Even if you're pretty enthusiastic about driving, parking is
probably more of a chore than a joy. That's why Volkswagen is working on a way
to potentially skip over that part.
The German automaker is testing a system called V-Charge in
Europe that combines automated parking with automated charging with electric
cars. All the driver needs to do is get out and order the car to park itself,
and the vehicle finds a space, including one with a wireless charging station,
if necessary. VW essentially hopes to put valets out of business.
To create a self-parking car, Volkswagen festooned an e-Golf with
cameras and ultrasonic sensors. That includes four wide-angle cameras, two 3D
cameras, and 12 ultrasound sensors. The car uses digital maps for reference,
and V2V
communication technology to pick up signals from infrastructure and
other cars for further guidance.
The sensor-based approach allows a car to orient itself
without the use of GPS, which often doesn't work in underground parking garages
because the signal can't penetrate below the surface. VW promises
"centimeter-exact" parking, so the system is probably more accurate
than a human valet too.
In the case of an electric car, V-Charge can also be
programmed to find parking spaces with charging stations. Since the car
obviously can't connect itself to a charging cord, these have to be wireless.
Once the car is done charging, it automatically vacates the space to make room
for the next vehicle in need of some juice. Electric car owners will probably
appreciate that feature, as blocked charging stations are already testing the
limits of social decorum in their ranks.
VW says V-Charge is "already functional today,"
but won't discuss a timeline for putting it into production.
These days, it seems autonomous parking gets as much
attention as autonomous driving. BMW and Land Rover have
both demonstrated systems that could be used for human-less parking, and
Mercedes-Benz will introduce a remote
parking pilot on the 2017 E-Class.
The 2016 Mercedes-Maybach S600 is
certainly no slouch with its ample 523 horsepower and 612 pound-feet of torque,
but if you’re the type that needs your luxury behemoth to keep up with top
sports models, then Brabus has just what you need. The German tuner is
intimately familiar with the latest S-Class as it was responsible for much of
the engineering work done on the extra-long Mercedes-Maybach
S600 Pullman.
For the regular Mercedes-Maybach S600, the firm has
developed a comprehensive tuning package that sees the car deliver as much as
887 horsepower. It makes the car more powerful than even Porsche’s 918 Spyder,
and it totally decimates the latest crop of supercars when it comes to torque:
the peak figure registers at a staggering 1,106 pound-feet. It means owners of
the Brabus-tuned Mercedes-Maybach S600 will see 0-62 mph acceleration of just
3.7 seconds and a top speed in excess of 217 mph.
The tuning package is called the Brabus Rocket 900. The
firm’s high-tech engine shop employs the tried and tested principle of
increasing the engine’s displacement, achieved via a custom billet crankshaft
with longer stroke in concert with a larger cylinder bore, matching forged
pistons and precision-balanced connecting rods. The result is an increase in
displacement for the Mercedes-Maybach S600’s V-12 engine from 6.0 to 6.3
liters.
Along with the new internals, the engineers also add bigger
turbochargers, which are adapted to the V-12 engine with the help of special
exhaust manifolds. In addition, the conversion includes large-diameter down
pipes, high-flow catalytic converters, and a high-flow exhaust system made from
stainless-steel. The gearbox is also enhanced to handle all of the torque, and
to aid agility the suspension is lowered by almost an inch. The list of
modifications is rounded out by a custom body kit and a set of 21-inch forged
wheels, the latter wrapped in 255/35 size tires up front and huge 295/30 size
tires at the rear.
For the interior, the firm’s upholstery shop creates
perfectly finished leather interiors tailored to the requests of the buyer.
This includes an almost limitless variety of types of leather and Alcantara in
any desired color, which can be finished in any desired upholstery design. Just
as individual is the range of precious wood or carbon fiber inlays, which are
also available in any desired color and with a variety of surface finishes. And
since this is Brabus we’re talking about, the company will also happily add
armor protection to the car should you desire.
This week in Autoblog's Detroit office, we've taken
delivery of the 2015
Range Rover Sport SVR. That means a good portion of the team will have the
opportunity to drive the 550-horsepower animal that I first sampled a few
months ago in upstate New York.
Fast SUVs are a sort of guilty pleasure for many car writers I know, and an
outright joy for others. Even with a design brief that may challenge sanity – a
capable off-roader that one can take to a track day, you say? – there's
something compelling in the milieu of upright, wide-shouldered looks and a
brawny powertrain.
What I found out in NY was that, no surprise Range Rover pulls off the mixture
even better than most. Or, at least until Jeep submits to reason and brings us
a Grand Cherokee SRT Hellcat, the SVR deserves top-fast-SUV consideration with
Porsche and BMW offerings.
It’s only a matter of time until Jaguar turns the wick up on
the 550-horsepower supercharged V-8 fitted to its sublime F-Type R sports car,
especially since the automaker already revealed a more powerful version of the
engine in last year’s limited edition F-Type Project
7. And it appears that that is exactly what the automaker is working on, as
we now have spy shots showing an F-Type prototype that’s more extreme than
anything we've seen.
The prototype is thought to be for a new F-Type SVR
range-topper being developed by Jaguar Land Rover’s SVO skunkworks. SVO is the
Brit automaker’s rival to the likes of BMW M and Mercedes-AMG, though it also
handles personalization work and other special projects.
SVO’s first SVR-badged car was the brilliant Range Rover Sport SVR, and
it looks like an F-Type SVR will be next in line. Spotted here is an F-Type SVR
Convertible. A coupe has also been spotted,
suggesting that both variants will be launched simultaneously.
The F-Type Project 7 is thought to have served as
inspiration for the new model. Its engine, the familiar supercharged 5.0-liter
V-8, was rated at 575 hp, which was enough for 0-60 mph acceleration in just
3.8 seconds and a governed top speed of 186 mph. Further tuning should bump the
output closer to 600 hp here, and together with the F-Type’s new
all-wheel-drive system, made
available for the 2016 model year, we could see the F-Type SVR’s
performance surpass that of potential rivals like the Porsche 911 Turbo and
Audi R8 V10.
Look for more aggressive aero enhancements similar to those
featured on the F-Type Project 7, as well as the car’s electronic active
differential, carbon ceramic brakes and uprated suspension. We can clearly see
that the front bumper is a new design, with large intakes and an aggressive lip
spoiler present. At the rear, there’s a new diffuser integrated with the
bumper, flanked either side by a pair of exhaust tips. It also appears that the
car has a wider track, and the rear wing looks like a fixed unit.
A debut of the Jaguar F-Type SVR should take place in the
next six to 12 months, meaning it will likely arrive as a 2017 model.
Every once in a while we experience something that is true
bucket list stuff. We joined Porsche in Lapland for a day on snow and ice and
this earned a spot on the GTspirit Bucket List! Let me tell and show you what
went down.
Every year major car manufacturers and private companies
build camps in the European Arctic for winter testing and driving experiences.
Porsche is no exception and for a few years now they travel to the Finnish town
of Levi where they host the Porsche Winter Driving Experience.
Levi is a popular Finnish winter destination and ski resort.
The slopes not comparable to the Alps but enough for a few days of fun. From
Kittila Airport it takes only 15 minutes to reach Levi and another 20 minutes
to reach the Porsche Driving Experience camp. The last time we were in Levi was
8 years ago and the town has grown quite a bit. We stayed at the new Panorama
hotel directly on the slopes of the ski resort with stunning views of the
surrounding forests, mountains and lakes.
But enough about Levi, we are here to drift Porsches on ice!
The Porsche Driving Experience is spread out over a huge area in the Finnish
forests. Unlike many other ice driving events in the Arctic, Porsches tracks
are not build on a frozen lake or river but on a sort of swamp land sprayed
with water. This makes that the frozen race tracks over slight height
differences and camber, something you won’t have on a lake.
Upon arrival we realize how huge the area is, over 20
different ice tracks, drift circles and slalom courses are dotted around the
area. Separated in a North and South area Porsche can accommodate up to 100
people per day. We arrive at a garage where 50 Porsche 911 Turbo S and Cayman
GTS models are waiting for us.
Porsche offers four different multiple-day driving events in
Levi. Starting with Camp4 which is all about precision; learning how the car
behaves on snow and ice and how to stay in control while having fun. The next
level is Camp4S which is more about performance. Assuming you know the basics
about driving on snow and ice Camp4S shows how to handle the car on its limit.
Both Camp4 and Camp4S participants drive with the Porsche 911 Carrera S with
spikes.
The next level is Porsche Ice-Force. Here participants learn
to control a Porsche 911 Turbo by braking and accelerating. A combination of
theory and driving on various handling tracks gives deeper insights in advanced
vehicle control. Than finally there is Porsche Ice-ForceS where experienced
drivers can raise their limits with the Porsche 911 Turbo, GT3 and other
vehicles. In a mix of all-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive vehicles the driver
is challenged to find the perfect line across the various handling tracks. All
programs include three days of instruction and driving.
Today we take part in a special program based on Porsche
Ice-Force(S). I receive the keys for a 560hp 911 Turbo S with 4mm spikes and
snow tires. This all-wheel drive monster comes with Porsches PDK gearbox and
Sport Chrono Package. We are guided to another part of the camp which will
serve as base for our day there. After a small program and safety briefing the
group is split in smaller groups and our instructor Yukka takes us to the first
course.
Due to the weight balance of the AWD rear-engine Porsche 911
Turbo a different technique is required to drift it and the first exercise
couldn’t be a better start to learn this: slalom on ice. Accelerating off the
line we are required to steer in for the first corner, tap the brakes briefly
to shift the weight to the outside and accelerate to drift. Approaching the
next corner, counter steer quickly and tap the brakes again to swing the back
around to the other side. It soon feels like an automotive dance as we swing
from side to side around the cones.
The cones were quite close to each other so our first
exercise was fairly low speed but the second course would all change that. We
are taken to a large circle to practice our drift consistency. The drift circle
is a great place to see the all-wheel drive system in action. In comparison to
a rear-wheel drive car it is a bit harder to drift but once you have it going
you can reduce your steering inputs to the minimum and almost keep the wheels
straight. Balancing the drift is entirely done by the throttle, more throttle
makes the circle wider, less throttle makes the circle smaller. Being gentle on
the throttle and steering is rewarded with a smooth never-ending drift.
But enough with the exercise, time for the real action! We
head back to the base and swap our 911 Turbo S for a rear-wheel drive Cayman
GTS. To give the Cayman a bit more grip it has 5mm spikes instead of 4. We head
out to a little track on the far end of the camp. Every track has a little
paddock where you can stop and change drivers and every track also has a
Cayenne on stand-by to pull any cars out of the snow besides the track.
The Porsche Cayman GTS is fundamentally different on snow
and ice than the all-wheel drive 911 Turbo. It is much easier to get a drift
going but it is harder work to stay in control. One little mistake and you soon
find yourself with the nose pointing in the wrong direction. In my third lap I
got a bit carried away and after drifting through three nice S-corner
combinations I clearly over did it and found myself stuck in the snow wall for
the first and luckily last time this day.
Adjacent to our Cayman GTS track was another track with a
little surprise for us. This track called the GT3 Cup track had a Porsche GT3
Cup and Porsche 918 Spyder on spikes waiting for us. Seeing the 918 Spyder
there on snow and ice was a surreal sight. With its low ride height and wing
extended up it looked like it was ready to eat the ice.
We had a few laps with both cars on the ice and although you
will rarely top 100 km/h on the ice and don’t have the same forces as on a
regular race track, it was a sensational experience that we will remember for
quite some time. The 918 Spyder interior is so futuristic and not reminiscent
of anything else in the Porsche line-up, we hope some of its styling clues will
soon make its way in other Porsche models.
We drove back to base with the 918 Spyder and took a short
break for lunch. After lunch the 918 Spyder was available for a few photos and
after that we had to return to our ‘normal’ program. The next chapter in our
Porsche Finland story was the Porsche Cayenne Turbo. Warned about the car’s
weight and poor drift capabilities, we weren’t sure what to expect. But as soon
as we left the paddock and turned in to drift around the first corner we knew
this is going to be fun!
The Cayenne is by far the hardest Porsche we have been
trying to drift in Finland. You really have to trick it into a drift. Before
setting out on the icy tracks we always switched to Sport Plus mode and
disabled ESP. In the Cayman and the Turbo we switched back to the soft
suspension setting to make the car a bit more forgiving. In the Cayenne however
we chose to keep the suspension in sport to reduce body roll.
With the Cayman and the 911 Turbo I tried to drift as clean
as possible as going off the cleared track did not only bring a high risk of
getting stuck but also of damaging the car. In the Cayenne however it was not a
problem to let the back wheel slide through the snow bank a little bit on the
outside corner and keeping my foot on the power meant the Cayenne would get out
of most tricky situations just fine. Lap after lap I drifted the Cayenne from
corner to corner with a big smile on my face. My co-driver at one point had the
window open to let some fresh air in, he regretted it a while later when one of
my drifts saw a load of snow fly in through the open window and end right in
his face.
For our last sessions of the day we returned to the majestic
Turbo S. With plenty of practice behind us our last track was a combination of
two smaller tracks with wide long sweeping corners ideal for long drifts.
Coming from the Cayenne, the Turbo was easy to drift. On this track cones
helped initiate the perfect Scandinavian flick around three tighter corners.
Along with two dedicated instructors it was just one of the examples where the
Porsche Driving Experience is not just about fun but also helps improve your
driving skill.
As we drove back to the garage in a convoy of Porsche 911
Turbos, the Finnish sky glowing in the light of dawn it hit me; words fail to
describe it but this is something every car enthusiast should have on his
bucket list!
Typically when an automotive publication pits two rivals against each other, they come from different companies. After all, why would one automaker – even one parent company – develop two distinct models to compete against each other? Well, the Volkswagen Group isn't like most. It pits Porsches against Lamborghinis, Audis against Bentleys, Seats against Škodas... all under the same roof.
In the high-powered hot hatch market, it offers both the VW Golf R and the Audi RS3. The question is, which is the better drive? Evo put them both on track for a quick bout of sibling rivalry to find out.
On paper it would seem like an unfair fight. Sure, both are based on the same platform and channel their power to the tarmac through all four wheels. But the Audi's five-cylinder engine packs considerably more muscle than the Golf's four: 362 horsepower and 343 pound-feet of torque trump 296 hp and 280 lb-ft. There's just no way around that – at least until the Golf R 400 comes along.
The Audi, as you might have guessed, also costs substantially more than the Volkswagen. But that's not Evo's concern here. This is a cost-no-object, bare-knuckle throw-down. Watch the ten-minute video above to find out if the cheaper, less powerful Golf R can keep pace with its more upscale and brawnier brother.
A new race series called the Touring car Racer International
Series (TCR) launched this year and it’s already proving popular among
enthusiasts and up-and-coming drivers. That’s because the concept behind TCR
calls for low cost of entry and low running costs.
The cars designed for the series are mostly based on
affordable compacts and have a cost ceiling of approximately $90,000. The
regulations call for turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engines with no more
than 300 horsepower, and drive to the front wheels via six-speed
sequential transmissions. The minimum weight must be 1,260 kilograms (2,777
pounds) including the driver.
Volkswagen is the latest manufacturer to design a car for
TCR, joining the likes of fellow Volkswagen Group brands Audi and seat, as
well as Honda and Opel. VW’s racer is based on the Golf hatchback, and right
now it’s being used for evaluation purposes with a view to be offered to
customer teams starting in 2016.
However, in order to accelerate the development, the new
Golf TCR will be tested under competitive conditions between now and the end of
the 2015 motorsport season: as cooperation partner, the Liqui Moly Team
Engstler will run two of the cars at the eighth round of the TCR series, which
takes place this weekend at Austria’s Red Bull Ring.
Under the hood sits the turbocharged 2.0-liter four from the
production Golf R, which is paired with a six-speed, paddle-shifted
sequential transmission. On the outside, extended fender flares house a widened
track that VW says is around 15 inches wider than stock. The wheels are 18-inch
light alloys, and an aerodynamically-shaped front splitter and carbon rear wing
are also among the modifications for competition use.
“The newly created
TCR category provides a promising platform for customer racing—on a national
and international level,” VW motorsport Chief Jost Capito said in a statement.
“With exciting races, production-based technology and reasonable costs, it
offers a new outlook for private racing teams.”
These are the latest spy shots of what appears to be a
track-focused version of the new Mercedes-AMG
GT designed to rival the likes of Aston Martin’s new Vantage GT12, the
Porsche 911 GT3 and the more mainstream Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and Nissan GT-R
NISMO models. The aggressive front splitter, front canards, fixed rear wing and
slightly wider fenders hint at the dialed-up performance of the car,
though it won’t be badged a “Black Series”, as that particular model will be coming
later in the GT’s life cycle.
This one will be closely linked with the Mercedes-AMG
GT3 race car (shown below), so expect power to be dialed up, weight to
be reduced and the suspension to be stiffened substantially. Boosting output
should be easy as the GT’s new twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 has much greater
potential than the current GT S variant’s 503 horsepower. A figure of 550 hp is
likely.
Dropping weight will be more difficult as engineers already
went to great lengths to get the GT S variant’s weight down to approximately
3,460 pounds. To further reduce this, more exotic materials including carbon
fiber will need to be utilized. The resultant weight savings should be between
176 and 220 pounds.
Bigger wheels, tires and brakes will also likely
make the cut, and we could see some changes to the GT’s seven-speed dual-clutch
transmission implemented for track duty.
With the boost in power and the lighter weight, the car’s
0-60 mph time could drop to as low as 3.6 seconds, down from 3.7 seconds in the
GT S. Top speed will likely remain at 193 mph as most of the aero
aids are likely to be focused on producing downforce, which usually comes at
the expense of drag. In
a previous interview, Mercedes-AMG chief Tobias Moers said the new
track-focused GT should cut 10 seconds from the standard GT’s Nürburgring lap
time which he said was 7:30, achieved using regular tires and not the special
compounds other manufactures often use for setting lap times.
Mercedes-AMG recently released
a teaser video for a new model that it described as
"fast," and perhaps the car in question is the new track-focused GT.
A debut could take place as early as the 2015 Frankfurt Auto Show in September.
We’re still not sure what the car will be called, though we know it won’t be
badged a GT3. Moers has already said that that name—for road car
applications—belongs to someone else, something Aston Martin recently found
out the hard way.
Crossovers, SUVs, CUVs, whatever label you use for
high-riding wagons, one thing is clear – they represent big profits for
car-makers.
With this in mind, it's not surprising that prestige British car-maker Jaguar is plotting another
SUV to join the F-PACE, a vehicle that will be revealed at September's 2015
Frankfurt motor show deep in enemy territory – Germany.
Jaguar is convinced it can take on the established German players,
and this mock-up of a Jaguar E-PACE shows one possible design direction for a
new BMW X4 and Mercedes-Benz GLC rival.
"We've got two or three new models in the pipeline that are exciting and
will surprise people," Callum said in New York.
"They're disruptive products," he said with a wry smile.
The reality of a second SUV project from Jaguar before the turn of the decade
is unlikely, but those who hold the purse strings at the company know that such
a vehicle will be crucial in building long-term success. The upcoming
F-PACE is expected to become one of Jaguar's top-selling vehicles, and this
success will see the company evaluate more SUVs for production.
With sales of small and medium SUVs booming, especially in the luxury segment,
it's only a matter of time before Jaguar unleashes it's next crossover vehicle.
It remains to be seen whether it's called the E-PACE but there's already a
number of new 'Ingenium' four-cylinder engines that would likely find their way
under its bonnet.
And a go-fast variant with a supercharged V6 perhaps?
You can’t always start at the top, but it’s nice to know you
have a chance to get there.
The Discovery Sport is Land Rover’s new entry-level model,
and the first in its soon-to-grow Discovery line of street-smart crossovers. It
mixes country club style with just enough off-road cred to earn the Land Rover
logo.
Related Image
Inside, the compact SUV is as snazzy as a boutique hotel
bar, and the trimmings live up to its $38,065 starting price. It’s primarily a
five-seat vehicle, with a roomy, adjustable second row, but two-seat third row
is available for $1,750. They’re handy, but so small that Land Rover accurately
refers to them as +2. The cargo bay they fill may be better left empty, and
provides a nice big space when it is. Packing for a week-long trip for a family
of four or five should be no problem.
Related Image
Don’t let the name fool you. “Sport” in this case really
means “fun size,” and there will be a larger Discovery model arriving next
year. Nevertheless, its 240 hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine and nine-speed
automatic transmission combo provides enough punch to keep things lively, even
though it likes to hunt for fuel economy in the upper gears, where it finds 26
mpg on the highway. Floor it to pass or merge, for instance, and it can take a
good three or four count before anything particularly sporty happens, even in
Sport mode.
Whether you are or aren’t doing that, the Discover Sport is
supremely quiet inside, with a smooth and composed ride, even on twisty roads.
This is despite the fact that it has 8.3 inches of ground clearance and some
serious, stone-stepping wheel articulation to go with it.
It’ll also wade through nearly two feet of water, thanks to
hefty door seals and an air intake positioned out of the splash zone, high and
to the side of the engine bay. The standard all-wheel-drive system offers modes
for a variety of surfaces, including gravel, sand, snow and grass, the last
perfect for navigating outdoor music festival parking areas and creating
general mayhem on a Scottish Moor or your local golf course.
I refrained from doing that, but did take it into the
deepest darkest forests of New Jersey. (Hey, they have wild bears there. Take
that, Scotland.) On a particularly steep and rocky trail it proved that it has
more mettle than anything in its class, if not a Range Rover or Jeep Grand
Cherokee. I wouldn’t go looking for trouble in it, but you should be fine if
you make a wrong turn.
The optional lane departure warning system and blind spot
monitor can help you from doing that, while a road sign-reading camera displays
the posted speed limit on the instrument cluster. If you’re paying too much
attention to that, it also keeps an eye out for cars you’re about to run into
and brakes if you don’t.
One highlight that won’t make headlines, but is mightily
appreciated when you're laden with tech, is the use of high-output 5-volt USB
charging ports, and there are several, along with four 12-volt sockets
scattered throughout the cabin.
The single-pane, full glass roof is an eye-opener, but
doesn’t open. Still, it’s just another feature that helps the Discovery Sport
stand out in a crowded segment. Overall, it’s unique enough to make a
compelling alternative to competing luxury crossovers like the Audi Q5 and BMW
X3, and when the going gets rough, it has the goods to leave them in the dirt,
if not the dust.
Appropriately limited to just 918 units worldwide, the Porsche 918 Spyder is one of three hybrid
hypercars currently changing the entire performance car industry. Despite its
exclusivity and sky-high price tag however, the 918 Spyder clearly isn’t immune
to poor driving and over-confident owners.
Filmed here outside the Epi Plage hotel in the heart of
Saint Tropez, the topless male driver behind the wheel of the hypercar thought
it would be cool to show-off by stomping on the accelerator in front of a large
group of people.
Clearly not capable of control all 887 hp from the car, that
quick burst of acceleration almost sends the car into two pedestrians. While
they manage to jump out of the way, the owner failed to brake and casually
crashed into the rear of a black SUV.
In a rather head-scratching moment after the crash, the
driver doesn’t even look slightly upset at what just happened. As a matter of
fact, he can be seen smiling and drinking immediately after the crash.
The new BMW 2-Series is one of the many culprits
of the brand’s confusingly revamped naming system, but that doesn’t stop it
from being a very fun little luxury sports coupe—particularly
in M235i form. Soon, however, the most potent version of the 2-Series
should be on the road: the M2. It’s been known since mid-2013 that an M2 was a
solid bet for production, and recently we learned that that production will be starting
by the fall of 2015. That means we may see the cars in showrooms by the end
of the year and probably no later than the spring of 2016. A debut is expected
at September's 2015 Frankfurt Auto Show.
Last year, details on the possible direction BMW
would take with the M2 were divulged, including hints at up to 300
pounds of weight savings as well as more power. At 425 horsepower and 406
pound-feet of torque, the S55 turbocharged 3.0-liter in-line six-cylinder from
the M3/M4 might
be overkill for the M2—or at the least might step on the toes of the larger,
more expensive models. Thus, it's more likely we'll see an updated version of
the M235i’s N55 engine fitted to the car. This 320-hp turbocharged 3.0-liter
six never feels like it’s lacking despite the 3,555-pound curb weight it has to
lug around; in the M2 we'd expect the engine's final output to lie somewhere
between 350 and 400 horses.
Other upgrades will include wider wheels and tires,
factors hinted at by the camouflage over the fender flares on the car seen in
the spy photographs. Some of the shots also reveal the new bumper designs for
the car, with the front featuring the complex aero elements typical of the
latest M cars. Upgraded suspension, M Division traction and stability control calibration,
and, likely, a mechanical limited-slip rear differential could all further
enhance the M2’s performance over the capable but still restrained M235i.
For anyone that’s been thinking BMW has lost its way with cars
like the oddly-shaped Gran Turismos and the blasphemous front-driving 2-Series
Active Tourer, we think the M2 will be the car that restores your faith in the
blue and white roundel. Pricing should start at just over $50k.
Back in my salad days, when I was rocking a the
greatest Civic Si of all time, the occasional pair of leather pants, and a
yen for malt liquor and grass (both of which quickly put an end to the leather
pants), a car like the 2016
Audi S6 would've made my head explode.
"What's that?" I might have asked. "A roomy four-seat Audiwith more than 400 horsepower and
all-wheel drive, that looks like it was sculpted by Ralph
McQuarrie? Pushing 30 mpg and under five seconds to 60 miles per hour? The
hell you say."
And that's even before Future Me showed Skinny Me an interior full of carbon
fiber and aluminum, God's own quilted-leather sport buckets, and a 'radio' that
would've made my Dreamcast look like an Atari 6400. (If you haven't picked up
on the vibe yet, I was kind of a weird nerd in the late '90s.) Gentlemen, we
live in the future; I just drove a mid-cycle-refresh Audi that proves it.
Driving Notes
The 4.0-liter, turbocharged V8 is tailor-made for smoothly
pulling around anything less-well-endowed than the M5/E63/CTS-V set. Now up to
450 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque (versus the 420 hp and 406 lb-ft of
last year's model), there's enough pull in the easily accessible powerband to
satisfy all but lunatic drivers. It doesn't feel staggeringly fast, but that's
only because 500 horsepower has become so commonplace in the new über sedan
game. It's quick enough. Remember when 250 hp was a crazy number?
The car sounds like it has a V8, too. That may seem obvious,
but in Generation Direct Injection things tend to get a bit clattery. You'll
get some of that if you open the hood with the engine running (as I did in one
of the Short Cuts above), but none where it counts: behind the wheel, windows
up, stereo down, foot to the floor. That recipe delivers a hushed,
baritone-sung song about understatement.
Less subtle is the braking force when used at or near the
top of its ability. After a moment of surprise and delight while decelerating
in normal traffic, I went back-road hunting to test a few pseudo panic stops.
Vented 15.7-inch front discs, with 14-inchers in the rear, provided a fast and
steady haul-down from 70 miles per hour. Remember whenwheels were 15
inches?
I mean, you need those big brakes and potent engines to move
and stop a car this hefty. With a base weight of 4,486 pounds – no doubt
heavier still in my loaded, Dutchman-driven example – it still kind of blows my
mind to see the 27-miles-per-gallon highway number. Oh, and the 4.4-second
0-to-60 number. Still, remember when two cars combined weighed 4,500
pounds?
I love, love, love these bucket seats. Somewhat objectively,
I think the one-piece design and leather quality is stunning. Subjectively, my
six-foot, five-inch, 240-pound body fits like it was a plush F1 saddle, molded
just for me. With the seat to the floor and nearly at the back of its rails,
I've got tons of headroom and legroom, too.
The throttle and brake pedals are both hugely engaging, as I
touched on. But the same can't be said for the other driver controls. Steering
feedback is minimal, though the car goes where you point it, and turns in
appropriately for a large sports sedan. The seven-speed S-tronic transmission
didn't capture my imagination, either. It's responsive on up and downshifts,
technically proficient, but there's rarely anything visceral or overly snappy
about clicking off shifts. Perhaps it comes alive at really fast speeds? I
suppose I ought to remember that old 'automatic' transmissions used to
uniformly suck.
Even on the optional 20-inch wheels, the S6 has gorgeous ride quality.
The adaptive air suspension kept me from feeling jostled over pavement cracks
and expansion joints, while holding that big body neatly steady when I wanted
to whip through some curves. Understeer lurked just beyond the horizon of the
pace I picked for regular roads, but at speeds that will keep me out of jail,
the car feels neutrally balanced.
Just over $71,000 now buys you a big, fast, statement making Audi. In my
aforementioned villainous youth, that kind of bread would've bought me a house
(though if I had it, I almost certainly would've accidentally invested it in
old Porschesand airfare).
These days it puts the S6 slightly wrong-footed versus a similarly powered Cadillac CTS Vsport
Premium orJaguar XF Supercharged,
or well under the track-attack Germans from Mercedes and BMW.
I still can't afford any of the crew, so I'll happily bum rides from the OEMs
until they pull my card. Here's to progress. Here's to the future we all
wanted, happening right now.
