Chris Hadfields 1955 Ford ThunderbirdElliot Alder For those of you looking for safeguards against the ravages of ethanol-blended gasoline, there are a number of precautions you can take. The first is that you can simply avoid it in the first place. According to Dan McTeague, a noted petroleum analyst, Shell and Esso 91 are both ethanol free. All other grades from the companies have some ethanol content, but the mid-grade blend is pure gas, which means it not only corrodes less than ethanol blends, but is less likely to deteriorate when stored. Dont be misled into thinking higher octane gas contains less ethanol. In fact, it has more! The octane rating of pure ethanol is 100, but when its blended with gasoline, it performs as if its 112. In other words, higher-octane blends Petro Canadas 94 and Essos 93 use more ethanol, not less.For those storing their vehicles for the winter, specialty gasoline makers yes, there are boutique gasoline manufacturers! offer ethanol-free formulations specifically tailored for a long shelf life (as much as two years). For those on a budget, a trip down to Canadian Tire for some fuel stabilizer is usually good enough to preserve your pump gas use that Shell and Esso 91 stuff over the winter.A little creativity and common sense can help here. For instance, when I ride my classic 1982 Honda CB1100R frequently, Ill often fill up with Petro Canada 94, which does contain ethanol, for its higher octane, the gas never in carburetor long enough to cause damage. However, whenever I know shes going to be laid up for a while especially over the winter I make sure the last tank I run through her is ethanol-free. That same common sense applies to other vehicles. For instance, the point to the plug-in aspect of the modern PHEV is to actuate the gasoline portion of its drivetrain as infrequently as possible. For particularly careful owners of longer range PHEVs Chevrolets Volt comes to mind that can mean refuelling as infrequently as every three months. It behoves the careful Volt owners, then, to ensure that ethanol isnt gumming-up the cars drivetrain and shop for an ethanol-free pump. Yes, most PHEVs will have corrosion-resistant pipelines, but it never hurts to err on the side of caution.More troublesome for older, carbureted vehicles is that ethanol is 35 per cent oxygen. Burning it can cause an older carbureted engine to run lean combining too much air with too little fuel. In mild cases, said overenthusiastic blending of oxygen can cause older engines to stumble, spit and cough. In a worse case scenario, it can even lead to catastrophic as in big, gaping holes piston failure. For the true gear head, yes, that does mean that the very thing youre trying to prevent the pinging caused but lower octane fuel is exacerbated when you fill up with premium 94 because your hot-rod is now running hotter thanks to a leaner mixture.Yes, its a paradox, but forewarned is
Origin: Why you don’t actually want ethanol in your gas tank
Want
Chevrolet’s 1LE package makes you want to drive your Camaro lap after lap
Camaro 1LE Ron Fellows Driving ExperienceClayton Seams / Driving In the old days, you used to be able to build some weird cars.I dont mean the cars themselves were weird, but that you could ask your cheerful local Chevrolet sales manager to build you a car in one of an assortment of odd combinations: so many engines, big or small, to be paired with interiors, luxurious or sparse.Today, cars pretty much come in well-defined packages. The big engine only comes with the nice leather seats and the handling package. The small engine is available with a stick only if you forgo the luxury options.But there are exceptions. Just like in decades part or, perhaps, much like Burger King Chevrolet will still let you have it your way at least a little, pairing its 1LE track package with any of the four engines available in its new Camaro.Not only that, the 1LE mechanical package is independent of the four luxury option groups (thats 1LS, 1LT, 2LT, 3LT). This means you can order a track package on a Camaro with any engine and any level of luxury trimmings. You can get a lightweight 2.0-litre Turbo with cloth seats and base infotainment to get maximum value; or you can heap your plate high with a supercharged 6.2-litre ZL1 and the full luxury treatment. Now I dont have a calculator handy to tell you how many combinations are possible, but suffice it to say they are many. So to test out the 1LE package on various Camaro models, I went to the Ron Fellows Driving Experience at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. There, on the big track, we would have the chance to put these 1LE cars on track and see how they compare.So what makes a 1LE a 1LE? Well, it depends on the engine choice. The 1LE contains different bits to match the output. On the four- and six-cylinder cars, it includes the uprated suspension from the SS; 20-inch wheels; four-piston front Brembo brakes; a mechanical limited-slip diff; and a track cooling package with diff, oil and transmission coolers.Step up to the V8 SS model and you get Magnetic Ride Control; an electronic limited-slip diff; six-piston Brembos up front; Recaro front seats; and a dual-mode exhaust system. The ZL1 takes things even further by adding Multimatic dampers with adjustable front ride height, adjustable front camber plates and huge 305-section front and 325-section rear tires.The first car I hopped into was the SS 1LE with a manual transmission and the naturally-aspirated 455-horsepower 6.2-litre V8. Its as close as youll find to a classic muscle car formula in Chevrolets lineup, which is perhaps why it offered proper muscle car noise. Out on the big track, the 6.2-litre could really stretch its legs, and the wide torque band meant few shifts were needed.The upgraded four-piston brakes from the 1LE package were more than up to the task and felt great diving into corners hard. Visibility has never been a Camaro strong suit, and the impaired vision across the A-pillars and low windshield sometimes reduced driver confidence around undulating and tight turns on-track.The SS is an extremely fun car to drive. You can feel it wiggling around under power and sliding around turns. It doesnt feel like a car youd want to set blazing hot lap times in, but you could. It feels like a BRZ with some actual power. And thats high praise.Next up was the world-beating top-of-the-line ZL1. Still 6.2-litres but with a burly supercharger stacked on top of it the ZL1 makes a full 650 hp. Though the ZL1 is available with a stick, the test car had the new ten-speed automatic transmission. No typo: ten speeds.On track, the ZL1 is an entirely different animal than the SS. The playful sliding has been replaced by relentless grip. The ZL1s flanks are peppered with blade-like aero bits, and I have to assume they actually work, because this car sticks harder the faster you go. The massive summer-only Goodyear tires probably dont hurt much, either. The ZL1 simply grips and goes exactly where you point it.The other big difference from the SS is the 10-speed automatic. Whereas I rarely had to shift the six-speed manual around the track, I felt like a Formula One driver ratcheting down through gear after gear in the braking zones. With ten gears to choose from, it almost doesnt matter which one you choose. You could drive through a turn quite happily in 4th, 5th or 6th. It may have been better to let the transmission shift for itself, but I didnt have enough laps to mess around with it in full automatic mode.The ZL1 was also the most fun down Mosports hilly back straight. The ZL1 would come out of Moss corner with a vengeance and storm to 160 km/h almost faster than the speedometer needle could move. Letting all 650 hp pin you in your seat for several seconds without worry of encountering the constabulary were some of the best moments of the day.But the crux of this is that the 1LE package opens up that fun track experience for anyone with coin for a new Camaro. Even the 2.0-litre guys can join in the fun.
Origin: Chevrolet’s 1LE package makes you want to drive your Camaro lap after lap
Want a 2020 BMW M4 Cabriolet? Check out these competitors first
2020 BMW M4 CabrioletChris Balcerak / Driving So, you want a BMW M4, more specifically the drop-top M4. Youre not alone, I suspect, in your desire. The M4 Cabriolet previously known as the M3 before BMW started complicating its model nomenclature is one of the most desired cars on the planet. BMW M rortiness married to top-down freedom is a treat too tasty to resist.That said, recent M cars have become hefty beasts and their engines a little clumsy in their turbocharged over-the-topness. The current generation halted that trend though didnt quite reverse it with a switch back to BMWs famed 3.0-litre inline-six, this time twice-turbocharged to 425 horsepower, or 444 if you opt for the Competition package. Its a good one; lively, grunty, and especially when mated with the optional titanium exhaust system, sonorous as well. I really loved this piece of the puzzle, as the big six almost sounded normally aspirated as it revved to the moon. An option a loud one to be sure; I put that caution in there just in case you have sensitive neighbours but definitely worth having nonetheless. An inline-six at full blaze has always been BMWs best foot forward.It also handles a treat, BMWs legendary steering feel well present and accounted for. Ditto for minimized body roll, especially when flipped into pure sports mode. Indeed, the M4 cabriolets sole comportment issue is its, as I alluded to earlier, a tad hefty at a whopping 229 kilograms heavier than the coupe. Besides making the M4 feel ever so slightly ponderous, the other issue is that anyone who actually tracks their cars admittedly a small minority will find themselves going through tires at an alarming rate. Now, one assumes that owners of any BMW M product are well-healed, but blowing through $2,000 and more worth of rubber every time you hit the track could get very expensive.Part of the reason for the Cabriolets avoirdupois is, of course, BMWs choice of a hard retractable top. Making the top out of metal rather than cloth has all manner of advantages better body rigidity, a quieter cabin, etc. but one does pat a weight penalty. And, oh, all those clumsy gizmos, motors and panels eat up a lot of space in the rear trunk. Do not expect to take an extended vacation in an M4 cabriolet if you plan on driving al-fresco.That said, theres a certain sophistication a folding hard top brings to a convertible and the M4 certainly exudes that. Quiet save for that rorty engine and enormously rigid i.e. no cowl shake the $89,000 M4 cabriolet is very rapid open-air BMW driving. 2020 Mercedes-AMG C 63 S Handout / Mercedes-Benz You want even more moxie. Well, step right into the Mercedes-AMG C 63 S Cabriolet. Upping the ante with two more pistons and four litres of displacement, the C 63s twin-turbocharged V8 pumps out 503 horsepower and no less than 516 lb.-ft. of torque, all delivered to the rear wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission and a limited-slip differential. The result is an almost supercar-like 4.1-second sprint from rest to 100 km/h, and should you live near an autobahn, a top speed of nearly 290 km/h. Cornering grip is prodigious, no less than Car Driver recording 1.02 lateral Gs of cornering force, albeit in the coupe. It also has a somewhat more refined, certainly more brightly accoutered interior. The only issues I have with the C 63 is that it doesnt sound as rorty as the M4 it sounds a little Corvette-ish to me and the suspension is firm enough for a Ram dually. Otherwise, the C 63 S is one of AMGs finer products. 2018 Jaguar XE SV Project 8 Handout / Jaguar You want(ed) something truly unique. Holy-moly, theres a Jaguar with you name on it. Called the XE SV Project 8, Jaguar extracts no less than 592 horsepower out of its 5.0-litre supercharged V8. Whew! It will also accelerate from rest to 96 km/h (60 mph) in a Porsche 911 Turbo-threatening 3.3 seconds and will continue gaining speed right up to 320 km/h. The brakes are carbon ceramic, and for the boy racer in you, theres also a giant rear wing adorning the rear deck. Said aerodynamic appendage also happens to produce 125 kilograms of downforce at 300 km/h, which no doubt, helped the Project 8 circulate the famed Nurburgring Green Hell in a Ferrari-challenging 7 minutes and 21 seconds. In other words, this is the mightiest of entry-level supercars. Theres only one problem: Jaguar only produced just 300 units worldwide! and only as a sedan. Oh, and priced at $208,000, theyve been long spoken for, though here’s one listed in Richmond, B.C., with but 100 kilometres on the odometer. You’re willing to wait for the ultimate BMW convertible. Well, the current M4 is an aging platform and is about to be replaced. Rumours posit that, though the basic engine configuration a 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged inline-six will remain the same, output will be pumped up to 473 horsepower in standard versions, and a C 63 S-baiting 502 horses available from
Origin: Want a 2020 BMW M4 Cabriolet? Check out these competitors first
Want a 2019 Mercedes-AMG C43 AMG Wagon? Your pickings are slim
2019 Mercedes-AMG C43 WagonNadine Filion / Driving So, you want a Mercedes-Benz station wagon. Good choice! Excellent choice, even. For one thing, youve shown yourself not to be a slave to fashion as the wagon (or Estate, as the Europeans sometimes call them) is not one of those omnipresent sport utilities that everyone is buying these days to show their individuality. More important, a wagon especially a Mercedes-Benz will be lighter, more fuel-efficient and ironically, despite what the S in SUV stands for, sportier as well. Thats most certainly the case in the case of the 2019 Mercedes-AMG C43 Wagon, which is, in no particular order of importance, passably roomy, all-wheel-drive practical and twin-turbocharged sporty. This last is turbocharged even more than before, all C43s receiving a boost to 385 horsepower this year as well as a bump to 384 lb.-ft. of torque. Thats not half bad, especially for an engine that was not hand-fettled by a AMG technician you dont get a handwritten signature from an AMG technician, it seems, for the C43s $59,900 asking price. Mass-produced the 3.0-litre V6 may be, but it will scoot the 1,760 kilogram wagon from zero to 100 km/h in just 4.8 seconds. Not half bad for a wagon now, is it? If thats not enough, let me add this bit of controversy: I like the sound of the C43s V6 more especially with the optional AMGs performance valve opened than Mercedes V8s, which though most might not consider this a fault, sound way too North American-ized to me. The benefits of wagon over SUV are manifold. For one thing, having a lower centre of gravity will mean much better handling. Indeed, this C43 unravels twisty roads as well as many a sports sedan we’re looking at you, BMW M340i xDrive with excellent turn-in, minimal body roll, and great grip. This last is augmented by the AMG-fettled 4Matic all-wheel-drive system, which distributes 69 per cent of the engines torque (Nice. – Ed.) to the rear wheels. And yes, youre probably thinking the same thing as I am; either some Mercedes tech was given way too much time to optimize torque split data or someone at AMG is trying sexual innuendo as marketing ploy for their tuned 4Matic system.Throw in a fairly roomy cargo area, a svelte exterior I find the wagons silhouette more pleasing than the C43 sedans bubble-gum shape and a fairly luxurious interior for a fairly comprehensive luxury ride. Quibbles are few: I still think the add-on look of the infotainment screen looks cheap and Mercedes older infotainment syste isnt nearly as good as the latest MBUX system. As well, like all AMG-tuned suspensions, the C43s dampers are heavy on the compression damping yes, they keep the wheels well under control, but the ride is noticeably choppy, especially noticeable this year since our thoroughfares seem more pock-marked than ever. 2019 BMW 3 Series Touring Handout / BMW You’re more a BMW aficionado. Well, BMW has a 3 Series wagon, only they call it a Touring yet another Europeanism so they dont have to call it wagon. Still based on the previous-generation 3 Series, the 330i xDrive Touring version has a few advantages, mainly its superior ride BMWs suspension calibration has always been a bit better than Mercedes. Its also way roomy, virtually as comely, and perhaps a bit more frugal.All that said, BMW obviously has less confidence in the allure of a wagon than Mercedes. They only import the 330i version powered by a lowly 2.0-litre turbo-four that boasts 248 horsepower and its about $1,500 more expensive than the equivalent Merc. Theres also nary a fire-breathing i.e. an M340i version in sight. The 330i xDrive Touring is a solid car; practical to be sure, and like the Mercedes, a more sensible alternative to the SUV. But theyre not even trying to make it sexy.In fact, theyre not even going to make it. BMW Canada is dropping the 3 Series Touring from its lineup for 2020. So, if youre in the hunt for one, you better hustle on down to your local dealer. 2019 Volvo V60 Handout / Volvo You want something even sportier than the C43. Well then, you might want to head over to your Volvo dealer. Yes, Volvo. Sometime in October, they will be receiving their first batch of V60 Polestars. Like the BMW, its powered by a 2.0-litre four but what an engine. Not only is it turbocharged, its also supercharged. And, as if thats not enough, its also electrified, two small electric motors throwing in an additional 87 horsepower to bring the grand total to 415 force-fed and electrified ponies. It also boasts shades of turbocharged V8s 494 lb.-ft. of torque, all that supercharging and electrification kicking in at seriously low rpm. Throw in Ohlins suspension bits, some big Brembo brakes, and some frame stiffening, and you have a recipe for one rapid Scandinavian.We havent driven this latest generation of Polestar-tuned V60. But we did sample the previous version, and it made a great argument for Swedish dominion over German
Origin: Want a 2019 Mercedes-AMG C43 AMG Wagon? Your pickings are slim
Want a 2019 Dodge Challenger Scat Pack Widebody? The competition is all muscle
2019 Dodge Challenger Scat Pack 392 WidebodyChris Balcerak / Driving So, you want the finest-handling Dodge Challenger ever. Well, then you definitely need the new Scat Pack 392 Widebody. Along with the de rigeur muscle car 6.4-litres of 485 horsepower Hemi goodness, the Widebody option adds stiffer springs, SRT-tuned adjustable damping suspension and six-piston Brembo front brakes, not to mention 305/35ZR20 Pirelli PZero tires. In other words, pretty much everything a tuner would throw at a sometimes wayward chassis to keep it between the trees.And it works pretty much as expected. Although the Widebody is also two-tenths of a second quicker through the quarter mile than the standard Scat Pack 392, its in that other, less obvious (if you drive a Dodge Challenger) realm road racing that it really ups the ante. According to FCA, in fact, the Widebody is some two seconds or 12 car lengths quicker per lap around some unnamed race course. I believe it. While hardly Porsche-like it still is a big blunderbuss of a sports car this Challenger actually goes more or less where you steer it, more or less stays on track once you get there, and stops more or less rapidly once youre passed where you meant to be. Its truly competent I wont beggar belief by claiming its extraordinary and it wouldnt be out of place on a curvy road. That might not sound like much of a compliment, but drive an early Challenger and youll appreciate how far Dodge has truly come.Throw in typical Challenger attributes the most faithful replication of the originals profile of any of the current muscle cars probably being primary and a few atypical ones according to J.D. Power, the Challenger is the best built muscle car of them all as well as the best put together Dodge product and you have an unlikely backroads bandit. That said, I am not sure how much of a market there is for a superior steering Challenger. Owners of muscle cars in general and the Challenger in particular dont tend to rank roadholding as a priority in their buying decision. Chevy probably produced the best-handling pony car ever the previous generation Z/28 and it was largely ignored by one and all.Those shopping Challenger tend to get excited about two things in life: Power in which case theyre shopping some form of Hellcat or the look of power, in which case a Dodge salesperson will usher them over to the SXT with its more rational V6 engine and all-wheel-drive powertrain. Im guessing the Widebody variant of the Scat Pack 392 will, despite its relative goodness, end up near the bottom of the order guide. 2020 Chevrolet Camaro Handout / Chevrolet You’re a Chevy guy. Well, then youre shopping Camaro, arent you? Which is a bit of a problem, I suspect, for mainstream muscle car buyers. Oh, the V6 variant is a real gem, the finest handling of all entry-level pony cars, and by far the sweetest-sounding V6 in the segment.After that, however, the Camaro lineup doesnt shine. The Z/28 which I considered near miraculous for turning ill-comportment into Porsche-baiting track worthiness is no more. The SS version has always been kind of milquetoast, and every time that GM ups the ante with the mega-horsepower ZL1, Dodge just slaps a bigger supercharger pulley onto the Hellcat. On top of that, the Camaros Transformer-like styling has always been polarizing. If I specifically wanted a fine-handling V6-powered muscle car, Id be shopping Camaro. Otherwise, not. 2019 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 Jonathan Yarkony / Driving You have a blue oval tattooed on your right butt cheek. Well, I guess were driving a Mustang, then. If so, and you like driving, please ignore the base EcoBoost model. Oh, if youre a dental hygienist who just wants the look and dont care that it sounds like a fart in the wind, no worries. But if you have any love for internal combustion at its sportiest, move on.That said, if you want the finest handling muscle car available, the Shelby GT350R version of the Stang now holds that mantle. Secure steering, prodigious grip and well-bedded brakes all make the Shelby something of a terror around a track. It wont quite keep up with a Porsche 911, but nothing with a pseudo-1960s profile will come close. A sweet-sounding, flat-plane crank V8engine, enough power 526 horsepower is nothing to sneeze at, even in a straight line and a truly well put-together styling package give it even more authentic bona-fides. Its the best Mustang available. 2018 Dodge Challenger Hellcat2018 Dodge Challenger Hellcat Nick Tragianis / Driving You want muscle. Big muscle. Well then, the strongest steroids to be had will be found at a Dodge dealership, wont they? That would be the Challenger Hellcat and its lunatic fringe sibling, the Hellcat Redeye.Its hard to know what to write a Hellcat. It is, by even the most generous and by generous, I mean truly demented standards both overpowered and undertired. In any circumstances, not picture perfect
Origin: Want a 2019 Dodge Challenger Scat Pack Widebody? The competition is all muscle
DRIVING READER SURVEY: Driving, we want your feedback
Thankfully, you make sure it’s not a one-way conversation, sharing Driving content over social media such as Twitter and Facebook, and letting us know what you think with online comments, letters, emails and phone calls.But we would like to get to know you and our community better to make sure Driving remains an essential part of your day, every day.Please take five minutes to complete a short survey about Driving content you value most and about how you engage with it.To begin the survey, click here.Thank you for your participation,Jonathan YarkonyManaging Editor
Origin: DRIVING READER SURVEY: Driving, we want your feedback
The Honda e dashboard design makes us want it even more
The Honda e Prototype at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show.Harold Cunningham / AFP/Getty Images Hondas beautiful e concept is coming to life, and the more we learn about it, the more we cant wait to get our hands on one.Honda has just released a video detailing the dashboard of the e, and we have to say, it makes us want one even more than we already did.The dashboard consists of two 12.3-inch touch screens in the centre for the infotainment, an 8.8-inch screen right in front of the driver, and two six-inch mirrors on the edges of the dash to show what the external camera mirrors see.The design is downright gorgeous in its simplicity, and when the vehicle is turned off you wouldnt even recognize that the entire fascia of the dash was a touch screen.Its easy to configure too, basically, anybody thats ever been in contact with a smartphone can move around the apps and change the interface to suit their needs. A smartphone can also be used as a key instead of a standard fob and can be configured to set geofencing, preconditioning, and safety alerts.On top of the great dash, the vehicle will respond to Hey Honda commands. The climate change buttons have remained tactile, and so have the buttons on the steering wheel.According to Honda, more than 36,000 people expressed interest in buying the small EV after it was revealed, the UK, Germany, France, and Norway will get first priority, but we hope Honda knows that Canada wants it just as much as the rest of the
Origin: The Honda e dashboard design makes us want it even more
Want a 2020 Lexus LS 500? Take a look down memory lane
2019 Lexus LS 500Handout LIBERIA, Costa Rica So, you want a new LS 500. Well now, arent you in the minority? Whats wrong with you? Dont you know large, luxury sedans are totally pass? Why arent you shopping some over-priced, underperforming sport-ute like all your peers? Seriously, in this day of rampant me-tooism, if you want to stand out, buy a sedan. If youre independently foolish and really want to stand out, get an LS 500.Not that theres anything wrong with Lexus latest flagship sedan. Its actually a bit of a stunner as long as you can stomach the muy-macho grille and doesnt go half bad, either.One surprising thing is that Lexus doesnt offer the new LS with eight pistons; a V6 is the only available engine. However, both are fortified, the regular LS with twin turbochargers and the LS500h with a naturally-aspirated 3.5-litre V6 mated to Toyotas Hybrid Synergy Drive powertrain. Both will provide more than adequate performance, though, despite Lexus protestations to the contrary, the Hybrid doesnt feel nearly as sporty as the turbo. Always relaxed partially because its mated to a ten-speed automatic the 416-horsepower V6 unit scoots when it has to, trundles when youre relaxed, and will if its anything like Lexus motors past will do so until your children are grandparents.The LS ride/handling balance fairly matches its engine. Not nearly as sprightly as a Maserati Quattroporte and still a smidge behind BMWs 7 Series, the latest LS is still up for the job of straightening twisty roads. Those so inclined are best served by opting for the air suspensions its standard equipment on the LS500h and switching the mode button to Sport+. The steering becomes heavier, the springing firmer, and the whole plot a little more inciting, all without much ruining the big Lexus ride. Inside, the LS is pretty much the treat youre expecting, sumptuous leather covering roomy seats and delicate wood trim. This last gets special attention as all Lexus artwood inlays are built by Yamahas music division, my favourite being the one with the aluminum highlights. According Paul Williamsen, head of Lexus global marketing planning, Yamaha first overlays a wood veneer onto an aluminum substrate. Then it etches the patter it wants to remove the upper wood, leaving the aluminum underneath exposed. But because the aluminum is at a lower level than the wood and we certainly cant have an uneven surface in a Lexus, can we? Yamaha then vacuum seals the entire piece sucking the underlying metal onto an even keel with the overlaid wood. Wow, thats a lot of trouble for a few metal pinstripes.Williamsen says this is part and parcel of the companys Experience Amazing strategy: In the battle of marketing slogans, I think relentlessly pursuing perfection is a better measure of Lexus obvious obsessive compulsion.Only two foibles (may) mar the LS 500s interior. Lexus touchpad manipulated infotainment screen is either a love it or hate it affair. By love it or hate it, I mean everyone hates it at the beginning and then a few learn to, well, almost like it. Its polarizing. Almost as wonky but not nearly as polarizing are the multi-function switches puts on each side of the instrument binnacle. It either reminds you of a fighter jet or looks like someone forgot the wipes until the very last moment. Either way, it doesnt really compromise ergonomics so its not nearly as polarizing as the touchpad.Overall, the LS500, like all large luxury sedans, perhaps more than most, doesnt deserve to be ignored. Its a luxurious, spacious and well-crafted sedan, that last word the only reason its not more popular. No pricing is available on the 2020 yet, but the 2019 LS starts at $103,150 and Lexus Canada has some screaming deals going on right now. 2018 Lexus LC 500 Handout / Lexus Damn the family, I want two doors: Well, has Lexus got a sports coupe for you. Based on the same platform as the LS, the LC 500 has two things going for it. The first is that, unlike the sedan, the coupe is still offered with a naturally aspirated, we-dont-need-no-stinking-turbos 5.0-litre V8. The same one offered in the RC F, in fact: 471 horsepower, a 10-speed transmission, and some seriously stiff suspension make for an entertaining ride. Officially, the reason the twin-turbo V6 doesnt power the LC is that it wasnt quite ready when the big coupe was being engineered, but I think Lexus engineers just wanted to make some noise. The LC500 delivers. Indeed, while the LC is available as a hybrid and I recommend that powertrain for the LS the LC is best served by the rootin and tootin V8.More importantly, the LC500 has a face Maserati would die for. Lexus spindle grille may be a little overwrought for its run-of-the-mill sedans and soft-roaders, but it matches the LCs curves and creases perfectly. I dont usually render critiques about styling as my eye may not behold the same image as your own but I think this is the sexiest sport coupe extent. On looks
Origin: Want a 2020 Lexus LS 500? Take a look down memory lane
Want a Maserati Levante? Consider these other super sport-utes, too
2019 Maserati Levante GTSHandout / Maserati So, you want a Maserati SUV — a really fast one: Well, your timing is impeccable. Two years after the launch of the Levante, its first SUV, Maserati has followed up with the new GTS. Essentially the Quattroportes twice-turbocharged 3.8-litre V8 plunked into the engine bay, the Levante GTS boasts a Porsche Cayenne Turbo-challenging 550 horsepower and an equally stout 538 lb.-ft. of torque. Now, if numerical one-upmanship matters to you, know that the GTS is officially a little slower than the Porsche, Maserati claiming it takes around four seconds to scoot from rest to 100 km/h, while the Cayenne Turbo can get there a smidge faster with the Sports Chrono package.You wouldnt know it from the drivers seat, though. Once you get the (admittedly hefty) 2,170 kilogram Levante rolling, the thing is the proverbial rocketship, seemingly getting faster the more it gathers speed. Its hard to remember anything short of a supercar with such immediate roll-on throttle response. One second youre doddling behind a semi, the next youre getting a notification from air traffic control that youre cleared for takeoff. Seriously fast is this Maserati and if you want even more, theres a Trofeo version with even more 590! horses. Seriously, if you need an SUV with more horsepower than the Levante is now offering, you need therapy.It doesnt quite sound the part, though. Oh, it bellows and roars, but after the symphony of the V6 in the Levante S creates, I expected more of an intoxicating V8. Only as musical as a Porsche V8 might not sound like much of an insult, but if youre ever driven the Levante S, youd know my disappointment. Maybe the Trofeo ups the ante. Not much else ruins the ride. The suspension variable, natch is firm when you need it; supple if not. The seats, swaddled in the most hedonistic of leathers, will flatter your behind. Theres room a-plenty in the rear seats, and even if the cargo area isnt the most commodious among comparable SUVs, its still plenty roomy. The Harman/Kardon sound system is faithful in its aural replication, but it could stand a few more decibels when Billy Idol starts lamenting his ex-girlfriends White Wedding.Even Maseratis MTC+ infotainment system is top notch. Oh, the graphics may be six months out of date thats 48 months in Silicon Valley years but, based on Chryslers UConnect system, its one of the most capable touchscreen systems in the segment. Nothing fancy no gesture control, for instance, just straight-up good programming.The GTS also does right by your wallet that is, of course, if youre filthy rich. The base price $138,500, some $3,300 cheaper than the equivalent Cayenne Turbo. Like Porsches ubiquitous SUV, the GTS can get pricier quickly, my test unit optioned out to a cool $155,540. But thats also true of all of Porsches Turbo models, not just the Cayenne, notoriously expensive when you throw in the doo-dads. 2019 Porsche Cayenne Turbo Brian Harper / Driving You still want the Porsche: Of course you do. Porsche fans are only slightly less devoted deluded? than Tesla fanatics, so no matter what I say here, the Levante will never going to outsell the Cayenne. That said, I dont have anything really bad to say about the Cayenne Turbo. As I mentioned, Porsche would make toilet paper a (costly) option in a public bathroom, were it in the commode business. But pricing issues aside, its a more than competent vehicle.In fact, these two vehicles are so similar they could easily have been separated at birth. Both are powered by twice-turbocharged V8s with roughly the same horsepower, both boast the Cayennes Sport Chrono package notwithstanding the same acceleration, and and both reach about equal lock-you-up-and-throw-away-the-key top speeds: 286 km/h for the Porsche, versus 291 for the Maserati.Theyre roughly the same size and though their interiors are vastly different, the cabins are equally luxurious. Hard to say anything bad about either, though if it matters to you, Porsche Cayennes are becoming as common as VWs these days. 2019 Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S Handout / Mercedes-Benz You want a different kind of German muscle: Then you might want to consider AMGs version of the Mercedes GLE, the 63 S. Boasting 577 horsepower from its twin-turbo V8, the 63 S also undercuts both Porsche and Maserati with its $116,300 starting price. That said, whod have ever thought thered come a day when Mercedes-Benz would become the price-point competitor in the luxury segment.It shows: The interior isnt quite as nice, and the ride isnt quite as settled as the Cayenne or Levante. And while were being frank, the GLEs styling leaves me a little cold, exhibiting neither the passion of the Maserati nor the ruthless efficiency of the Porsche. Buy it for the horsepower or its booming exhaust if you must, but its not quite as sophisticated as either of the other two. (It’s worth noting the 63 S is still based on the bones of the
Origin: Want a Maserati Levante? Consider these other super sport-utes, too
Want a Lamborghini Huracán crossover? It might be coming’
Hot on the heels of its Urus sport-ute, Lamborghini is apparently considering putting a crossover version of its Huracán, the Sterrato, into production. Automobile magazine had a chance to drive the prototype Huracán Sterrato on the Nardo test track and off-road facility. The rumour is that Lamborghini would make between 500 and 1,000 copies, priced at about €240,000, or around $360,660 in Canadian dollars. Maurizio Reggiani, the automaker’s chief technical officer, told the publication that while the budget is quite tight (“It always is at Lamborghini,” he said), the company could build the car at a profit by manufacturing any Sterrato-specific parts on 3D printers, including cladding, panels, and splitters. The parts, made of a newly-developed lightweight synthetic material, would be bolted or screwed onto the body. Like the Urus, the Huracán Sterrato has off-road ability, but is a crossover rather than a sport-ute, and uses a 5.2L naturally aspirated engine that churns out 640 horsepower. With a Huracán replacement still at least five years away, Automobile suggests the company will fill in the gap with derivatives, including the high-performance STO in 2020; the Sterrato in 2021; and a possible hybrid in
Origin: Want a Lamborghini Huracán crossover? It might be coming’
All about car 