra has an odd odor inside. I looked under the seats for an old burger or pizza. Nothing. That aside, the GS-R is the most fun since our Sentra SE-R. The shifter is perfect, with something motorcycle-ish about power and shifting. If you shift at over 7000 rpm, the engine remains in its power band, the revs hardly drop, and the sound is wonderful. Part-throttle 2-3-4 shifts are terrific, too. —Dworin
The front of this car looks like a flounder: two beady eyes above each crooked turn-signal mouth. Inspired by a flounder—now that’s hip. But for those who aspire to a BMW 325i, this is the perfect starter car. Its moves are beyond reproach, its engine is superb. —Schroeder
If Porsche built this it would cost $65,000, smell like leather, have a sexier exterior, and R&T would treat it like the second corning of Dr. Ferdinand himself. This thing is a marvel. —Yates
Four people fit easily if you put the short ones in back. And small as the headlights are, they work well, with a sharp cutoff on low-beam and good brightness on high-beam with no hot spots. Also, the ABS-cycling sound of the brakes on wet leaves is refined—tick, tick, tick, not CLUNK, CLUNK. —Berg

Auxiliary lights and antennas traveled Forrest Gump’s Monument Valley road in Utah with our GS-R on the One Lap of America.
PHIL BERG, TOM COSGROVE

My Own Private One-Lapper
Six thousand of the 35,000 miles that accumulated on our Integra’s odometer were added during a single grueling drive: We followed the six-day automotive regatta known as the Bridgestone Car and Driver One Lap of America. This annual June enduro is organized by Brock “Cannonball” Yates to the delight of Visine, No-Doz, and Dramamine vendors in sixteen states. For 1994, a string of five all-night drives to nine of the better-known racetracks in the Midwest and Southwest was broken by just one night in a motel. So the One Lap is more than just a casual acquaintance with a car—it’s an intense, intimate fling.
Spending this much time in a car isn’t unbearable if you make preparations to keep yourself entertained. The Integra’s sedan-like center console is ideal for adding extra radios. We installed a Uniden BearTracker automatic police scanner and a trucker-quality K40 CB radio. Backing up these two highway essentials were an AOR 1500 wide-band scanner and a Sony shortwave receiver for entertainment.
This stuff alerted us to the news that New Mexican authorities were busy looking for a machete murderer (and so ignored One Lap competitors), that truckers in Texas knew where all the speed traps were, that the state police in eastern Colorado were distracted by a woman who launched a Volvo 50 feet into a ditch, and that Kansas was exposed to tornado warnings. And if all of this news made us weary, we could always switch to “Voice of the Andes” from Quito, Ecuador.
By the fifth night, our eyes were shot but our backs were healthy, thanks to the terrific seats. The engine revs busily on the highway, 4000 rpm in fifth gear, but makes such pleasant noises you never find yourself reaching for a sixth gear. The steering is so communicative that you have to be nearly unconscious to place a wheel wrong.
With 25,552 miles on the odometer between Arizona and New Mexico, we sustained 110 mph for 50 miles and still got 30 mpg. A lot of things about this little bomber make it ideal as your own private One-Lapper. —Phil Berg

Specifications

SPECIFICATIONS
1993 Acura Integra GS-R Long-Term Test
VEHICLE TYPEFront-engine, front-wheel-drive, 2 + 2 passenger, 3-door coupe
PRICE AS TESTED $19,894 (base price: $19,894)
ENGINE TYPE DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, port fuel injectionDisplacement: 110 in3, 1797 cm3Power: 170 hp @ 7600 rpmTorque: 128 lb-ft @ 6200 rpm
TRANSMISSION 5-speed manual
DIMENSIONSWheelbase: 101.2 inLength: 172.4 inCurb weight: 2661 lb
PERFORMANCE: NEWZero to 60 mph: 6.9 secZero to 100 mph: 19.2 secZero to 120 mph: 34.2 secStanding ¼-mile: 15.4 sec @ 92 mphTop speed: 135 mphBraking, 70-0 mph: 186 ftRoadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.81 g
PERFORMANCE: 35,000 MILESZero to 60 mph: 7.0 secZero to 100 mph: 18.7 secZero to 120 mph: 32.1 secStanding ¼-mile: 15.5 sec @ 93 mphTop speed: 136 mphBraking, 70-0 mph: 182 ftRoadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.79 g
FUEL ECONOMYEPA city driving: 25 mpgC/D observed: 30 mpgUnscheduled oil additions: 1 qt

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From the November 2000 issue of Car and Driver.
With its 7800-rpm redline, 180 horsepower that peaks just 200 rpm before that, and an aggressive VVTL-i electronically variable valve-timing-and-lift scheme, the 1.8-liter DOHC 16-valve engine in Toyota’s Celica GT-S is plenty edgy. Plus, it’s backed by a six-speed manual transmission, and the body wrapped around that engine looks as though it were designed with a knife. But the suspension, while generating impressive performance numbers, feels more civilized than aggressive.

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TRD’s aim for its Sportivo suspension kit is to sharpen the chassis of Toyota’s edgiest car. So the $1545 kit includes new, stiffer springs (38 percent firmer than stock up front, 30 percent stiffer in the rear), bigger anti-roll bars (24 millimeters in diameter up front, up from 22mm stock; and 21mm in diameter at the rear instead of the 17mm stock), rubber bushings 17 percent stiffer than stock, revalved shocks and struts, and upper-strut-mount reinforcements. In addition, a $136 rear strut brace has been added. On TRD’s demonstrator car, the T2 wheels fitted with P215/40ZR-17 Toyo Proxes T1-S tires replace the optional 16-inch wheels and P205/50VR-16 tires offered on the stock GT-S car.
Although that constitutes a pretty thorough reconstruction of the suspension, the rest of this TRD Celica is only modestly twisted. TRD added its own $634 sport-exhaust cat-back system, a high-flow air filter within the stock filter box, and $4267 worth of spoilers, wings, valance panels, and tinted head lamps. TRD claims the improved breathing of the exhaust and intake is worth an additional 14 hp over stock, but it makes no assertions for the body bits beyond claiming that high-schoolers dig them. Add up everything except the tires on the car, and that’s $6752 beyond the 2001 GT-S’s $21,800 purchase price.
On the tight Streets of Willow road course, the TRD-modified Celica’s turn-in is dramatically better than stock, and when the inevitable understeer arrives, it’s modest. Driven at less than 10/10ths, the car feels neutral and only reminds that it’s a front-driver when accelerating out of corners. Steering effort seems greater than stock, more so than might be expected for a car whose tire contact patch has expanded only 10mm at each corner.

That improvement in at-limit behavior doesn’t, however, mean that the limits themselves have expanded. Despite bigger tires and thicker bars, the TRD Celica only matched our last GT-S’s 0.86-g skidpad orbit. Getting the most of the chassis changes on the track probably means adopting beefier rubber than this car’s modest upgrade.
On the road, there’s notably more noise transmitted from the tires into the cabin than stock. That’s not surprising, given the harsher springs and harder bushings, and it’s just irritating enough that the sound could be maddening during daily commutes. The exhaust system adds to the cacophony, and the change in air filters is, we assume, responsible for the more pronounced octave shift as the VVTL-i variable valve timing kicks in at about 6000 rpm.
But although the exhaust and the intake change the sound of the Celica, there’s nothing to indicate that they make it quicker. The TRD car’s 7.5-second 0-to-60-mph clocking is 0.3 second slower than the last stock machine we tested, and the TRD’s quarter-mile time of 15.7 seconds at 92 mph is 2 mph slower. There’s no reason TRD’s changes should have made the car much faster, but they shouldn’t have slowed it down. We can only guess at the reasons for this small disparity.

TRD’s modifications nudge the Celica GT-S toward the raw-nerve reflexes of a car like the Acura Integra Type R. But the potential is there for Toyota and its TRD division to comprehensively optimize the car as a true, factory-built near racer along the lines of the Type R. There’s more power to be had from this engine, more grip to come from this chassis, and we want it all.

Specifications

SPECIFICATIONS
2000 TRD Toyota Celica GT-S
VEHICLE TYPE Front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 2-door coupe
PRICE AS TESTED $28,552 (base price: $24,285*)
ENGINE TYPE DOHC 16-valve 4-in-line, aluminum block and head, Toyota engine-control system with port fuel injectionDisplacement: 110 cu in, 1796ccPower (SAE net): 194 bhp @ 7600 rpmTorque (SAE net): 133 lb-ft @ 6800 rpm
TRANSMISSION 6-speed manual
DIMENSIONSWheelbase: 102.3 inLength: 170.4 inCurb weight: 2600 lb
C/D TEST RESULTSZero to 60 mph: 7.5 secZero to 100 mph: 19.9 secStreet start, 5-60 mph: 8.0 secStanding ¼-mile: 15.7 sec @ 92 mphTop speed (redline limited): 129 mphBraking, 70-0 mph: 171 ftRoadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.86 g
FUEL ECONOMYEPA city driving: 27 mpg

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From the September 2007 issue of Car and Driver.
Porsche’s Cayenne, the Porsche so few enthusiasts get but many consumers buy, receives more than just a face lift for 2008. Evidence confirms HGH use—that’s “hefty gains in horsepower”—but Porsche has done nothing unethical. There’s a slight enlargement, to 4.8 liters (from 4.5), direct injection, and the addition of Porsche’s VarioCam Plus variable valve timing and lift. After all these changes, the V-8 in a Porsche Cayenne S now puts out 385 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, gains of 45 horsepower and 59 pound-feet. Although those figures won’t grab any headlines, they are gains of 13 and 16 percent, respectively, which is way more than some people here would ever tip.

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With the extra power underhood being channeled to all four wheels through Porsche’s standard all-wheel-drive system, we recorded 0-to-60 mph in six ticks flat and the quarter-mile in 14.5 seconds at 98 mph, figures that beat the old Cayenne S by 0.6 second to 60 and 0.5 second and 5 mph in the quarter.
Those numbers comfortably pad the $35,800 premium the true lunatic pays for a 500-hp Cayenne Turbo—which will perform the 0-to-60 and quarter-mile feats in 4.8 and 13.3 seconds at 107 mph—but they also represent a noticeable gain from behind the wheel over the performance of the outgoing car. This was a necessary improvement considering Mercedes-Benz’s new 382-hp ML550 will sprint to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds and costs some $5500 less. If an ML and a Cayenne ever find themselves side by side at a red light, we can only assume egos will be clashing conservatively, meaning the 5-to-60-mph rolling start will probably be the more important number. Advantage: Mercedes. So you might want to think twice about that Turbo.
Also new for 2008 is the optional $3510 Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control, which consists of a pair of active anti-roll bars meant to counteract body roll. A recent Cayenne Turbo we tested had this system (and summer-only 21-inch tires) and recorded 0.90 g on our skidpad, which seems to pretty well define the limit of what a vehicle this size is capable of.

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This S model did without the bars had lesser all-season rubber and managed 0.82 g, a figure that is still superb for a 5351-pound sport-ute. If you’re a big-league on-ramp bomber really looking to absolutely terrify the wife and kids, though, PDCC might be worth the cash.
Inside the Cayenne, not much has changed. Actually, nothing at all has changed beyond the availability of new leather. Our tester did not have that option, and we were unable to evaluate it. So sad. It did, however, have a nav system ($3070), an adjustable air suspension ($2990), and a sunroof ($1190), among other options that pushed our as-tested price past $70,000.

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Keep the options in check, though, and a base 2008 Cayenne S is only $780 more than the previous gen. That’s just $17.33 per additional horse, which is some of the cheapest horsepower anywhere on the market, even if it is heavy horsepower.

Specifications

SPECIFICATIONS
2008 Porsche Cayenne S
VEHICLE TYPE Front-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 5-door wagon
PRICE AS TESTED $70,025 (base price: $58,795)
ENGINE TYPE DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 293 cu in, 4806ccPower (SAE net): 385 bhp @ 6200 rpmTorque (SAE net): 369 lb-ft @ 3500 rpm
TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic with manumatic shifting
DIMENSIONSWheelbase: 112.4 inLength: 188.9 inWidth: 75.9Height: 66.9Curb weight: 5351 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS Zero to 60 mph: 6.0 secZero to 100 mph: 15.2 secZero to 130 mph: 29.7 secStreet start, 5-60 mph: 6.8 secStanding ¼-mile: 14.5 sec @ 98 mphTop speed (drag limited, mfr’s claim): 155 mphBraking, 70-0 mph: 175 ftRoadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.82 g
FUEL ECONOMYEPA city/highway driving: 13/19 mpgC/D observed: 15 mpg

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Ferrari isn’t a brand known for subtlety. So, what are we to make of the Ferrari Roma, a car that Ferrari says is built for a buyer that “doesn’t want to show off.”
Although the Roma is based on the front-engine Portofino convertible, this new coupe doesn’t appear to share much with it at first glance. The Roma’s flowing lines recall Ferrari’s GT cars of the 1960s more than the edgier stuff of late. Of course, there are modern elements such as the perforated grille, the slim headlights, and the futuristic taillights. The mix of modern and retro continues inside. While mid-engine Ferraris reduce the center console to a minimum, the Roma has a distinct area for both the driver and the front passenger separated by a massive center section. There are two rear seats, too, which can work for adults on short distances, provided the front seats are not pushed back too far.

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Ferrari

Up Close with the Ferrari Roma

How C/D Editors Would Spec the 2020 Ferrari Roma

Ferrari’s latest ergonomic decisions are present here. The steering wheel contains the turn signals and the small manettino dial to select the stability-control mode. Beyond the steering wheel is a large digital display that can be configured in a number of ways, including a traditional round tachometer.
Firing up the engine requires touching a capacitive switch on the steering wheel. A light touch ignites a raging fire within the 612-hp twin-turbocharged 3.9-liter V-8. Based on the Portofino’s engine, the changes for the Roma include a fatter torque curve and 21 more horsepower. The dual-clutch automatic is an eight speed to the Portofino’s seven.
Driven moderately, the Roma is a superb cruiser that doesn’t really tempt the driver to hunt down and pass every other car on the road. Rather, it invites the driver to relax and enjoy the opulent surroundings and the sweet song of the V-8. The eight-speed dual-clutch automatic shifts quickly and unobtrusively, although it is too eager to select the highest possible gear.

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Ferrari

When you decide to drive fast, the Roma turns into a serious, extremely powerful sports car. The turbos spool up quickly, and the engine races up to its 7500-rpm redline. Gear changes let off a delightful popping report, and speed builds so quickly that you will constantly underestimate the pace at which you are charging down the highway and through the corners. We predict a 2.9-second time to 60 mph, and Ferrari claims a vague “over 199 mph” top speed.
For this test drive, Ferrari selected a route with unusually low-friction pavement. This turned into an advantage as it allowed us to sample the Roma’s agile yet ultimately manageable handling at the limits of adhesion at relatively civil speeds. Steering effort is lighter than you might expect, but the steering manages to convey the feedback that has gone missing in many modern cars. Turn-in is satisfyingly precise and direct.
If a Ferrari appeals to you but you have found the current lineup to be a bit immature and overtly aggressive, the Roma may be just right. Priced at $222,620, it is only slightly more expensive than the Portofino. As a grand tourer, it will compete with the similarly priced and equally mature Aston Martin DB11, Bentley Continental GT, and possibly even the Porsche 911 Turbo. We enjoyed it on its Italian home turf, and we think it’ll be just as much at home in Orange County or Miami Beach.

Specifications

Specifications
2021 Ferrari Roma
VEHICLE TYPE front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2+2-passenger, 2-door coupe
BASE PRICE $222,620
ENGINE TYPE twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement 235 in3, 3855 cm3Power 612 hp @ 7500 rpmTorque 561 lb-ft @ 3000 rpm
TRANSMISSION 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
DIMENSIONS Wheelbase: 105.1 inLength: 183.3 inWidth: 77.7 inHeight: 51.2 inTrunk volume: 10 ft3Curb weight (C/D est): 3700 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST) 60 mph: 2.9 sec100 mph: 6.6 sec1/4 mile: 10.7 secTop speed: 199 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY Combined/city/highway: 19/17/22 mpg

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Objective reporting can only carry you so far when it comes to a car like the Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione. But as it’s one of the most venerated and valuable cars of the late 1950s and early ’60s, it’s hard to do anything else. Calm, rational analysis is near impossible, not least because of the considerable difficulty in persuading somebody to lend you one.

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The faster and prettier versions of the Ferrari 250 sit right at the top of the automotive pantheon. But within its family are degrees of specialness, and the short-wheelbase Competizione—faster, sleeker, and lighter, thanks to aluminum bodywork from Carrozzeria Scaglietti—will always be among the most desirable. It’s not quite at the level of the 1962 to ’64 250 GTOs that billionaires fight over—one of which sold for $70 million in 2018. But to land a good original example of one of the 74 aluminum-bodied GT SWBs, you’ll still need a budget that runs into eight figures.

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GTO Engineering

Which is why you probably won’t be surprised to learn that the car pictured here isn’t a genuine GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione. This is a near-perfect recreation, built by GTO Engineering in the United Kingdom with almost every detail correct except the provenance that wins big concours prizes. It has been given some non-standard updates and modifications, but only ones that most of the supreme originals have acquired over their long, interesting lives.
GTO Engineering’s managing director, Mark Lyon, knows plenty about such alterations and also the fine line that divides the heirloom-grade period cars from the replicas. His company frequently works on early 250s alongside its recreations such as this one. Most originals now have replacement engines, especially those that race, with original V-12s carefully preserved elsewhere. “You’d be a little mad not to,” Lyon said, “as one catastrophic failure is going to take 25 percent off the value of a numbers-matching car.”
GTO’s Revival cars are designed to be driven and used. They take the legal identity of what are normally basket-case Ferraris from the same period, most often 330s or 365s, and are then rebuilt with a new chassis, bodywork, and a fresh V-12 engine. In the case of the GT SWB, that means hand-formed aluminum bodywork, with the big change being an effectively invisible one: GTO Engineering rolls the panels rather than hammer-beating them as Scagletti’s craftsmen did.

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GTO Engineering

Buyers can opt for a variety of non-period modifications. Air conditioning is a popular upgrade for those planning long road trips, as are bespoke audio systems for those who don’t regard the sounds made by a high-revving V-12 as sufficiently entertaining. Yet it is also possible to specify a car to be effectively identical to an original and for a sizeable discount. This will be the only time a car with a roughly $1-million starting price gets described as a bargain.
While most automotive legends grow with the telling, this new-old 250 GT SWB feels every bit as special as its hype would have you believe. The GT Competizione employed a 3.0-liter version of Ferrari’s Colombo V-12, one that made around 240 horsepower. Adjusted for technological inflation, that’s about 1000 horses in 2020 terms. GTO Engineering builds a new-old V-12 for each Revival, which they say takes 300 man-hours apiece, with displacement options of 3.0, 3.5, or 4.0 liters. The buyer of the car we borrowed specified a 3.5-liter engine—a popular and permitted upgrade in some historic racing categories—which bumps the output to 315 horses. That output only has to cope with a lighter-than-Miata mass of 2150 pounds. A claimed six-second zero-to-60-mph time and a gearing-limited 150-mph top speed are impressively brisk for a design more than 60 years old. While it might not be any quicker than a modern hot hatchback, we are entirely certain that nothing sounds as good as a hard-working 250 GT.

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GTO Engineering

Ferrari’s old V-12 is special in a way that modern engines just aren’t. The idle is loud and lumpy, with even the gentlest throttle input sending the revs soaring. Our test car’s competition clutch and chunky four-speed manual transmission meant that getting rolling required more revs than finesse, but the engine is surprisingly tractable at sedate speeds, the induction rush and gurgle from the triple carburetors overlaying a mechanical symphony.
But gentle use is not the point of a car like this. Greater accelerator pressure delivers both instant responses and a dramatic change in sound as the exhaust starts to snarl and bellow. It doesn’t wail like modern Ferraris; the sound is rorty and angrier and utterly compelling. The fury of its top end was savage enough to have us doubting the numbers on the tachometer. Shifting up at 6000 rpm felt daring, and it took most of the half day we spent driving the car to build up to the indicated 7400-rpm redline.

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GTO Engineering

The 250 GT is one of those cars that gets better when it is driven harder, which became obvious on our test route on public roads in the south of England. The long-throw shifter of the four-speed manual becomes more accurate when moved firmly and decisively. The four-wheel disc brakes—a first for Ferrari at the time—feel mushy under gentle use but turn solid and forceful when you stand on the pedal. And the Avon tires—impossibly tall and narrow compared to the low-profile rubber of modern supercars—seem happiest at the edge of their adhesion.
This is not hard to do as grip levels are not high, especially not when we catch a shower of English summer rain. The car we drove had been given a quicker 17:1 unassisted steering rack—another popular modification on original cars—which delivers both impressively quick responses and unambiguous feedback when the front axle runs short on grip. Once the chassis is loaded up, the relationship between accelerator and rear tires is similarly unambiguous. The GT can be powered to the breakaway point of traction, or even slightly beyond it, with ridiculous ease for something so expensive and exotic. We now know why the racing examples were so often photographed in opposite lock with grinning drivers.

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GTO Engineering

As you might expect, driving in the real world does bring some issues. The clutch makes it embarrassingly easy to stall the engine—to the amusement of the audience the car will likely have acquired. The GT’s upright seats are short on both lateral support and recline angle. Interior distractions are limited to those provided by the row of gauges atop the dashboard, all of which are labeled in Italian for extra effect. Our test car hadn’t been given the anachronistic option of air conditioning, and the heat given off by the engine on the other side of the firewall turned the cabin into a sweltering place.
Replica cars are never going to be taken as seriously as those they copy, and that is especially true when it comes to Ferraris. Some will surely view the 250 SWB Revival as heresy, an insult to the brand as egregious as a Fiero-based Testarossa. Yet, barring its price and its lack of qualifications to enter some of the snootier historic racing series, this really does feel like the real thing. If only all tribute acts were this good.

Specifications

Specifications
2021 GTO Engineering 250 SWB Revival
VEHICLE TYPE front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door coupe
BASE PRICE (EST) $1,000,000
ENGINE SOHC 24-valve 3.5-liter V-12, 315 hp, 255 lb-ft
TRANSMISSION 4-speed manual
DIMENSIONS Wheelbase: 94.5 inLength: 170.0 inWidth: 63.0 inHeight: 50.0 inCurb weight (C/D est): 2150 lb
PERFORMANCE (MFR’S EST) 60 mph: 6.0 secTop speed: 150 mph

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Michael SimariCar and Driver

With its raucous turbo four-cylinder and fiery performance, the compact CLA45 started off as the entry-level punk of Mercedes-AMG’s sedan range when it debuted for 2014. But much has changed as it enters its sophomore generation on Benz’s latest CLA-class platform, including the introduction of less-extreme A35 and CLA35 models at the bottom of AMG’s lineup. For the redesigned 2020 CLA45—and its 2021 GLA45 crossover sibling—evolution has allowed it to finally mature out of its adolescent hot-rod phase without losing its sports-car-like abilities.

HIGHS: Big power with little lag, charismatic engine note, improved fuel economy, greater refinement.

Keen eyes will notice that an S, which denotes the new 416-hp S model, is not included on our test car’s trunklid badge. While the S is available in other markets, buyers in the United States only get the standard tune for the hand-assembled M133 2.0-liter inline-four, which still benefits from a new twin-scroll turbocharger delivering more boost (30.1 psi versus the previous 26.1), revised internals, and a new port and direct fuel-injection system. Peak horsepower is now 382 at 6500 rpm, up from the previous CLA45’s 375 at 6000 rpm. Torque creeps up from 350 pound-feet at 2250 rpm to 354 at 4750 revs. The standard dual-clutch automatic transmission now has eight speeds instead of seven, and the updated 4Matic+ all-wheel-drive system gains a torque-vectoring rear differential to help the car rotate around corners more easily.

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Michael SimariCar and Driver

AMG CLA45 S Is a Bonkers Compact Sedan

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A new front-axle disconnect allows for tail-out antics on the racetrack, provided you opt for our test car’s $4300 AMG Dynamic Plus package. Along with redundant steering-wheel-mounted controls for the drivetrain, chassis, stability control, and the overarching AMG Dynamics vehicle management system, this comprehensive bundle adds Race and Drift modes to the standard Comfort, Sport, Sport+, and Individual setups. Dynamic Plus also brings a sportier suspension setup with adaptive dampers, larger brake rotors with red-painted calipers, a leather- and suede-wrapped AMG steering wheel, a 167-mph top-speed governor (up from 155 mph), an active performance exhaust and AMG’s Track Pace data-logging system.

LOWS: No quicker than before, still pricey with options, fussy MBUX infotainment, no S model in the U.S.

Our scales say that the second-gen CLA45 put on 180 pounds, thanks mostly to its added features and larger dimensions; it’s two inches wider than before and an inch longer both overall and in wheelbase. Yet, our 3743-pound test car posted roughly the same performance results of the last CLA45 we tested: a launch-control-enabled 3.7-second 60-mph time, 0.99-g grip on the skidpad, and a 154-foot stop from 70 mph. What’s more, despite the weight gain, our observed fuel economy jumped from 20 mpg to 24, and the return on our 75-mph highway test improved from 31 mpg to 34—a solid 5 mpg greater than the CLA45’s EPA estimate. Apparently that extra gear makes a big difference.

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Michael SimariCar and Driver

Although the M133 four has a relatively high-rpm torque peak, AMG’s revisions make it impressively tractable and short on lag. Aided by the new transmission, its 5-to-60-mph time (5.1 seconds) is 0.2 second quicker than before. There’s a fair amount of clutch slippage from the transmission when setting off, as well as some clunky downshifts at low speeds around town. But the new dual-clutch box is otherwise ultrasharp and smartly programmed to downshift and hold gears when it should. Launch the CLA45 down the quarter-mile in Race mode and rapid upshifts come with firm kicks to your backside. Just don’t expect to beat an Audi RS3 in the other lane, as the CLA45’s 12.2-second pass at 114 mph can’t match the Audi’s high-11-second run.
Our test car’s active exhaust produced plenty of snorts and pops when driven aggressively, pinging our sound meter with 90 decibels at full throttle in Race mode, up from the previous model’s 88 decibels. Leave the new car’s system in the standard mode, and it calls noticeably less attention to itself. But it’s way more fun to hit the loud button and take in the sweet growl from the new AMG 2.0-liter. Compared to the flat, buzzy engine note of most four-bangers, including the previous CLA45’s, there’s a pleasing richness to the updated engine’s tone that had us constantly searching out its 7000-rpm redline.

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Michael SimariCar and Driver

The CLA45’s maturation is most significant in its chassis, which enjoys increased suspension travel and better isolation from the angry four-cylinder under the hood. Riding on short-sidewall 255/35R-19 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires (18-inchers are a no-cost option), AMG’s compact sedan still rides poorly on rough roads when its dampers are in their stiffer settings. But there’s now enough flexibility and ride compliance to traverse smoother pavement without smacking the bump stops. The new CLA45 will relax a little if you want it to, something its predecessor simply never did. Body control through corners remains excellent, and the direct and firmly weighted steering does convey some feel as lateral forces build. Loads of grip from the sticky Michelins results in little of the stubborn understeer in tight corners that we generally expect from transverse-engine sports sedans.
Take a seat in the CLA45’s firm, heavily bolstered AMG Performance thrones ($2690) and the new CLA’s extra width is as apparent as it is welcome. Along with a more accommodating back seat (although one that is still tight on headroom for taller riders), the overall environment feels much more inviting. No longer does every interior surface vibrate to the thrum of the engine, making it easier to enjoy a cabin fit for an entry-luxury car. You can still get your fill of red accents and contrast stitching, and red seatbelts remain standard. (Black belts are no charge.) But our example’s subdued grey-and-black upholstery and black wood trim looked restrained and sophisticated, complimenting the plentiful brightwork and vibrant 10.3-inch instrument and center displays. Benz’s latest MBUX infotainment system, with its center touchpad and tiny steering-wheel controllers, still requires more involvement to operate efficiently than we’d like. But ergonomics ultimately are not this AMG’s weak point.

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Michael SimariCar and Driver

The CLA45’s greatest issue remains its pricing. The second-generation’s improvements and features have increased its entry point by $1700 over last year, to $55,795. However, all of our test car’s performance options—along with the $1700 Driver Assistance package, $1150 embedded navigation system, and more—inflated its window sticker to $73,850. At which point speed junkies will be more satisfied with AMG’s $69,095 C63 sedan and its 469-hp twin-turbo V-8. Stretch and you can land the 503-hp C63 S four-door for $76,695. But go easy on the CLA45’s upgrades and you’ll find that AMG’s punk is now a compelling small sports sedan, one that demands far fewer tradeoffs for its youthful exuberance.

Specifications

Specifications
2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 4Matic+
VEHICLE TYPE front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE AS TESTED $73,850 (base price: $55,795)
ENGINE TYPE turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, port and direct fuel injectionDisplacement 122 in3, 1991 cm3Power 382 hp @ 6500 rpmTorque 354 lb-ft @ 4750 rpm
TRANSMISSION 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
CHASSIS Suspension (F/R): struts/multilinkBrakes (F/R): 13.8-in vented, cross-drilled disc/13.0-in vented, cross-drilled discTires: Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, 255/35R-19 (96Y) MO1
DIMENSIONS Wheelbase: 107.4 inLength: 184.8 inWidth: 72.0 inHeight: 56.3 inPassenger volume: 89 ft3Trunk volume: 12 ft3Curb weight: 3743 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS 60 mph: 3.7 sec100 mph: 9.1 sec130 mph: 16.4 sec150 mph: 24.3 secRolling start, 5–60 mph: 5.1 secTop gear, 30–50 mph: 2.4 secTop gear, 50–70 mph: 3.1 sec1/4 mile: 12.2 sec @ 114 mphTop speed (mfr’s claim): 167 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 154 ftBraking, 100–0 mph: 311 ftRoadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.99 gStanding-start accel times omit 1-ft rollout of 0.2 sec.
C/D FUEL ECONOMY Observed: 24 mpg75-mph highway driving: 34 mpgHighway range: 450 miles
EPA FUEL ECONOMY Combined/city/highway: 23/26/29 mpg

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The best car designers are undoubtedly great artists, but ones who are closer to sculptors than musicians. They rarely get the chance to revisit past triumphs or to bust out spectacular free-form riffs on earlier themes. Yet that’s what Ian Callum has managed with an updated and heavily revised version of one of his most famous cars, the 2001-2007 Aston Martin Vanquish.
The process began a few years ago when Callum bought a Vanquish S. Up to that point, he didn’t actually own any examples of his own star-studded back catalog, and Vanquish values in the United Kingdom were rising at a rate that meant they would soon be unaffordable. He started to drive it regularly and was soon thinking, as he puts it, of how to give the car “the facelift it never had.”

Aston Martin Vanquish

Aston Martin V-12 Vanquish S

Such plans were purely personal, but around that same time Callum was contemplating his departure as Jaguar’s design director. He began to discuss setting up a new company with a small group of other JLR veterans, and so the idea of an updated Vanquish gained obvious relevance. Having decided on a name for the new business—Callum—a comprehensive makeover of the Vanquish became its first project, with a plan to build a limited run of 25 cars.
The original assumption was that well-heeled clients would send their aged steeds to be transformed, but that has only happened in a minority of cases. “For many of the buyers, it’s really not a case of either/or,” Callum’s engineering boss Adam Donfrancesco said. “They are getting one in addition to an existing Vanquish. They love the original car, but they want something a bit more special and more modern as well.” For customers who don’t already own a Vanquish, Callum will source one. The work is done at R-Reforged’s 30,000-square-foot Warwick, England, facility.

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Callum

While it is certainly justifiable to question the logic of spending roughly twice the price of a brand-new Aston DBS Superleggera on a restomod version of an older car, the up-close reality of Callum’s demonstrator is pretty stunning. Finished in Roxanne Red—Ian Callum loves ’70s pop-culture references—the car looks both familiar and new. While the core metalwork is unchanged, pretty much every external detail has been altered, from the shape of the grille and the addition of a sizeable rear diffuser (with new bumpers front and rear) to modern projector headlights and LED taillights. The updated car sits 0.4-inch lower than the original, with the wheels pushed out another 2.4 inches. And although the wheels are a very similar design to the original ones, they are larger at 20 inches front and rear.
Changes in the cabin are more obvious. Callum admits he never liked the original car’s interior, and the alterations are closer to a full remodeling than a redecoration. There is a new carbon-fiber center stack with an integrated touchscreen interface, thus losing the first-generation Jaguar XK HVAC controls of the original car. The seats are new and positioned lower, and the new metal door handles are substantial. A Bremont mechanical watch is mounted to the top of the dashboard—it can be detached to be worn outside the car—and there’s a redesigned steering wheel with a narrower rim. The standards of fit and finish are obviously high, with the “deconstructed tartan” trim referencing Ian Callum’s Scottish roots. But the most exciting change is the presence of a manual gear selector between the seats.

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Callum

That’s because the original Vanquish was built with a roboticized automated single-clutch transmission of limited refinement and frequently snappy temperament. Callum is offering Vanquish 25 buyers the option to stick with that, change to a six-speed General Motors torque-converter automatic, or install the same manual conversion that Aston Martin Works has been offering as an approved upgrade for more than a decade.
The manual gearbox brings both a heavy clutch pedal and a weighty shift action that requires careful aim to select the right gear. But it’s soon clear that accurate selection isn’t especially important given the potency of the naturally aspirated 5.9-liter V-12. The big 12 pulls cleanly from little more than idle and with the linearity lacking in a more modern turbocharged unit, muscle flexing harder as revs increase. Peak output increases by 60 horsepower over the original Vanquish S thanks to freer-flowing intake and exhaust systems and revised engine mapping, with the maximum 580 horsepower arriving at a sonorous 7000 rpm. On an empty, open road there is absolutely no desire to shift anywhere below that point.

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Callum

The Callum’s suspension actually feels softer than our distant memories of the hard-riding original Vanquish S, with the idea being to improve refinement while better managing the car’s mass with upgraded Bilstein dampers. Like the original car, this one does without electronically adjustable suspension, but the Bilsteins proved adept at keeping the car’s two-ton mass under tight discipline—even over a test route that included many of the fast but imperfectly surfaced roads frequently used by Aston and JLR’s development engineers. Stability is impressive at speed, which is fortunate because the dull-witted old traction control only intervenes after the rear axle has begun to slide. The Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires help deliver more grip than the Vanquish ever had, along with more progressive breakaway when you’re playing around at lower speeds. The steering is excellent—direct and bristling with a level of feedback that most modern electric systems seem determined to filter out. The new carbon-ceramic brakes, taken directly from Aston’s current lineup, offer relentless stopping power and good pedal feel. It’s very much an analog sports car.
You will be unsurprised to hear that, in other areas, a car that was substantially developed during the 20th century is now feeling pretty old. At highway cruising speeds there is a lot of wind noise from the top of the windshield and also more road roar than would reach the cabin of a modern equivalent. Although lowered, the driving position still feels a mite too high, and taller occupants might struggle for headroom. The aftermarket touchscreen interface also lacks in smarts compared to the better OEM systems. We couldn’t stop it from admonishing us every time we transgressed a speed limit, even by a single mile per hour. It was a naggy day.
The original Vanquish S cost $255,000 when we drove it back in 2004. The reimagined version costs the equivalent of $600,000 without the cost of a donor car, but that steep price hasn’t deterred several United States buyers we’re told have already ordered cars. Of course, you’d also have to pay substantially more to listen to the Rolling Stones live than you would have needed to when “Paint It Black” was freshly written. On that basis, the Callum Vanquish 25 is the equivalent of a personal concert in your own garage.
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