Reviews

Well, this is finally the end. Both for Audi’s 5.2-liter V-10 screamer—and V-10s in general—as well as its mid-engine R8 supercar. It seems 2023 is the last model year, and this limited-edition R8 GT, which lives among the rest of the R8 coupe and spyder lineup, the last variant.While that previous cluster of words is enough to sour the mood, the R8 GT will do just the opposite. It’s easy to drive, controllable on the throttle. Sweeping through a corner, we could quickly place it right at the limit of the rear end’s traction, where adding a touch more power caused the back end to step out. Playfully, never frightfully. We still miss the gated manual from the first-generation R8, but the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic in the GT nevertheless shifts even faster than before. In its most aggressive modes, the ferocious energy of a wide-open-throttle upshift at the 8700-rpm redline reverberates through the carbon-fiber and aluminum monocoque structure. Audi is selling just 333 GTs worldwide, with 150 coming to the U.S. There will be 50 each in red, gray, and black, which amounts to one for only every other Audi dealer. Each car is labeled with its build number, the sequence sunk beneath the surface of the carbon-fiber center-console trim. We spent a day in southern Spain at Circuito Monteblanco, where Audi had cars 62 through 64 on hand for lapping, plus a few more pre-production units that aren’t part of the official count. That’s right—the more desirable early-number cars get built later in the production cycle.Getting the 602-hp state of tune that was previously only available in all-wheel-drive R8s, the GT is 40 horses stronger than the regular rear-drive R8 and the most powerful rear-drive car ever from Audi. Maybe that’s why the Quattro brand is really leaning into drifting talk. In fact, the R8 GT is the only R8 to get a new feature called Torque Rear—Audi officials say labeling it drift mode is too iffy from a regulatory perspective—with seven settings of escalating allowability of rear-wheel slip. It’s more of a fun mode than a track tool, programmed to allow a goodly amount of wheelspin while making it a bit more difficult for an under-skilled driver to go all Mustang exiting Cars & Coffee. Click the new checkered flag button that’s sprouted on the steering wheel and then turn a knob to adjust. Level 1 doesn’t allow enough slip for a recognizable drift while Level 7 provides only the lightest touches of power reduction. Unlike Ferrari’s Side Slip Angle Control, however, Torque Rear isn’t a spin preventer. Ask us how we know.Audi|Car and DriverThe GT isn’t entirely a parts-bin car, but it does borrow more than a few bits from the existing lineup. The carbon-fiber front anti-roll bar, for instance, is an $1100 option on other R8s. It has exactly the same stiffness as the bar it replaces and saves 4.4 pounds. The GT also gets the shorter gearing from the all-wheel-drive variants, with the third through seventh ratios shorter by 4 to 29 percent, and standard carbon-ceramic brakes and bucket seats, which are part of the $12,900 Dynamic package on other R8s. Forged 20-inch wheels are new for the GT and are wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 rubber in the same sizes as the rest of the lineup. European R8 GTs get an optional coil-over suspension that’s adjustable for height and damping, but it’s not available on U.S. cars. Ours stick to a fixed setup, skipping even the adaptive dampers from the all-wheel-drive variants.The End of an EraIf the GT’s $253,290 price seems dear, it’s probably because it’s $91,895 more than a regular 2023 rear-drive R8 coupe. But after checking all the option boxes that are included on the GT, the premium drops to $53,900. GTs also wear a comprehensive carbon-fiber aero package, including a large, fixed rear wing, front diffuser and canards, and an element behind the rear wheels. U.S. cars come fairly loaded, which is why they’re slightly heavier than their Euro counterparts. Standard equipment includes laser headlights, sport exhaust, dynamic steering, a B&O stereo, and carbon-fiber mirror caps, door sills, and side blades. Still, the GT is a claimed 55 pounds lighter than the regular rear-drive R8 and roughly 120 pounds lighter than the all-wheel-drive coupe. Part of the weight loss is a reduction in sound deadening that makes the R8 louder, and U.S. cars are louder still, thanks to the removal of the particulate filters required in the European market. It was hard to get a good read from the Euro-spec cars we drove, as the V-10’s sweet escalating melodies were always muffled by a helmet.Acceleration won’t be able to match that of the all-wheel-drive R8; plan on a 60-mph time in the very low threes and a quarter-mile right around 11 flat. The GT’s fixed-back bucket seats are relaxed fit for their genre; they’re neither narrow nor have steep bolsters on their periphery. They retain a power height adjustment and manual fore-aft. But this seems to fit with the R8’s more daily-drivable vibe—including a luggage shelf behind the front seats—compared with its relentlessly manic corporate cousin, the Lamborghini Huracán. Speaking of which, the GT is similar in concept to the rear-drive Huracán Tecnica.If you’re wondering how this last, best R8 might stack up to the Corvette Z06, Audi says you’re not one of its customers and claims there’s next to zero overlap with Corvette buyers. Nevertheless, you won’t be surprised that the R8 struggles to justify a price that’s more than twice as expensive as the Z06. The Z06 makes more power (although it’s more than a hundred pounds heavier) and revs nearly as high. The R8’s grip levels sure didn’t feel as lofty as the Z06’s, although a slightly damp track during our drive certainly had something to do with it. But we feel confident saying it would be hard to find a track where the Z06 wouldn’t win. Audi|Car and DriverThe R8 GT will arrive in early 2023, and the entire R8 line will depart by the end of the year. It’s been a good run.SpecificationsSpecifications
2023 Audi R8 GTVehicle Type: mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door coupe
PRICE
Base: $253,290
ENGINE
DOHC 40-valve V-10, aluminum block and heads, port and direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 318 in3, 5204 cm3Power: 602 hp @ 8000 rpmTorque: 413 lb-ft @ 6400 rpm
TRANSMISSION
7-speed dual-clutch automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 104.3 inLength: 177.0 inWidth: 77.3 inHeight: 48.2 inPassenger Volume: 50 ft3Cargo Volume F/R: 4/8 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 3550 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 3.1 sec100 mph: 6.6 sec1/4-Mile: 11.0 secTop Speed: 199 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 17/14/21 mpgThis content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Porsche loves to pay homage to its past. When your halo model has been in production since the 1960s, there’s a rich history to tap into. The 2023 911 Carrera T is the latest to get the retro treatment, although it’s certainly no old-school sports car. Intended to evoke the feeling of the original 1968 Carrera T, the new one adds performance-enhancing goodies from elsewhere in the 911 lineup while reducing weight and trimming luxuries to create a purist’s sports car.This isn’t Porsche’s first contemporary T model for the 911, as it relaunched the trim during the 991-generation car’s tenure. More recently, Porsche has introduced a Macan T SUV, as well as 718 Boxster T and 718 Cayman T models, all using a similar lightweight, performance-enhanced formula. The 911 Carrera T feels focused and provides just enough modern-day amenities to avoid being under-equipped. Base Carrera Meets Carrera SThe entry-level 911 Carrera has a 379-hp twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter flat-six engine but comes only with an eight-speed PDK automatic transmission, whereas the more expensive Carrera S ups output to 443 horsepower and can be had with Porsche’s excellent seven-speed manual. The Carrera T essentially splits the difference, sticking with the 379-hp version of the flat-six but opening up the availability of the seven-speed manual. Porsche will build you a Carrera T with the PDK, but doing so negates some of the T’s weight savings. For what it’s worth, the automatic car is said to be quicker, with Porsche claiming a zero-to-60 time of 3.8 seconds for the PDK and 4.3 for the manual. In addition to the standard stick shift, the Carrera T adds a mechanical limited-slip differential, Porsche’s PASM active suspension system with sport-tuned dampers, and staggered-fitment wheels and tires. The 20-inch front wheels wear 245-section-width rubber, while the 21-inch rears wear wider 305s. A rear-axle-steering system is optional, although our Gulf Blue example didn’t have it. All Carrera Ts come standard with the popular Sport Chrono package and feature Agate Gray exterior trim and a sport exhaust system with gloss-black tailpipes. PorschePorsche says the Carrera T weighs 100 pounds less than the base model despite the extra equipment. Weight-saving measures include deleting the rear seat, reduced sound deadening, a smaller battery, and thinner window glass. More sound permeates the cabin as a result, which is both a good and a bad thing. When hustling, you hear more of the engine’s melody, including the turbos spooling, but when cruising at steady highway speeds the engine note booms inside the cabin and can be a bit fatiguing. The Carrera T is surprisingly approachable, and even novice drivers will find it easy to wind through corners with surgical precision. At the same time, its ride is surprisingly compliant, and the suspension does a good job managing rough stretches of pavement, rounding off the sharp edges of most bumps.Twisty canyon roads—like the one where we drove the Carrera T near Los Angeles—are where the car feels most at home. Its steering is crisp and communicative, and so is the manual transmission, which has an unambiguous clutch takeup point. Although these controls feel entirely natural, the brakes take some getting used to. Early in the pedal travel, the brakes bite aggressively, and smooth modulation is a learned behavior. Stripped to BasicsThe all-black cabin of our test car appeared a little drab. While it’s nicely put together, it’s not quite flashy enough for the Carrera T’s $118,050 starting price. Besides removing the rear seats, Porsche has also stripped down features to save weight. That helps with the Carrera T’s purist-focused feel, but we’d have appreciated full-power-seat adjustments rather than power recline combined with manual fore-aft movement. Related StoriesThe seats themselves are comfortable and supportive, with bolstering suitable for hard driving but not uncomfortable for daily use. The optional Interior package adds some color inside by way of stripes on the seats, seatbelt coloring, and embroidered logos on the headrests and floor mats in your choice of Slate Gray or Lizard Green. Leather upholstery for the doors and dashboard is also available, as are 18-way power-adjustable seats. Porsche’s extra-aggressive carbon-fiber racing-style seats are also available.As with other 911 models, there are few places to stash small items throughout the cabin, but the upside is that there’s a generous parcel shelf where the rear seats would normally be, offering space for a suitcase or a pair of duffle bags. Rear seats can be added back at no additional cost if you want them, but we’d guess most drivers would welcome the additional cargo room instead.PorscheOverall, the Carrera T captures the spirit of the stripped-down ’60s original despite being a thoroughly modern car. The 911’s lineup is broad already, and it seems as though yet another variant would have trouble finding a niche. But Porsche’s aim with the Carrera T is to blend performance, simplicity, and relative affordability. For true enthusiasts, it’s a niche worth filling.SpecificationsSpecifications
2023 Porsche 911 Carrera TVehicle Type: rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door coupe
PRICE
Base: $118,050
ENGINE
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve flat-6, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 182 in3, 2981 cm3Power: 379 hp @ 6500 rpmTorque: 331 lb-ft @ 1900 rpm
TRANSMISSIONS
7-speed manual, 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 96.5 inLength: 178.3 inWidth: 72.9 inHeight: 50.8 inPassenger Volume: 72 ft3Cargo Volume, F/R: 5/9 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 3250-3350 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 3.5-4.0 sec100 mph: 8.0-8.3 sec1/4-Mile: 11.6-11.8 secTop Speed: 181 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 20-21/18/24-25 mpgThis content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Rejoice, influencers who live in a van down by the river! Your hashtag van life just got a little bit easier, because the 2023 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 4×4 is all-wheel drive, rather than four-wheel drive. Which means that, when you’re heading to that Insta-friendly camping spot atop a glacier, on the rim of a volcano, or in the middle of a gurgling trout-filled river, you no longer have to push a button to engage the front axle. Nope, the Sprinter’s full-time transfer case will do the job for you, shuffling torque to the front axle as needed. This leaves more time for you to try on different hats, dry your bamboo underwear next to your idyllic campfire, or proposition a camp toilet company about sponsoring you so you can stop digging dang holes in the woods every day. Van life is busy. So it’s also nice that the 2023 Sprinter diesel is probably faster than the outgoing model. We say probably because we haven’t yet done any instrumented testing, but it looks good on paper. The outgoing V-6 diesel offered 188 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque, while the new Sprinter diesel brings 211 horsepower at 3600 rpm and 332 pound-feet from 1600 to 2400 rpm. What’s more, that increased output comes from a much-downsized engine, which is now a 2.0-liter four-cylinder rather than a 3.0-liter six. The buff four-banger is hooked to a nine-speed automatic in place of the 2022 model’s seven-speed. Thanks to the nine-speed’s wider ratio spread, Benz says that first gear is the same as in older Sprinter 4x4s that had a five-speed when their transfer case was in low range. That’s good since the 2023 Sprinter doesn’t have a low range. Even so, the new system actually is more capable. For instance, with four-wheel drive engaged, the prior Sprinter 4×4 only sent 35 percent of its torque to the front axle. The new one can send 100 percent to the front, or 100 percent to the rear, or divvy it up anywhere in between, as needed. From launch, it’ll aim for 50-50 front-to-rear, but during highway cruising, it can dismiss the front axle and run in rear-drive mode until conditions call for some front-end assistance. It’s all completely transparent, and there are real-world advantages, especially on pavement. Say the road is wet or intermittently dry with icy patches—you don’t have to monitor the surface and engage four-wheel drive when things look slippery. The traction is always there.And that’s helpful now that there’s a little bit more power. It’s not like the Sprinter will give you whiplash off the line, but the 2.0-liter feels admirably feisty, even with about 1200 pounds of ballast strapped into the cargo bay. Really, it feels quite a bit like the outgoing V-6 but presumably delivers better fuel economy. (The Sprinter, like heavy-duty pickups, is large enough to escape EPA fuel-economy ratings.) Four-cylinder compression-ignition rattle and vibration are mostly absent, with little noise making its way into the cabin. The max tow rating of 7500 pounds matches the outgoing model, so there really doesn’t seem to be any downside to the Sprinter’s cylinder-ectomy under the hood.As for the off-road chops, Benz had grand plans for us to evaluate the new all-wheel-drive system on trails at a dirt-bike track near Stuttgart, but heavy rain turned the terrain into a soupy mess, such that the route was much abbreviated. But we can say that the all-wheel-drive Sprinter handled a bit of mud with aplomb, despite wearing winter tires that quickly packed their tread blocks with sticky Swabian clay. As before, this vehicle’s off-road abilities are defined by its size more than its ground clearance or traction—you need a big trail to accommodate a machine that can be more than 24 feet long and nine feet tall, depending on configuration.Related StoriesDespite the Mercedes star on the grille, the Sprinter remains a workhorse, with a spartan interior—manual seats, manual handbrake, lots of hard plastics. There’s still a value-leader gasoline model that uses a 188-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder and costs $46,795 in cargo-van form. The entry-level diesel is tuned for 170 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque and costs $49,295 as a cargo van or $54,905 as a passenger van. All-wheel drive is a $6400 option. That’s a significant discount from the outgoing four-wheel-drive system, which was $8500. Evidently, ditching that low range really saves a few bucks. The minimum price for a high-roof all-wheel-drive cargo van with the high-output engine and a 170-inch wheelbase is $64,635.When we initially heard that the top-of-the-range diesel Sprinter was losing two cylinders and a liter of displacement, that sounded like folly. But in practice, most people won’t notice the difference one way or the other, even though the 2023 model is modestly more powerful and has a nine-speed transmission. So if you bought a diesel V-6 2022 Sprinter, you needn’t indulge in any buyer’s remorse. And if you end up with a diesel 2023 Sprinter 4×4—which is at dealers already—you shouldn’t feel like you missed out on the last great Sprinter engine. The biggest difference, really, is having all-wheel drive instead of part-time four-wheel drive, but that’s an evolution rather than a revolution. For the latter, we’ll have to wait for the electric Sprinter coming next year. In the meantime, we wish we could convince Mercedes to bring the super-funky Sprinter crew-cab 4×4 pickup truck to the U.S. market. Influencers, get working.SpecificationsSpecifications
2023 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Cargo VanVehicle Type: front-engine, rear- or all-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 5-door van
PRICE
2500 standard-roof, 144-inch-wheelbase, rear-drive gasoline, $46,795; 2500 high-roof, 170-inch-wheelbase, all-wheel-drive high-output diesel, $64,635
ENGINES
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve 2.0-liter diesel inline-4, 170 hp, 295 lb-ft; DOHC 16-valve 2.0-liter inline-4, 188 hp, 258 lb-ft; turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve 2.0-liter diesel inline-4, 211 hp, 332 lb-ft
TRANSMISSION9-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 144.0 or 170.0 inLength: 234.0, 274.0, or 290.0 inWidth: 80.0 inHeight: 96.0-111.0 inCargo Volume: 533 ft3 maxCurb Weight (C/D est): 5500-6000 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 12.0-13.5 sec1/4-Mile: 18.0-20.0 secTop Speed: 90 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Exempt from EPA testing and labelingThis content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

To show us what the new Honda Civic Type R could do on the track, Honda invited us to Sonoma Raceway for an afternoon of lead-follow. To protect the precious population of automotive journalists, YouTubers, bloggers, and website word artists, Honda’s factory driver Ryan Eversley took it easy. While Eversley explained some basic track etiquette to us influencers, heavy rain turned portions of the track into an above-ground pool.Small Package, Big PowerSonoma Raceway, formerly Sears Point, is a playground of peaks and valleys with a drag strip down the middle. A 2.5-mile road course with 160 feet of elevation change, Sonoma has waved checkered flags for 52 years. From Dan Gurney’s 1970 IndyCar to Kasey Kahne’s NASCAR Dodge Charger, Sonoma has hosted them all and is a beacon of automotive enthusiasm among the valley’s 14,000 acres of wine vineyards. The Championship White Type R we lapped wore the standard Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. While these max-performance summer tires are a great wet-weather tire, we were nevertheless way down on grip compared to the tires’ tenacious dry traction and prepared to tip-toe our way up to speed. Embrace the DramaWet laps teach an important lesson on smooth throttle application. As you get more comfortable, you realize driving in the rain is just a dramatized version of what works when it’s dry. Breathe onto the throttle instead of stomping, and the CTR will reward you with a faster corner exit. Climbing up and out of Turn 2 meant taking a lot of curbing. Exiting that area requires serious throttle discipline in the rain to prevent traction loss when applying the Civic’s robust 310-pound-feet of torque.The Type R’s magic became more evident as corner exits began to dry. Get the entry right for the wide downhill through Turn 6, and the lateral g’s experienced when exiting the legendary Carousel in the CTR at full blast will make your eyebrows tighten. On the drier laps, the Type R’s limited-slip differential shined with putting down way more power than we thought possible. Worry of oh-no, this might be too fast is replaced by damn, I guess we’ll try that faster next time.Unlike the far-tamer 200-hp Civic Si, the 315-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter in the Type R buzzes louder when revved. That makes it much easier—even while wearing a helmet—to sense when it’s time to shift. The shift lights atop the gauge cluster also are a clear indication, but this car is loud enough to not need them. Honda updated its shifter base for the new CTR, and it delivers crisp changes. Rather than stirring Legos with a plastic fork, the Type R’s throw into the next gear feels snappy. Honda’s reworked automatic rev-matching works well on slower laps and is a helpful aid when learning braking and turn-in points. With it off, the additional footwork required to blip the revs yourself feels more natural, though not as consistent. Even when the apexes have filled with rain water, racetracks are tough to leave. While our time at Sonoma with the CTR was as short as it was sweet, it won’t be our last chance to kiss the curbing with one. And we’ll hope for kinder weather at Virginia International Raceway for this year’s Lightning Lap.This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

The demise of the Fiesta and Focus in the U.S. marked the end of Ford’s long-held but never realized ambition to create a “world car” that could succeed in all global markets. Maybe Ford should have concentrated on a “world truck” instead, a niche that the Ranger seems to have achieved. The Ranger is sold in no fewer than 180 countries. The outgoing version was the most popular pickup in Europe, which is where we had our first experience with the hotly anticipated new Ranger Raptor.The Euro version has much in common with the upcoming U.S. Ranger Raptor, which we expect to see next year, with the same styling and gravity-defying suspension featuring internal-bypass dampers made by Fox Racing. Beyond the fact that Rangers sold in Europe are produced in Thailand while our version will be built in the good ol’ USA, the major difference is that the U.S. Raptor is set to get a brawnier engine.Related StoriesThat’s because Europe is entering its own Malaise Era. There, the Ranger Raptor is getting a detuned version of the twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 from the Bronco Raptor, the pickup’s engine strangled by the need to meet stringent new emissions standards. In Australia, where the Ranger Raptor was launched first, its V-6 makes 392 horsepower and 430 pound-feet, but in Europe, it will produce 288 horsepower and 362 pound-feet. We will have to wait for U.S. specs, but it seems certain our Raptor will have at least as much power as the Australian version—and possibly the full 418 horsepower and 440 pound-feet of the Bronco Raptor. A 10-speed automatic gearbox with a two-speed transfer case, plus locking front and rear differentials, will be standard in all markets. The new Ranger’s fresh metalwork sits on the same T6 platform as the outgoing truck, and the Raptor uses a reinforced version of that ladder chassis. From the front, it really does look like a baby F-150, with LED headlights pushed to the edge of the bodywork and a similarly shouty all-caps FORD grille motif. Like the F-150, it also has plastic wheel-arch extensions and a broader track. Although huge by European standards, the Ranger Raptor’s 211.0-inch overall length and 79.8-inch width make it 21.6 inches shorter than the F-150 version and 7.0 inches narrower. A crew cab is the standard configuration in Europe and has a 61.6-inch cargo bed.The addition of some microfiber panels and colored accents elevate the Raptor’s cabin over the regular Ranger’s, but the plastics remain hard and utilitarian. The 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster and 12.0-inch portrait-orientated central touchscreen both looked good. Ford’s SYNC 4A infotainment system works cleanly and intuitively, although we welcomed the continued presence of physical controls for heating and ventilation. The Raptor’s center console features a stubby shifter with a button on the side that engages manual mode—manual shifting is via the steering-wheel paddles. A rotary dial selects the drive modes and controls the transfer case, which has 2H, 4H, 4L, and 4A settings—the last automatically sending power to the front axle when required.On-road refinement felt very impressive considering the Continental General Grabber A/T tires our truck was wearing. The Fox Racing shock absorbers vary damping force according to both wheel travel and an adaptive valve, meaning the ride at everyday speeds is plush and compliant. Noise insulation proved equally good at highway speeds, the Raptor’s cabin staying quiet at a 75-mph cruise in Normal mode—an unexpected virtue.Steering weight feels heavier than in the F-150 Raptor, even in its lightest setting, but delivers little feedback. There isn’t much for it to talk about given the front tires’ limited ability to deliver lateral grip on asphalt. The Ranger tracks straight and doesn’t wander, but although it feels stable at speed it has little appetite for tighter corners. It doesn’t take much enthusiasm to get the front pushing wide and the rear axle struggling for traction.FordAlthough much quicker than the last-generation Ranger Raptor sold in Europe—which used a four-cylinder diesel engine and required more than 10 seconds to reach 60 mph—the new one still feels some way short of being fast. Ford of Europe quotes a 7.9-second zero-to-62-mph sprint. The transmission’s blunt reactions in Drive didn’t help to raise confidence for passing moves, either. Selecting Sport mode improved responses but also added artificial weight to the electric power steering and introduced a droning exhaust note. The Raptor’s exhaust has four different modes, including Normal, Sport, and a new Quiet setting for low-key departures. There’s also a Baja mode that’s so noisy it comes with a dashboard admonition that it is only for off-road use. Driving the Ranger Raptor on a demanding off-road course quickly proved where its heart truly lies. It feels like a smaller version of the F-150 Raptor, slower but more wieldy and yet equally adept at tackling serious bumps at speed. The Ranger has 10 inches of wheel travel at the front and 11.4 inches at the back, which is less than the F-150 Raptor, but the engineering team says that the smaller truck’s dampers work harder. Sensors monitor wheel travel at each corner, so the Raptor’s brain knows when its tires have left terra firma, at which point it stiffens the dampers to their firmest setting to brace for impact. Hitting a big bump at speed proved the truck can fly and—more importantly—land without undue drama.Yet it was on more technically challenging terrain that the Ranger Raptor impressed most. Ford’s claim of 10.4 inches of ground clearance and a 32-degree approach angle might not get close to the Bronco Raptor’s 13.1 inches and 47 degrees, but the pickup’s figures are better than those for a coil-sprung Land Rover Defender 90. The Raptor also has a Rock Crawl mode that automatically maintains a creeping speed and took it up a steeply graded dry stream bed without any throttle input. The electronically locking front and rear differentials can be engaged and disengaged quickly too—although the icons controlling them on the touchscreen are small and hard to locate when the truck is bouncing over rugged terrain.FordThe Ranger Raptor is smaller than its F-150 sibling, and the European version is considerably slower, but it doesn’t feel like any less of an experience when driven hard over demanding terrain. We await the arrival of our own turned-up version with great enthusiasm. SpecificationsSpecifications
2023 Ford Ranger Raptor (Europe)Vehicle Type: front-engine, rear/four-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door pickup
PRICE
Base: $72,000 (U.K. $ equivalent, including VAT) 
ENGINE
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve V-6, iron block and aluminum heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 180 in3, 2956 cm3Power: 288 hp @ 5500 rpmTorque: 362 lb-ft @ 2300 rpm
TRANSMISSION
10-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 128.7 inLength: 211.0 inWidth: 79.8 inHeight: 75.8 inPassenger Volume: 99 ft3Bed Length: 61.6 inCurb Weight (C/D est): 5300 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 7.5 sec1/4-Mile: 15.4 secTop Speed: 111 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/city/highway: 17/17/18 (but won’t be EPA-rated)This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

We must wait for the day when automotive artisans reimagine third-gen Camaros or Fox-bodied Mustangs into immaculate carbon-fiber-bodied restomods that command six-figure prices. Until then, we’ll have to keep slumming with the 964-generation of the Porsche 911.Of course, there are plenty of reasons why the penultimate air-cooled 911 is the frequent muse for high-end tuning outfits. There is no shortage of cars to start with, Porsche having sold more than 60,000 of all variants globally between 1989 and 1994. Interest (and values) are also high enough to find a market for expensive transformations.The most famous re-creator of the 964 is undoubtedly Singer in California, which has been producing versions that cross the boundary from car to automotive art for more than a decade. But an increasing number of other shops are now getting into the same space. Last year, we told you about an EV version produced by Everrati in the U.K., although we struggled to see what the electric powertrain added to the experience. Now here’s another British firm, but this one sticks with internal combustion. The small shop is called Theon Design, and it gave C/D the chance to experience a partially carbon-fiber-bodied 964 just before it was shipped to a buyer in Chile, hence the car’s CHI001 name. Oh, and that customer is a successful blueberry farmer, if you’re wondering about the reason for its violently violet color scheme.As with many similar businesses, Theon Design was born from a personal passion, in this case, the quest of a man named Adam Hawley to build his own perfect 964 while working 9-to-5 as a car designer for big auto companies including Jaguar Land Rover. The car was eventually finished to a standard that had friends and acquaintances asking him to create something similar for them, leading to the establishment of Theon Design with business partner Lucinda Argy, who is also his wife.While the Theon CHI001 shares its basic form with the 964, its detailing is clearly inspired by that of earlier 911s. It has lost the full-width rear light bar it was built with and gained both 930 Turbo-style bumper overriders and headlamp bezels. The original car underneath the conversion was a Carrera 4 sold in Japan, but it has been stripped to component parts and completely rebuilt. Structural changes include a carbon-fiber roof, trunklid, engine cover, and spoiler. The fenders and bumpers are made from a sturdier carbon-kevlar blend. Weight saving over a regular 964 is around 220 pounds, according to Hawley, with the part-composite bodywork also making the car stronger. Up close, the attention to detail is close to obsessive, including touches such as the symmetric mounting of the twin ignition coils on the engine firewall and the invisible integration of a center, high-mounted brake light into the rear-window surround.Theon’s customers have a choice of powertrains, including the intriguing option of a supercharger conversion the company has developed for the air-cooled flat-six. The CHI001 is running a naturally aspirated 4.0-liter engine; individual throttle bodies and careful internal balancing take peak output to 400 horsepower at 7100 rpm. It has also lost its original all-wheel-drive system, and power is now sent exclusively to the rear axle through a six-speed 993-generation gearbox and a limited-slip differential.Not every part of the experience has been updated. Getting in, we find the familiar, slightly offset driving position, and although beautifully retrimmed in a vibrant hue to match the exterior paint, the cabin’s basic architecture is unchanged. But starting the engine reveals an immediately different character to a regular Carrera of this generation: first, the bark of the exhaust, which switchable acoustic flaps vary from loud to very loud; second is the immediacy of the engine’s responses to even slight accelerator-pedal pressure, thanks to an ultralight flywheel. Theon DesignComparing Theon’s car with a regular 964 is made complicated by the increasingly distant memories of what the original car was like when new, but this one drives with a level of poise and precision it seems hard to imagine that any stock 964 possessed even when factory fresh (with the possible exception of the famous RS variant). The CHI001’s steering feels direct and slack-free for an air-cooled 911. It retains hydraulic assistance, but this is now powered by an electric pump. Revised suspension geometry, stiffer bushings, and active dampers increase the precision with which the front end can be placed, although they also mean there is less sense of the 964’s fundamental rear-biased weight distribution in corners. Easing the accelerator with the chassis loaded up tightens the line progressively but not snappily. The biggest dynamic difference is probably down to the modern Michelin Pilot Sport PS2s mounted on the period Fuchs-style rims, which give an abundance of grip. The ride is firm even with the adaptive dampers in their softest setting, but not uncomfortably so. Yet the engine is the CHI001’s starring feature—impressively muscular low down but with what feels like an inexhaustible appetite for revs that the scalpel-sharp accelerator encourages a driver to exploit. The tachometer only goes to 8000 rpm, but the limiter is actually another 500 rpm beyond that. Working against just 2570 pounds, it feels 21st-century fast, too. The gearshift is perfectly weighted, and despite the switch to carbon-ceramic brakes, the middle pedal feels similarly natural in its responses.This love story may have you question our critical faculties, but the car does have some downsides. The first is the price. While considerably short of the seven-figure expenditure required for one of Singer’s pixel-perfect offerings, a buyer will still need to pay Theon around $500,000 (at current exchange rates) to get something similar to this car—plus the cost of the donor 911. The second is the wait: The company already has a substantial order bank it needs to work its way through and can build at no more than five cars a year.Theon DesignBeyond that, while “perfect” is a strong adjective to apply to any car, the Theon gets dangerously close to earning it. This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Back when mad Maine tuner Ross Converse was dropping Mustang V-8s into Volvo engine bays, it was hilarious to conceive of a Volvo that could hit 60 mph in less than six seconds. Those were cars for Paul Newman and David Letterman, supercharged sleepers with raucous performance that belied their Bar Harbor-antiques-dealer styling. These days, Volvo is its own tuner, as exemplified by the 2023 S60 Recharge. Like Newman’s Converse-modified 960, the S60 is supercharged. Unlike that tuner sled of yore, it’s also turbocharged and electri-charged, by dint of its rear-mounted electric motor. With 312 horsepower from the 2.0-liter inline-four up front and 143 horsepower from the electric motor, the S60 Recharge claims the title of Most Powerful Volvo Ever, packing a combined 455 horsepower and 523 pound-feet of torque. Sure, that title also applies to every other model that offers this powertrain, but a win’s a win.As complicated as this powertrain is, it proved plenty reliable during our 40,000-mile test of a 2020 model, with modest service costs too. That car, which made 400 horsepower, hit 60 mph in 4.3 seconds. This one, with its additional muscle, knocks a couple of ticks off that time, reaching 60 in 4.1 seconds and dispatching the quarter-mile in 12.5 seconds at 112 mph. That quarter-mile time would be quicker if the S60 didn’t approach its stingy 114-mph speed limiter during the run, causing it to start cutting power at around 110 mph. Highs: Hits 60 mph in 4.1 seconds, usable EV range and power, reasonable base price.That conflict—sports-car acceleration pitted against a party-pooper speed limiter—is emblematic of the S60 Recharge’s broader contradictions. On one hand, it seems determined to uphold a safe-and-sane Volvo image, to the extent that there isn’t even a sport mode. But on the other: 455 horsepower and a 60-mph time that’s the same as a reasonably recent 2014 Porsche 911 Targa 4S PDK. Discovering that the respectable, dapper S60 Recharge can smoke Camaros off the line is like discovering that Ned Flanders is ripped. Stupid sexy Flanders.Besides adding raw power, the upgraded hybrid componentry enables the S60 to work perfectly well as an EV, which wasn’t really the case back when it had 87 electric horsepower. Now, with 143 horsepower and its bigger, 14.9-kWh battery, the S60 could work as a legitimate daily driver in EV mode. Its EPA-rated range is 41 miles, and we saw 34 miles of range during our 75-mph highway test. In traffic, you no longer need to feather the throttle to prevent the gas engine from firing—in fact, if you’re on the throttle during a 90-degree turn across an intersection, you may well hear a tormented howl from the inside rear tire. (In EV mode, the S60 Recharge is rear-wheel drive.) The S60’s instrument panel includes a display that lets you know how close you are to firing the gas engine, with a pictograph of a drop of fuel (or perhaps a teardrop) representing the point when you enter hybrid mode. It’s easy enough to stay below that line, but if you do invoke hybrid mode, the Recharge is still admirably thrifty, returning 37 MPGe on our highway fuel-economy test and 28 MPGe overall. As another bonus of the upsized battery, the Recharge is now eligible for the full $7500 federal EV tax credit. Since the plug-in powertrain costs $9950 more than a gas S60, that potential net upcharge of $2450 makes the PHEV seem like a no-brainer option.Related StoriesOutside of its scalding straight-line performance and thrifty economy, the S60 Recharge posts decent but not superlative numbers. (If you want the S60’s chassis to live up to its horsepower, the Polestar Engineered trim is a $16,800 option over the base Core model and $10,100 more than the Ultimate Black Edition.) Braking from 70 mph required 178 feet, while stopping from 100 mph stretched that number to 359 feet. The Volvo’s brakes were indefatigable, though, exhibiting no fade even after multiple stops from triple digits. The S60’s 0.85 g of skidpad grip might have been higher but was inhibited by the tsk-tsk of the stability-control system. Like a ’69 Chevy Chevelle SS, the S60 Recharge prefers the drag strip to the road course. And like a hybrid Ford Maverick pickup, this sedan is rated to tow 2000 pounds, opening up interesting possibilities involving flyweight travel trailers and glamping.Lows: Fun-killing electronics, mild-mannered handling, Polestar Engineered costs an extra $16,800.While the revised powertrain is the headline upgrade, Volvo also updated the S60’s infotainment system, which is now Google-based (including Maps, Assistant, and Play store). And the tested Black Edition—which brings blacked-out trim and wheels and is available only with Onyx Black metallic or Crystal White metallic paint—was new last year. But most of the S60’s changes are under the (still handsome) skin.Which is probably one reason the S60 hews to a reasonable price, given its style and performance. The S60 Recharge’s base tab is $52,345, so with the $7500 credit, you could end up with a net price of $44,845 for a 455-hp Swedish hauler. Our loaded Ultimate Black Edition, which included niceties such as heated front and rear seats, a heated steering wheel, and a head-up display, cost $62,995. A full $3200 of that was the Bowers & Wilkins sound system, which you might skip if you can live with the standard Harman Kardon system. But Volvo’s Bowers & Wilkins systems are some of the best factory audio setups you can buy, so look at it this way—it’s like you’re spending some of that tax credit on walloping bass and tweeters you’d want to display in your living room.Essentially, the 2023 S60 Recharge looks just like the earlier cars of this generation, but it’s now radically better at its plug-in mission: Charge it each night and you might only need the gas engine for long trips and stoplight drag races. Most mid-cycle refreshes are cosmetic. This one is transformative.SpecificationsSpecifications
2023 Volvo S60 RechargeVehicle Type: front-engine, rear-motor, rear/all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $52,345/$62,995Options: Ultimate Black Edition (360 degree camera, heated front seats, head-up display, four-way power lumbar, adaptive cruise control, black grille and badging, metallic paint, Charcoal leather interior), $6700; Bowers & Wilkins stereo system, $3200; Climate package (headlight cleaning system, heated steering wheel and outboard rear seats), $750
POWERTRAIN
supercharged, turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve 2.0-liter inline-4, 312 hp, 295 lb-ft + AC motor, 143 hp, 228 lb-ft (combined output: 455 hp, 523 lb-ft; 14.9-kWh lithium-ion battery pack; 3.7-kW onboard charger)Transmissions: 8-speed automatic/direct-drive
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/multilink Brakes, F/R: 14.6-in vented disc/12.6-in vented discTires: Pirelli P Zero All Season235/40R-19 96V M+S VOL
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 113.1 inLength: 187.4 inWidth: 72.8 inHeight: 56.3 inPassenger Volume: 92 ft3Trunk Volume: 12 ft3Curb Weight: 4457 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 4.1 sec100 mph: 9.9 sec1/4-Mile: 12.5 sec @ 112 mphResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.2 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 4.5 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 2.5 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 3.1 secTop Speed (gov ltd): 114 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 178 ftBraking, 100–0 mph: 359 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.85 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 28 MPGe75-mph Highway Driving, EV/Hybrid Mode: 69 MPGe/37 mpg75-mph Highway Range, EV/Hybrid mode: 34/580 mi
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 31/30/33 mpgCombined Gasoline + Electricity: 74 MPGeEV Range: 41 mi

C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDThis content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

The Morgan Motor Company has long attracted a dedicated following with its beguiling and largely hand-built machines featuring ash-framed bodies and floppy side curtains. The Plus Four—released in 1950 and a descendant of the 4/4 introduced in 1936—steadfastly defied a changing world to remain in production, looking much the same as it ever did, with a spindly steel chassis and an antediluvian sliding-pillar front suspension and cart-sprung rear axle intact underneath a classic 1930s-style body. Until now.Under the direction of Andrea Bonomi and his family’s private-equity firm Investindustrial since 2019, the company founded by HFS Morgan in 1909 has boldly ambled into the future. It has revitalized its cars, injecting unheard of comforts, practicality, and safety—enough that Morgan will be returning to the U.S. market early next year, ending its latest regulatory-driven absence—while maintaining their vintage charm. At the company’s antique red-brick factory on Pickersleigh Road in Malvern Link, Worcestershire, the skilled workforce continues to do much by hand to craft the plant’s output of fewer than 1000 cars a year. Although you might not know to look at them, the cars—still with those shapely aluminum panels cloaking ash frames and leather trim in abundance—are finally fit for the moment. Several body panels are pressed out of house now to save time and ensure additional accuracy, though others are beaten by hand in the newly expanded Malvern facility that builds strictly to order and still cries “Ye olde.”A New PlatformThe company’s new CX-Generation platform, a bonded-aluminum tub that closely recalls Lotus’s Elise, is thoroughly modern and twice as rigid as Morgan’s outgoing platform. A contemporary, all-independent suspension offering unprecedented ride quality is now appended onto it. No longer can it be fairly compared to that of WWI-era Mack trucks. Newly installed power steering lacks the sort of feel we are used to in a Morgan, but on the other hand, you can navigate corners with speed and security never before experienced in a Malvern product without the ever-present danger of errant bumps sending one bouncing off into the hedgerows. Leveraging the company’s relationship with BMW—which began with its use of the firm’s V-8s in its Aero 8 models in 2001—the Plus Four uses the Bavarians’ latest turbocharged 2.0-liter four. It provides 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, moving the light (2200-or-so-pound) machine with alacrity. The engine is paired with an eight-speed automatic whose distinctive BMW-issue gear lever pops out of a new center console—a symbol of Morgan’s brave new world. Unwelcome though it might seem, the paddle-shifted gearbox actually suits the powerplant nicely and delivers a stated zero-to-62-mph time of 4.8 seconds, which we reckon will amount to a 60-mph arrival in 4.5 seconds on our side of the pond.A six-speed manual option is available in the U.K. but won’t be offered in the U.S., presumably for certification reasons. It’s not all bad news, because the engine torque is limited to 258 pound-feet when mated to the manual, and the car will also consume more fuel and require four extra tenths (plus four, it would seem) to achieve 62 mph. A larger BMW inline-six, making 335 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, powers the wider and heavier Plus Six model, but that, too, won’t be sold to us Yanks.MorganWelcome to the New CenturyAlmost as eye-opening as the revitalized Morgan’s ride is its range of comfort and convenience upgrades. In addition to being heated and ventilated, the leather seats are wider and more comfortable, as is the handsome cockpit. A digital instrument display in front of the driver jars slightly, although traditional gauges hold court in the center of the dash in the time-honored Morgan fashion. Features such as air conditioning, airbags, power door locks, Bluetooth connections, and USB ports lead one to exclaim, “Blimey, it’s almost like a real car!”The newly designed convertible top is also due for commendation and didn’t once leak over the course of several rain-filled days touring England. The manual lid is only slightly more difficult to erect than a Mazda Miata’s top, and a convenient release allows its rear section to be quickly raised for stowing luggage behind the seats. Improved sealing helps the old-school side curtains actually keep out the rain, another revelation. It also reduces, but doesn’t entirely eliminate, wind noise, though it’s never bad enough to diminish the urge to travel regularly in the fast lane. An electric windshield defroster, coupled with the marque’s venerable three mini-wiper-blade assemblage, keeps the view of the road ahead clear, which, combined with the powerful four-wheel disc brakes, further imparts a sense of security largely absent in previous Morgans. The new model stands on its own two feet as a captivating bespoke sports car with classic overtones and modern performance. It’s also surprisingly good value for a lovely, largely hand-built machine—expect it to launch in the U.S. with prices starting around $70,000.The firm may be old, but boy is it also plucky. And the new Plus Four gives us hope that when a battery-powered Plus Four arrives one day, it will continue to tug on the heartstrings just as its storied predecessors have for so very long. Good show, chaps.SpecificationsSpecifications
2022 Morgan Plus FourVehicle Type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door convertible
PRICE
Base (C/D est): $70,000
ENGINE
Turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 122 in3, 1998 cm3Power: 255 hp @ 4400 rpmTorque: 295 lb-ft @ 1000 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Length: 150.8 inWidth: 65.0 inHeight: 49.2 inCurb Weight (C/D est): 2250 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 4.5 sec1/4-Mile: 12.4 secTop Speed: 149 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 35/29/38 mpgThis content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More