Brian Makse is a championship-winning racing driver, performance driving coach, and an auto writer and presenter. He holds multiple road racing track records, has raced off road trucks, and has driven many of the world’s famous circuits including the Nürburgring Nordschleife, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Road Atlanta, and Laguna Seca. As a life-long automobile enthusiast and accomplished racer, his stories are filtered through the lens of a highly experienced driver, giving his readers and viewers a unique perspective on the world of automobiles. You’ll find Brian’s work in automotive publications around the world and on his YouTube channel.

2020 Bentley Continental GTC V8 Makse - 31

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<strong>Bentleys are a favourite of mine.</strong> They have a distinct combination of exceptional design, hand finishing, performance, usability, and exclusivity that is unmatched by any other marque.

Having driven nearly every iteration of the previous generation Continental – from the relaxed W12 Speed to the thrilling GT3-R – the introduction of the all-new Continental has me excited to try all of the new flavours.

A few months ago, I spent some time with the <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/car-reviews/review-2020-bentley-continental-gt/"><strong>W12 coupe</strong></a> and it’s not just a stunner. It’s quicker than any grand tourer should be, has state of the art technology, and is filled with surprising levels of modern opulence.

This GTC V8, on the other hand, could be the singular car that can truly do it all and do it with style. The V8 brings a little feisty character to the Continental, all-wheel drive is standard, naturally, and this Continental drops its top at the press of a button.

One of Bentley's modern traditions is making a clear distinction between the W12 and V8 models. While the W12s are the most powerful in each model range, they are more sedate than the V8s.

Visually it’s rather difficult to make the distinction if you look at a Continental casually. However, if you look closely at a W12, you’ll see the number twelve subtly denoted in the fender vents.

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Those vents of the V8s are unadorned and regular V8 models will have V8 badging in place of the Union Jack on this Launch Edition. Otherwise, V8 models have quad exhaust pipes instead of the W12’s large ovals.

What’s under the bonnet? It’s a sophisticated and powerful 4.0 litre, 32-valve, twin   turbocharged V8 that generates 542 horsepower at 6000 RPM. The V8's story is really with the way it produces torque and, like most modern turbos, it makes incredible twist. All 568 pounds-feet are available from 2,000 to 4,000 RPM, which translates to effortless acceleration any time you wish. If you listen carefully, it rewards you with a subtle soundtrack from time to time.

In an interesting departure, Bentley has dropped the traditional automatic transmission for an eight-speed dual clutch gearbox. This type of transmission is typically reserved for all-out supercars, but in this Continental it's perfectly calibrated to suit the car’s grand touring nature, with the added benefit of remarkably rapid shifts.

The all-wheel drive system is also revised. The default torque split is a modest and effective 40 per cent front, 60 per cent rear, but in Sport mode, up to 83% of engine torque will transfer to the rear axle. I will confess that on the road, the difference is very subtle, but that also speaks to the overall dynamic competence of the new Continental. Regardless, the all-wheel drive system makes this an all weather grand tourer.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/2020-Bentley-Continental-GTC-V8-Makse-30.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-148866" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/2020-Bentley-Continental-GTC-V8-Makse-30.jpg" alt="Review: 2020 Bentley Continental GTC V8" width="1280" height="914" /></a>

Brakes are massive. There is no other word for it. The calipers have more pistons than you can count. Power and feel are simply outstanding.

Weight distribution is 55 per cent front, 45 per cent rear and, to be honest, given the all new platform, I’m surprised that we don’t find the engine a little further back in the chassis, though any driver would be hard pressed to tell the difference.

Given that the Continental GTC V8 tips the scales at over 5,100 pounds, that sheer amount of mass negates the notion of exacting engine placement. In a lighter automobile, the position of the motor makes all of the difference. In the Continental, it’s almost irrelevant.

If you were compelled to push this Continental GTC V8 to its limits, it will launch from zero and hit sixty miles an hour in 3.9 seconds. Top speed is two ticks shy of two hundred miles an hour. The Continental doesn’t demand that you push its limits. Rather it reminds you that it quietly possesses a massive reserve of performance.

From the driver’s seat, the GTC can go from wafting along the countryside to tackling the twisty bits with a flick of that drive mode dial. It responds in every way with athleticism, giving the pilot confidence to carve a perfect line through a corner with this Bentley – and to even attack them when necessary.

For Bentley, transforming the coupe in to a convertible is a monumental task. Naturally, the dual pane glass is retained, which does wonders for road noise. The sophisticated power roof is finely finished inside and out and clearly lined with layers and layers of sound deadening.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/2020-Bentley-Continental-GTC-V8-Makse-29.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-148867" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/2020-Bentley-Continental-GTC-V8-Makse-29.jpg" alt="Review: 2020 Bentley Continental GTC V8" width="1280" height="853" /></a>

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The roof opens and closes at speeds up to 30 mph in less than twenty seconds.

Given the lack of cowl shake and the retained chassis stiffness, there is an abundance of bracing in this chassis. No need to get into details because that tale is told on the scales. This convertible is said to add 350 pounds to the curb weight of the Continental. For context, depending on how deep you dive into the options list, the V8 is roughly 130 pounds lighter than the W12.

The lengths to which Bentley has reached to ensure passenger comfort, in every condition, is remarkable. The neck warmer and heated armrests are a delightful surprise. And isn’t that the definition of luxury?

The seats are sublime. Supportive. Highly adjustable. Heated and cooled. These are fitted with the massaging option, as well, and are perfection.

As for the rest of the interior, it’s modern and gorgeous, and there simply can’t be finer materials than those you find here. Interior lighting is stunning once the sun goes down.

The rotating display is the Continental’s parlour trick. Refined, yes, but a cool trick nonetheless. At rest, all you see is the veneer stretching across the dashboard. When running, you have your choice of the massive touchscreen or the three analog dials.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/2020-Bentley-Continental-GTC-V8-Makse-17.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-148870" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/2020-Bentley-Continental-GTC-V8-Makse-17.jpg" alt="Review: 2020 Bentley Continental GTC V8" width="1280" height="853" /></a>

Naturally, there is Apple Car Play, which I use seamlessly every time I’m behind the wheel. The heads up display is a nice touch, as is a full suite of cutting edge advanced driver assist systems, enhancing both convenience and safety.

The new Continental features four available drive modes: Comfort, Sport, Bentley, and Custom. Bentley is the default mode and sort of bridges the difference between Comfort and Sport.

To be fair, Comfort is certainly relaxed, but it’s no feather pillow. Similarly, Sport doesn’t transform the Continental into a ferocious supercar, either. The differences between the modes are subtle and all remain true to this car’s grand touring intentions.

Among the equipment fitted to this model is the Bentley Dynamic Ride option, which includes the Active Roll Control system and this is a must have for any new Continental.

This is an active anti-roll bar system that optimizes both ride and handling without compromise because it reacts instantaneously. In straight line driving,

The dampers are the adaptive type and, to be fair, these are calibrated to perfection. Certainly, there’s not a better damper system among any competitors and if there was an award for the best dampers for their intended purpose, these would win.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/2020-Bentley-Continental-GTC-V8-Makse-27.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-148869" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/2020-Bentley-Continental-GTC-V8-Makse-27.jpg" alt="Review: 2020 Bentley Continental GTC V8" width="1280" height="853" /></a>

The air springs use three chambers to control ride comfort and handling, and the effective spring rates are tied to the drive modes.

This particular Continental GTC V8 is what the company calls a First Edition. This means that it’s finely finished and properly equipped with nearly every desirable option. This as a single line item option is over $63,000.

The Bentley Dynamic Ride active anti-roll bar system is an additional $7,177. The Dark Grey Metallic roof finishing is $3,140. Among a handful of other options, the delightful Naim audio system is $11,715.  In total, this is a grand touring convertible with a price just north of $400,000. And worth every penny.

I'll let you in on a little secret. As much as the V8 likes to announce itself with its low-frequency rumble and the occasional pops on overrun, much of that sound isn't exactly natural. Like many modern cars, some of that exhaust rumble is pumped into the cabin via the sound system.

While it isn't genuine, Bentley is able to better control the aural experience of the GTC's passengers with this method, and this is the one occasion I can get behind the manufactured sound.

That's because the Continental GTC V8 is indeed one of those cars that can truly do it all. It's a convertible with the acceleration of a supercar, the all-weather traction of an off-roader, is unmatched in its design details and materials, and whether the roof is open or closed, offers a comfortable motoring experience that is true to the ethos of grand touring.

The Continental GTC V8 turns an ordinary drive into an extraordinary occasion. Imagine driving the perfect road with the top down, the understated rumble of the engine, your favourite music, and your best copilot. This is exactly how this Bentley should be experienced.

Review: 2020 Bentley Continental GTC V8

Pininfarina Battista Brian Makse - 2

<strong>Pininfarina’s history is a long and complicated one.</strong> To the cognoscenti, the lines of many of the classic Italian automobiles were penned by the firm, but their most famous designs today have transcended the domain of cars and live forever in popular culture. Consider for a moment that Pininfarina designed icons such as the Ferrari Daytona, Testarossa, and F40. That’s what you call a gold-plated resume.

Founded in Turin in 1930, the firm’s roots reach deep in design and coachbuilding, but its fortunes have always been tied to those of automotive industry. What you may not know is that the company expanded into automotive contract assembly for companies ranging from Ferrari to General Motors to Volvo.

In 2015, Mahindra purchased Pininfarina and set about creating an entirely new direction for the now Munich-based company. Mahindra is known in other parts of the world for manufacturing volume passenger and farm vehicles, but they’ve also been competing in Formula E since the championship began a few years ago.

Today, Automobili Pininfarina remains unabashedly Italian in style and the firm has launched their first vehicle, under their own name, the all-electric Battista hypercar. Named after the company’s founder, this will be one of the first EVs to invade the upper echelons of automotive performance and exclusivity.

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The top-line numbers are simply staggering: 1,900 horsepower and 1,700 pounds-feet of torque. With an electric motor at each wheel, it’ll do zero to 100 km/h in under two seconds and reach a top speed somewhere north of 350 km/h.

Constructed entirely of carbon fibre, the Battista has a 120 kWh battery pack, sourced from the trail-blazing EV specialist Rimac, which is fitted between and behind the seats for optimal weight distribution. The company says Battista has a range of 500km and, with DC fast charging, is capable of an 80% charge in roughly half an hour.

What’s the point of a multimillion-dollar electric hypercar, you ask? Pininfarina’s strategy isn’t just to build expensive playthings for the wealthy. Rather, their plan is to bring their design and manufacturing expertise to a much broader audience.

Indeed, Battista will serve to be the halo car for the reinvigorated brand. Imagine a range of premium electric vehicles with the style and finishing for which Pininfarina is known. Just peer out the window for the moment and it’s clear that the world is in dire need of beautifully designed cars. Perhaps it’ll be Pininfarina that solves the problem of desperately clumsy crossover shapes.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Pininfarina-Battista-Brian-Makse-1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-146362" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Pininfarina-Battista-Brian-Makse-1.jpg" alt="Automobili Pininfarina Battista hypercar" width="1280" height="853" /></a>

I had the opportunity to speak with Gösta Henning of Automobili Pininfarina, who briefed me on their new hypercar and the direction of this reenergized company. “The name comes from the founder of the company, Battista Pininfarina,” Henning told me. “The company was founded eighty-nine years ago, so we are currently a startup with ninety years of history. We are entering the EV market and Battista is our ambassador for that, showing that even in the <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/news/the-88th-geneva-motor-show-is-the-breeding-ground-of-the-hypercar/"><strong>hypercar</strong></a> segment, such technology is possible and even very useful.

“Battista is our first project,” Henning said, “And when you look at just the figures, 1,900 horsepower to 2,300 Newton-meters, you see what electric power can do to a car. It's just crazy. And the Battista transfers this into an elegant way and it's whispering, it's class, and it's this design language which is truly Pininfarina. For the future, we think this will be good way of showcasing what we do. We will work further on certain products in the electric market and with the design and the experience we have at Pininfarina, we are quite sure that we can really make a difference and that we add something to the market that is really demanded.”

While every hypercar maker seems to be interested in pursuing lap time performance, Battista is not about chasing that last tenth. “When you look back in the history of Pininfarina,” Henning revealed, “It was always about the elegance, the GT kind of long distance driving. The Battista transfers this into the modern world. The car is a hyper luxury, GT everyday car, so to say it is ridiculously fast, but it's not built for the track. It's due to the battery, it has a certain weight and it's not for every corner, but from feedback from the first clients, they are looking for something they can drive, that they can enjoy daily.”

That Formula E connection also pays particular dividends where it counts. Team driver Nick Heidfeld has been competing in the EV racing series since it began and he has nearly two hundred Formula 1 starts under his Nomex belt. Heidfeld’s responsibility with Batista is for all of its dynamics and who better to shape the car’s steering, handling, braking, and power delivery than a top-shelf driver with EV racing experience?

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Pininfarina-Battista-Brian-Makse-20.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-146363" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Pininfarina-Battista-Brian-Makse-20.jpg" alt="Automobili Pininfarina Battista hypercar" width="1280" height="853" /></a>

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“We are quite happy to have Nick Heidfeld on board here,” Henning explained, “Thirteen years experience in Formula 1, five years in Formula E. This is something that is quite important for us to have someone around that has so much experience, with so much feeling. And he's there from the beginning because he was one of the first driving in a Formula E and that just shows his ambition to have an impact on the electric future.”

Even before Heidfeld could turn a wheel in the real world, he was straight to work in the simulator. “He needed to adapt his driving skills because the car is just ridiculously fast,” Henning revealed. “And he needed to adapt his driving to the speed, to the weight. Having him on board is quite important from a technical point of view, from a driving feeling point of view, but it’s also the value of his experience that we love to have on board.”

With the best of partners in Rimac, that pioneering Croatian-based EV company, Pininfarina’s hypercar will indeed become reality. According to Henning, “The first car will come out of production at the end of 2020 and then we have a ramp up mostly with European cars. For the North American market, the first cars will go into production in the third quarter of 2021. Price wise, we talk about a price around $2.2 million (US Dollars), plus options. You will end up at a price of $2.6 million (USD), depending on your option packages you would like to have. You can have the car in full exposed carbon fiber, or painted in colors, and individual leather. We will see the first cars in Canada and in North America at the end of 2021.”

Battista will be one of the first EV hypercars on the ground and, while reserved for just a handful of buyers, it will draw new attention to electrics. With stunning cars like Battista on the horizon and Automobili Pininfarina committed to their long-term EV plans, our electrified future no longer seems that far off.

The Transformation of Pininfarina From Design Firm To EV Manufacturer 

Brian Pillar Wayne Taylor Racing by Brian Cleary - 24

<strong>Unlike every major sport</strong>, the IMSA Weathertech Championship opens with its biggest event of the year, the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The legendary twenty-four hour race ushers in the coming season with its most grueling event in January of each year.

The Rolex attracts dozens of drivers from all walks of life. From Formula 1 World Champions, Indianapolis 500 winners, professional drivers who've made it on the entry list by the skin of their teeth, to the gentlemen drivers who succeed in turning their hard-earned cash into the fury of screaming engines and smoking tires.

Wayne Taylor, a successful driver in his own right, commands his eponymous organization that campaigns the iconic Konica Minolta-sponsored Cadillac prototype in IMSA's top category, Daytona Prototype International, known to fans as DPi.

For the Rolex 24 at Daytona, a top professional team like Taylor’s must hire drivers from outside the team to complement their regular roster in order to race around the clock.

Taylor's son, <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/news/the-taylor-brothers-are-ready-to-hit-new-heights/">Jordan</a>, is paired with Renger van der Zande, a Dutch open-wheel and sports car ace for the full championship. For the 24, the senior Taylor hires the recently retired, two-time Formula 1 World Champion Fernando Alonso, along with the versatile Kamui Kobayashi, another ex-F1 driver.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Brian-Pillar-Wayne-Taylor-Racing-by-Brian-Cleary-7.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-145433" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Brian-Pillar-Wayne-Taylor-Racing-by-Brian-Cleary-7.jpg" alt="Wayne Taylor Racing team" width="1280" height="853" /></a>

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Brian-Pillar-Wayne-Taylor-Racing-by-Brian-Cleary-16.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-145434" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Brian-Pillar-Wayne-Taylor-Racing-by-Brian-Cleary-16.jpg" alt="Wayne Taylor Racing team" width="1280" height="853" /></a>

After a hard-fought and rain-shortened 2019 Rolex 24 at Daytona, Taylor's squad emerges from under the torrential winter storm as the winner. As they say, to the victor go the spoils, and the Wayne Taylor Racing team is in the headlines around the world.

To the casual observer, it appears that a racing car succeeds and fails on the racetrack, but that couldn't be further from the truth. A team, in fact, succeeds on their shop floor and in their engineering offices between races, and in the paddock between on-track sessions.

In Taylor's team, that burden of performance lands firmly on the shoulders of Canadian Brian Pillar. Born, raised, and educated in Ontario, today, he's the team’s Technical Director, one of those steady hands guiding the team to IMSA championships and its biggest wins at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the Twelve Hours of Sebring, and Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta.

A top-level racing engineer doesn't exactly emerge from the womb with that skill set. Armed with a love of motor racing and appreciation for all things mechanical, Pillar earned himself a mechanical engineering degree from Kingston, Ontario's Queen's University.

At Queen’s, he worked on their Formula SAE program, admittedly to distraction, and after graduation, he knew he wanted to work in motorsport. “I had no idea how to get a job in car racing,” Pillar tells me, “So I literally packed all my stuff up in my Jeep and drove to Quebec, and worked as a mechanic at the Basi racing school.”

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Brian-Pillar-Wayne-Taylor-Racing-by-Brian-Cleary-25.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-145435" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Brian-Pillar-Wayne-Taylor-Racing-by-Brian-Cleary-25.jpg" alt="Wayne Taylor Racing team" width="1280" height="914" /></a>

Racing schools have long used the approach of taking on mechanics as paying apprentices. Pillar says, “My parents were like, ‘You are nuts. You’re paying Basi to work there and you’re making no money.’ My fellow graduates are making fifty thousand dollars a year and I'm making nothing.”

After a short time at Basi, he landed a role at Key Motorsport, a well-respected Quebec-based operation that campaigned open wheel and touring cars. Not long afterwards, he found himself working for Ohio-based PTG with their top-level BMW sports car racing program, followed by a stint in one of the most successful American touring car teams, RealTime Racing, best known for their white and fluorescent orange liveried Acuras.

When Pillar began working for Taylor in 2008, he was hired as a shock engineer. It's an exacting and demanding role, but comes with the prestige of watching paint dry. Over the course of many seasons, Pillar worked his way up to assistant engineer and, suddenly, the team's number one resigned.

As Pillar tells it, “Me and the engineer had a different way of doing things. He had a very different background and we butted heads a lot. Ultimately, he left for another job. Wayne offered me the Technical Director role and I didn't want it. I told Wayne, ‘Hire somebody else. I still have so much to learn. Hire an IndyCar engineer.’”

Taylor’s view is somewhat different. “Brian was the number two engineer,” Taylor recalls. “And the number one engineer left. Brian was running around, ‘Oh, we've got to hire an engineer.’ And I said, ‘Well, what about you, Brian? Why don't we give you a shot?’ And he turned the team around. We never won a race until Brian came on board.”

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Brian-Pillar-Wayne-Taylor-Racing-by-Brian-Cleary-3.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-145436" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Brian-Pillar-Wayne-Taylor-Racing-by-Brian-Cleary-3.jpg" alt="Wayne Taylor Racing team" width="1280" height="853" /></a>

Taylor is his chief engineer's biggest fan and tells me, unequivocally that “Brian is really, the way I see it, one of the best engineers in the pit lane. He always smiles. Everything about him is great. He's a good person with a great heart. And, you know, he's got that polite Canadian disposition.”

Like Taylor says, in person, Pillar always has an easy, genuine smile, and that pleasant temperament for which Canadians are known around the world.

By the time the IMSA WeatherTech Championship makes its sole stop north of the border at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in the summer of 2019, the team's endured a number of ups and downs: that major win at Daytona; a second at Sebring; DNF at Long Beach; fourth at Watkins Glen.

Between practice sessions at CTMP, my conversation with Pillar is interrupted by Adam Banet, the team’s Assistant Engineer, for something rather urgent. Engineering a championship-level car is about the finest of details and this weekend, the team is chasing brake issues.

After being briefed by Banet, Pillar tells me, “I have a big decision to make and I have a ten-minute window to make that decision. We're doing some interesting stuff with brakes here and, because Canadian Tire Motorsport Park is a very low brake energy track, it's kind of a little out of our comfort zone. I feel pretty confident what the decision is now. I'm going to phone a friend and his brand of brakes aren’t even on our car, but I'm going to talk through my logic and make sure I'm not crazy here.”

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Brian-Pillar-Wayne-Taylor-Racing-by-Brian-Cleary-9.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-145437" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Brian-Pillar-Wayne-Taylor-Racing-by-Brian-Cleary-9.jpg" alt="Wayne Taylor Racing team" width="1280" height="853" /></a>

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Brian-Pillar-Wayne-Taylor-Racing-by-Brian-Cleary-12.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-145438" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Brian-Pillar-Wayne-Taylor-Racing-by-Brian-Cleary-12.jpg" alt="Wayne Taylor Racing team" width="1280" height="853" /></a>

Pillar attributes his success to his education, his innate curiosity, as well as where he’s from. “Maybe it's my Canadian approach,” Pillar says. “But in my career, I found that I could come in and make a very big difference, very quickly. With the typical engineering mindset, people wouldn't try to figure out why doesn't this work or why that doesn’t work. I'd be like, ‘Alright, let's figure this stuff out together.’”

As someone who has climbed the motorsport ladder, newcomers to the sport naturally seek out Pillar. “A lot of young engineers come talk to me and they're trying to get internships,” Pillar reveals. “They talk about huge commitments, such as, ‘I'll work weekends with you,’ and I'm like, ‘Just do school. Be great at school. Be excited to be an engineer. There's plenty of time to do everything else afterwards.’ You get a lot of people who want to jump into this sport so quickly, but I really appreciate when I work with people who are just hardcore engineers.”

At the season finale, the ten-hour Motul Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta, the team’s Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi is at the top of the charts, staying on the lead lap and, in fact, leading thirteen laps through the middle of the race. In the end, the Cadillac finishes second, right on the heels of the first place car.

For the 2019 season, Wayne Taylor Racing finishes fourth in the team championship, the team’s full-time drivers, Renger van der Zande and Jordan Taylor, finish tied for fourth in the drivers’ championship, and Wayne Taylor Racing helps Cadillac secure second place in the manufacturers’ championship.

Racers want to win races every time they're on track. As much as they understand that it's not possible, at least intellectually, it's that competitive spirit that keeps them coming back.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Brian-Pillar-Wayne-Taylor-Racing-by-Brian-Cleary-8.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-145439" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Brian-Pillar-Wayne-Taylor-Racing-by-Brian-Cleary-8.jpg" alt="Wayne Taylor Racing team" width="1280" height="853" /></a>

For Taylor, running a racing business is more than the competition. It's about the kind of people who are part of that business and his Canadian Technical Director is key to the team’s culture. As Taylor tells me, "Brian's a family man. This team is about family and he's one of the proponents of that inside the team. As long as I’m in racing, he’ll be working for me.”

<em>The interviews in this story have been edited for clarity.</em>

Photos: BRIAN CLEARY / WAYNE TAYLOR RACING

Brian Pillar: Professional Motorsport Engineer

2020 Dodge Charger Widebodys Makse - 28

<strong>SRT has been offering their tuned versions of the Dodge Charger in recent model years</strong>, with powerful V8s, corner carving suspensions, and a whole lot of attitude. 2020 marks the first time this four door family sedan is available with muscular bodywork that matches the athleticism of the engines. These Widebodys are three-and-a-half inches wider than the standard Charger and underneath that bodywork there is a wider wheel and tire package, and a completely reworked chassis.

For 2020, you still have your choice of either Hellcat or Scat Pack versions. The Hellcat obviously refers to the 6.2 litre supercharged HEMI V8, which produces 707 horsepower and 650 pounds of torque. (Don’t forget that Dodge calls this the <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/car-reviews/review-2019-dodge-challenger-srt-hellcat-redeye/"><strong>low output version</strong></a> of this engine.)

The Scat Pack uses the 6.4 litre - or 392 cubic inches -  HEMI V8 which makes 485 horsepower and 475 pounds of torque. Still massively impressive numbers and by the way it looks and drives, you won’t often miss the extra 200 or so horsepower of the Hellcat.

There is one special edition available for the 2020 model year, the SRT Hellcat Widebody Daytona 50<sup>th</sup> Anniversary and along with unique trim – and it looks brilliant in exclusive B5 Blue – it gets a little bump in power to 717 horses. The Daytona is limited to just 501 units.

<a href="https://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2020-Dodge-Charger-Widebodys-Makse-3.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-144101" src="https://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2020-Dodge-Charger-Widebodys-Makse-3.jpg" alt="2020 Dodge Charger Widebody Hellcat and Scat Pack" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

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<a href="https://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2020-Dodge-Charger-Widebodys-Makse-2.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-144103" src="https://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2020-Dodge-Charger-Widebodys-Makse-2.jpg" alt="2020 Dodge Charger Widebody Hellcat and Scat Pack" width="1280" height="914" /></a>

The Hellcat and Scat Pack both use eight speed automatics that are geared identically. The main difference is that the 8HP90 of the Hellcat is a bit stronger to withstand all of the engine’s torque. Both use limited slip diffs, however, the Scat Pack uses a 3.09 rear axle and the Hellcat has a 2.62.

As for the numbers, according to Dodge, the Hellcat does zero to sixty in 3.6 seconds, the quarter in a tick under 11 seconds and tops out at 315 km/h. The Scat Pack is not much slower, certainly in the real world and maybe only on the drag strip would you notice a difference. Zero to sixty in 4.3 and it’ll do the quarter in twelve point four.

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There is also a new electric power steering system with three modes of assist, which are tied to the different drive modes or can also be driver selectable with a custom drive mode. That works great for me, because I generally go for more assist.

The base Scat Pack gets four-piston Brembo calipers clamping one-piece vented rotors all around, with 360 mm rotors in front and 350mm in the rear.

Optional on Scat Pack and standard on Hellcat Widebody is the biggest brake set up you can get on a Charger. Here, Dodge uses a six-piston Brembo caliper with a massive, pizza-sized 390 mm rotor in front. Hellcat Widebody has the same four-piston Brembo and one-piece rotor in back as Scat Pack.

Mark Trostle, Head of Design for Dodge and SRT, told us what went into transforming Dodge’s big sedan into a Widebody.

<a href="https://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2020-Dodge-Charger-Widebodys-Makse-4.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-144105" src="https://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2020-Dodge-Charger-Widebodys-Makse-4.jpg" alt="2020 Dodge Charger Widebody Hellcat and Scat Pack" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

<a href="https://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2020-Dodge-Charger-Widebodys-Makse-25.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-144106" src="https://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2020-Dodge-Charger-Widebodys-Makse-25.jpg" alt="2020 Dodge Charger Widebody Hellcat and Scat Pack" width="1280" height="853" /></a>

<a href="https://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2020-Dodge-Charger-Widebodys-Makse-7.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-144107" src="https://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2020-Dodge-Charger-Widebodys-Makse-7.jpg" alt="2020 Dodge Charger Widebody Hellcat and Scat Pack" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

“What we've done is, take a little bit of the influence from the Challenger Widebody and Demon that we've had, added three and a half inches of width to the vehicle with some new flares and a new front fascia,” Trostle said. “The flares actually integrate into the fascia and that allowed us to change the expression of it a little bit further. You see the mail slot grille really played up the size of the openings of the lower mouth, the outboard air intakes as well. Everything is functional on the front end, but of course, we also wanted to make sure it had an identity that was true to the DNA of Dodge and SRT.

“A few of the other changes that we've made to the car, is we have a new side sill, that you see that integrates well into the wheel flares. We've got a new set of wheels as well, for the Widebody. We have a new rear fascia as well and we've played up the size of the opening. The air extractors in the rear exhausters, made those a little bit larger. We have a new diffuser, a two-tone finish on it as well. Really accentuates around the exhaust tips on it. And again, it integrates the wheel flares to it. Both from a front view and a rear view, the car just looks planted and solid to the ground.”

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We also spoke with Jim Wilder, Vehicle Development Manager for Challenger and Charger SRT programs, to understand in detail the suspension changes that went into developing these Widebodys.

“With the Scat Pack, we put more front spring in the car, 27% more spring in the car. We did not change the front sway bar. What we did is we put 52% more roll stiffness in the rear of the car, in the sway bar. By doing that, we made the car more neutral,” Wilder told Wheels.ca. “The car has less front-end weight than the Hellcat, so your front-rear distribution is better on the Scat Pack and that's why it feels a little more nimble that way.

“With the Hellcat, we put a bunch more spring right in the front. We put 38% more spring in the front and we increased the sway bars on the front and the rear in that car. 18% stiffer in the front and in the rear, we went 52% stiffer, like the Scat Pack. We're really trying to focus the Hellcat on rear grip. 650 foot-pounds of torque. That's a lot of torque to put to the ground. So, we really had to manage that. The Scat Pack has less torque, so that wasn't as big a concern.”

SRT has been using adaptive Bilstein dampers with great success for years and given the changes Wilder noted, they’ve been recalibrated for both Widebodys, as well.

Naturally, SRT includes the important performance tricks like launch control and line lock. As with all SRTs, there are the Uconnect-based Performance Pages where you can set the display to your choice of gauges and the level of detail is perfect for enthusiasts.

Both of these Charger Widebodys are wonderfully wicked to drive. Sure that visual attitude tells everyone else what’s up, but behind the wheel, these are brutally quick, loud, and capable four door sedans. The signature supercharger whine of the Hellcat is icing on this super sedan cake.

<a href="https://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2020-Dodge-Charger-Widebodys-Makse-13.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-144108" src="https://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2020-Dodge-Charger-Widebodys-Makse-13.jpg" alt="2020 Dodge Charger Widebody Hellcat and Scat Pack" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

<a href="https://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2020-Dodge-Charger-Widebodys-Makse-17.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-144109" src="https://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2020-Dodge-Charger-Widebodys-Makse-17.jpg" alt="2020 Dodge Charger Widebody Hellcat and Scat Pack" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

<a href="https://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2020-Dodge-Charger-Widebodys-Makse-14.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-144110" src="https://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2020-Dodge-Charger-Widebodys-Makse-14.jpg" alt="2020 Dodge Charger Widebody Hellcat and Scat Pack" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

Like Wilder said, the Scat Pack is a little lighter on its feet, particularly on track, making it slightly more rewarding than the Hellcat when you’re chasing lap times. However, most customers aren’t going to drive their Chargers on the track frequently, so that abundance of power from the Hellcat makes it a little more appealing for daily driving.

At the push of the throttle, the thrust of these V8s just throw you into the back of your seat, but it’s that slightly longer wheelbase that gives the Charger a little more comfortable ride and noticeably more control at and beyond the limit.

The transmissions shift quickly up and down the box, whether you’re shifting manually or letting the gearbox take care of itself. Braking is very competent, with good feel and excellent modulation. I love these brakes. With the size of these Chargers, you will feel some pitch and roll, of course, and it’s all part of the experience.

Steering is direct and precise, though you’re going to get more feedback through the seat of your pants and your eyes, rather than through the steering wheel. Visibility is fantastic and don’t forget that this is a proper full-size sedan with a full-sized interior.

<a href="https://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2020-Dodge-Charger-Widebodys-Makse-12.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-144111" src="https://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2020-Dodge-Charger-Widebodys-Makse-12.jpg" alt="2020 Dodge Charger Widebody Hellcat and Scat Pack" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

<a href="https://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2020-Dodge-Charger-Widebodys-Makse-20.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-144112" src="https://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2020-Dodge-Charger-Widebodys-Makse-20.jpg" alt="2020 Dodge Charger Widebody Hellcat and Scat Pack" width="1280" height="853" /></a>

Of course, you’re asking yourself what these Widebodys cost. Here’s the breakdown.

Scat Pack starts at just under $60,000, Hellcat at $83,495, and Hellcat Daytona, if you can get on the list for one of these limited editions, is $88,940 plus options.

These Charger Widebodys have unmistakable street presence, they sound great, especially that supercharger whine from the Hellcat version, and they do amazing things that no full-size family sedan should. At a time when countless carmakers offer endless stale sedans, it’s great to see a four door that’s fully filled to the brim with character.

First Drive: 2020 Dodge Charger Widebody Hellcat and Scat Pack

2019 Mazda MX-5 Roadster Brian Makse - 16

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<strong>The big news about the MX-5</strong> is that it’s been subtly updated for 2019, but the MX-5 is one of those special vehicles that has been carefully developed by its creators and has thirty years of history behind it. Messing with a proven formula can be a recipe for disaster.

To undertake any improvements to the MX-5 required close examination because, well, no one wants to screw up this legendary sports car. And in Japan, making their successful roadster perform poorly would be a career-ender for the chief engineer.

Where most vehicle refreshes today result in improved creature comforts or fuel economy, the updates to the 2019 MX-5 are engineered to enhance one thing: driving enjoyment.

The 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine’s rev limit is bumped from 6,800 to 7,500 RPM and they’ve accomplished this by lightening the pistons and connecting rods. Mazda’s also reshaped the intake ports and improved the fuel injectors.

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The net result is 181 horsepower at 7,000 RPM and 151 pounds-feet of torque at 4,000 RPM. That’s up 26 horsepower and just 3 pounds of torque from the 2018 model.

The real story is how the revised engine makes its newfound gains. From lower engine speeds to 6,000 RPM, the outputs of the old ND1 (model year 2015-2018 MX-5s) and the new ND2 (2019 and later) are nearly identical, with the earlier cars having a slight edge with lower end torque.

However, the magic really happens at 6,000 RPM. Where the ND1’s power drops off and runs out of steam, the ND2 keeps making more power well past 7,000 RPM. Never mind the driving experience, just by the dyno charts, the ND2’s engine updates are clearly transformative and this Mazda loves to rev now.

A dual mass flywheel has replaced the single mass unit and the engine revs just as freely as before, but the new flywheel dampens out some driveline vibration. The change is subtle, in line with the goal of the 2019 updates.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/2019-Mazda-MX-5-Roadster-Brian-Makse-10.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-143467" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/2019-Mazda-MX-5-Roadster-Brian-Makse-10.jpg" alt="Review 2019 Mazda MX-5" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/2019-Mazda-MX-5-Roadster-Brian-Makse-13.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-143471" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/2019-Mazda-MX-5-Roadster-Brian-Makse-13.jpg" alt="Review 2019 Mazda MX-5" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

The final drive ratio’s been shortened by 4% for a hint of quicker acceleration. Since this car has the six-speed manual, there’s a limited slip diff in the back. Automatic cars have open differentials, but it should go without saying that MX-5s deserve to be driven with manual gearboxes.

Mazda’s engineers created a new exhaust system for one reason only – to provide better sound. They even swapped out the old steel steering column for a new aluminum unit.

Not that the size of the MX-5 demands it, but for 2019 Mazda has added a backup camera. Helpful? Yes. Necessary? No.

In total, the ND2 gains just 7 pounds over the ND1 and tips the scales at 1,060 kilograms. In 2019, the fact that there is a car this lightweight is simply mind blowing.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/2019-Mazda-MX-5-Roadster-Brian-Makse-19.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-143472" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/2019-Mazda-MX-5-Roadster-Brian-Makse-19.jpg" alt="Review 2019 Mazda MX-5" width="1280" height="853" /></a>

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/2019-Mazda-MX-5-Roadster-Brian-Makse-18.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-143473" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/2019-Mazda-MX-5-Roadster-Brian-Makse-18.jpg" alt="Review 2019 Mazda MX-5" width="1280" height="853" /></a>

The MX-5 is still remarkably refined and the driving experience is about balance and harmony. One of the great things that Mazda engineers have done is they've always let the MX-5’s suspension do its work.

There are endless numbers of sporting cars that have overly firm suspension calibrations, but this isn't one of them. The suspension actually articulates with real travel and the car rolls a little bit, but what that ultimately means is that the tires are always in contact with the road surface. The net result is that the MX-5 possesses great road feel, fine chassis feedback, and sublime handling.Behind the wheel, the cockpit layout is near perfection. The shifter sits at arm’s length. The steering wheel is the right shape, diameter, and thickness. The pedals are perfectly laid out and make heel-and-toe as easy as pie.

The shifter has that wonderfully direct, mechanical feel, and the shift gates are perfectly defined. If you somehow miss a shift, that’s your mistake, not the Mazda’s fault.

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The steering’s assist is electric, but feel is still high quality, and it’s as precise as any of it’s predecessors. The turning circle is so tiny that three-point turns never seem necessary.

Because it’s so light, so responsive, and has such great feedback, exploring the extremes of the Mazda’s handling is child’s play. It’s so approachable, that it’s a great tool to use to become a better driver. And if you’re already a skilled driver, the MX-5 is one of those cars you can dance with around it’s limits, and sometimes beyond. In terms of performance, it is the most fully resolved MX-5 to date.

When was the last time you saw a car that didn't have a sport mode? Correctly, the MX-5 has no sport mode button and perhaps that’s because it’s in sport mode all the time. Everything has been engineered, designed, and developed to make the roadster rewarding to drive, so there’s simply no need for a more overly aggressive throttle, for example.

Plus, the traction and stability control systems do let you have a little bit of freedom and it’s surprising how Mazda is able to build such a thoroughly focused, fun car in 2019.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/2019-Mazda-MX-5-Roadster-Brian-Makse-3.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-143475" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/2019-Mazda-MX-5-Roadster-Brian-Makse-3.jpg" alt="Review 2019 Mazda MX-5" width="1280" height="853" /></a>

With this model’s optional Brembos, brake feel is telepathic and I do love a good brake pedal. If you find yourself exploring the MX-5’s limits, you can use the brake to position this MX-5 in any given corner, which speaks to the high fidelity feedback this Mazda provides.

Drive this Mazda into a turn on the brakes, encourage a little trail-braking inspired oversteer, bleed pressure off the pedal, transition your foot onto the throttle and - POW - you’ve just aced the corner.

Although there is much to love about the MX-5, it’s not quite perfect. The antiquated infotainment unit is, well, dreadful. You can have your MX-5 retrofitted for Apple Car Play compatibility which would save the driver endless frustration with the OEM system, but it’ll cost you a few hundred dollars at your dealer.

Although the steering column now has some adjustment, there’s not quite enough reach for my liking. I’d like to get the wheel an inch or two closer to me and then it would be seating position perfection.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/2019-Mazda-MX-5-Roadster-Brian-Makse-11.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-143469" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/2019-Mazda-MX-5-Roadster-Brian-Makse-11.jpg" alt="Review 2019 Mazda MX-5" width="1280" height="853" /></a>

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Still, the MX-5 always finds a way to delight its driver. I drove through an unexpected rainstorm and, thankfully, I was able to maintain highway speeds during the downpour. What’s interesting is that the aerodynamics are so good that I stayed dry and only a few drops of water made it inside the cockpit. That was the first and only time I’ve been caught in the rain in an MX-5 and the fact that I stayed dry gave me a greater appreciation for Mazda’s thoughtful engineering that goes into this car.

Across the modern automotive landscape, there’s nothing quite like the Mazda MX-5. It’s exceptionally light and now has the right amount of power for that perfect power-to-weight ratio. On the move, it’s the poster car for balance and poise. And you can exploit nearly 100% of this roadster’s performance without having to worry about attracting the attention of the police.

There are few new cars that can deliver on the promise of driving enjoyment and this MX-5 is one of them. Mazda’s succeeded in making the ND even better than before and, in terms of pure driving joy, it’s head and shoulders above anything else you can buy today.

Review: 2019 Mazda MX-5

Polaris Slingshot SL Makse - 3

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<strong>I had no idea what to expect from the Polaris Slingshot when it arrived at my house.</strong> I knew that it was based around an automotive drivetrain and that it had three wheels. I knew it looked like something Bruce Wayne would uncover in the basement of Wayne Enterprises and Lucius Fox to take it for a spin.

In the great province of Ontario, there is an ongoing pilot project that permits three-wheeled vehicles on the basis that drivers require a standard automobile licence and an approved helmet to operate a vehicle like this.

(I’m still not certain what an approved helmet means, so I wore my carbon fibre, FIA-rated Bell HP5 that’s intended for professional sports car racing, figuring it offered the greatest amount of passive safety. And I’m not certain whether the authorities would recognize the FIA helmet rating, but that’s another story.)

Mechanically, it's pretty simple. The chassis is a steel and aluminum spaceframe with high quality fiberglass bodywork. Under the clamshell hood, there's a 2.4-litre ECOTEC four cylinder engine making 173 horsepower and 166 pounds of torque. It makes peak power at 6,200 RPM and peak torque at 4,700, so you’ll have to use all the revs for maximum acceleration.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Polaris-Slingshot-SL-Makse-2.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-142399" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Polaris-Slingshot-SL-Makse-2.jpg" alt="Review 2019 Polaris Slingshot SL" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Polaris-Slingshot-SL-Makse-19.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-142400" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Polaris-Slingshot-SL-Makse-19.jpg" alt="Review 2019 Polaris Slingshot SL" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

It’s paired with a conventional a five-speed manual transmission. When was the last time you drove a five-speed manual? Nearly every manual offering is a six- or seven-speed today.

If you remember the Pontiac Solstice, then you know this drivetrain, but with the Slingshot, it has just 793 kilograms to motivate, which makes this one quick machine. Polaris says the Slingshot is capable of zero to 100 km/h in a tick or two under five seconds. Not quite motorcycle quick, but the Slingshot is certainly quicker than a significant majority of cars on the road.

There are a pair of 225-width, 18-inch Kenda tires up front and the single 255-wide, 20-inch Kenda in the back. They’re relatively common tires sizes and, if you’re looking for other handling characteristics, the aftermarket options are near endless.

Brakes are single piston calipers that clamp 298mm diameter vented rotors all around - or in all three locations – and aren’t my favourite feature. As I discovered in one of my first drives – thanks to the careless maneuver of an Uber driver - weight transfer under emergency braking takes away the rear tire’s contact patch and if you’ve got any steering input at all, you’ve got instant, but subtle, oversteer. Care is always required and you have to be poised to countersteer to keep the Slingshot pointed in the right direction. ABS is standard equipment.

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The amount of braking power assist is acceptable, but there's doesn’t seem to be enough bite from the brake pads. There is more than enough tire up front to support heavy braking, so I’d be changing the front pads to something a little more aggressive straight away.

In slow corners, power-on oversteer is available anytime you like. For someone who likes a lively kind of car, the Slingshot is very exciting and sliding it through corners is an added bonus. Chassis feel is muted and even if you’re an experienced corner carver, you’ll want to be prudent.

I will suggest that there needs to be a little more caster dialed into this suspension. The Slingshot just doesn't have a lot of self-centering and the steering doesn't want to come back on centre. I find I'm constantly turning it back on centre and unwinding the wheel actively rather than it returning to centre on its own.

The cockpit is a mix of familiar automotive controls combined with the simplicity of something like a four-wheeler or a personal watercraft. The seats have fore, aft, and seatback angle adjustments, and are comfortable for long trips, but don’t have the aggressive bolstering of a seat from a performance-minded automobile. Since there is no roof, everything is finished with weather resistance in mind, should you get caught in the elements.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Polaris-Slingshot-SL-Makse-7.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-142401" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Polaris-Slingshot-SL-Makse-7.jpg" alt="Review 2019 Polaris Slingshot SL" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

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It’s clear that Polaris paid attention to ergonomics because seating position is comfortable and the relationship between the seat, wheel, pedals, and shifter is near ideal. Forward visibility is limited by your choice of helmets and, for those of us of average stature, the top of the windscreen cuts a line through the middle of your view of the road.

Of course, you can’t see everything. With the Slingshot’s considerable haunches, you can't see much behind you or beside you. As painful as it is to admit, you simply can’t adjust the mirrors for that blind spot-free view rearward, making shoulder checking absolutely necessary. Thankfully, a backup camera is standard equipment.

It's easy for Polaris to do a really cool car steering wheel, but there is another consideration. While they could have specified a Momo, an OMP, or a Sparco wheel and put it here, I think a lot of drivers will get in and out of the Slingshot using the steering wheel as leverage. Thus, the Slingshot has this tough, hard plastic wheel. The turn signal stalk is a bit of a reach off the steering wheel, which strikes me as odd since Polaris nailed the rest of the ergonomics.

The infotainment unit is straightforward and speakers are capable of blasting your favourite Nickelback track loud enough for people in the next town over to hear your excellent taste in music. You can have the unit flashed for navigation or you can do what I did and run Waze on my phone, playing through my earbuds on low volume so that I could hear both the navigation prompts and any important sounds from nearby traffic.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Polaris-Slingshot-SL-Makse-10.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-142403" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Polaris-Slingshot-SL-Makse-10.jpg" alt="Review 2019 Polaris Slingshot SL" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

Speaking of which, none of the sounds that emanate from the Slingshot are subtle. Between the EcoTec, drivetrain whine, and wind noise, the driving experience is a constant aural assault, and the Slingshot is never muted.

A five-speed transmission is a rarity today, but five gears are all the Slingshot needs and the ratios are a perfect match for its performance envelope. The pedals are wonderfully spaced for heel and toe, and there's almost a dead pedal to the left of the clutch. It's more like then end of a frame rail where you can rest your left foot.

What I enjoy about it is that it's as easy to use as a motorcycle to a certain degree. You just park it, take the key, get out, and walk away. There's no locking it up and there's no worrying about what you’ve left inside the Slingshot because, as a matter of course, you don't really leave anything inside. And if you do, you can lock the glovebox and the two helmet storage bins behind the seats.

This is a completely unique vehicle and compared to something like a Lamborghini Huracan, which may or may not have similar styling elements, this is a bargain, plus it delivers a completely different motoring experience. It’s that striking styling that attracts exotic car levels of positive attention from a wide swath of motorists and pedestrians.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Polaris-Slingshot-SL-Makse-1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-142405" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Polaris-Slingshot-SL-Makse-1.jpg" alt="Review 2019 Polaris Slingshot SL" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Polaris-Slingshot-SL-Makse-4.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-142404" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Polaris-Slingshot-SL-Makse-4.jpg" alt="Review 2019 Polaris Slingshot SL" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

As well, it appeals to a lot of drivers for a host of reasons. I've heard of motorcycle riders not being able to ride any longer and getting into a Slingshot because it's the closest thing they can find to a motorcycle experience, and that I appreciate. I've also heard stories about people running through the gamut of exotic and muscle cars, and getting bored with them. Then, they find the Slingshot and are thoroughly enjoying the drive. That, I completely understand

Driving the Polaris Slingshot is simply a blast. It's entirely different than everything else that I’ve driven and, if this is your kind of thing, go for a test drive, and jump in with both feet. You’ll be in for a treat.

Review: 2019 Polaris Slingshot SL 

Audi RS 5 Sportback Makse - 1

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<strong>Let’s call this Audi RS 5 Sportback a low roofline sedan</strong>, but with a hatch. Audi has gone on record calling this a coupe, but we know it's not. The hatch simply makes this muscular sedan eminently more usable for those of us who like to haul our golf clubs, bicycles, and snowboards.

Under the hood, there's Audi’s 2.9-liter twin turbo V6 that makes 444 horsepower and 443 pounds-feet of torque. I think those numbers are somewhat misleading because the way this RS 5 actually accelerates makes it seem like it produces much more than just 444 horsepower.

The transmission is a quick-shifting eight speed automatic with manual control and the way it works is as perfect as a gearbox can get today. Manual mode is a push of the shifter away and you can pull the paddles any time, overriding the standard Drive mode shift protocol.

Audi's Quattro all-wheel drive system is optimized specifically for the RS 5 and standard torque distribution is 40% front, 60% rear for a little rear-drive biased feel. When there is some tire slip, the system will send as much as 75% of available torque to the front axle or up to 80% to the rear, as required. Dynamically, it's much more neutral than a standard Audi Quattro sedan and its rear torque bias makes it much more enjoyable to drive when the roads turn twisty.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Audi-RS-5-Sportback-Makse-2.jpg"><img class="alignnone wp-image-142109 size-full" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Audi-RS-5-Sportback-Makse-2.jpg" alt="Review 2019 Audi RS 5 Sportback" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Audi-RS-5-Sportback-Makse-14.jpg"><img class="alignnone wp-image-142110 size-full" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Audi-RS-5-Sportback-Makse-14.jpg" alt="Review 2019 Audi RS 5 Sportback" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

In a straight line, however, this RS 5 is capable of zero to 100 km/h in under four seconds and, assuming you have a race track with a long enough straight, can reach a maximum speed of 280 km/h.

The way the RS 5 accelerates reminds me of the RS 3 with its real world quickness. Throttle response is immediate and there’s never any waiting for the turbos to spool up and the all wheel drive system ensures all of that power reaches to the ground.

This particular RS5 tester has the massive, optional carbon ceramic brakes and they just work magnificently. There are steel brakes in the back, just like its smaller RS 3 sibling, and the suspension is based around a sophisticated five-link set up in each corner with adaptive dampers.

The suspension calibrations are unique to the RS 5 and it shows with its excellent balance between handling and ride. This is one Audi that gives you high levels of confidence in the corners and, when you’re cruising, delivers a comfortable and complaint ride. Truly the best of both worlds.

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The muscular fenders are a fair bit wider than those of the regular S5 Sportback and it also sits a little lower than an S5. Those wide fenders define the overall style of the sedan and, combined with the optional twenty-inch wheels, this car simply looks fantastic. The RS 5’s street presence is a perfect match for its performance.

The cockpit is not only attractive, but also highly functional. The seating position is excellent, with much credit due to the range of adjustment in the seat and steering column. The seats themselves are supportive and comfortable, and while they’re heated and available with a superb massaging function, they’re missing ventilation, a glaring oversight at this price point.

The RS 5 is tremendous fun to throw around and it’s exceptionally surefooted, as you’d expect from Audi. There is a lot of mass here, but the excellent Continental Sport Contact 6 tires stay in touch with the road and the adaptive dampers are masters of body and wheel control.

The steering is precise and it’s the variable assist and variable ratio type. It’s quick at parking pace and appropriately slower at higher speeds.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Audi-RS-5-Sportback-Makse-19.jpg"><img class="alignnone wp-image-142111 size-full" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Audi-RS-5-Sportback-Makse-19.jpg" alt="Review 2019 Audi RS 5 Sportback" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

This is a big sedan at 1,800 kilograms, mind you, but there's not much feedback from the steering and the chassis. If you're a visual driver, as I am, then it’s not much of a concern. The RS 5’s steering is precise and predictable at any speed or level of enthusiasm, and handling is always confident.

As much as it’s competent in the corners, when you’re cruising along on the freeway, this Audi is so comfortable that, if you didn’t know, you wouldn’t think there’s an RS badge on its flanks.

My only dynamic concern centres around the optional, $6,000 carbon ceramic brakes, which under initial application seem to amplify your pedal input by a factor of ten. In practice, that means the pads grab the rotors aggressively on first bite and, even after hundreds of kilometres worth of practice, I still couldn’t be as smooth as I’d like under low speed braking.

On the open road, however, they’re flawless in actuation and have a tremendous capacity for repeated, heavy use, for which all ceramics are known. If you’re considering an RS 5, do yourself a favour and drive both the steel and carbon ceramic brakes to be certain.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Audi-RS-5-Sportback-Makse-32.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-142113" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Audi-RS-5-Sportback-Makse-32.jpg" alt="Review 2019 Audi RS 5 Sportback" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Audi-RS-5-Sportback-Makse-29.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-142114" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Audi-RS-5-Sportback-Makse-29.jpg" alt="Review 2019 Audi RS 5 Sportback" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

I think the best way to describe this RS5 Sportback is as a grown up <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/car-reviews/review-2019-audi-rs-3/"><strong>RS 3</strong></a>. It's got the aggressive looks of an Audi RS, but it’s larger than the RS 3, has more power, enjoys much more refinement, and is more usable, given the cargo-eating ability of the hatch.

Audi does an exceptional job with their interior design and the RS 5 is a fine example of the company’s work. The driver interface is near perfection and the overall design and materials are the best in the business.

The RS 5 includes Audi’s customizable Virtual Cockpit instrument cluster. You can customize this display to suit your preferences and driving style, and having a full screen map in the cluster is one of those why-didn’t-I-think-of-this moments.

The front row is very spacious and despite the low roofline, the cabin has an airiness about it. The second row, on the other hand, is passable for a pair of adults, but better suited to children. Plus, given that the RS 5 is a hatchback lends it meaningful utility for a young family.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Audi-RS-5-Sportback-Makse-30.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-142115" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Audi-RS-5-Sportback-Makse-30.jpg" alt="Review 2019 Audi RS 5 Sportback" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Audi-RS-5-Sportback-Makse-22.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-142116" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Audi-RS-5-Sportback-Makse-22.jpg" alt="Review 2019 Audi RS 5 Sportback" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

This particular test car has the optional driver assistance package, which includes important things like forward collision warning, however, the adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist systems react abruptly. They’re not quite on par with the best systems and would benefit from further refinement.

To spec your RS 5 Sportback with the lovely Alcantara steering wheel and shifter requires that you also take the flat-bottomed steering wheel, rather than round. The flat-bottomed wheel is purely a quaint design feature and serves no practical function, and I’d much prefer to work with an Alcantara-wrapped round steering wheel.

This particular test car is fitted with nearly every available option, taking its modest base price of $84,350 to something rather immodest - $116,545. That’s right. It’s been bestowed with nearly thirty thousand dollars in options. Plenty of them are necessary, such as the Audi Sport Package and the gorgeous twenty-inch wheels, but I’d only order the carbon ceramics if they were superior to the steel brakes on a daily basis.

What I find about this RS5 Sportback is that it's a wonderful alternative to similarly priced performance sedans. The all-wheel drive system makes it unique, particularly at this price point, and it’s all around, all-weather performance makes the RS 5 Sportback an exceptional choice among high-performance sedans.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Audi-RS-5-Sportback-Makse-7.jpg"><img class="alignnone wp-image-142112 size-full" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Audi-RS-5-Sportback-Makse-7.jpg" alt="Review 2019 Audi RS 5 Sportback" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

The hatchback makes the RS 5 very usable and its styling lends an athletic look to this Audi. Where it shines, though, is from behind the wheel with its exceptional real world acceleration and dynamics. It is the complete package.

Just don't call the RS 5 Sportback a coupe because this, my friends, is a brilliant, all-weather, performance sedan.

Review: 2019 Audi RS 5 Sportback

ZR2 Bison Makse - 18

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<strong>Factory specials always paint a smile on my face.</strong> These are the sorts of vehicles that go beyond the original design parameters and product plan. They’re the result of performance-crazed engineers and are typically birthed into existence a couple years after the base vehicle’s introduction. When Chevrolet’s engineers are given the opportunity to do something like this, they do it right.

Intentional, or otherwise fortuitous timing on Chevy’s part, the Colorado ZR2 Bison is right on trend with the growth in overlanding and it’s an excellent foundation for anyone looking to seriously explore the world away from asphalt. It starts life as a ZR2, with its wider fenders, off-road tires, locking front and rear diffs, and a two-inch lift. Most importantly, the ultra trick DSSV spool valve shocks from Canada’s Multimatic are standard equipment.

Spool valve dampers are a Multimatic innovation and the company supplies them for a handful of road going applications, but they’re best known for their success in the highest levels of motor racing. Previously only found in industrial hydraulic applications, spool valves are better at predictably controlling fluid flow in a damper than a traditional shim stack style shock.

In the case of the ZR2, the DSSVs have an additional reservoir and, more importantly, are also position sensitive. It’s actually the speed of the piston that determines which of the spool valves control the damper’s response. The shock piston resides in the main chamber, along with the spool valve that controls maximum compression, while the spool valves in the second chamber control compression and rebound for low-velocity shock movements, like your typical on road driving. The third chamber is nitrogen-charged and acts as a semi-remote reservoir for shock fluid.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ZR2-Bison-Makse-21.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-141741" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ZR2-Bison-Makse-21.jpg" alt="Review 2019 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison" width="1280" height="914" /></a>

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ZR2-Bison-Makse-3.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-141742" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ZR2-Bison-Makse-3.jpg" alt="Review 2019 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

When you’re driving off-road, the ZR2’s suspension can rapidly go from full compression to full droop and back again – consider those times when you jump the Bison, for example – so it’s critical that the dampers are able to cope with the extremes of fluid flow in those situations.

Body and wheel control is simply excellent, both on-and off-road, and a pleasant byproduct of these ZR2 suspension calibrations is that the Bison rides comfortably as any sedan on pavement.

Like ZR2, Bison engine choices are the 3.6-litre gasoline V6 and the 2.8-litre, turbocharged four-cylinder diesel. Having tested both previously, I find the real world performance and fuel consumption nearly identical, but the V6 is slightly more refined with a little more usable highway passing power. I was pleased that this tester was equipped with the gas V6.

The ZR2 Bison will tow just over 2,200 kilos, which is more than plenty for a pair of sleds, personal watercraft, or a modestly sized sport boat. Compared to today’s full size pickups, I prefer the Colorado’s dimensions for most driving conditions – including off-road mountain trails – and this crew cab/short box spec is spacious enough to be thoroughly usable.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ZR2-Bison-Makse-1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-141743" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ZR2-Bison-Makse-1.jpg" alt="Review 2019 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

The cabin is large enough for four adults to sit comfortably, though five might be a squeeze, and the short bed is usable for most home-improvement hauling requirements.

For the Bison, Chevrolet partnered with the off-road experts at American Expedition Vehicles, whose AEV logos you find all over the Bison. The mandate for this truck was to apply AEV’s expertise and develop a truck that was more usable to off-road enthusiasts without having to resort to the after market.

The $7,475 Bison package they developed adds unique front and rear bumpers, as well as boron steel skid plates for the front and rear differentials, oil pan, transfer case, and fuel tank. The fender design and fog lamps are unique to the Bison, as are the attractive 17-inch wheels. Inside, there are AEV-branded rubber floor mats and AEV branding on the headrests. If you’re so inclined, you can also buy a snorkel engineered for the Bison from either AEV or your Chevy parts department.

As well resolved as this Bison is, it’s not quite a trophy truck, let alone a pre runner, but it is a sophisticated take on modern off-road trucks.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ZR2-Bison-Makse-6.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-141744" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ZR2-Bison-Makse-6.jpg" alt="Review 2019 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ZR2-Bison-Makse-13.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-141745" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ZR2-Bison-Makse-13.jpg" alt="Review 2019 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

The only place the Bison can let you down is inside the cabin. It’s surprising to find any modern vehicle with an actual ignition key and Colorado is one of those trucks that requires a physical key and a key fob. Off-roading the Bison results in the key fob clanking around on the steering column, which you can hear in the accompanying video review.

If you’re an iPhone user, Apple CarPlay rescues the infotainment system with some modernity. Wireless phone charging is a useful, modern feature, but the charging pad only fits smaller phones.

The interior design, whether it’s the dashboard or the steering wheel, lends an older feel to the cabin, though the seats are exceptionally comfortable and supportive for long drives. The Colorado is definitely due for an interior redesign.

To fully test the Bison, I picked it up and immediately drove it over a mountain – the same mountain range that I’ve previously only driven around for years. To be able to drive over these mountains definitely paints a smile on my face.<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ZR2-Bison-Makse-28.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-141746" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ZR2-Bison-Makse-28.jpg" alt="Review 2019 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison" width="1280" height="853" /></a>

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ZR2-Bison-Makse-29.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-141748" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ZR2-Bison-Makse-29.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="853" /></a>

There is a lot to love about this Bison, most of which has to do with its off-road competence. Surprisingly, I was able to limit my use of four-wheel drive, whether in high or low ranges, simply because the tires and the suspension are so competent.

Immediately into my ascent of the mountain, it became apparent that Chevy and AEV overlooked the need for a proper dead pedal. The parking brake pedal sits at the based of the A-pillar, which creates some clearance concerns for the driver’s left leg, but off-road driving jostles the driver and you find that you need to brace yourself. It’s clear that a dead pedal is necessary, but Bison owners will have to find a solution in the aftermarket.

During my mountain climb, the approach and departure angles of the Bison were never a problem. The Colorado navigated each ascent and descent perfectly, and it cleared every single obstacle in its path. Only once did I ding one of the skid plates, which was entirely user error, and I was thankful for the Bison’s additional shielding.

Normally, when I drive any vehicle, I like to sit as low as possible, but the Colorado has a tremendous amount of seat height adjustment. For my mountain drive, I raised the seat to maximum height for visibility. On challenging trails, you definitely want to see what's coming up ahead and there were some surprise drops that I avoided with that higher perspective.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ZR2-Bison-Makse-27.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-141747" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ZR2-Bison-Makse-27.jpg" alt="Review 2019 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison" width="1280" height="853" /></a>

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ZR2-Bison-Makse-30.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-141749" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ZR2-Bison-Makse-30.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

The Bison didn’t break a sweat traversing the mountains, even with ambient temperatures hovering around 45 Celsius, nor did any of the roads of Southern California manage to form a challenge. As a mid-sized pickup, the Bison proved to be very livable, usable, and even a little efficient. Thankfully, it's got a backup camera and its smaller dimensions make it relatively easy to park.

On-and off-road, the Bison can achieve reasonable fuel consumption numbers, though it’s not the most aerodynamic shape. If you get volunteered into hauling furniture with the Bison as I did, the size of the bed isn’t restrictive, even compared to a Silverado.

You can take this truck off the showroom floor in stock form, just like I've done, and go straight to a challenging trail and see a different part of the world that you haven't experienced before. On the road, you never have to concern yourself with broken pavement, potholes, or even curbs. This truck glides right over everything.

Given my experience both on-and off-road, this Bison proved that it will go just about anywhere you can imagine and, yet, is extremely livable as a daily driver. That lack of compromise, both on-and off-road, is what makes this Bison one of my favourite factory specials.

<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PfIZFU0AipY" width="900" height="481" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>

Review: 2019 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison 

2020 McLaren 720S Spider - 1

<strong>Following the introduction of the 720S coupe two years ago</strong>, the British supercar maker followed up with a convertible – a Spider in McLaren speak – and it’s quite the machine. The previous Super Series convertible – the <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/car-reviews/mclaren-650s-spider-the-pursuit-of-perfection/"><strong>650S Spider</strong></a> – was formidable in its own right, but the performance of the 720S is at an entirely new level.

As a small manufacturer, a company like McLaren can make changes on the fly and it’s nice to see some simple updates in this 2020 model. There are a couple of minor but functional differences in the year and a half since I tested the 720S coupe.

For example, on the leading edge of the doors there is now a grille that prevents, dirt, gravel, stones, and all sorts of road debris from depositing itself into the scalloped portion of the door. The leading edge of the door forms the rear portion of the wheelhouse and in my early-production coupe, debris would collect in the door. Now, with the grill in place, that’s minimized and you’ll no longer be embarrassed with dirt falling out of your door at the valet stand.

If you’re not entirely familiar with McLarens, one of the coolest things is that the tub is made entirely of carbon fiber. This lightweight construction gives their cars unmatched rigidity and an exceptional platform for a supercar. Even as a convertible, the Spider’s chassis seems as rigid as the coupe and, in terms of performance, there's little difference between them.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2020-McLaren-720S-Spider-2.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-141394" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2020-McLaren-720S-Spider-2.jpg" alt="First Drive 2020 McLaren 720S Spider" width="1280" height="853" /></a> <a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2020-McLaren-720S-Spider-6.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-141395" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2020-McLaren-720S-Spider-6.jpg" alt="First Drive 2020 McLaren 720S Spider" width="1280" height="853" /></a>

The 720S is powered by McLaren’s 4.0-litre, twin turbo V8, which makes 710 horsepower at a peaky 7,500 RPM, and unlike most modern turbos, you’ll find its peak 568 lb-ft of torque all the way up at 5,500 through 6,500 RPM. In this way, it acts more like a naturally aspirated V8, begging you to run it through the rev range.

The turbos are the twin-scroll type and, as a result, you’d be hard pressed to tell that this is turbocharged. There’s no hint of turbo lag. One of the things I love about McLaren V8s is their distinctive note, which is more like a superbike than a supercar.

Power gets to the ground through the rear wheels through a seven-speed, dual clutch gearbox, into an open differential, and McLaren applies their racing expertise to control wheelspin. In most supercars today, you’ll find an electronically-controlled, limited slip differential, but McLaren uses the brakes to slow a slipping tire and thus maximize acceleration.

As is required in all modern supercars, the Spider does indeed have launch control – another bit of McLaren’s racing tech – allowing this rear-drive convertible supercar to accelerate from zero to 100 km/h in a remarkable 2.9 seconds. The quarter mile is dashed in just 10.4 seconds. Similarly, McLaren gives the 720S a drift control function. Yes, you can drift your $400,000 British supercar, if you dare.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2020-McLaren-720S-Spider-27.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-141398" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2020-McLaren-720S-Spider-27.jpg" alt="First Drive 2020 McLaren 720S Spider" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2020-McLaren-720S-Spider-9.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-141399" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2020-McLaren-720S-Spider-9.jpg" alt="First Drive 2020 McLaren 720S Spider" width="1280" height="853" /></a>

Seating position is excellent and the view out the front is excellent. This is a mid-engine car, so the cowl is low and you have an expansive view. What McLaren does differently than its Italian competition is keep buttons, dials, and knobs away from the steering wheel. The only things you’ll find attached to the wheel are the interconnected shift paddles, leaving the wheel clear, encouraging you to give the 720S your full attention. Given its performance potential, you really do need to pay attention.

The hydraulically-assisted steering has wonderful feel and feedback, with a supercar-quick ratio. Brakes on the other hand, seem closer to something you’d find on a top-level racing car. It takes much more pedal pressure to actuate the brakes than in most road cars, supercars included. Brakes are carbon ceramics of course, and feel and modulation permit millimeter-level precision. And as much as you can place the 720S with the wheel, you can also change its attitude with the brakes. This is indeed a driver’s supercar.

For McLaren pilots, one key consideration is that the pedal box is very narrow, which is perfectly fine since this is a two-pedal car, after all. This makes the 720S one of the few road cars where the driver could benefit from driving shoes. For sports cars, I’m an advocate for skate shoes with their wide sole, but the 720S’s the pedals are so close together that you probably do want to wear a pair of narrow, driving-specific kicks.

The Spider handles absolutely brilliantly, with plenty of grip and feedback from the chassis, but also rides nearly as comfortably as any ultra-luxe sedan. Credit is due to McLaren’s own Proactive Chassis Control II suspension system. The dampers are hydraulically interconnected and control both wheel and body motion, but also roll. Yes, with this active system, there is no need for conventional anti-roll bars.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2020-McLaren-720S-Spider-35.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-141400" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2020-McLaren-720S-Spider-35.jpg" alt="First Drive 2020 McLaren 720S Spider" width="1280" height="960" /></a> <a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2020-McLaren-720S-Spider-34.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-141401" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2020-McLaren-720S-Spider-34.jpg" alt="First Drive 2020 McLaren 720S Spider" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

The front trunk is cavernous, relatively speaking, with much more space than a <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/car-reviews/review-2018-lamborghini-huracan-performante/"><strong>Lamborghini Huracan</strong></a>, for example. Like all supercars, there is a minimal amount of cabin storage. There is a pair of cupholders, a little space for your mobile phone, and a couple of tiny spots for storage. This encourages you to keep your personal carry to a minimum, which is the right thing to do when driving a supercar.

The way I prefer to drive the Spider creates a bit of a ritual when I start it up. Fire it up with the start button, then I hit the button to engage my powertrain and suspension settings (Track for performance, Comfort for handling, and manual shifting); followed by the button for the instrument panel returning it to upright, then pulling the shift paddle to engage first gear.

Track mode automatically drops the motorized instrument panel to its slim display mode, but I prefer the full information provided on the upright display screen. It’s a cool party trick that impresses your friends, but when so much time and effort has gone into making this car lighter, I don't understand why there is a motorized display screen in the cockpit.

What I love about the Spider is that it really changes the character of the 720S. The coupe is a little bit buttoned down and with all of the glass that surrounds the cabin, you've got an almost 360-degree view. For the Spider, the rear buttresses (C-pillars, perhaps) are now transparent so you can actually see through them. It helps in parking situations, but there are parking sensors and a full suite of cameras to provide necessary assistance.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2020-McLaren-720S-Spider-21.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-141402" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2020-McLaren-720S-Spider-21.jpg" alt="First Drive 2020 McLaren 720S Spider" width="1280" height="960" /></a> <a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2020-McLaren-720S-Spider-22.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-141403" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2020-McLaren-720S-Spider-22.jpg" alt="First Drive 2020 McLaren 720S Spider" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

When you're in traffic and you come to a stop, what you often find is that a wave of heat rolls into the cabin from the engine cover. On the other hand, it’s the smallest price to pay to fully experience the aural pleasures that the four-litre twin turbo V8 delivers.

Like the coupe, the Spider’s active rear wing deploys as required, but when you get into the brake pedal with some vigour, the wing stands up tall, acting as an air brake. Otherwise, it sits tight with the body and only activates when needed, which is very infrequently at legal speeds.

The Spider’s roof mechanism could be the quickest among the competition – eleven seconds according to the company. If you got caught in the rain, you'd have that roof raised before you can say McLaren 720S Spider Performance. With the roof up though, it completely transforms into an uncompromised coupe. As well, with it closed, the electrochromatic glass panel in the roof allows additional light into the cabin which gives the passengers the feeling of a much larger space.

There's no need to talk about the styling because either you appreciate it or you don't. McLaren's design language is very distinct and anyone who knows supercars knows that this is a McLaren. There's no confusing it for anything else. And that's what I like about it.

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There's a significant amount of functional design that has gone into this 720S and if you examine it carefully, you can see how the air is moved around the car and how it's channeled through the car. That functional design that McLarens possess makes then distinctive among exotics.

McLaren's infotainment system is simple, straightforward, and works well. You can navigate around it fairly easily but it isn’t the quickest-responding system and it doesn't have Apple CarPlay.

With the top down, you really get to hear that engine. Even at highway speeds, click it up to top gear, cruising along, and you can have a conversation. As an open car, at least having the option of having the roof down, there really aren't any compromises. It acts much like the coupe with the roof up, plus you can drive with the top down. And, to me, that enhances and maximizes the 720S’s driving experience.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2020-McLaren-720S-Spider-20.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-141396" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2020-McLaren-720S-Spider-20.jpg" alt="First Drive 2020 McLaren 720S Spider" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

One of the things about driving the 720S Spider – particularly in its Papaya Spark metallic orange paint - is that it does attract a lot of eyes. If you’re an introvert, this may not be the car for you, but if you need a little attention, expect plenty of thumbs up and the occasional conversation in traffic.

Between the 720S coupe and the Spider, the Spider is my choice. It acts much like the coupe, but you have the option of driving with the top down. That’s the Spider’s magic – it’s uncompromised as both a coupe and convertible, and it’ll do everything you expect of a supercar, including letting the wind run through your hair.

Review: 2020 McLaren 720S Spider Performance

2020 Karma Revero GT PreProd Makse - 47

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<strong>IRVINE, CA -</strong> Karma Automotive is a very young car company that is working hard to become a player in premium, electrified automobiles. They’ve come a long way since buying the assets of Fisker Automotive, which attempted to establish itself as a luxury hybrid automobile brand. Karma’s strategy is to produce premium, low-volume electrified automobiles, and offering their customers five star levels of service.

Fisker’s only product was the Karma four-door hybrid sedan, which later became the Karma Revero. The upcoming 2020 Karma Revero GT is based on the previous Revero, but is nearly all-new. The 2020 Revero GT retains the previous model’s glass and some of the hard points, but beyond that, this GT is essentially a new car. It’s been thoroughly re-engineered with resources that Fisker never had, such as modernizing the crash structures.

Walking into Karma’s headquarters in Irvine, California felt more like walking into a tech company than anything resembling an automotive manufacturer.

In one the most interesting visits to a carmaker I’ve ever experienced, I met with Karma Automotive’s Chief Technical Officer, Bob Kruse and had a very candid conversation. It was the kind of conversation you never have with car execs anymore. From engineers to designers to senior management, increasingly they’re tight-lipped, fully rehearsed, perfectly media trained, and always strictly adhere to the pre-scripted talking points. But not here at Karma.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2020-Karma-Revero-GT-PreProd-Makse-1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-140760" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2020-Karma-Revero-GT-PreProd-Makse-1.jpg" alt="First Drive 2020 Karma Revero GT" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2020-Karma-Revero-GT-PreProd-Makse-46.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-140809" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2020-Karma-Revero-GT-PreProd-Makse-46.jpg" alt="First Drive 2020 Karma Revero GT" width="1280" height="853" /></a>

Kruse is the kind of seasoned automotive executive that a young company like Karma needs. He’s experienced, enthusiastic, and disarmingly frank. At the tail end of his career at General Motors, he worked on a number of my all-time favourite vehicles.

Detailing his background, Kruse told me, “The last thing I did for GM was their electrification strategy and the Volt. Before that I was leading vehicle integration with 5,000 engineers for GM. I took over the performance division from Mark Reuss (current President, General Motors) and the second generation Cadillac CTS-V that was done on my watch. We did the Chevrolet HHR SS. If you know John Heinricy (accomplished racing driver and GM Performance engineer), John worked for me at that point in time.”

Having joined Karma early in 2017, Kruse’s objective was to transform the Revero into a fully resolved, premium, electrified sedan. This 2020 Revero GT is hundreds of pounds lighter than its predecessor, is significantly safer, possesses significantly more usable range, performs better, is endowed with a gorgeous cabin, and is fitted with the latest in automotive high tech.

To deliver such a sedan is an ambitious goal for any company and to get there, Kruse benchmarked one of the greatest sports sedans to grace the road. With a twinkle in his eye, Kruse told me, “One of the things I did is I set the Porsche Panamera as the dynamic target for the vehicle. To which my organization scoffed and they said, ‘You can't do that.’ I said, ‘The heck, I can't. That's what this is going to all be about."

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2020-Karma-Revero-GT-PreProd-Makse-2.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-140761" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2020-Karma-Revero-GT-PreProd-Makse-2.jpg" alt="First Drive 2020 Karma Revero GT" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2020-Karma-Revero-GT-PreProd-Makse-20.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-140762" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2020-Karma-Revero-GT-PreProd-Makse-20.jpg" alt="First Drive 2020 Karma Revero GT" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2020-Karma-Revero-GT-PreProd-Makse-44.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-140807" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2020-Karma-Revero-GT-PreProd-Makse-44.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

The bonnet of the Revero GT reveals the onboard gasoline generator. It’s the same turbocharged, three-cylinder engine that powers the <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/car-reviews/review-2019-bmw-i8-roadster-the-urban-supercar/"><strong>BMW i8</strong></a>. The battery pack fits under a centralized backbone that runs the length of the car. In back, there are new electric motors driving the rear wheels.

Before we headed out for a drive, Kruse gave me a run through of some key improvements. “The generator on the back end of the engine is all new. The inverter is a Karma-designed inverter. It's our intellectual property,” Kruse told me. “The battery is all new. We bumped it from 19 kilowatt-hours to 28 kilowatt-hours. Our EV-only range goes from 50 miles up to 80. We're much more efficient. Our onboard generator goes from 250 to 280 miles of range, so 360 miles total range.”

The improvements didn’t end there. “We have new motors, much more compact. Our gearbox is essentially two gearboxes as one, one for the left side, one for the right side. They're direct coupled,” Kruse said. “We will enable torque vectoring, and that's why we did it. And so we get 536 horsepower of electric machine in the back that has the benefit of torque-on-demand or maximum torque at zero rpm. It's a very pleasant connection between your right foot and the smile on your face.”

Benchmarking the Panamera’s dynamics is a lofty goal, but Kruse is confident in the Revero GT’s dynamics. “The steering system is all new,” he continued. “We've redone the brakes. It's same basic brakes we've done. The blending of the brakes is a little bit better. We've dialed up the level of regen, so you have more one-footed driving, which is a characteristic of an EV vehicle. New tires, retuned the suspension, it has a much better balance between ride and handling. Both the ride and the handling are improved.”

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2020-Karma-Revero-GT-PreProd-Makse-15.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-140763" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2020-Karma-Revero-GT-PreProd-Makse-15.jpg" alt="First Drive 2020 Karma Revero GT" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

Kruse let me loose in a top-spec, pre-production model which, in the car business, never happens. We went for a brief familiarization drive on some of my favourite Orange County, California roads and Kruse introduced me to their newly developed launch control system. When encouraged to launch a quick car, I don’t need to be asked twice.

With the GT in Sport drive mode, you simply plant your left foot on the brake, put the throttle to the floor with your right, watch for the cue on the dash and then release your foot from the brake.

The Karma launches hard with some subtle, satisfying wheelspin, and with three gentleman on board, I repeatedly hit sixty miles an hour in a tick over five seconds. On my own later in the day, I could hit sixty in well under five seconds. Karma officially quotes zero to sixty in 4.5 seconds and Kruse said their system has been validated against the industry-standard VBOX performance meter.

The car I drove was nearly production ready and a couple of young engineers had worked all night to ensure the electronics suite was going to impress. Major systems worked flawlessly and Kruse was most excited to demonstrate the Revero GT’s new sound system, which was developed in house.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2020-Karma-Revero-GT-PreProd-Makse-12.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-140764" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2020-Karma-Revero-GT-PreProd-Makse-12.jpg" alt="First Drive 2020 Karma Revero GT" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

More than most drivers perhaps, I enjoy music while I’m motoring and have experienced the best audio systems. To my ears, Karma’s is top notch. Clear, crisp, and has enough power to further damage my racecar-rattled eardrums. Where most carmakers ring up Samsung for a solution – yes, your favourite, branded sound systems are supplied by that Samsung – Karma’s knocked this one out to the park. They should be proud.

After my afternoon in the Revero GT, I came away impressed with its dynamics. The electric power steering is direct, and as a visually dominant driver, I could point the Karma with racecar-like precision. Unlike every other hybrid vehicle I’ve driven, the GT’s brakes are simply brilliant and on par with the best conventional brakes. Feel, modulation, and control are exceptional for any car, not just an electric.

The long wheelbase and low centre of gravity keeps the ride composed, despite using conventional dampers, not the adaptive type found in cars at this price point. Handling is more on par with a sports car than a sports sedan, offering plenty of confidence to the driver. Body and wheel control is excellent, though I mentioned to Kruse and his team that I’d like a small change in the rear damping rates, but that’s my racer perfectionism being a little nit-picky and I can’t imagine any customers complaining. And regarding that Panamera benchmark, I think they exceeded it.

The interior finishes are perfectly opulent and everything - from the Bridge of Weir leather to the carpets to the switchgear to the touchscreen - is befitting a luxury sports sedan. Plus, the simplicity of the Karma’s interior design trumps that of the button-laden Panamera.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2020-Karma-Revero-GT-PreProd-Makse-49.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-140766" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2020-Karma-Revero-GT-PreProd-Makse-49.jpg" alt="First Drive 2020 Karma Revero GT" width="1280" height="853" /></a> <a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2020-Karma-Revero-GT-PreProd-Makse-50.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-140767" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2020-Karma-Revero-GT-PreProd-Makse-50.jpg" alt="First Drive 2020 Karma Revero GT" width="1280" height="853" /></a>

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Since this particular car was an early pre-production unit, some of the ADAS was offline that day, but the GT will have a full suite of driver assistance systems including forward collision warning and adaptive cruise, among others. As well, Karma can diagnose vehicles remotely and send the latest software updates over the air. Naturally, the company offers a customer app and, if you’re an Alexa user, you can request status updates and send simple instructions, like cabin temperature preparation.

Perhaps the coolest (and nerdiest) feature is that the CHMSL (the rear centre high mounted stop lamp) LEDs act as a battery charge level indicator. You just know customers will drag friends to their garages to check it out.

With its 130 kilometre battery range, quick charging ability, and onboard gasoline generator, the Revero GT is an excellent solution. For me, the majority of my daily driving would be done solely on battery power and the Karma can be easily topped up overnight. The smooth, BMW-sourced generator eliminates any range anxiety, which is still very real for long trips with an electric. That it performs like an authentic sports sedan and that it’s beautifully finished will make this new Karma irresistible. I’m looking forward to a more extensive test when production cars hit the road later this year.

<em>The interview in this story was edited and condensed for clarity</em>

Brian Makse

Articles by Brian Makse