Lesley is a 20 year veteran automotive writer and illustrator whose work has appeared in major publications across Canada and the U.S. She’s a member of the prestigious North American Car and Truck of the Year (NACTOY) jury, and a longtime AJAC (Automobile journalists association of Canada) member.

911 GT3 RS_6

TOWESTER, United Kingdom –– Silverstone, a 5.8 km circuit that’s home to Formula One’s British Grand Prix, is what’s known as a “high downforce” track. Unlike “power tracks” which feature long blistering straights favouring cars with great gobs of horsepower, a high downforce track’s abundance of corners are the ultimate test of a car’s grip.

Though Silverstone isn’t without its share of high-speed straights, a Formula One car can pull as high as 6 g’s in its turns. To excel on this track, a car must work with the laws of physics instead of trying to overcome them with power. And thank god for that alliance because I’m white-knuckling it behind a factory driver, hitting those corners at speeds that have probably shifted my internal organs and dreading the moment that the tires finally surrender and we go pinwheeling off the track to land somewhere near Northhampton.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-172656" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/911-GT3-RS_8-scaled.jpg" alt="2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS review" width="2560" height="1816" />

It doesn’t happen. The latest 911 GT3 RS was born for a track like this.

Rather than give the new GT3 RS tons of power, Porsche decided to push the boundaries of aerodynamics and grip beyond anything we’ve seen on a production car. Most races are won – or lost – in the corners. A car needs mechanical grip (tires) to stick to the pavement, and barring divine intervention, a means of generating force to push it down onto those four contact patches. The new GT3 RS has twice the downforce of the outgoing car and triple that of the current <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/reviews/review-the-2022-porsche-911-gt3-touring-is-motoring-at-its-very-best">GT3</a>. The harder you drive it, the harder the air mashes the car down onto those tires, giving it the ability to corner at insanely fast speeds without losing grip.

It looks like the fever dream of a Fast N’ Furious fanboy – all flared nostrils, gaping air ducts, and ridiculously enormous wing – but everything about the new GT3 RS is the result of countless hours in the wind tunnel and advanced physics. It’s enough to make an aerospace engineer salivate (full disclosure: I live with one, and yes, he did).

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-172649" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/2023-porsche-911gt3rs-aero-scaled.jpg" alt="2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS review" width="2560" height="1707" />

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-172662" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/911-GT3-RS_19-scaled.jpg" alt="2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS review" width="2560" height="1707" />

The giant nostrils on the hood draw in cooling air, while bladed inlets reduce pressure at the wheel arches and keep the brakes cool. A pair of roof fins deflect any air flowing up over the doors, redirecting it over the top of the car and into the rear air ducts, where it feeds the engine. The enormous swan-necked wing is 40% larger than the regular GT3’s, boasts 34 degrees of adjustment range, and for the first time in a road-legal production car, employs the “drag reduction system” (DRS) used in Formula One racing. On the straights, that much downforce isn’t needed and can actually slow the car down. Adjusting the wing to a “flat” setting allows the air to pass over it with very little drag.

While rear wings are nothing new, engineers have struggled to come up with a way to match that downforce at the front of the car. By eliminating the two side radiatiors under the hood, Porsche made room for a pair of hydraulically activated wings. Tucked away under the hood, they sit directly in the path of incoming air without creating the drag of a bumper mounted element. However, this also eliminates any “frunk” cargo space –- and given that it also has no rear seat, the GT3 RS won’t be your first choice for a Costco run. All told, the GT3 RS’s outlandish aero mods generate as much as 860 kg at 286 km/hr.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-172650" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/2023-porshce-911-gt3rs-wing-scaled.jpg" alt="2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS review" width="2560" height="1707" />

Complimenting the advanced aero technology are dampers and torque vectoring that are fully adjustable up to eight different settings. No more lying under the car in the pits between lapping sessions to adjust the dampers, the compression and rebound settings can be dialled up, or down using a knob on the steering wheel. You can also decide how much torque vectoring assist you need in the corners. Even the double-wishbone front suspension has been tweaked to improve airflow, with a spiralling, organic profile to its diameter.

Powered by the same 4.0-litre naturally-aspirated flat-six found in the GT3, the new RS receives a slight power boost to 518hp from 502. It also retains the six individual throttle bodies, one per cylinder. But the character of the engine has been altered by new camshaft profiles to give it more pull in the upper ranges – drive this car hard and it responds with “is that all you got?” As with all RS badged Porsches, the engine is mated to a seven-speed PDK because everything on this car is focused on getting maximum speed – and no human can possibly shift as quickly.

The gearbox’s shorter overall gear ratio helps the new GT3 RS to rocket from 0-60mph in only 3.0 seconds– 0.2 seconds faster than the regular GT3. Air intakes on the underbody cladding help cool the transmission so it can withstand extreme track use.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-172666" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/IMG_2248-scaled.jpg" alt="2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS review" width="2560" height="1920" />

Honestly, the car’s cabin doesn’t make much of an impression when you’re buckled in and looking down the front straight of one of the world’s most famous Grand Prix tracks. The carbon-backed seats grip like a glove. The wheel is a telepathic conduit between you and the beast that’s enveloping you. My photos show a cockpit-like environment with a driver centric digital display and a simple centre console topped with an infotainment screen. I don’t remember them. The visceral experience of driving required a laser focus and everything outside its periphery was irrelevant. Apparently, my tester boasted $5400 worth of leather with GT silver stitching and an eye-watering $38,250 Weissach package. It features lightweight Magnesium wheels, and carbon fibre trim on the wing, hood, roof, and in other markets, a carbon fibre roll cage. While altogether the package cuts nearly 30 lbs of weight overall, the GT3 RS can’t be purchased with a roll cage in Canada.

The car fires up with a gruff bark that escalates to a banshee wail at speed. The PDK transmission rips through shifts like a Gatling gun, with corresponding growls and barks from the exhaust pipes. A factory driver in a GT3 sets a fast pace and I’m determined to stay with him, despite the corners approaching much faster than I’d like them too. There’s no way a car can keep its grip and stay flat while cornering this fast – and yet it does. This is an immensely capable car that encourages the driver to brake later and get back on the throttle sooner and harder. The level of grip is astonishing, with seemingly no rebound after braking.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-172659" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/911-GT3-RS_14-scaled.jpg" alt="2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS review" width="2560" height="1707" />

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-172663" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/911-GT3-RS_20-scaled.jpg" alt="2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS review" width="2560" height="1707" />

I’ve driven countless Porsches at speed on a variety of tracks, and they’re so beautifully balanced they can make an average driver feel like a star. The GT3 RS is another creature entirely. The ferocious intensity and crushing g-forces are quite frankly, a bit unnerving – even for someone who regularly tracks a Cayman S.

The 2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS starts at $248,000 here in Canada. My tester topped out at $312,970, a bargain considering the base price of a McLaren 600LT is $298,500.

The Porsche 911 GT3 RS is an astoundingly brilliant car. But if the extent of your performance driving is a winding road with plenty of twisties, honestly, you’re much better off buying a Carrera GTS. However, if you’re an experienced performance driver whose every weekend is spent at the track –– the latest GT3 RS is going to blow your mind.

&nbsp;
The writer attended this media drive as a guest of the automaker. Content and vehicle evaluations were not subject to approval

<h3>2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS</h3>
 BODY STYLE:- 2-passenger compact sports car

CONFIGURATION: Rear-engine, rear-wheel drive

ENGINE: 4.0-L boxer-6; Power: 518 hp @8500 rpm; 343 lb-ft @ 6300 rpm

TRANSMISSION : 8-speed dual clutch automatic (PDK)

FUEL ECONOMY: (Premium Gasoline in L/100 km) N/A

CARGO CAPACITY:

PRICE: $248,000 (base); $312,970 (as-tested)

WEBSITE: <a href="https://www.porsche.com/canada/en/">Porsche Canada</a>

Track Test Review: 2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS

2022 FORD MAVERICK hybrid main header

When picturing early adopters of new car technology, and particularly electric vehicles , I can’t help imagining earnest, eco-conscientious, academic types in all-natural fibres. In other words, the large majority of people who stopped to comment on the hybrid truck I was driving on Salt Spring Island. Granted, that describes most of the population on the island, but the Ford Maverick XL Hybrid’s compact size, frugal consumption, and modest demeanour tend to resonate with those outside of the typical monster truck demographic.

A decade ago, industry experts would have told you that the compact truck segment was dying, and their predictions seemed borne out by the proliferation of increasingly massive full-size trucks on the road. Small truck buyers had migrated towards the more comfortable and practical crossover segment. But a couple of manufacturers, namely GM and Ford, bucked that trend by introducing well-packaged small trucks that offered the comfort and tech feature of a crossover, while retaining the work capability of a pickup. And lo and behold – they were a resounding success. Outdoor types, urban dwellers, small business owners – don’t necessarily need a full-size truck for their modest towing and payload needs. And given the astronomical increase in fuel costs, Maverick’s arrival couldn’t have been timed better.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-171032" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/FORD-MAVERICK2_1-scaled.jpg" alt="2022 Ford Maverick" width="2560" height="1707" />

Ford’s newest addition to their truck lineup slots in under the mid-size Ranger and could technically be considered a crossover with a bed, since it’s built on a unibody platform instead of a full ladder frame. The Maverick rides on a modified version of the same architecture shared by the Bronco Sport and Ford Escape, though it’s quite a lot larger than either. Yet it’s now the smallest pickup available in the North American market– and the most fuel efficient vehicle in Ford’s entire portfolio. It’s also priced thousands lower than most competitors. Unlike most new vehicles which reserve the hybrid model for their top level, loaded trims, Maverick’s hybrid option is the cheapest model in the lineup, with a base price of $25,900. Not surprisingly, the entire production run of 2022 Mavericks sold out before the end of last year, and Ford won’t resume taking orders until the 2023 model goes into production this September.

It’s easy to see why. The Maverick is a likeable and surprisingly useful little truck that is what I would have once referred to as an “honest” vehicle. “It’s everything you need – nothing more” said Maverick’s Ford Canada marketing director Matheiu Rompre

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-171034" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/FORD-MAVERICK2_6-scaled.jpg" alt="2022 Ford Maverick" width="2560" height="1707" />

We divided our time between a base model Maverick XL with a total price of $30,125, and a fully-loaded Lariat AWD that topped out at $46,045.

Because it uses a unibody chassis instead of a ladder frame, and independent rear suspension instead of leaf springs, the Maverick’s handling is car-like. It’s easily manoeuvred on congested roads and busy parking lots and feels just as stable unladen. Available only in four-door extended cab and short box, the Maverick boasts an impressive 1,500-pound payload, and – if you’ve opted for the 2.0 litre turbo engine equipped model, a max tow rating of 4,000 lbs with an optional tow package. The front-wheel drive only Hybrid truck’s towing capacity is a rather disappointing 2,000 lbs. Competitor Hyundai Santa Cruz has a max tow rating of 5,000 lbs, but has a smaller box and a much bigger price tag ($41,454- $47,754).

Still, that hybrid powertrain, consisting of a 2.5 litre Atkinson -cycle four cylinder mated to an electric motor producing 191 hp/155 ft-lb is capable of an astounding 5.6L/100 km rating in city driving. The same powertrain is rated at 7.1 L/100 km on the highway. Combined, the Maverick XL has an official rating of 6.3 L/100 km, which is better than many of the top hybrid sedans.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-171023" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/2022-ford-maverick-hybrid-plywood-scaled.jpg" alt="2022 Ford Maverick" width="2560" height="1707" />

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-171031" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/FORD-MAVERICK_16-scaled.jpg" alt="2022 Ford Maverick" width="2560" height="1705" />

While the box is short at four feet long, and four feet wide, it’s designed to carry 4x8 sheets of drywall and plywood. Instead of offering a fancy rail system, Maverick has strategic slots in the the bed that you simply slide a 2x6 into. Drop the tailgate to the 3/4 setting, and it creates a secure platform for your load.

The Maverick Hybrid XL’s interior is rather plain, with cloth upholstery and plastics. But a lot of thought went into its design and no space is wasted. There’s plenty of leg and headroom for all four passengers, a surprising number of cubbies and drink holders, and the plastic surfaces are nicely textured and made from recycled materials. The rear seats flip up to provide extra carrying space.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-171025" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/2022-ford-maverick-interior-scaled.jpg" alt="2022 Ford Maverick" width="2560" height="1705" />

There’s no navigation system on any trim level, but an 8” touchscreen is standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Standard too is a Wi-Fi Hotspot with 3 months free connectivity. Seats are strictly manual at the base level, with no heat nor cooling. Ford also offers CAD files to those enterprising users who want to create their own smartphone mount, storage bin, or package hangers.

Upper trim levels get 8-way power seats, an additional 6.5” information screen, cruise, remote keyless entry, ambient lighting and acoustic windshield and cabin particulate filter.

Available features include heated seats, Sirius Satellite Radio, Bang and Olufsen sound, and Ford Sync with enhanced voice recognition, 400W inverter, 400W/110V outlets in truck bed and rear console, moonroof, leather wrapped wheel, floor liners, and all-weather trays.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-171024" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/2022-ford-maverick-hybrid-storage-scaled.jpg" alt="2022 Ford Maverick" width="2560" height="1705" />

A fully-equipped Maverick Lariat with a 250hp/ 277 lb ft Ecoboost easily towed a small Airstream Basecamp (2,600 lbs) on winding forested roads, and we had no trouble negotiating tight turns and inclines.

Observed fuel economy in the Ecoboost Maverick was 7.8L/100 km combined, and 6.9L/100 km combined for the Maverick XL Hybrid.

The average person rarely has need for a full-size truck. The Ford Maverick offers the perfect solution for the weekend explorer, and their toys, in a fuel-sipping, reasonably priced package.
The writer attended this media drive as a guest of the automaker. Content and vehicle evaluations were not subject to approval.

<h3>2022 Ford Maverick XL Hybrid</h3>
BODY STYLE: 5-passenger, four door, compact pickup truck

CONFIGURATION: Front engine, front or all-wheel-drive

ENGINE: 2.5L inline 4 hybrid; 2.0 EcoBoost inline 4

POWER: 191 hp/155 lb.-ft (hybrid) 250 hp/277 lb-ft (Ecoboost)

TRANSMISSION: Continuously variable (hybrid) or eight-speed automatic (Ecoboost)

Fuel Economy: 6.3 L/100 km (hybrid) 9.6L/100 km (EcoBoost)

2022 Ford Maverick XL Hybrid Review

22 range rover main header

As a lifelong horsey girl, my earliest recollection of Range Rover was as one of old money’s frumpier accouterments, parked ringside at pony club shows and usually occupied by whiskery, Barbour-jacketed matrons, and their ubiquitous pack of dogs. Though the British marque has an impressive off-road legacy forged from African plain to moor and heath – it’s developed a certain cachet amongst the upwardly aspirational thanks to its adoption by the royal entourage. When the Range Rover first became the darling of the Kensington set, the luxury SUV segment didn’t yet exist. Since then there’s been a veritable slew of high-rolling 4x4s– such as the Bentley Bentayga, Rolls Royce Cullinan, or <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/reviews/review-2019-lamborghini-urus-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lamborghini Urus</a> – just to name a few. The current Rangie’s been around for a decade– which makes it a little long in the tooth in the jet-set realm that it arguably pioneered. To remain relevant in this lofty arena, the fifth-generation model would have to relaunch with a no-holds-barred level of luxe and swagger.

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/RANGE-ROVER-SE_16-scaled.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-168864" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/RANGE-ROVER-SE_16-scaled.jpg" alt="2022 Land Rover Range Rover" width="2560" height="1705" /></a>

With that in mind, Land Rover rolled out the red carpet for the recent press launch. Chauffeured by long-wheelbase Range Rover with more luxury and leg room than an Emirates first-class cabin, we fly by private jet to Sonoma wine country, where our fleet of test vehicles wait on the airport tarmac.

At first glance, the new Range Rover really doesn’t look very different from the model it replaces. But a closer look reveals a sophisticated tweak and tuck of the familiar design language. It’s a testament to the designers skill that such a blocky outline could be executed with style and refinement – crucial requirements in this category. Particularly compelling are the vertical “hidden” taillights that only appear when illuminated.

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/RANGEROVER-SE-scaled.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-168872" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/RANGEROVER-SE-scaled.jpg" alt="2022 Land Rover Range Rover" width="2560" height="1705" /></a>

The bar has never been higher when it comes to interior luxury – the aforementioned Bentayga, Cullinan, and even recent newcomer Genesis GV80 come to mind. Range Rover’s countered with what’s undoubtedly their best cabin yet. While the design is clean and uncluttered, the materials are first rate, from fine, plump leather or vegan Kvadrat material, to marquetry inlaid wood. It even smells rich. The ultra-premium SV (from Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations) offers a long wheelbase four-seater with enough rear legroom for a pro basketball player, hot stone massage, a motorized, cam-driven aluminum pedestal table that rises from the full-length centre console; and between the armrests – a small wine chiller with room for champagne bottle and a pair of flutes.

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/22-range-rover-interior-scaled.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-168853" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/22-range-rover-interior-scaled.jpg" alt="2022 Land Rover Range Rover" width="2560" height="1705" /></a>

For the first time ever, there’s now an available third-row on long-wheelbase Range Rovers – and with the push of a button, the second row kneels to allow easy access. And not just for children – the third row offers fairly generous seating space compared to what has traditionally been a cramped afterthought.

Behind the wheel, there’s a curved panorama of driver controls in the centrally-mounted 13.1” infotainment display and 13.7” instrumentation panel. They’re beautifully designed with crisp, clean graphics and an uncluttered interface. Even better, the controls are ergonomically friendly with rotary knobs and hard buttons for climate, drive modes and all-terrain functions.

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/RANGEROVER-SV_6-scaled.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-168876" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/RANGEROVER-SV_6-scaled.jpg" alt="2022 Land Rover Range Rover" width="2560" height="1705" /></a>

Standard features include Integrated Chassis Control, all-wheel steering; Electronic Active Differential with torque vectoring, adaptive damping with terrain response; 24-way adjustable heated and cooled front seats with hot stone massage; “Tailgate Event Suite” with leather cushions; digital LED headlights and signature daytime running lights, 13.1” infotainment; wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, with Amazon Alexa; wireless device charging with phone signal booster, automatic software updates, and a Meridian Sound system.

Opt for the long wheelbase, and add the The SV Signature Suite, and you get a full length centre control, an electrically activated club table, push button deployable cupholders, refrigerator, Darlington Crystal glassware, and a 13.1 inch rear touchscreen with high fidelity headphones. Exclusive to the SV model are Icy White Paint with Corinthian Bronze accents and aniline leather interior; or Sunrise Copper with Black accents and “ultra fabrics” upholstery.

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/22-range-rover-sv-rear-seats-scaled.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-168855" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/22-range-rover-sv-rear-seats-scaled.jpg" alt="2022 Land Rover Range Rover" width="2560" height="1705" /></a>

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/22-range-rover-cargo-tailgate-scaled.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-168852" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/22-range-rover-cargo-tailgate-scaled.jpg" alt="2022 Land Rover Range Rover" width="2560" height="1707" /></a>

Standard on all models are blind spot assist, park assist, traffic sign recognition, adaptive speed limiter, rear traffic monitor, adaptive cruise control with steering assist, and a 3D surround camera.

There are two available engines in the North American Range Rover lineup; the standard 3.0 litre, inline 6 with an output of 395 hp/406 ft. lb., or a BMW-sourced 4.4 litre twin-turbo V8 with 523 hp/553 ft-lb of torque. European markets will also get a 3.0L diesel engine. Regardless of engine choice all 2022 Range Rovers use an eight-speed automatic transmission that channels power to all four wheels through an electronic differential with torque vectoring.

But even the uber-rich are reluctant to be seen as resources-sucking pariahs these days, and not having an electrified version is a big social faux-pas for a premium brand. Fortunately Range Rover will rectify that later this year with a DC fast-charge capable plug-in hybrid. It uses the standard 3.0L inline six paired with a 132 hp electric motor for a total output of 434 hp/457 lb-ft of torque. An all-electric model is scheduled to arrive in 2024. Thanks to the Range Rover’s new MLA platform, developed with future electrification in mind, the battery will be located under the floor instead of encroaching on cargo space.

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/RANGE-ROVER-SE_6-scaled.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-168858" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/RANGE-ROVER-SE_6-scaled.jpg" alt="2022 Land Rover Range Rover" width="2560" height="1707" /></a>

There are a lot of glorious, winding roads in the hills above Sonoma wine country. While a 5,000 pound plus luxe-barge might not seem the idea vehicle for tackling narrow roads that loop and fold back upon themselves, it’s surprising how well the Range Rover comported itself.

Peter Bigham, chief engineer for the new MLA platform credits a number of factors that contribute to the new vehicle’s composure. The new architecture is 50 per cent more rigid, and Bilstein adjustable dampers help control rebound. Such a tall vehicle could be expected to lean in corners, but a 48-volt electronic roll response system respond with up to 1,033 pound-feet of torque in milliseconds to keep it flat.

To ensure that the Range Rover’s signature floating ride wasn’t compromised by becoming too firm, Bigham explains that the air suspension system was engineered with low spring rates.

The standard rear wheel steering was also a big contributor to the vehicle’s nimble handling through the tight turns while improving its maneuverability in tight spots. At low speeds, the rear wheels turn up to 7 degrees opposite to the steering angle — giving Land Rover’s largest vehicle the smallest turning circle (11 feet) in its lineup.

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/RANGEROVER-SV_17-scaled.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-168881" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/RANGEROVER-SV_17-scaled.jpg" alt="2022 Land Rover Range Rover" width="2560" height="1707" /></a>

While the turbo-charged straight-six acquitted itself admirably with little drama, it’s the V8’s 523hp and 553 lb.ft. that really brings this enormous beast of a vehicle to life. The bark is gruff without being obnoxious, and its enormous reserves of torque give the Range Rover the ability to effortlessly rocket forward when called upon.

It seems almost sacrilege to flog such a refined and pricy vehicle off road, where rocks and errant brush could mar its matte aluminum hide – but the Range Rover’s legacy was forged on rugged trails. There’s a selection of terrain modes to choose from, and the air suspension can raise the chassis to provide 11.6” (295mm) of clearance. Hill descent control and low gearing let you navigate steep downhill trails without any pedal input, and you can even forge through water up to 900 mm thanks to a wade sensor system.

Historic marques take a big risk when relaunching iconic vehicles like the Range Rover. Evolving without losing the vehicle’s all-important character is a very fine line – one that Range Rover appears to have balanced admirably
The writer attended this media drive as a guest of the automaker. Content and vehicle evaluations were not subject to approval.
2022 Land Rover Range Rover

BODY STYLE: Full-size Luxury SUV

CONFIGURATION: Front-engine, all-wheel-drive

ENGINE: 3.0L turbocharged 6/4.4 litre twin-turbo V8

POWER: 395 hp; 406 lb. ft /523 hp; Torque: 553 lb-ft

TRANSMISSION: 8-speed automatic

FUEL ECONOMY: L/100km

CARGO: 900/1943 litres

PRICE:  $126,550 - $250,100

Website: https://www.landrover.ca

All-new 2022 Range Rover is a luxury juggernaut

21 POLESTAR1 exterior main headerjpg

As swan songs go, it was a good one. We gave the Polestar 1 a rousing sendoff that included several hours of winding, forested Santa Ynez Mountain roads, dodging tumbleweeds in the high desert above Santa Barbara, while keeping a sharp eye out for roving javelina.

Many of you might be thinking “but didn’t this car just come out?” – while others may not have heard of it at all.

It’s only been a scant three years since our <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/car-reviews/first-drive-polestar-1/">First Drive of the Polestar 1</a>, and it is unusual for a car to have such a short life span unless it’s an abject failure – which the Polestar1 most decidedly is not.  Gregor Hembrough, Head of Polestar North America, said the vehicle was never intended to be a high production model, but a “true halo car” with a short run of only 1,500 units. The overall total fell just shy of that, since the company literally ran out of parts.  Based on the Volvo Concept Coupe that made the auto show rounds in 2013, the Polestar 1 helped launch Polestar as a standalone brand. So, to clarify, the company that began life as a performance modifier specializing in Volvos, was subsequently acquired by the Swedish company to produce sportier, Polestar-badged variants of their production models… is now a separate entity devoted solely to full-on electric luxury vehicles.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/21-POLESTAR1-exterior-main-2-scaled.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-165407" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/21-POLESTAR1-exterior-main-2-scaled.jpg" alt="2021 Polestar 1" width="2560" height="1707" /></a>

Yet, the car that kicked off Polestar’s independence isn’t electric. While their second vehicle, the Polestar 2, is full EV, the Polestar 1 is a plug-in hybrid that uses a twin-turbocharged and supercharged 2-litre four cylinder engine producing 305 hp/321 lb-ft.; and a 67hp/119 lb-ft electric motor sandwiched between it and the gearbox. At each rear wheel is an 85kW electric motor delivering a combined 229 hp and 354 lb-ft. through its own planetary gearset – eliminating the need for any additional mechanical or electrical distribution system to handle torque vectoring. Combined, the car’s total output is 601hp and 738 lb-ft of torque. Energy is stored in two 34 kW battery packs that take up most of the car’s rear trunk space, but allow the Polestar 1 112 km of all-electric travel – still the longest range of any available plug-in hybrid.
<h3>Scandinavian minimalism design</h3>
Visually, it’s a stunner. The Polestar 1 is a wide, low-slung Gran Turismo with a lightweight body built entirely out of carbon fibre – which lessens its considerable 2,350 kg (5,180 lb) by 227 kg than if it had been wrapped in steel. The car makes up for its heft with a nicely balanced 48/52 front-to-rear weight ratio, the twin-turbo four up front offset by the battery pack, and twin rear motors behind.  There’s still a lot of Volvo in its architecture; the Polestar 2 a lot less, and future Polestars to come will reportedly have no Volvo DNA whatsoever.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/21-polestar-1-orrefors-shifter-scaled.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-165405" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/21-polestar-1-orrefors-shifter-scaled.jpg" alt="2021 Polestar 1" width="2560" height="1920" /></a>

The Scandinavian minimalist cockpit is somewhat austere for a $200,000 vehicle, though beautifully crafted, and the Orrefors crystal gear selector is a nice touch. The knurled “start” switch looks like it came from a watch maker. There are four deeply cushioned bucket seats, and while the front two passengers can enjoy all-day comfort, those behind them have very little headroom. Given the limited cargo space (125L in the trunk) and seating restrictions, the Polestar 1 is best considered a 2-seater GT with extra room in a pinch.  There’s only one trim level, and the only available option is a $5,000 matte gold paint job.
<h3>A well-balanced grand tourer with astonishing acceleration. </h3>
There are four selectable drive modes: “Hybrid” which uses a combination of electric and gasoline power channelled through the rear wheels only; “Sport” which optimizes performance by constantly varying its power source and employing all four wheels when needed; “Pure” which locks out the combustion engine and uses only full-electric RWD; and “AWD” which locks together the front and rear axles for full time all-wheel-drive.

There are some very narrow roads in the Santa Barbara Hills, banked by rock walls that feel uncomfortably close when you’re driving such a wide car. Wending our way up the mountain, traffic is sparse and there’s room to push the car through the sinewy hairpins.  Up till now I’d left it in “Hybrid” mode which optimizes energy consumption and comfort over performance. Flicking the selector to “Sport” quickens the throttle and shift response, and firms up the steering and handling. The Polestar 1’s suspension features adjustable Ohlins dampers, and like most bottom-heavy, top-light EVs, it feels really planted and stable through the turns.  The  electric motor at each rear wheel power provides instant torque vectoring through the turns, instead of being channeled through a torque vectoring system.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/21-polestar-1-rear--scaled.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-165406" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/21-polestar-1-rear--scaled.jpg" alt="2021 Polestar 1" width="2560" height="1707" /></a>

Acceleration is astounding with the combined power sources, and though the brakes are up to the task of bringing down the speed, they do bite hard. Brake regeneration isn’t as well-modulated as the Porsche Taycan, or Lucid Air’s, and one-pedal driving isn’t quite as intuitive.  Steering is just the right heft but doesn’t deliver a lot of feedback – it’s technically sophisticated but lacks the organic feeling of one-ness that performance drivers crave.
<h3>In some scenarios, a PHEV is the better tool for the job.</h3>
Several hundred miles of high-altitude, curvy switchbacks, and Santa Barbara traffic produced an overall fuel consumption rating of 26.9 mpg, or 8.7 L/100 km. Despite hitting the throttle hard on the deserted desert stretches, I still brought the Polestar 1 back with nearly half a tank of fuel. Since a large portion of the drive route passed through remote areas with no cell coverage– and definitely no charge stations – the Polestar 1 had a distinct advantage, range-anxiety wise, over a full EV.

Deliveries of the Polestar 1 will continue until late this spring. But with only 40 models assigned for all of North America, you’d be very lucky indeed to get your hands on one. And if your heart was set on the matte gold paint – sorry, but they’re all sold out.
The vehicle was provided to the writer by the automaker. Content and vehicle evaluations were not subject to approval.

FINAL DRIVE: 2021 Polestar 1

BMW M2 CS

Nobody wants to be a resources-gobbling pariah these days, not even impassioned devotees of expensive sports cars. So, after a brief talk on their future electrification strategy, BMW assured us that more than 250 trees would be planted to offset the carbon output of the day’s track event held at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Guilt assuaged, we made our way over to the waiting vehicles – a selection of BMW’s currently available lineup.  Among these were our first drives of the 2022 Mini Cooper JCW convertible, and the 2021 BMW M440i Cabriolet.

JCW, short for John Cooper Works, is the spicy performance trim level in Mini’s model lineup, anchored by the Cooper hardtop and convertible. For 2022, JCW Coopers return with some exterior styling changes and a couple of interior upgrades.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/DSC_2914-scaled.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-160042" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/DSC_2914-scaled.jpg" alt="Mini Cooper" width="2560" height="1707" /></a>

Up front, an aggressive new fascia features bigger air intakes to help cool engine and brakes, and a reworked diffuser finishes up the rear. There are also new wheel designs to choose from.

Inside, the cabin remains largely the same but a larger 8.8-inch infotainment screen is now standard, and the analog gauges have been replaced by a digital display. Lane departure warning joins the safety features list.

Under the skin–zesty yellow with a touch of green in this case –  things remain largely unchanged. Since JCW models tended to be a little choppy on rough roads, the optional adaptive suspension has been reworked with “frequency selective” dampers for a smoother ride. Behind the happy face lies the same 2.0 litre turbo-charged four-cylinder producing 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. While the coupe can be had with either a six-speed manual or eight-speed auto transmission, the convertible is available only with the automatic.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/DSC_2487-scaled.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-160037" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/DSC_2487-scaled.jpg" alt="JCW Mini Cooper" width="2560" height="1707" /></a>

It’s hard not to smile when flinging a JCW Mini around a tight autocross course. The Brembo brakes bite quickly, and with the help of its short wheel base and electronically locking front differential, the Mini dances through the tight turns with accuracy.   While I missed the manual gear selector’s satisfying “snick”  and short throws, the auto’s paddle shifters do help ramp up the engagement.

I’m not a big fan of convertibles– having your hair whipped into a rat’s nest, and sand lodged in the car’s every nook and cranny does get old – but it does hold a certain charm on a warm day. And in this case, you can option your soft top with a Union Jack. But the convertible adds 100 kg in weight over the hardtop which does have an affect on its performance.  With an eight-speed automatic, the JCW hardtop sprints from 0-100 km/hr in 6.1 seconds, the convertible slightly behind at 6.5.  The difference is negligible to someone who loves open-air cruising, and the more performance-oriented buyer can always go for the hardtop.  The JCW convertible starts at $43,640, as tested $56,530

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/MINI-JCW-scaled.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-160035" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/MINI-JCW-scaled.jpg" alt="Mini JCW Cooper" width="2560" height="1707" /></a>At last year’s showcase, <a href="http://www.wheels.ca/news/bmws-new-model-showcase-includes-several-worthy-first-drives/">(https://www.wheels.ca/news/bmws-new-model-showcase-includes-several-worthy-first-drives/)</a> BMW teased us with a first glimpse of the 2021 M440i cabriolet – this year we got to drive it. Like the coupe, the 4-series convertible returns bearing the controversial new nose design. Like a set of vertically stretched, oversized nostrils, the convertible’s is somewhat softer and less pugnacious than the coupe’s.  The consolation is, that behind the wheel you forget all about it.

While aesthetically I prefer the lines of a coupe, the M440i ($72,750 - $87,450 as driven) makes a compelling case for open-air cruising. The raked back windshield and raised windows create a calm buffer zone even at speed, and the warm sun illuminates the swanky white leather upholstery.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/DSC_2948-scaled.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-160043" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/DSC_2948-scaled.jpg" alt="2021 BMW M2" width="2560" height="1707" /></a>

The new folding cloth top roof replaces the previous convertible’s retractable hardtop. It’s 40 percent lighter than the previous roof, lowering the car’s centre of gravity, and also provides more headspace.

As with the coupe, the convertible 4-series shares the same wheelbase as the 3 series sedan, but it’s lower, longer and wider. The extra five inches in length means that it gains a now very useful rear seat.

While the regular 430i convertible is powered by a 2.0 litre turbo-four cylinder with 255 horsepower, the M-badged variants receive an inline-six producing 382 hp and 369 pound-feet of torque mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Thusly equipped, the M440i can rip from 0-100 km/hr in 5 seconds – that’s quicker than the previously driven JCW Mini at twice its weight. Though quick and powerful with rich burbling exhaust note, the M440i is more canyon carving grand tourer than all-out performance car.  It’s available only with all-wheel-drive, and the larger engine adds extra weight to its nose.  throwing off its front-to-back weight balance. Buyers focused on a lithe and agile performance car would be happier with the lighter, rear-wheel-driven 430i.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/DSC_2522-scaled.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-160039" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/DSC_2522-scaled.jpg" alt="2021 BMW M2" width="2560" height="1707" /></a>

Toggle into Sport Plus mode, and the M440i launches with a great cackle of ferocious blatts. An M Sport electronically controlled limited slip differential and M Sport adaptive suspension help keep it flat and composed during quick turning maneovers . While the all-wheel drive adds an extra layer of sure-footed stability, it requires finesse to toss it around a tight course – too heavy on the gas and the extra weight over the nose will induce understeer. Fortunately, the electronic stability system intervenes and the M440i quickly regains composure.

The Adaptive M Suspension system, with continuous damping at each wheel, and a 48-volt generator that provides extra boost to smooth out turbo lag help give the M440i an exceptionally creamy ride. Convertibles were traditionally notorious for shake and vibration, but the M440i glides serenely over rough pavement, and the cabin is relatively unaffected by buffeting winds.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/i-6ggrKLQ-X2.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-160044" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/i-6ggrKLQ-X2.jpg" alt="2021 BMW M2" width="1280" height="853" /></a>

The day finished up with a track session behind the wheel of what for me was the highlight: the 2021 BMW M2 CS.

We’ve already done an in-depth review of <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/car-reviews/review-2021-bmw-m2-cs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this car</a>, but it was my first chance to track what is surely the pinnacle of BMW’s production car performance: the Competition Sport badged version of the M2 coupe. The M2 CS pays homage to BMW’s halcyon days of lightweight, agile cars that valued driver engagement above all else. A sublime six-speed short shifter, adaptive suspension tuned on the Nürburgring, and perfect lightweight balance make this $97,750 CS the sort of pure driving experience that’s become a rarity these days.

On track with BMW’s annual showcase

2021 Porsche Macan GTS Front

When the Terrafugia “flying car” debuted at the 2012 New York Auto Show, my partner, an aerospace engineer who tinkers with race cars in his spare time, declared it  “a terrible car and even worse aircraft”. And so it goes with compromises.

In the past, “sports utility” vehicles have been anything but. Genuine usefulness usually came at the expense of performance – and vice versa. But as crossovers nudge out sedans and wagons to take over the marketplace, they’ve also gotten better, with competition fierce and customers less willing to compromise.

The Porsche Macan is the benchmark for small performance crossovers. While you’re probably not going to mistake the driving performance for that of a 911– you definitely know you’re driving a Porsche. In keeping with Porsche’s positioning strategy, the GTS sits just below the Turbo Macan. And like the rest of the GTS badged vehicles, it strikes the perfect balance between power and handling.

The Macan debuted in 2014, with the GTS model arriving two years later. In blazing Carmine Red paint ($3,560) our tester is a head turner. Although the design has only been mildly refreshed since its debut, it’s still one of the best looking in its segment. Eschewing typical crossover “boxiness” in favour of a teardrop-sleek outline, the Macan’s style is a cohesive adaptation of Porsche’s 911 design language onto a compact crossover.

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-157815" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/2021-Porsche-Macan-GTS-Left-Side-View.jpg" alt="Review 2021 Porsche Macan GTS" width="1280" height="853" />

The sports car theme carries over into the cabin, augmented with the GTS interior package, an eye- watering $5470 extra that includes suede sport seats with embroidered GTS badging, GTS specific instrumentation gauges, red accent stitching on dash, wheel, and shifter boot. The 18-way adjustable adaptive seat functions with heating and ventilation are an additional $1,960.

The cockpit is bisected by a bank of switchgear that’s familiar to any aficionado, but presents a bewildering array of buttons to any newcomer to the Porsche fold.  Other premium models in Porsche’s lineup, such as the Taycan and Panamera, have upgraded to a sleek haptic touchpad.

Rounding out the interior upgrades are a Panoramic roof ($1,910) that adds light and airiness, keyless entry and drive ($910), auto dimming interior and exterior mirrors ($480), Lane Change Assist ($790), Park Assist with backup camera ($1,360), Porsche dynamic LED headlights ($600) and a Bose Surround System ($1,130). Apple CarPlay is standard, but Android Auto is not available.

It’s a comfortable, attractive environment, but falls behind the Audi Q5 and Mercedes GLC in terms of luxuriousness and charges a hefty premium for features we’ve come to expect as standard in this segment.

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-157818" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/2021-Porsche-Macan-GTS-Interior-Steering-Wheel.jpg" alt="Review 2021 Porsche Macan GTS" width="1280" height="829" />

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-157819" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/2021-Porsche-Macan-GTS-Switch-Gear.jpg" alt="Review 2021 Porsche Macan GTS" width="1280" height="1920" />

Rear seats are somewhat cramped, but drop them flat and the total cargo space increases to 1,498 litres. Although some competitors offer more space, the Macan’s ride height can be raised for more clearance, or lowered to facilitate cargo loading.

Behind the wheel, you could easily forget you’re driving a crossover. The Macan GTS handles like a sports car, yet also doubles as a relaxed daily driver. It owes its excellent driving dynamics to a standard adaptive air suspension, Porsche Active Suspension Management dampers (PASM), and a brake-based torque vectoring plus system ($1,700).

A steering wheel located dial lets you toggle between Normal, Sport, and Sport Plus modes, which alter the throttle and transmission responses accordingly. Choose Sport or Sport Plus, and the air suspension drops the car by 10 mm for better stability at speed. In Sports Mode, the Macan GTS tightens up noticeably, with the ride becoming taut but not harsh. Steering, which does a respectable job of emulating a solid hydraulic based system, increases in heft and sharpness, and the PDK transmission executes crisp downshifts answered with reciprocating barks from the quad tailpipes. Dial it up a notch to Sport Plus, and those responses become more frenetic, the exhaust booming and wailing in accompaniment.  The tight chassis keeps the car flat and the torque vectoring system allows it to take fast corners with the agility of a coupe.

The adjustable seat bolsters can be dialed up so that you’re held in a firm grip instead of sliding around the seat, which really helps driver confidence and effectiveness.

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-157817" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/2021-Porsche-Macan-GTS-Rear-Seats.jpg" alt="Review 2021 Porsche Macan GTS" width="1280" height="853" />

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-157820" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/MACAN-REAR.jpg" alt="Review 2021 Porsche Macan GTS" width="1280" height="853" />

It’s a blast to drive. But all that fun comes at a premium – over a week of mixed driving, I averaged 11.1 litres/100 km including a lot of highway travel. The Macan GTS is also quite a bit more expensive than competitors <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/car-reviews/review-2020-mercedes-amg-glc-43/">Mercedes AMG GLC43</a>, BMW X3M40i, or Audi SQ5 – all of which offer more standard luxury equipment. But when it comes to handling dynamics and performance, the Porsche Macan GTS is hands down the best driver’s car.  For the driving enthusiast who’s looking for a bit of utility with their next sports vehicle, the Porsche Macan GTS is a pretty good compromise.

The vehicle was provided to the writer by the automaker. Content and vehicle evaluations were not subject to approval.

Review: 2021 Porsche Macan GTS

919Street

Any interviewer who’s tried to press a German auto executive knows they don’t easily give up their secrets. So it was a pleasant surprise to have them willingly share a few with us.

Traditionally, concept cars are automaker’s way of testing the waters, pushing the boundaries of design and engineering possibilities and revealing the direction future models might follow. While some of these concepts find their way to the international show stage, most are hidden away in dusty vaults beneath the manufacturer’s headquarters.

But recently Porsche compiled a carefully curated selection of some of their most significant concept vehicles, and released them in “Porsche Unseen”, a 328-page book of photos and design studies. The fifteen vehicles featured in the book will also be on display to the public for the first time once the Stuttgart Porsche museum, temporarily closed due to COVID restrictions, opens at the end of January.

We were invited to attend a sneak preview of three of these one-off concepts, unveiled for the first time in a virtual reveal presided over by Michael Mauer, Porsche’s Head of Design.

“When you compare projects like production cars, where we really have, based on our design criteria, certain things that we don’t touch – when you talk about these concepts for the future we basically have no restrictions” said Mauer. “By having this freedom, we collect experience which might have an influence on current products. But it is to find this balance, to build up this tension between the history that the design language is based on, and the challenge to further develop it”.

Sweeping the cloth away from the first display, he unveils the Porsche 919 Street, a sleek, low-slung rocket ship of a concept, clearly influenced by Porsche’s prototype LMP1 LeMans racecar.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/b_DSC8825-1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-156903" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/b_DSC8825-1.jpg" alt="Porsche Concept Cars" width="1690" height="951" /></a>

The concept features the same cab-forward carbon-fibre monocoque as the record-breaking LeMans car, with enormous fenders, a bubble-shaped cockpit with rooftop fin, and gigantic side air scoops. The rear end, modified to comply with road regulations, features a full width LED brake light. Under the curvaceous carbon-fibre was to have been the same 900 hp hybrid powertrain as the LeMans racer.

Although the 919 Street sadly remains a clay model that never made it to production stage, because as Mauer said, “this racing technology is so complicated and highly complex that it would have been too hard to give it into customer hands” the models are always intended as a “starting point for discussion within the company.” The research learned from studies like the 919 Street helped bring the all-electric Taycan to fruition. “We were much faster when the decision was made to go into the electrical world, because years before we had already found an architecture that is applicable to this new generation”.

The next concept to be revealed is the Porsche Vision Spyder, a two-seater sports car that pays homage to Porsche’s lightweight 1954 550 Spyder. The 550 helped establish Porsche’s performance legacy on the racetrack, but the most infamous example was probably “The Little Bastard” – the car in which actor James Dean met his unfortunate demise.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/VisionSpyder.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-156902" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/VisionSpyder.jpg" alt="Porsche Concept Cars" width="1690" height="950" /></a>

“It’s not just the surface treatment, the shape of the car,” said Mauer. “We always want to influence the fantasy of customers who look at the car. James Dean and the 550, this is really an experience, and as a designer you have to look back at that car and you want to bring that feeling … even though none of the designers who worked on this car was even born in that time.”

Mauer pointed out a few key areas of the Vision that have been influenced by the original 550: “first, it’s a very small, compact car which is a challenge with today’s technology”. While the modern elements such as the vertical headlamps, full-width familial Porsche rear taillight, and gaping air ducts are clearly pulled from Porsche’s design language, the low, frameless windshield and its overall compact minimalism harken back to its iconic predecessor. The connection is further underscored by the “551” badging, and “131” race decals, and hammered home by the “Little Bastard” license plate.

The final vehicle unveiled was a funky, and futuristic concept designed as a “family-friendly space” for up to six people. The Renndienst, which translates to “Race Service” in German was inspired by the early Volkswagen T1 minibus. A full-size, one-off design study, the concept explores the possibility of Porsche’s first foray into the electrified minivan segment. It’s an intriguing, if somewhat unsettling design for a Porsche purist, which maximizes interior space by locating all the electric powertrain components beneath the vehicle. The six-seater van places the driver front and centre, McLaren F1 style.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Renndienst1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-156901" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Renndienst1.jpg" alt="Porsche Concept Cars" width="1600" height="858" /></a>

“When it comes to the visions we develop, it is not about bringing every car onto the road, said Mauer. Instead, it is more a question of establishing creative space and a relationship with the future”. While we may never see the Renndienst’s design language roll off the production line verbatim, it was important for Mauer and his team to explore the idea without restrictions. Their futuristic “space shuttle” questions their current styles and traditions, and may someday influence vehicles to come.

Porsche Unveils Never-Before-Seen Concept Cars

2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge exterior

If you weren’t already confused by Volvo’s nomenclature, here’s a new badge to add to the mix – “Recharge”.

Like many other automakers, Volvo’s restructured naming strategy groups type of vehicle together by prefix: S for sedan, V for wagon, and XC for crossover. The badge’s suffix refers to its size. Polestar, formerly reserved for models with a few extra performance tweaks, became a standalone electrified luxury line.

And now along comes “Recharge” which will henceforth be worn by EV versions of models within Volvo’s lineup.

While there are already plug-in hybrid variants of every Volvo, this is their first full-on electric model. It’s underpinned by the same CMA architecture that the regular T5 gasoline-powered XC40 is built upon, which had been specifically designed to accommodate future electrification.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2021-Volvo-XC40-Recharge-Exterior-Side-Front-Profile.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-156798" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2021-Volvo-XC40-Recharge-Exterior-Side-Front-Profile.jpg" alt="Review 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge" width="1280" height="853" /></a>

The XC40 was already a favourite in the compact luxury crossover segment, and aside from a few unique features, the Recharge P8 retains the same look. Like most of its ilk, the P8 has a blunt, smoothed over nose rather than an open grille, an exclusive sage green paint scheme, and 19- or 20-inch alloy wheels.

Inside is typical Volvo fare; modern Scandinavian minimalism that would border on austere if not for the sumptuous comfort of its seats. Charcoal is the only colour choice for now, but it’s brightened considerably by a large panoramic glass roof overhead. The focal point of the linear dash is a large, 9-inch vertical tablet-style infotainment screen, and a 12-inch display screen replaces the traditional gauges behind the steering wheel. Such luxury features as panoramic sunroof, heated power seats, and wireless smartphone charging are standard, as well as Volvo’s suite of safety features including adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, rear collision alert, and blind-spot and cross-traffic alert.

Powering the connectivity interface is the same Google Android Automotive operating system that made its debut with the Polestar2 (https://www.wheels.ca/news/polestar-2-makes-its-canadian-debut-in-toronto/). It seamlessly integrates phone apps with the vehicle so that you have the option of importing all of your Google calendar appointments, music preferences, and addresses etc. There’s no start button – provided the key is in your pocket, the P8 is ready to go once your backside meets the seat.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2021-Volvo-XC40-Recharge-Interior.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-156799" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2021-Volvo-XC40-Recharge-Interior.jpg" alt="Review 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge" width="1280" height="853" /></a>

The Android OS is easy to use and extremely good at recognizing voice commands. Instead of being offered “Poughkeepsie” no matter how many times I ask for “Peterborough”, a simple “Google, take me to” is all it takes to operate the Navigation system. The Google maps are automatically updated and offer charging station information, and let you know whether you’ve got sufficient battery range to reach your requested destination.

The 78kW battery pack is located underneath the Recharge P8, and doesn’t affect its rear cargo space which Volvo claims is the same 413 litres as the regular variant’s.  There’s also a miniscule “frunk” space under the front hood, but it’s handy for storing home charger cables.

The torque delivery is quite astonishing from such an unassuming little vehicle, slamming you into the seat back with its silent thrust. It’s easily modulated though, and with its taut suspension and compact size, the Recharge P8 manoeuvres through congested traffic with quiet efficiency. There are two drive modes: “Normal”, and “One Pedal”, which dramatically slows the car once you lift off the accelerator.  While “One Pedal” mode more aggressively reclaims kinetic energy to replenish the battery, “Normal” is smoother and much more pleasant for everyday driving and doesn’t require constant modulating of the accelerator.  As expected, it’s supremely quiet, and delivers a premium feel without overt opulence.

The XC40 Recharge’s official range is 335 km, and the battery can be recharged up to 80 percent in one hour using a 150kW Level 3 fast charger. Buyers can opt for a home charger which can replenish the battery overnight in seven to eight hours, or simply plug it into their home grid – if they don’t need their car for the next 24 hours.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2021-Volvo-XC40-Recharge-Trunck-Left-Seat-Down.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-156800" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2021-Volvo-XC40-Recharge-Trunck-Left-Seat-Down.jpg" alt="Review 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge" width="1280" height="854" /></a>

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2021-Volvo-XC40-Recharge-Side-Profile-.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-156801" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2021-Volvo-XC40-Recharge-Side-Profile-.jpg" alt="Review 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge" width="1280" height="853" /></a>

A pair of 201 horsepower electric motors mounted at the front and rear axles powers it. Combined, they produce 402 horsepower and a walloping 486 lb-ft of torque, making the Recharge P8 one of the most powerful vehicles Volvo has ever built. Since the P8 can blast from 0-100 km in just 4.7 seconds, this addresses criticism that the XC40 is the least sporty offering in a segment that includes the Porsche Macan, Audi Q3, BMW X1, and Mercedes GLA.

The Recharge doesn’t offer as much range as the less expensive Hyundai Kona EV (415 km), Kia Soul EV (452 km) or the similarly priced Tesla Model Y Long Range, but feels a lot more luxurious.

Pricing starts at $64,950, which is a rather astonishing $25,000 more than the conventional gasoline powered XC40. It’s also above the $45,000 price limit for the $5,000 federal rebate, and British Columbia’s $55,000 for provincial rebate. However, Quebec buyers qualify for up to $8,000 on vehicles up to $75,000 – which coupled with the federal incentive could add up to $13,000 off purchase price. When you compare it to the $111,500 you’d pay for competitor Audi E-tron – that makes the XC40 Recharge seem downright frugal.

The XC40 Recharge P8 is the first of five full-on electric battery EVs Volvo plans to launch over the next five years, by which time Volvo claims that half of their vehicle production will be electrified. It’s a solid first step

The vehicle was provided to the writer by the automaker. Content and vehicle evaluations were not subject to approval.

Review: 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge P8

MACH E_16

History hasn’t been kind to Chrysler over their decision to use the goodwill earned by their most popular brand to dress up their most lowly. The execrable  “mall-rated” Dodge Caliber-based Compass and Patriot represent a low point in Jeep’s storied history and one best consigned to the scrap heap. So you’d think Ford would have taken note of this when bestowing the iconic Mustang badge upon their four-door, electric powered crossover.

If you ascribe to the theory that “no publicity is bad publicity” well then, the new Mustang Mach-E’s launch certainly didn’t go unnoticed. Marketing minions aren’t known for subtlety when it comes to capitalizing on past successes, but surely “Mach-E” was a pretty cool name on its own. Was it really necessary to saddle a new vehicle with 55+ years of history and the collective anger of generations of fans?

Nevertheless, the very first Ford designed on an electric-only platform has generated a lot of interest among prospective buyers looking for a Tesla alternative. There’s a lot of pressure on the Mach-E to succeed, as it will test the waters for an eventual all-electric F-150 debut. Brand loyalty may make it difficult to accept such a radical departure from traditional gasoline power–particularly when it comes to trucks–or it may just make the transition easier for the die-hard faithful.

Ford’s serious enough about the Mach-E that it’s available in five models and nine different trims. There are two battery options; a standard 75.7 kW hour, or an extended-range 98.8 kWh. The Mach-E has an official maximum range of 475 kilometres if configured with extended range battery and rear wheel drive. Spec the same vehicle with the smaller battery, and the range drops to 355 km. Adding all-wheel drive reduces range to 340 km or 425 km with the extended range battery. However, testing conducted by the U.S. Environmental Act proves those numbers are actually on the conservative side by about 15 km per model. A 459 hp GT model will arrive later, whose 0-100 km time of 3.5 seconds makes it the second fastest Mustang next to the GT500.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/MACH-E_19.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-156284" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/MACH-E_19.jpg" alt="First Drive 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E" width="1280" height="867" /></a>

Aside from a similar topline and Mustang-inspired taillamps, the Mach-E shares absolutely nothing with its namesake. A rounded, compact crossover, the Mach-E has the arched, swooping roofline that would have a German car company insisting it’s a coupé. I have to admit that the alien “grill-delete” look is starting to grow on me.

My tester is an AWD model with 346 hp and 417 lb-ft of torque. I’m reminded that it’s a pre-production model when I ask about the range readout of 347 km at 100 per cent charge and that the software calculations aren’t entirely accurate.

The interior is comfortable and pared down. Two freestanding screens interrupt the stacked planes of the dash, a horizontal one behind the wheel replacing traditional gauges, and an enormous 15.5-inch vertical infotainment screen dominates the centre stack. Embedded in the bottom of the massive touchscreen is an honest-to-goodness rotary volume knob. Ford’s revised SYNC 4 connectivity interface can apparently learn each driver’s preferences, and allow them to create a unique profile instead of having to navigate menus to launch apps or functions. It also supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The Mach-E comes with Ford Co-Pilot360 2.0, a suite of active safety features, including intelligent adaptive cruise control, blind spot information, and pre-collision assist.

Like most of its ilk, the Mach-E moves forward effortlessly, gathering momentum in a linear whoosh. The suspension feels firm, but not rigid and absorbs bumps and road imperfections.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/MACH-E_6.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-156286" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/MACH-E_6.jpg" alt="First Drive 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E" width="1280" height="853" /></a>

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/IMG_2597.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-156287" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/IMG_2597.jpg" alt="First Drive 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E" width="1280" height="960" /></a>

The cabin is quiet and feels well insulated, if not the same level of refinement as the Germans, it’s at least on par with competitors Tesla Model Y, Hyundai Kona, or Kia Niro EV.  There’s ample head and legroom, and backseat legroom is near the top of its class. The battery pack’s placement under the vehicle’s floor leaves cargo space uncompromised: trunk space is 821 litres, increasing to 1688 litres with rear seats folded. The front trunk, or “frunk” is a useful 136 litres.

Steering feels on-centre and well-weighted, but delivers little feedback. There are three driving modes: Whisper, Engage, and Unbridled, accessed through the touchscreen, and these alter steering feel, accelerator response and ambient lighting. “Engage” is the Normal, everyday mode, infusing the cabin with serene blue lighting and encouraging efficient driving via the dynamic cluster’s EcoMode display.

“Unbridled” takes the place of Sports Mode, with sharper steering, a boosted performance sound, orange lighting, and enhanced throttle response with G-force and acceleration in the driver’s display.

“Whisper” is akin to Comfort Mode, with light steering, smooth throttle response, brake traction control on wet or slippery road surfaces, and a low gear for easier deceleration on downward inclines without overusing the brakes. A One Pedal Drive toggle is available in all three modes, lifting at the lights to come to a stop while conserving the brakes.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/MACH-E_3.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-156285" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/MACH-E_3.jpg" alt="First Drive 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E" width="1280" height="853" /></a>

The Mach-E’s base price of $50,495 makes it a pretty compelling choice, priced thousands lower than <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/car-reviews/review-2019-jaguar-i-pace/">Jaguar I-Pace</a> or <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/car-reviews/review-2019-audi-e-tron-all-electric-luxury-suv/">Audi E-Tron</a>, while offering more range. The similarly priced <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/news/tesla-launches-model-y-electric-compact-crossover/">Tesla Model Y</a> will probably be its closest competitor and has the advantage of an established charging network. Ford’s promise of an Auto-Pilot like hands-free system to be available soon via download, takes aim squarely at Tesla’s “self-driving” claims.

Unfortunately, the Mach-E’s base price is greater than the $45,000 required to qualify for the federal green incentive, however, it’s still eligible for a $3,000 rebate in British Columbia, and $8,000 in Quebec.

The <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/car-reviews/r2019-hyundai-kona-electric-review/">Hyundai Kona</a> and <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/car-reviews/review-2020-kia-niro-ev/">Kia Niro</a> are both smaller and slower, however, their inclusion of a lower priced gasoline model in the lineup qualifies them for the federal incentives.

Still, for long-time fans of the Blue Oval, the Mach-E just might be the vehicle that finally nudges them to take the plunge into EV ownership.

The vehicle was provided to the writer by the automaker. Content and vehicle evaluations were not subject to approval.

First Drive: 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E 

ShermanAccessSnow

We’re far enough into this pandemic that the protocols we follow to keep us safe have become as automatic as fastening our seatbelts. We not longer have to trudge back to the car to retrieve a forgotten mask, we practice social distancing as though surrounded by a six-meter force-field, and wash our hands so often that our fingerprints are probably illegible.

Because the virus spreads through the aerosols we eject every time we sneeze, cough, or speak, we limit our socializing to the outdoors where it’s easier to distance, and the airborne virus is diluted by the wind.

We know that public indoor spaces pose the highest risk, so we avoid them like, well, the plague, and try to limit our shopping to essentials only.

But there’s one interior space that you may not even have considered, and it’s one where many of us spend an inordinate amount of time: our vehicle.  If the average room, with a thousand square feet of volume, is unsafe to share with those outside our own household, then consider that the typical passenger car interior is only a tenth of that, and we often cram four people into it.

Such a small area has the potential to become a veritable petri dish of harmful bacteria. But there are some measures you can take to ensure safe motoring for you and your family. The most obvious of these is to limit your passengers to those within your own social bubble.

Modern cars have become a technical marvel of isolation, with every effort made to insulate the cabin from road and wind noise. While those layers of insulation keep noise and cold out, they can also seal moisture in. Since we know that the virus travels on our breath and can therefore accumulate in the cabin, such a simple thing as cracking open a window or two can help dilute it significantly. It’s also important to ensure that the ventilation system is refreshing the cabin with clean air, and not on recirculating air mode.

But with the cold weather coming, it’s not always possible to keep the windows open, especially during a big Canadian snowstorm. So it’s a good idea to prepare our vehicles with a good thorough cleaning before winter seals us in.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/WinterWallop_GP06.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-156048" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/WinterWallop_GP06.jpg" alt="Car COVID-19" width="1280" height="806" /></a>
<h3>Cleaning vehicle surfaces</h3>
Wash your hands before you start, and don some disposable gloves since the surfaces you touch will be dirty. While the sun and wind usually neutralize any trace of virus on the car’s exterior, a regular wipe down of outside handles is a good idea.

A 2019 study published by CarRentals.com revealed that 32 per cent of the 1,000 people they surveyed cleaned their vehicles only once a year, and 12 per cent don’t clean it at all.  The study went on to note that the dirtiest point of contact is the steering wheel, with up to four times as many germs as a public bathroom. That’s incentive enough to wipe it down after every use.

It’s important to pay close attention to other common touch points within the vehicle, such as key fob, shifter, armrests and dash.  Other places with a high concentration of fingerprints include seatbelts, cup holders, control buttons and touchscreens. While experts recommend that disinfectant wipes contain at least 60 per cent alcohol, harsh chemicals can damage some surfaces.

The <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/disinfecting-transport-vehicles.html">CDC Canada website</a> recommends cleaning all hard surfaces with detergent or soap and water prior to disinfecting.

For premium materials and fine leather, a mild soap followed by conditioner helps to break down the virus and reduce the risk of spreading without harming the surface. While the infotainment screen is one of the highest touch point areas in the vehicle, it’s safer to use a follow manufacturer’s guidelines, or use screen wipe or soft cloth rather than a chemical cleaner to avoid damage.

<a href="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/infographic_carcleaningtips-nissan-min.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-156046" src="http://d3odfdcwc42kff.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/infographic_carcleaningtips-nissan-min.jpg" alt="Car COVID-19" width="900" height="1259" /></a>
<h3>Have kids? Know how to sanitize your vehicle</h3>
Sanitize your vehicle with a quick wipe-down after every trip, especially if you’re travelling with children.

Children are little disease vectors unto themselves at the best of times, and can’t always be expected to observe safety protocols. It’s probably best to assume they haven’t remembered to wash their hands since we have no idea where those little fingers have been. Keeping a tube of hand-wipes in the car is a good safeguard to prevent bringing those germs home with you and perhaps infecting more vulnerable family members.

While no amount of sanitizing is guaranteed to prevent COVID-19, here are a few tips to help minimize the spread: Keep a supply of extra facemasks in the glove box and insist that all passengers wear one.  Using voice recognition instead of the touchscreen helps reduce contact, especially if the vehicle is a rental and not your own.

Always use disposable gloves when handling the gas pump, and throw them away afterwards. Pay at the pump wherever possible. Wash hands immediately after removing gloves, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Lesley Wimbush

Articles by Lesley Wimbush

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