Stephanie Wallcraft is a multiple award-winning automotive and motorsport journalist, and she is also a parent who daily navigates living and driving in Canada's largest city. Stephanie is a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada.

De Tomaso P72-001

It's time to bring back the romance to automotive.

This was the message from De Tomaso Automobili as its P72 supercar made its Canadian debut at an invitation-only reception, hosted by ultraluxury dealer Grand Touring Automobiles in Toronto.

If the brand name sounds familiar but you can’t quite place it, its Chairman Norman Choi can jog your memory. Choi is based in Hong Kong, and his automotive career has seen him raise financing for <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/news/hyundai-and-kia-establish-80-million-euro-partnership-with-rimac">Croatian automaker Rimac</a> and act as CEO of supercar brand Apollo. He rescued the De Tomaso brand out of bankruptcy in 2014 in a moved based largely on nostalgia.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-174987" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Norman-Choi-scaled.jpg" alt="Norman Choi" width="2560" height="1920" />

“I went to school in the U.S. back in the late 80s, and De Tomaso at the time was still a big hit,” Choi told Wheels.ca. “My neighbour had a Pantera, so every weekend he would take out the car and I was like wow, holy smoke, that's a nice-looking car. So, that's how I got started.”

Upon taking ownership of the De Tomaso brand, Choi began development of the P72 supercar, which is named in homage of the De Tomaso P70 prototype from the 1960s that was touched by the hands of both Peter Brock and Carroll Shelby. The De Tomaso P72 is based on the Apollo Intensa Emozione, which itself was developed in part by HWA, a German motorsport company founded by AMG co-founder Hans Werner Aufrecht. The car uses a monocoque chassis formed from 26 layers of directionally laid carbon fibre, including the crash structure and subframes, meaning the chassis itself weighs only 135 kilograms (or just under 300 pounds). Pair that with a six-speed manual gearbox as the only transmission option to go with the supercharged Ford Coyote V8—which in some markets Choi says can produce as much as 820 horsepower and 678 pound-feet of torque, depending on local regulations—and the P72 is nothing short of a rocket on wheels.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-174971" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/image00006-scaled.jpg" alt="De Tomaso P72" width="2560" height="1920" />

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-174967" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/image00002-scaled.jpg" alt="De Tomaso P72" width="2560" height="1920" />

There are also persistent rumours that an associated Le Mans Hypercar is in development based on the P72, powered by a V12 engine and set to launch in 2024. And here’s some information to stoke the flames of that rumour: Choi says he’s planning to host the Pantera’s designer, Peter Brock, and his wife at the 100th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans this June.

Back to the road-going version of the P72: the planned production run of the coupe, set at 72 units, is sold out. But a roadster is in development and is currently undergoing homologation for the North American market, which is expected to be complete by this summer with production getting under way by late 2024. In Canada, Grand Touring Automobiles will be the exclusive distributor, serving clients in eastern Canada from its luxury-marque dealership in downtown Toronto and on the west coast from its Calgary locations. Pricing is yet to be determined, but expect it to exceed $2 million Canadian.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-174985" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/image00076-scaled.jpg" alt="De Tomaso P72" width="2560" height="1920" />

&nbsp;

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-174978" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/image00062-scaled.jpg" alt="De Tomaso P72" width="2560" height="1920" />

De Tomaso and Grand Touring Automobiles chose to host the P72’s Canadian debut on International Women’s Day and mark the occasion by telling a little-known story about the origins of the De Tomaso brand. Car enthusiasts may be familiar with the name of the marque’s founder, Alejandro de Tomaso, who was an Argentinian businessman and racing driver who entered a pair of Formula One races in the late 1950s. But little is said about his wife, Isabelle de Tomaso: her father, Amory Haskell, was a Vice-president of General Motors, and that exposure to the industry formed a passion for automobiles in her at an early age. She raced competitively, including at the 12 Hours of Sebring, but grew frustrated with her limited options in America and moved to Europe to further her motorsport career. There, she met Alejandro, and they married and later co-founded the De Tomaso automobile brand.

“Those Italian iconic (automotive brands), they never talk about the women behind them,” Choi said. “And actually, De Tomaso never talked about it, either. This is part of the respect that we want to pay to history, pay to women and their importance. At the end of the day, if it wasn't for Isabelle, there wouldn't be De Tomaso.”

An automotive brand, founded in romance, pays homage to it and brings it back to life. When we remember and honour these roots, our shared passion for the automobile lives on.

De Tomaso P72 supercar makes its Canadian debut

Canadian International AutoShow

<em>After a two-year hiatus, the auto show is back and there are plenty of reasons to attend</em>

The Canadian International <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/features/canadian-international-auto-show-gets-ready-for-return-to-toronto-in-february">AutoShow is back</a> after two-year hiatus, returning to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre from February 17 to 26, 2023.

This year, the show’s theme is Mobility Reimagined, which is especially apt for today’s automotive industry. From the electric vehicles that are increasingly capturing the attention of Canadians to the latest personal accessible transportation for people experiencing mobility challenges, all manner of automotive movement will be on display along with much more.

Below, we’ve offered our top five reasons we think you should make plans to visit CIAS this month. If we convince you, you’ll find a link to buy tickets <a href="https://www.tix123.com/tickets/?code=CANAUTO23">here</a>. Purchase yours before the show opens and you’ll receive a 10% discount.
<h3><strong>See the very latest new vehicles</strong></h3>
<img class="aligncenter wp-image-174586 size-full" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/vehicle-debuts-scaled.jpg" alt="canadian international autoshow" width="2560" height="1707" />

It’s been a while since so many of the newest vehicles on offer could be seen in Toronto under the same roof. Several debuts are expected at this year’s show:

Hyundai will have the Canadian auto show debut of the <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/news/hyundai-vision-n-74-takes-la-by-storm">Hyundai N Vision 74</a>, a high-performance hydrogen fuel cell hybrid model, and the global auto show debut of the Hyundai RN22e high-performance electric vehicle developed by Hyundai's N brand division. The IONIQ 6 electric sedan will also be on display.

General Motors will be showing an extensive portfolio of EVs, including the <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/news/news-roundup-electric-silverado-bmw-ix-gets-m-treatment-chrysler-shows-its-airflow-and-more">Chevrolet Silverado EV</a>, Equinox EV and Blazer EV; the GMC Sierra EV Denali; the <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/reviews/2023-gmc-hummer-ev-pickup-edition-1-first-drive-review">Hummer EV</a> in SUV and truck form; and the Cadillac LYRIQ. Other new GM vehicles to explore include the new 2024 Chevrolet Trax, refreshed 2023 Chevrolet Colorado, the Buick Wildcat concept vehicle plus a global new vehicle debut for the Buick brand, and the 2023 Cadillac Escalade V.

For the first time in Canada, the Camp Jeep trail-rated indoor off-road course will be set up for test-driving Jeep vehicles, including a four-metre tall, 35-degree mountain made from metal. Featured vehicles from the Stellantis brands include the 2023 Dodge Hornet, 2023 Ram 2500 Rebel HD, 2023 Wagoneer L, and the 2023 Alfa Romeo Tonale.

Kia will show its refreshed 2024 Kia Seltos subcompact crossover, which will offer a new X-Line outdoorsy trim.

You can also check out Project Arrow, a concept EV assembled entirely with Canadian-made parts to showcase the capabilities of this country’s automotive parts supply industry. Find it near the EV test track, where you can register to test drive electric vehicles (indoors because they create zero emissions!) on the 800 level in the South Building.
<h3><strong>A safe place to shop—and to cross-shop</strong></h3>
<img class="aligncenter wp-image-174588 size-full" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/CPT14033245-scaled.jpg" alt="canadian international auto show" width="2560" height="1793" />

One of the greatest benefits of attending an auto show is that it offers a chance to ask plenty of questions about the vehicles that interest you in a zero-pressure environment. Automakers don’t sell vehicles at the show, so you’re free to explore at your leisure without worrying about salespeople hounding you. You may even be able to take a closer look at several new vehicles that interest you on the same day to make comparisons that will help you decide which is right for you.
<h3><strong>75 Years of Porsche</strong></h3>
<img class="aligncenter wp-image-174585 size-full" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/75-years-of-porsche-scaled.jpg" alt="75 years of porsche" width="2560" height="1706" />

The Cobble Beach Concours d’Elegance is partnering with the Canadian International AutoShow this year to celebrate <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/features/75-years-of-porsche-display-coming-to-toronto-auto-show">75 years of the Porsche</a> brand. The headliner is a 1969 Porsche 917 Long Tail, Chassis 005, which made its debut at the 1,000-kilometre race at Spa-Francorchamps in May 1969 and captured the pole position in its very first race.

Other cars that will be on display from all eras of the storied German marque include a 1952 356 Pre A, 1959 Speedster, 1962 356 Roadster Janis Joplin tribute car, 1964 904, 1970 911 ST lightweight, 1988 911 Turbo Slantnose (930), 1981 924 GTR, 1984 928S, 1987 959, 1996 993 Twin Turbo, 2004 996 GT3 RS, 2006 Carrera GT, 2015 918 Spyder, 2021 911 Targa Heritage design, and 2022 Taycan GTS Sport Turismo. The display will be featured in the gallery room on the 700 level of the South Building.

Cobble Beach Concours d’Elegance is in itself a marquee event on the Canadian automotive enthusiast calendar, a celebration of classic cars held annually each September on the shores of Georgian Bay.
<h3><strong>Oblivion Car Show</strong></h3>
<img class="aligncenter wp-image-174584 size-full" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/DeLoreanTimeMachine0516.jpg" alt="oblivion car show" width="1200" height="1016" />

Just around the corner and also on the 700 level, you’ll find the ultimate in nostalgia for those who grew up in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Among the vehicles on display will be a 1993 Jeep YJ in Jurassic Park livery, a 1991 Honda Civic Special Edition, a 1987 BMW M3, a 1993 GMC Typhoon, and the headliner, a DeLorean just like the one featured in the <em>Back to the Future </em>movies. But it’s not just cars that are shown here: you’ll be surrounded by neon colours, hair rock blaring from ghetto blasters, and arcade games with unlimited play for $5 per person.

Unrelated, but just as nostalgic: Hot Wheels is partnering with the show again for 2023 and is bringing five life-size replicas of its most iconic cars, including the Star Wars Darth Vader car. And continuing on the toy theme, a life-sized <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/features/lego-lamborghini-sian-fkp-37-coming-to-2023-toronto-auto-show">LEGO Technic Lamborghini</a> Sian FKP 37 will also be on display on the South Building’s 700 level.
<h3><strong>Canadian Car of the Year and Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year</strong></h3>
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-174047" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/CKL110529980-scaled.jpg" alt="ajac awards canadian international auto show" width="2560" height="1703" />
During the opening ceremonies for the Canadian International AutoShow, the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada will announce the winners of its 2023 Canadian Car of the Year and Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year awards.

This year, the finalists for Canadian Car of the Year are the BMW i4 EV, Hyundai Elantra N, and Mazda3, while the finalists for Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year are the IONIQ 5 EV, Kia Telluride, and Mitsubishi Outlander. The winners will be announced during an exclusive ceremony on the morning of February 15, which will be shown live on REV TV and at AJAC.ca. Vehicles will be on display at the AJAC booth on the 200 level, and AJAC journalist members will be on hand on select days throughout the show to give you unbiased answers to your burning automotive questions.

Five reasons you need to visit the 2023 Canadian International AutoShow

maison mercedes yorkville

Imagine yourself Christmas shopping on the Mink Mile in Yorkville. You’re flitting in and out of stores like Hermès, Louis Vuitton, and Burberry, looking for the perfect gifts for your loved ones with no intention of sparing any expense.

A boutique lined with pink Christmas trees and dreamy cloud-like sculptures catches your eye, so you step inside. You find one-of-a-kind gifts from designers recognized at the Canadian Arts &amp; Fashion Awards: jewelry from Hestia, outerwear from SENTALER, down jumpsuits from Luxton, and others. And while you’re there, there just happen to be Mercedes-Benz vehicles for you to look at and capture in Instagram-perfect photos.

This is reality at Maison Mercedes, a 60,000-square-foot pop-up boutique at 100 Bloor Street West in Yorkville. And if you read this description and think this experience doesn’t seem designed for you, you may be right. It’s meant to attract those with the means and appreciation for the very finest things in life, up to and including vehicles from Mercedes-Maybach, the most upscale offerings from the Mercedes-Benz brand.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-173685" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/image00011-scaled.jpg" alt="maison mercedes yorkville" width="2560" height="1920" />

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-173683" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/image00005-scaled.jpg" alt="maison mercedes yorkville" width="2560" height="1920" />

The boutique’s centrepiece is the Concept Mercedes-Maybach Haute Voiture, the latest ultra-luxury Maybach build based on the <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/vehicle-reviews/first-drive-2022-mercedes-amg-eqs-4matic">Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan</a>. The car is nothing less than stunning with its two-tone nautical blue and champagne paint, matching interior inserts in rich tweed, faux-fur floor mats, and rose gold accents. The one-of-one concept is on display in Toronto at the same time as the car’s production version is being revealed worldwide, a rare nod to the fact that Canada is home to an important haute couture market.

“In Canada, we have seen impressive growth for the Maybach brand,” Daniel Lescow, the global head of the Mercedes-Maybach brand, told <em>Wheels.ca.</em> “We see very positive feedback, from especially Canadian customers, on the brand. Therefore, we are (also) in the process of preparing the launch for Canada of our flagship S-Class for the Canadian market.” (The Mercedes-Maybach S 680 4MATIC Sedan will be the first V12 Maybach sedan with 4MATIC all-wheel drive and starts in Canada at an MSRP of $290,000.)

The street-facing boutique is just one part of the Maison Mercedes experience. Walk through a dark tunnel lined with red and white lights and you’ll enter the Manufaktur Marketplace. Here, Mercedes-AMG products take centre stage, including a G-Class SUV that’s on hand to demonstrate how this and other Mercedes vehicles can be customized to order. More exclusive products are on display in this secondary space such as Cocobaby scarves, Jeffrey Levinson clutches, and Varsity Headwear—the latter’s caps made with wool and athletic wear materials and metal tags that can be engraved and personalized are among the boutique’s best-selling items.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-173684" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/image00007-scaled.jpg" alt="maison mercedes yorkville" width="2560" height="1920" />

Not so long ago, an auto show would have been the obvious place to display a vehicle like the Concept Mercedes-Maybach Haute Voiture and the G-Class. In fact, just as is the case with an auto show, you can’t buy a car at Maison Mercedes: the intent is to pique your interest and then connect you with a local dealer to complete the sale. But an auto show would be too restricting for a retail concept like this one, says Nikhil Ondhia, vice-president of brand marketing and digital experience for Mercedes-Benz Canada.

“When you're in the space (at Maison Mercedes), it's quite different than being an auto show. You couldn't recreate that in an auto show environment,” Ondhia says. “We don't sometimes see the auto show players wanting to change their format, whereas we'd love to evolve that experience further. … We really want to be relevant to our customers and enrich their experiences day to day as they live.”

Moreover, although only 150 Mercedes-Maybach Haute Voitures will be built in total and a “limited and exclusive” number of them will be allocated for our market according to a spokesperson for Mercedes-Benz Canada, the Yorkville pop-up has put the car in front of the right people, says Ondhia.

“The quality of leads that we see through our Maison Mercedes in Yorkville has been on point, and we're very delighted with the numbers that we see through there,” Ondhia says. “It's not just the special limited-edition vehicle that we look at (in the space). We look at the total brand experience and evolving what that marketplace is. And there are many customers who want to engage with Maybach.”

If you feel this experience does speak to you — or you want to snap your Insta-perfect photo with a very special car that’s only in Canada for a limited time — then hurry to Yorkville. Maison Mercedes is open daily until December 24.

Maison Mercedes brings ultra-luxury vehicle shopping experience to Yorkville

2022-Mercedes-EQ-EQS-1

Reviewing cars for a living has an unintended side effect: I feel a duty to secure exceptional transportation when life’s biggest events come around.

And the latest such occasion was a particularly special one. My best friend of 37 years was getting married, and she asked me to be her maid of honour. Not only did I get to stand beside her as she committed her heart to her new husband, but that I’d be responsible for finding the wheels to get her there was a barely mentioned assumption.

With an entire industry of cars to choose from, how was I to decide which vehicle could be worthy of such auspicious responsibility?

Once I started narrowing down based on the couple and their own preferences, the right choice became obvious.

Theirs is a two-car household with an electric vehicle, a Tesla Model S (a 75D that’s roughly six years old, for those wondering), and a plug-in hybrid, a 2019 Volvo XC60 T8. The latter was bought as a more practical vehicle for longer trips, but its engine gets run so infrequently that my bestie often gets warnings that her fuel may be going stale.

An ideal wedding car for this couple would therefore need to be fully electric to run as sustainably as their own fleet. Plus, it would have to seat five (the bride plus her four bridesmaids; the groom and his party arrived separately) and be noticeably more upscale than what they already have in their driveway.

Very few cars can land on the other side of that equation, which is how we found ourselves in a 2022 Mercedes-EQ EQS sedan.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-172815" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/2022-Mercedes-EQ-EQS-4-scaled.jpg" alt="mercedes benz eqs wedding car" width="2560" height="1920" />

With 56 inches of front-row screens as standard and optional four-position massaging seats, four-zone automatic climate control, luxury headrests, and a tablet and wireless phone charger embedded in the rear centre armrest, the EQS is far and away the most opulent EV on the road today. At just under $170,000 as tested, it’s a relative bargain.

That we needed the fifth seat meant the excellent rear centre console with its MBUX tablet would need to be lifted out of the way to make room for our junior bridesmaid. Fortunately, we had the car for a few days in advance, which meant my daughter—who has been my under-credited back seat reviewer for many years—was able to show said bridesmaid how to extract the tablet before stowing the console away so that everyone in the back seat could still easily access the comfort controls.

That’s not to say everything leading up to the big day involved sunshine and rainbows. While the EQS has a generous estimated range of 574 kilometres, numerous errands leading up to the wedding saw that drop to just over 100 km by the day before. That was enough for the short drive to the ceremony but provided little cushion for unexpected emergencies. An EV owner would own a Level 2 charger and do 80% or so of charging at home, but I don’t yet have one installed at my house. No problem, though, I thought: there’s a Level 3 fast charger at my local mall, so I’ll just plug the car in there while I run inside to pick up a few last-minute items.

I checked that the charger was free in the morning, but in the ten minutes it took me to reach it, a Tesla Model 3 had started a session. (Perhaps I’m missing something here, but why the Model 3 would choose the one 50-kilowatt CCS charger instead of using the large bank of Superchargers in the same parking lot is entirely beyond me.) I checked back again later in the day, and this time the charger was blocked by not one but two internal combustion engine vehicles. Non-EV owners, please don’t do this. It's incredibly frustrating!

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-172816" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/2022-Mercedes-EQ-EQS-5-scaled.jpg" alt="mercedes benz eqs wedding car" width="2560" height="1920" />

Fortunately, we were getting ready for the wedding at my friend’s house, and she has a Level 2 charger for her PHEV. It’s slower than average, but we were able to add about 100 kilometres of charge overnight, which was just enough to quell range anxiety for the big day.

After hours of primping and preening, the time finally comes to head to the ceremony. I unplug the car, hike up my floor-length skirt, and trade my shiny gold heels for driving flats as everyone gets settled into the plush Nappa leather.

I say, “Hey Mercedes, turn on all of the massaging seats.” The car dutifully complies in all four corners.

Then, I follow it up with, “Hey Mercedes—no, cancel—hey Siri, play ‘Chapel of Love’ by the Dixie Cups on Spotify.” (It’s important to remember which virtual assistant to address when you’re attempting to impress people.)

My passengers are suitably wowed. And then, as I’m about to back out of the driveway—with my best friend looking stunning in her bridal gown and her four closest women faithfully riding along—it suddenly dawns on me that delivering us safely to the ceremony has fallen entirely upon my shoulders. The task of driving five kilometres has never felt so very heavy. (No wonder people usually hire limo drivers.)

Fortunately, thanks to the 516 horsepower and 630 pound-feet of torque, standard air suspension, and optional rear-axle steering with up to 10 degrees of angle, the EQS’s power, comfort, and manoeuvrability are all more than up to the task of transporting a carload of jittery women without adding unwarranted anxiety. We arrive on schedule and without incident, the entire wedding day goes off without a hitch, and the bride’s transportation is accomplished without burning a single drop of gasoline.

Someday, this will be so normal that it won’t even warrant a mention. But today, it goes on the record as another remarkable step into the coming age of all-electric driving.

Mercedes-EQ EQS sedan provides zero-emissions wedding transportation

rolly royce spectre reveal main header

Just over a year after announcing it and following 2.5 million kilometres of testing, Rolls-Royce has taken the cover off the first EV to roll out of its Goodwood, U.K. facility, the Rolls-Royce Spectre.

Labelled the “spiritual successor” to the Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé, the brand says Spectre establishes an entirely new vehicle class, the ultra-luxury electric super coupé—super due to the car’s ample proportions, which give a footprint nearly five and a half metres long and just over two metres wide for its two-by-two layout (5,453 mm and 2,080 mm respectively with a 3,210 mm wheelbase, to be precise).

Rolls-Royce states as part of Spectre’s release that electrification suits the brand’s ethos well enough to convert its entire line-up to fully electric vehicles by 2030, citing near-silent operation and instant torque availability as the reasons behind the decision. (In other words, the days of the hand-built V12 are numbered.)

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-172230" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/3_SPECTRE-UNVEILED-–-THE-FIRST-FULLY-ELECTRIC-ROLLS-ROYCE_PROFILE-scaled.jpg" alt="rolls royce spectre EV" width="2560" height="1707" />

As for the Spectre’s key specifications, Rolls-Royce is projecting the car will have a range of 260 miles (418 kilometres on a straight conversion), based on U.S. EPA testing procedures. Canadian testing protocol accounts for our less hospitable climate since extreme heat and cold directly impact a vehicle’s range, so expect official figures for our market to be lower.

Total power output is still subject to change as Spectre goes through its final development phases, but current estimates place it at 577 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque. Those are stout figures, but they’ll need to be to haul around the car’s 2,975 kilograms (6,559 pounds) of curb weight. Still, the Spectre gets from 0 to 100 kilometres per hour in 4.5 seconds, which is on par with the internal combustion engine-driven Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost.

Based on a fully aluminum architecture shared with other vehicles in the Rolls-Royce line-up, the Spectre’s construction and battery integration makes it 30 percent stiffer than anything the brand has ever produced. To keep the ride quality up to expectations, the suspension’s anti-roll bars are able to decouple to allow the wheels to roll independently over imperfections in the road surface, then reconnect for optimal cornering performance. With its 23-inch wheels, Rolls-Royce says Spectre is the first two-door production car fitted with wheels this size in nearly a century.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-172235" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/7_SPECTRE-UNVEILED-–-THE-FIRST-FULLY-ELECTRIC-ROLLS-ROYCE_SPIRIT-OF-ECSTASY-scaled.jpg" alt="rolls royce spectre EV" width="2560" height="1707" />

The front end is defined by split headlights that flank the widest grille ever featured on a Rolls-Royce—which is ironic given that since there’s no engine to cool, a large grille is no longer a requirement. Given that it’s illuminated with 22 LEDs and has been streamlined for improved aerodynamics, the grille is clearly retained here first and foremost as a design centrepiece. The car’s total coefficient of drag is estimated at 0.25, an important figure for electric range and an impressive one given that the car has retained much of the squared-off look Rolls-Royce is known for.

The Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament has been redesigned for aerodynamics as well. She leans further forward with one leg extended ahead of her, which the brand says is to signify progress. Her flowing robes have been redesigned into a sleeker shape as well. This form of the Spirit of Ecstasy will debut on Spectre and be integrated into all future Rolls-Royce models.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-172241" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/rolly-royce-spectre-interior-luxury-scaled.jpg" alt="rolls royce spectre EV" width="2560" height="1707" />

On the inside—which is accessed by coach-style doors that hinge at the rear, a Rolls-Royce signature design element—the starlight headliner treatment that has also become a Rolls-Royce signature is now extended onto the door inserts. A new seat design adds what the brand calls lapel sections that can be fitted with matching or contrasting colours, making it possible to incorporate even more colour into the cabin. That said, given that almost all Rolls-Royce vehicles that roll through Goodwood are built with some degree of bespoke design integration, colour combination, materials, and other personalizations are limited only by one’s imagination and budget.

Specific pricing for the Spectre has not yet been provided, but the brand says it will fall between that of the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, which starts at just over $400,000 in Canada, and the Rolls-Royce Phantom, which starts in the mid-$500,000s. Commissions for Spectre are now open, and the first deliveries to customers are expected to begin arriving at this time next year.

2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre revealed, ushers in ultra-luxury electric era

Mercedes-AMG C 63 S E PERFORMANCE Limousine und T-Modell // Mercedes-AMG C 63 S E PERFORMANCE Sedan and Estate

<strong><em>23 mercedes amg c63s main - </em></strong>

Pour one out for the AMG V8s — or the ones in C-Class sedans, at least.

The high-performance version of the fifth-generation C-Class, the Mercedes-AMG C 63 S E Performance, won’t be sold with a V8. At all.

Instead, it’s getting a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine powering the front axle and a 150-kW electric motor at the rear. Mercedes reports the engine produces 469 horsepower on its own, making it the most powerful four-cylinder engine in the world. Total combined system output is 671 horsepower and 752 pound-feet of torque, a significant jump from the 503 hp and 516 lb-ft churned out by the previous-generation C 63 S.

But here’s where things get interesting. You know how everyone says there’s no technology transfer from motorsport anymore? Mercedes begs to differ: using a battery technology lifted straight out of the automaker’s Formula 1 drivetrain, the cells in the new C 63 S’s 6.1-kWh battery are individually cooled. Mercedes says this allows the battery to maintain power output from the electric motor at a steady 70 kW, meaning that the battery will never fully drain in standard operation, even if the plug-in hybrid powertrain hasn’t been charged.

You <em>can </em>charge it, and you’ll get 13 kilometres of fully electric range if you do. But range and efficiency are not the goals here. Instead, this technology is deployed to improve outright driving performance.

But wait, there’s more! An electrically assisted turbocharger — also lifted straight from Formula 1 — spools up the turbo more quickly, which Mercedes says eliminates turbo lag outright. All of the power from both the engine and the electric motor can be distributed to either rear wheel or the front axle independently through the standard mechanical all-wheel drive and rear limited-slip differential. And the longitudinally mounted engine in the front, combined with the rear placement for the electric motor and battery, balance the car with a 48:52 weight distribution.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-171616" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/22c0305_015-scaled.jpg" alt="Mercedes-AMG C 63 S" width="2560" height="1706" />

On the practical and visual side, the new C 63 S is longer and wider than the current C-Class by 83 and 76 millimetres respectively. A new air outlet is placed at the centre of the hood, flanked by a pair of power domes. And a round badge with a black AMG emblem replaces the Mercedes star and laurel logo on the hood, a first for a production AMG.

Now, here’s the not-so-great news: all that new equipment is heavy, topping out the C 63 S E Performance’s curb weight at 2,111 kilograms (4,654 pounds), though Mercedes plans to make rear-axle steering standard in all markets to help with the car’s handling agility.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-171617" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/23-mercedes-c63s-interior-scaled.jpg" alt="Mercedes-AMG C 63 S" width="2560" height="1708" />

The other issue, potentially, is the sound. A microphone will pump exhaust noise into the cabin, but this can’t hope to replace the rumble of a V8. If these performance claims bear out — and it would be surprising if they didn’t — the new C 63 S E Performance will be the most outright capable version of this car ever built. Still, it can’t be denied that many people buy AMG cars for the engine note, at least in part.

Philipp Schiemer, CEO of Mercedes-AMG, confirmed in a preview media roundtable that while the company’s long-term goal is electrification, there is still a strong customer base for internal combustion engines and Mercedes will continue to offer them for the foreseeable future.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-171618" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/22-mercedes-amg-c63s-rear--scaled.jpg" alt="Mercedes-AMG C 63 S" width="2560" height="1708" />

“We will offer normal combustion engines as long as there is a demand,” Schiemer says. “We understand that our engines will be probably the last one to be sold because we have a lot of fans for today's combustion engines, and we still see there a market for a long time.”

On the other hand, Schiemer says a segment of AMG customers also already own electric vehicles and won’t be turned off by a hybrid powertrain.

“Younger customers, customers coming from the tech side, they have appreciation for electrification,” he says. “There's a different kind of target group (than V8 buyers). It's not the same which we want to attract with electrification. I think that the hybrid technology is a bridge going into real electric.”

More information, including full specifications and Canadian pricing, will be made available as the car comes closer to its on-sale date early in 2023.

Next-generation Mercedes-AMG C 63 S features four-cylinder engine, electric power

2022-Porsche-Panamera-4-PE-main

Automotive trendwatchers will have noticed that blackout trims are all the rage these days. Head to the customizer on just about any automaker website and you’ll find some variation of a blackout trim or package on anything from a Nissan Kicks to a Cadillac Escalade.

Porsche has jumped onto the bandwagon with its 2022 Panamera. But true to Porsche form, it’s done so with a twist that brings the concept further upscale: rather than opting for fully black details, Porsche’s four-door liftback sedan is now available in Platinum Edition.

Offered on the base rear-wheel-drive Panamera as well as the all-wheel-drive Panamera 4 and the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid PHEV, the Platinum Edition adds 21-inch platinum-painted sports wheels, platinum logos and badging, platinum air outlets behind the front wheels, black tailpipes, privacy glass, high-gloss black side window trims, and Exclusive Design tail lights. It also equips a set of high demand features: an adaptive air suspension with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) electronic active damping, auto-dimming side mirrors, LED matrix main headlights with Porsche Dynamic Light System Plus (a forward and side-to-side adaptive lighting system), and an on-board 7.2-kW AC charger for the plug-in hybrid models.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-171505" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2022-Porsche-Panamera-4-PE-side-scaled.jpg" alt="2022 Porsche Panamera 4 Platinum Edition" width="2560" height="1920" />

On the base Panamera, this package takes the pre-fees price from $103,400 to $121,700, a difference of $18,300. Most Canadians considering a Panamera will opt for all-wheel drive, and doing so in the Platinum Edition takes the Panamera 4 from $108,700 to $126,500, a $17,800 difference. In the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid, you’ll pay $15,800 more as the price goes from $121,800 to $137,600.

Each of these cars comes with the Panamera’s entry-level engine, a 2.9-litre biturbo V6. On the gas-only models it makes 325 hp and 331 lb-ft of torque, while opting for the PHEV adds an electric propulsion system that bumps total system output to 455 hp and 516 lb-ft. This latter setup starts to approach the power that’s available in the Panamera’s upper trims, but the Panamera and Panamera 4 don’t come close to the face-melting properties of the GTS or the Turbo S. In our road test of the 2022 Porsche Panamera 4 Platinum Edition, we’d categorize the power output and throttle response as composed, not brash; sufficient, not excessive.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-171503" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2022-Porsche-Panamera-4-PE-engine-scaled.jpg" alt="2022 Porsche Panamera 4 Platinum Edition" width="2560" height="1920" />

But that speaks to the type of driver at whom this trim is aimed. Those who wants tons of power and lauded Porsche performance are going to look to the GTS or Turbo S models, and they’ll take great delight in customizing their purchase down to the final detail. The build sheet for our test unit — which carries an as-tested price of $139,870 — is the shortest we can remember seeing for any Porsche because so many of the most commonly optioned features are pre-selected. This is a car for a busy executive who wants to point at a brochure and say, “I’ll take this one, in that Copper Ruby Metallic,” and end up with an elegant daily driver with exceptional build quality and brand cachet.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-171504" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2022-Porsche-Panamera-4-PE-interior-scaled.jpg" alt="2022 Porsche Panamera 4 Platinum Edition" width="2560" height="1920" />

Even the busiest executive will still want to add a few features, though, and our test vehicle offers decent guidance in that regard. It tacks on adaptive cruise control ($2,570), rear-axle steering ($1,530, a very worthwhile upgrade in a car of this size), park assist and a surround-view camera ($1,050, and the same note applies), a beautiful grey leather interior ($4,330), the Sport Chrono Package to add drive modes, a Porsche Design clock, and performance upgrades ($3,690), and a 2-plus-1 configuration for the second row that places a divider between the outboard seats ($1,150).

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-171502" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2022-Porsche-Panamera-4-PE-liftback-scaled.jpg" alt="2022 Porsche Panamera 4 Platinum Edition" width="2560" height="1920" />

These entry-level models can hustle well enough — zero to 100 km/h in 5.3 seconds and a top speed of 268 km/h, according to Porsche — but not as hard as the higher trims, where a Turbo S can bring those numbers to 3.1 seconds and 315 km/h. But not every car — no, not even every Porsche — needs to be a track beast, and the Panamera 4 Platinum Edition slots into the line-up precisely where it belongs as an approachable, classy, yet trend-forward executive sedan.

Like the Macan and Cayenne SUVs that sit alongside the Panamera on the fringe of Porsche’s performance line-up, there’s a Porsche for everyone with a desire and a healthy budget.

<strong>2022 Porsche Panamera 4 Platinum Edition</strong>

BODY STYLE: Liftback sedan

DRIVE METHOD: Front-motor, all-wheel-drive, eight-speed dual-clutch

ENGINE: 2.9-litre biturbo V6 (325 hp, 331 lb-ft)

FUEL CONSUMPTION: 11.5 L/100 km combined (11.0 L/100 km as tested)

CARGO VOLUME: 495/1,334 litres

PRICE: $139,870 as tested; from $128,250, including a $1,750 destination charge

WEBSITE: <a href="http://www.porsche.ca">www.porsche.ca</a>

&nbsp;

<strong><em>The vehicle was provided to the writer by the automaker. Content and vehicle evaluations were not subject to approval.</em></strong>

2022 Porsche Panamera 4 Platinum Edition Review

celebration of speed canadian tire motorsports park

Celebration of speed participant

The Canadian racing season is officially in full swing, giving competitors and fans alike the chance to get back trackside. For many of us, this summer marks the first time we’ve been able to get fully immersed in live motorsport since the summer of 2019, especially as some of the most important international racing series in the world return such as Formula 1, IndyCar, and the <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/news/imsa-weathertech-championship-returns-to-canadian-tire-motorsport-park-for-the-first-time-since-2019">IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar</a> Championship.

Everyone who races cars and works in those paddocks got a start somewhere, which is why motorsport initiatives on a local level are critical to the overall health of the sport.

To that end, several Canadian organizations are holding fundraisers over the coming weeks. One aspires to give aspiring Canadian racers a shot at turning motorsport into a career, while another honours the contributions made by the sport’s most dedicated veterans.

Here are two ways you can support grassroots Canadian motorsport this July.

<strong>Celebration of Speed – Monday, July 11</strong>

The Celebration of Speed returns to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park’s Driver Development Track next Monday, July 11, to raise funds for the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame.Cajse

This year’s Celebration marks the 10th time the event has been held and its first running since 2019. Spectators are welcome and track day access is available, but the ride-alongs are the main attraction.

For $125, riders 10 and older will be matched with a car and qualified driver who will take them on four three-lap rides in the vehicles of their choice. The cars won’t race each other and the laps won’t be timed, but there will be plenty of adrenaline-pumping speed to enjoy. In previous years, the event has attracted an impressive fleet of exotics from brands such as Audi, BMW, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, and McLaren, as well as Chevrolet Corvettes, Ford Mustangs, and more. This time around, approximately 30 similar vehicles are expected to be on hand.

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Celebration-of-speed-cars.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-169642" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Celebration-of-speed-cars.jpg" alt="celebration of speed canadian tire motorsports park" width="2000" height="1333" /></a>

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Plaid-porsche.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-169644" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Plaid-porsche.jpg" alt="celebration of speed canadian tire motorsports park" width="1280" height="862" /></a>

Plus, a limited number of special ride-alongs are available: three-lap rides are being offered in the Pfaff Motorsports Plaid Porsche 935, piloted by talented Canadian racer Zach Vanier. These tickets cost $100 each.

Proceeds will go toward funding the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame, which commemorates the achievements of people and institutions who have made significant contributions and accomplishments within Canadian motorsport.

For tickets and more information, visit the <a href="https://cmhf.ca/celebration">Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame website</a>.

<strong>Arrow McLaren SP VIP Suite Access – Friday, July 15</strong>

On the following weekend, the Honda Indy Toronto rolls back into Exhibition Place for the first time in three years.

That Friday, fans can take part in a special VIP experience hosted by the Team Canada Scholarship with support from the Arrow McLaren SP IndyCar team.

For a minimum donation of $10,000, up to 20 guests will receive trackside VIP suite access and tickets for the Arrow Club 5 hospitality suite for an exclusive meet-and-greet session with Canadian IndyCar drivers Dalton Kellett and Devlin DeFrancesco. This session will be hosted by IndyCar driver and NBC Sports commentator, James Hinchcliffe. Pit and garage tours, in addition to swag bags, are also included.

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Test-G1-191018-49-1-scaled-1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-169641" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Test-G1-191018-49-1-scaled-1.jpg" alt="Formula Ford festival brands hatch" width="2560" height="1707" /></a>

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/FFF14-CAN-7475-scaled-1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-169639" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/FFF14-CAN-7475-scaled-1.jpg" alt="Chase Pelletier Formula Ford" width="2560" height="1707" /></a>

Proceeds will go toward the Team Canada Scholarship, a program for which Hinchcliffe is an ambassador. The scholarship gives up-and-coming Canadian racers an opportunity to compete against aspiring racers from around the world at the annual Formula Ford Festival and Walter Hayes Trophy races at Brands Hatch in the United Kingdom. The program was founded and is facilitated by veteran Canadian Formula 1600 team owner Brian Graham.

With sponsorship from Ontario Honda Dealers, Friday’s track activities at the Honda Indy Toronto are accessible free of charge, and the headlining NASCAR Pinty’s Series race that afternoon will make this a great day to be at the track. Opting for this additional VIP access could make the day even more memorable. If you’re interested in supporting the Team Canada Scholarship but can’t make it yourself, consider turning it into a donation: at least one benefactor has chosen to give this experience away to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which will turn this into a very special day for a child with a terminal illness and their loved ones.

Making a $10,000 donation at the Team Canada Scholarship website, along with providing some contact information, will kick off the process. Find more details <a href="https://teamcanadascholarship.com/honda-indy-toronto-fundraiser/">here</a>.

Canadian grassroots racing programs need your support this July

pfaff racing main header credit Laurance Yap

Sure, motorsport is expensive, but Pfaff says the returns it sees are multidimensional

What’s in it for a car dealer to get involved in racing?

There are few organizations better qualified to answer that question than Pfaff Motorsports.

Since bringing its racing operations in-house in 2014, the team has won seven championships including an overall class victory last year in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the top sports car racing series on the continent. It’s also won at the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring, and just last weekend the team won again, this time in a triumphant return to Canada at IMSA’s first race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in three years.

That’s not bad at all for a bunch of Canucks based out of Vaughan, Ont., just north of Toronto.

The race team keeps racking up wins, but still the question gets asked: why would a dealership group invest in all of this? A team can win every race it can find, but does that necessarily mean the dealers behind the arrangement will sell any more cars? After all, as the old adage goes, the best way to end up with a small fortune in racing is to start with a big one.

Laurance Yap, creative director for Pfaff Automotive Partners and all-around racing advocate, says he’s identified no fewer than five ways that Pfaff’s involvement in motorsport has helped it in its day-to-day operations.

<strong>Employee engagement</strong>

It’s one of the most important factors, Yap says. Pfaff Automotive Partners was purchased by U.S. automotive retailer Lithia &amp; Driveway in 2021, but the Pfaff dealers still operate under the same banner with locations across Southern Ontario. Plus, some of the group’s employees are still working from home, meaning teams who work together don’t always see one another as often as they used to.

Operating a premier racing team gives everyone at Pfaff something united to rally behind. Last weekend, some 300 of the group’s employees were on hand at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park to watch as the team scored its first win on Canadian soil.

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/pfaff-porsche.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-169584" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/pfaff-porsche.jpg" alt="Pfaff vaughan" width="1920" height="1280" /></a>

<strong>Recruitment</strong>

For Pfaff dealers, the team also acts as a recruitment tool. The technicians who work on the team’s cars during race weekends also have day jobs in Pfaff dealerships. Having a shot at the high-stakes, fast-paced environment of a race team is just the ticket for attracting driven technicians into Pfaff’s service departments, Yap says. The fact that they bring lessons home and apply them to their daily work is a bonus. And potential employees are attracted into other segments of the business as well.

“When I was at the point in my career where I was looking at [dealership roles] and I had a couple of options, [I noticed] these guys are deep into racing, and I like that,” Yap says. “It's almost a cultural kind of thing. You can just tell that it's probably pretty competitive, the pace is probably pretty high, there's room to grow, that kind of thing.”

<strong>Marketing</strong>

There’s a beneficial marketing aspect to Pfaff’s motorsport involvement as well, Yap says. The Plaid Porsche has earned a strong fan following across North America, and the livery has become an entity of its own with fans being able to purchase die-cast models and merchandise either trackside or online through a partnership with local racing memorabilia shop Toronto Motorsports. As a result of this and other initiatives, Yap says consumers associate the Pfaff name directly the Porsche brand in Canada.

<strong>Brand value</strong>

Speaking of Porsche, it’s a manufacturer that takes pride in racing, and a dealership’s investment in the sport doesn’t go unnoticed: Yap says Pfaff’s racing programs have deepened its relationship with Porsche and other brands.

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Pfaff-Racing-2-Customer-Cars-scaled.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-169585" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Pfaff-Racing-2-Customer-Cars-scaled.jpg" alt="pfaff porsche" width="2560" height="1920" /></a>

“We're racing a Porsche, but we also support customers with McLaren race cars and BMW race cars,” Yap says. “The fact that you are making an investment in going racing is a signal to these brands that you are committed to them at the highest level.”

<strong>Better business</strong>

Finally, operating the team creates opportunities for Pfaff to deepen its relationships with its business partners. For example, Motul sponsors the race team, and the dealership group pours Motul oils in its service departments. C17 Media supports the team, and it’s also called upon to produce the wraps for the race car and trailer and supply print services across the Pfaff group. And thanks to Hagerty’s partnership with the team, Pfaff customers are easily connected with Hagerty’s car insurance, a service that can be hard to find for the higher-value vehicles sold at Pfaff dealerships.

As it turns out, that old saying about winning on Sunday and selling on Monday still holds true. These days, it just takes a different shape.

Five reasons why Pfaff sees value in going racing

Plaid-Porsche-1-Steve-Bortolotti

Remember the Plaid Porsche?

If you follow racing closely then you likely know it well. But if you’ve lost touch with the sport through the pandemic, a refresher may help jog your memory.

The Plaid Porsche is the No. 9 Pfaff Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R, a Canadian entry in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the top sports car racing series on the continent. This program is so homegrown that the vast majority of the crew is Canadian, including 33-year-old team manager Steve Bortolotti, who got the job by rising through the ranks within the Pfaff Porsche dealership in Vaughan, Ont., where he started his career a decade ago as an inventory coordinator.

Pfaff’s race shop is based in Canada, too. When the team relocated into a larger 25,000-square-foot space earlier this year, it chose to stay in Vaughan, a roughly 15-minute drive from the Pfaff Porsche dealership.

When the team last raced in Canada in 2019, it had just made the move into IMSA competition and was still finding its footing. Today, the Plaid Porsche team has a 2021 class championship and a dramatic GTD Pro class win at the 2022 24 Hours of Daytona under its belt, among a longer list of individual victories.

Next up on Bortolotti’s bucket list? A win at the team’s home track, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. For the first time in three years, he and the team will have a chance to check that box when IMSA returns to CTMP over the upcoming Canada Day long weekend.

Bortolotti is being realistic about the team’s prospects, but he says the entire crew is hungry to chase victory in front of their hometown crowd.

“Historically, [CTMP is] not really a great Porsche track,” Bortolotti told Wheels.ca. “With high speed, long duration corners, being a rear engine car, it's not really where the Porsche shines. … But it doesn't mean you can't be competitive. There's so much more to a race with strategy and everything else.

“It's our home track. We know it quite well. You're not going to find many teams that know it as well as we do and how the surface changes and how the weather reacts. So, maybe it's not historically, statistically, the best Porsche track, but I feel like we're still going in as having a good chance to win because we're the hometown team.”

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Plaid-Porsche-3-Team-scaled.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-169434" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Plaid-Porsche-3-Team-scaled.jpg" alt="Plaid porsche GT3 no 9" width="2560" height="1920" /></a>

Like many of the cars that will lap CTMP next weekend, the Porsche 911 GT3 R is a spectacular machine. Based on the 911 GT3 RS road car, the track-dedicated R version builds onto it with a composite body structure, a double-wishbone front suspension with KW dampers and AP Racing brakes, and additional downforce with an enlarged wing and diffuser. With roughly 550 horsepower to play with, Bortolotti says the team’s testing has them estimating they’ll hit top speeds of 280 kilometres per hour on CTMP’s Mario Andretti Straightaway.

We’re not saying Bortolotti is race crazy, but we submit this for consideration: he got married a few weeks ago, and he somehow convinced his bride to incorporate a visit into the 24 Hours of Le Mans into his honeymoon. (He wasn’t working, he insists. They went for fun and had a great time.)

Now, he says getting back into the grind in front of family and friends, Pfaff employees, and Plaid Porsche fans is going to require him and the team to stay focused.

“It's not really a choice of whether I am or not—I feel like we have to be ready,” Bortolotti said. “We all want this. Let's not play pretend that it’s not a big deal. … How do we do it? Let's just be perfect. Easy, right? Just don't screw up. And then at least you give yourself a shot.

“I think going into CTMP, that's got to be our mindset. You can't treat it like any other race because that's cliché, and it's not any other race. It's our home race. But just going in with the same mindset of, hey, let's just do our job, the results will come.”

<a href="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Plaid-Porsche-5-Rear-Bumper-scaled.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-169436" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Plaid-Porsche-5-Rear-Bumper-scaled.jpg" alt="Plaid porsche GT3 no 9" width="2560" height="1920" /></a>

The Plaid Porsche is just one group among a sizeable Canadian contingent taking part in IMSA’s return to CTMP this Canada Day long weekend for the Chevrolet Grand Prix. Canadians Robert Wickens and Mark Wilkins will race together for the first time at home in Saturday’s Michelin Pilot Challenge race, fresh off their first-ever joint victory at Watkins Glen International last weekend. Plus, Bob and Connor Attrell of Brampton, Ont., will make their IMSA-level debut in a Michelin Pilot Challenge entry backed by Hyundai Canada, among others. The track is expecting upwards of 100,000 spectators to pass through the gates over three days in its largest event to permit spectators since 2019. Children 16 and under are free with a paying adult, and tickets can be purchased in advance until June 29 at canadiantiremotorsportpark.com, or at the gate throughout the weekend.

Stephanie Wallcraft

Articles by Stephanie Wallcraft