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Comparison Test Review: 2007 Mercedes-Benz S600 vs. 2006 Rolls-Royce Phantom (June 2006) [Photos]
 

2007 Cadillac Escalade  [Photos]
Maybe you thought the last generation was too subtle? May 2006

BMW Z4 M Roadster    [Photos]
Sex-change operation is a success, kids. May 2006

Porsche Cayenne Turbo S    [Photos]
In a land of $1160 hotel rooms, lavish artificial islands, and 115-degree heat, a $112,415 Porsche sport-ute feels right at home. May 2006

Porsche 911 Carrera 4S     [Photos]
The only sacrifice is in the price.

Audi A3 3.2 Quattro S-line    [Photos]
A 10Best winner induces sticker hysteria in V-6 form.
 

2007 Lexus ES350 and GS450h    [Photos]
Save the whales, or at least 200 gallons of gas.

Lexus IS250      [Photos]
An athletic sports sedan that needs a bit more protein and a real back seat.
 

Coup de Coupes     [Photos]
Lotus Exige vs. Porsche Cayman.

Working Exotics
Aston Martin V-8 Vantage vs. Porsche 911 Carrera S.

Cadillac XLR-V      [Photos]
An American icon pounds on the doors of the performance princes of Europe.

2007 Audi S8      [Photos]
Synergy produces a 10-cylinder 'bargain.'

2007 Audi Q7 4.2 Quattro
High-teched to the eyeballs.
 

2007 Jaguar XK
Quick reflexes in an aluminum wrapper.

Bentley Continental Flying Spur   [Photos]
It’s all about being special.
 

Porsche Cayenne S
The poseur Porsche excels at cruising but proves pigeon-toed around town.
 

2007 Cadillac Escalade
 

BMW 530xi Sport Wagon
Another reason not to buy an SUV.

Long-Term Test: Cadillac SRX V-8
Growing pains taint, but do not despoil, our affection for this two-time 5Best winner.

Aston Martin V-8 Vantage      [Photos]
A first drive of Aston's smallest. And finest.
 

BMW 325i
Think of it as 330i lite.

Chevrolet Corvette Z06     [Photos]      [Video] 
With 505 horsepower, this must be the golden age of the Corvette.

$35,000 Sports Sedans     [Photos]
You say it's 110 in the shade?
Featured in this comparo: Acura TL, Audi A4 3.2 Quattro, BMW 330i, Cadillac CTS, Infiniti G35, Lexus IS350, Saab 9-3 Aero, Volvo S60R AWD.

2007 Jaguar XK8
Wood-free, the Jag sports car moves into a new era.

Rocket Sedans
A European comparo without the numbers, in which Audi's new RS 4 leaves our editors highly impressed.
Featured in this comparo: Audi RS 4, BMW M3, Mercedes-Benz C55 AMG.

Aston Martin DB9 Volante    [Photos]
A little something for the aesthetes.

Audi A8L W-12 Quattro
Inquiries should be addressed to the acquisitions department.

BMW 750i
A muscular makeover.

Lexus Takes Aim at the BMW 3-series, Again
 

Lords of Envy
Armed with six outrageous road cars endowed with racetrack performance levels, we go in search of a place to exploit them.
Featured in this comparo: Aston Martin DB9, Ferrari F430, Ford GT, Lamborghini Gallardo, Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG, Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet.

Bentley Continental Flying Spur    [Photos]
A sedan that almost flies.

Specialty File: TC Kline Racing BMW Z4
New suspenders put the darty Z4 into, well, 3-series turf.

2007 BMW M6      [Photos]
The laid-back should inquire elsewhere.
 

 

2006 Charting the Changes — Aston Martin   Aston Martin October 2005

Finally, an affordable Aston Martin automobile. Affordable, that is, if you're an NBA first-round pick. For the rest of us, buying the $120,000 V-8 Vantage remains a fantasy. A scaled-down version of the DB9, which gets some interior and option revisions for 2006, the Vantage is powered by a 380-hp, 4.3-liter Jaguar-based engine and can scoot to 60 in under five seconds. The Vanquish S is upgraded with a new nav and audio system, and some options such as heated front seats and power-folding mirrors are now standard. And a few very well-heeled people will be allowed to buy DBR9 racing cars.

 

2006 Charting the Changes — Bentley   Bentley October 2005

While competitors Rolls-Royce and Maybach struggle, Bentley has underpriced them and done well. Its new entry for 2006, the Flying Spur, is tagged at $164,990, about half of what its rivals cost. It joins the stunning Continental GT, of which more than 5500 have been sold worldwide since its intro last year.

 

2006 Charting the Changes — Audi   Audi October 2005

The new A3, which shares its hatchback-only chassis with the VW Golf and is powered by a sweetheart of a turbocharged 197-hp, 2.0-liter four, adds a 250-hp V-6 and Quattro in December. The A4 cabriolet gets an S model with 18-inch BBS wheels and a sport suspension. The A4 sedan line is filled out with four new variants: the 3.2 Quattro sedan and wagon, a 3.2 front-wheel-drive sedan with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), and the 414-hp V-8 RS 4. A similar CVT model becomes available in the A6, as does an S-line appearance and suspension package for the 3.2 and 4.2 sedans. The A8 was updated midyear with a sport package and gets the big-mouth grille for 2006, something that has spread across the entire line, except for the TT and A4 cabriolet. All Audis will be set up for Bluetooth wireless connectivity and Sirius or XM satellite radio. Unchanged: TT. Dead: Allroad. Future: R9 Le Mans, a two-seat, mid-engine sports car on Lamborghini Gallardo architecture, is due in early 2007. The A4-based Q5 arrives in early 2008. A new TT is also on a near-term schedule. Audi finally adds an SUV, the Q7, which hits showrooms in early 2006.

 

2006 Charting the Changes — BMW   BMW October 2005

BMW started '06 early with a new 3-series sedan in May. All-wheel-drive versions of the sedan, designated 325xi and 330xi, as well as a new sport wagon, arrive yet this year. The '06 5-series six-cylinder models were introduced last spring, and now there's an all-new M5. Also, the 545i is replaced by the 550i, which is equipped with a new 360-hp, 4.8-liter V-8. This engine also finds its way into the 6-series, and as a consequence, the 645Ci will be rebadged as the 650i. Similarly, the 745 becomes the 750, because it uses the same 4.8-liter engine. The Z4 is mildly upgraded, and the X3 line slims down to one model because the 2.5i is discontinued. Unchanged: X5. Future: New M3 due in fall 2006. Second-gen X5 is coming late next year. And the V5, a Mercedes R-class competitor, is expected in '07.

 

2006 Charting the Changes — Cadillac   Cadillac October 2005

One of the few bright spots in GM's dim firmament, Cadillac replaces the venerable DeVille with a freshened DTS (see Technical Highlight: General Motors), a large, front-wheel-drive sedan powered by the 4.6-liter Northstar V-8 with either 275 or 290 horsepower. The STS gets a V version powered by a supercharged 469-hp, 4.4-liter V-8 backed by a new six-speed automatic. There's also an XLR-V, which has a 443-hp supercharged engine. The CTS-V receives a new engine, the 6.0-liter LS2 V-8, replacing the LS6. Horsepower is unchanged at 400. The STS gets an all-wheel-drive option on V-6 models; Bose audio and a nav system are standard on some V-8 models. The CTS is upgraded with a sport package. The Escalade EXT adds an optional power sliding tonneau and a sliding load floor. Unchanged: Escalade, Escalade ESV, SRX. Escalade, CADILLAC ESCALADE reviews and road tests Escalade ESV, CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV reviews and road tests SRX, CADILLAC SRX reviews and road tests   Dead: DeVille. Future: Look for an Escalade using GMT900 architecture, destined for the next generation of GM's full-size pickups and SUVs, in early to mid '06.

 

2006 Charting the Changes — Chrysler   Chrysler October 2005

The hot-selling 300 helped boost Chrysler's market share and—unlike its Detroit rivals—keep its credit rating intact. For 2006, the division is mostly on automatic pilot, with few changes of note. The PT Cruiser gets a new interior, updated front and rear styling, improved noise reduction, and a 10-hp boost for the GT turbo to 230. The Pacifica loses its pushrod V-6, and only a 250-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 will be offered. Access to the second-row storage bins in the Town & Country minivan's clever Stow 'n Go seating system has been improved. Changes to other models are limited to color and trim-level manipulation. Unchanged: 300, Crossfire, Sebring. Future: Redesigned PT Cruiser due in 2008, new Sebring expected by late summer 2006. A Chrysler version of the Dodge Durango, called the Aspen, should debut at the Detroit auto show in January.

 

2006 Charting the Changes — Jaguar   Jaguar October 2005

Not eschewing hyperbole, Ford's British luxury-car unit is bringing out "the most exclusive and luxurious production Jaguar ever built," the Super V-8 Portfolio, which is pretty much an XJ with lots more stuff. The regular XJ gets a new Continental Teves braking system and a horsepower boost to 300 for naturally aspirated engines and 400 for supercharged versions. The S-type also gets the Continental Teves system. And all Jag sedans get chrome mesh grille inserts. Unchanged: X-type, XK8, XKR XK8, JAGUAR XK reviews and road tests, Convertible, JAGUAR XK reviews and road tests XKR, JAGUAR XK reviews and road tests   Future: A new, aluminum XK8 goes on sale in April as a 2007, with the supercharged XKR following about a year later.

 

2006 Charting the Changes — Lexus   Lexus October 2005

In February, Lexus replaced its mid-line GS with brand-new models, including the GS300 and GS430, and there's a new IS sedan (see Technical Highlights below), a tough-looking, hard-running four-door that replaces what had been the blandest car in the Lexus lineup. And there's the RX400h, a hybrid version of Lexus's bestselling RX330 SUV. Otherwise, there are no changes except for price boosts across the line. On the truck side, the LX470's 4.7-liter V-8 is upgraded with variable valve timing, which boosts output from 235 to 275 horsepower. Unchanged: ES330, LS430, SC430, GX470, RX330. ES330, READ CAPSULE REVIEW.  LS430, READ CAPSULE REVIEW, Spied! September 2005, 2007 Lexus LS. The Magnificent Not-Quites March 2003 We round up 335 grand worth of the most enviable semi-luxury four-doors and fall head over heels in like. 36 on the Floor February 2002 A 1300-mile run to, through, and from the winding woods of West Virginia proves there's nothing as fun as a manual gearbox hooked up to a whupp-ass sports sedan. SC430, LEXUS SC430 reviews and road tests GX470, READ CAPSULE REVIEW RX330, LEXUS RX reviews and road tests   Future: LS600h, a hybrid version of the upcoming LS460, in late 2007. TECHNICAL HIGHLIGHT Lexus has taken the vehicle-dynamics game to the next level with its vehicle dynamics integrated management system (VDIM). To the usual battery of devices employed by these types of systems—ABS, traction control, brake assist, throttle override, for example—Lexus has added electric power steering, variable ratio steering, and electronically controlled brakes—all monitored and controlled by a central processing network. The idea is to anticipate loss of control early and then intervene earlier but less intrusively. This is the first time such a system has included a degree of steering autonomy dictated by the car instead of the driver, and Lexus isn't saying how much automatic steering deflection is employed other than to admit that small corrections occur during side winds and extreme vehicle maneuvers. Most cars have port fuel injection or direct injection. The new Lexus IS350 has both, in a twin-injection system called D-4S, to improve low-speed and cold-start emissions. Toyota's new 2GR-FSE engine, a 306-hp, 3.5-liter V-6, has six pairs of injectors, one in each intake port and one in the cylinders themselves. During high-rpm, high-load conditions (stomping the throttle to pass, for example), only the cylinder injectors operate to maximize control over injection timing for better power. When the engine starts cold or runs at low-to-middle speeds and low-load conditions, such as cruising on the avenue, the injectors work together, varying their share of fuel delivery with conditions. The port injector induces better mixing at light throttle openings. On cold start, the port injector and the direct injector work together to create a lean stratified charge that burns hot and lights off the catalyst more quickly. It looks like a giant pair of buttocks coming at you, but the Lexus IS350's new twin-chamber airbag is a restraint system that promises to reduce injuries from front-passenger airbag deployments. In a crash, a single pyrotechnic inflator blows out not one bag but two, derrière-shaped, to hit the passenger on both shoulders and the upper chest rather than the face, as with a conventional single bag. The design should reduce injuries to the nose and jaw that can result from being whacked by a bag moving at 200 mph.

 

2006 Charting the Changes — Lincoln   Lincoln October 2005

Ford's luxury brand is taking another run at the high-end-pickup market with the Mark LT, an upgraded version of the Ford F-series, which is not as pricey or impractical as the ill-fated Blackwood of a couple years ago. Also new is Lincoln's version of the Fusion that's called the Zephyr. Unchanged: LS, Town Car, Navigator. LS, Lincoln LS V6 Appearance, LINCOLN LS reviews and road tests. Lincoln LS V6 Luxury, LINCOLN LS reviews and road tests. Lincoln LS V6 Premium, LINCOLN LS reviews and road tests. Lincoln LS V8 Sport, LINCOLN LS reviews and road tests Lincoln LS V8 Ultimate, LINCOLN LS reviews and road tests Lincoln Town Car Signature, LINCOLN TOWN CAR reviews and road tests. Lincoln Town Car Signature L, LINCOLN TOWN CAR reviews and road tests. Lincoln Town Car Signature Limited, LINCOLN TOWN CAR reviews and road tests Lincoln Navigator Luxury, LINCOLN NAVIGATOR reviews and road tests. Lincoln Navigator Luxury 4WD, LINCOLN NAVIGATOR reviews and road tests. Lincoln Navigator Ultimate, LINCOLN NAVIGATOR reviews and road tests. Lincoln Navigator Ultimate 4WD, LINCOLN NAVIGATOR reviews and road tests   Dead: Aviator. Future: An Aviator replacement, to be built on an expanded Mazda 6 platform, is expected in 2007. A pair of sedans based on the Volvo-derived platform of the Ford Five Hundred and Mercury Montego may follow. Also coming, a redesigned Navigator and an all-wheel-drive Zephyr.

 

2006 Charting the Changes — Mercedes-Benz   Mercedes-Benz October 2005

There's a whole new class for '06, consisting of the CLS500 [Wallpaper] and CLS55 AMG, [Photo] that was introduced earlier this year. Another negrouping is the R-class  [ Video, Photos], an interesting combination of sedan, SUV, and wagon (with three rows of seats) built on a much modified M-class platform. The 268-hp, 3.5-liter V-6-powered ML350 and the 302-hp, 5.0-liter V-8 ML500, each with a standard seven-speed automatic transmission, are all-new for '06. The C-class gets new V-6s: a 201-hp 2.5-liter for the C230; a 228-hp 3.0-liter for the C280; and a 268-hp 3.5-liter for the C350. The E320 is replaced by the E350 model (another 3.5-liter V-6 upgrade). The CLK-class gets a new grille and taillights, and the CLK320 is replaced by the CLK350 with the 268-hp, 3.5-liter V-6. The SLK-class adds the SLK280, powered by a 228-hp, 3.0-liter V-6. A new S-class [Photo] (see Technical Highlight below), which is already on sale in Europe, comes here in January. (See also Technical Highlight: AMG, below.) 2007 Mercedes-Benz E320 BlueTec   [Video] 2007 Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG (April 2006) Unchanged: CL-class, SL-class, SLR McLaren, G-class. Future: MLK-class, a little brother to the M-class, debuting in 2008. TECHNICAL HIGHLIGHT The new S-class will feature a new generation of Pre-Safe, a collision warning and preparation system that provides an earlier response to impending rear-end crashes. It has proved useful in reducing accident severity. Using two separate radar transmitters—one that scans a wide path just ahead of the vehicle, another that projects a narrow long-range beam—Pre-Safe identifies objects and calculates the rate of approach. When it sees a dangerous situation, the system warns the driver and primes the braking system for faster response and maximum braking force when the driver hits the pedal. Pre-Safe tightens the seatbelts and moves the seats into positions that afford greater protection—measures carried over from the first Pre-Safe system—but now also closes the side windows to support the curtain airbags and can inflate special seat cushions to locate the occupants more securely. TECHNICAL HIGHLIGHT: AMG We're used to seeing AMG, Mercedes-Benz's power-crazy performance division, inject more power into the company's engines. This time, however, AMG started from scratch to create its own 6.2-liter naturally aspirated V-8 engine that shares no parts or dimensions with any other Benz engine. AMG's powerplant makes a healthy 503 horsepower at 6800 rpm and 465 pound-feet of torque at 5200 rpm, while revving to 7200 rpm. It has an all-aluminum construction with four valves per cylinder and a unique cylinder-coating process that saves weight and manufacturing time over traditional cast-in steel liners. All four overhead cams are continuously variable over a range of 42 degrees to optimize output while keeping emissions in check. Since the 6.2-liter's torque is lower than the supercharged V-8's 516 pound-feet, it's safe to use with the seven-speed automatic—the only transmission that will be paired with this engine. The first vehicle powered by this 503-hp beast will be the ML63 AMG. This engine will then be the V-8 of record in all AMG vehicles (we've been assured it even fits in the small C- and SLK-classes). No official word on a forced-induction version.

 

2006 Charting the Changes — Porsche   Porsche October 2005

Over the past year Porsche has revamped two-thirds of its product line, first with a redesigned 911 and then with the second-generation Boxster. Both of these get some trim and option upgrades for 2006, and the Boxster range is expanded by the Cayman, a two-seat coupe powered by a 291-hp, 3.4-liter flat-six engine. Porsche's SUV, the Cayenne, gets redesigned front airbags. Future: Porsche is planning a four-door sports sedan, the Panamera, which may enter production in 2008 in Leipzig, Germany.

 

2006 Charting the Changes — Rolls-Royce   Rolls-Royce October 2005

The only Roller sold in North America is the short-wheelbase Phantom sedan. For 2006, all it gets is satellite radio and Bluetooth wireless compatibility for cell phones. But the weakness of the dollar is likely to move the price above '05's $332,750. Future: The extended-wheelbase Phantom may come stateside if there's enough demand. The 100EX convertible shown last year in Geneva is being developed into a production vehicle for 2007.    2006 Rolls-Royce Phantom June 2006 Second Place, Wretched Excess Times Two