Downshift to 2nd, flick steering wheel Gravity goes sideways Forget previously owned cars Praise inventor of asphalt Endorphins throw party Decide to name firstborn “86” Master the drive in the all-new GR86.
CUPCOFFEE SIDE WINDOW DEFLECTORS OPTIMIZE YOUR DRIVE © 2022 MacNeil IP LLC Auto. Home. Pet. Find Your Fit.
VOL. 67, NO. 7 TABLE CON T EN TSof FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 27 52 58 FEATURE FEATURE ROAD TEST Lightning Lap No. 15 Subaru Outback Rivian R1T The hottest performance Wilderness The first battery- powered pickup of the cars of the year put in Can a lifted wagon based modern era proves to bravura performances on a lifted wagon actually be a practical workhorse at Virginia International and an impressive bit do serious off-road of electric-vehicle Raceway. things? There’s only By David Beard, Rich one way to find out. technology. Ceppos, K.C. Colwell, By K.C. Colwell Tony Quiroga, and By Ezra Dyer Dave VanderWerp “THREE 9000-RPM SHIFTS ON THE BACK STRAIGHT HAVE YOU THINKING THE ENGINE IS THE BEST PART OF THE GT3. BUT THEN YOU THROW ITS 3229 POUNDS INTO A CORNER AND YOU’RE BACK IN CAMP CHASSIS.” —K.C. Colwell, “Lightning Lap No. 15” CAR AND DRIVER 3
GET ALMOST 100 HOURS MORE PROVEN QUALITY SLEEP PER YEAR* Quality sleep is proven to help boost energy, recovery and improve wellbeing. That’s why we created the Sleep Number 360® smart bed for the best sleep in the world. Designed to help you fall asleep faster and make a life-changing difference to your health and wellness. SleepIQ® Score Adjustable comfort Automatically senses Personalized insights 15-Year Limited 100-Night on each side and responds to you for even better sleep Warranty† Trial‡ SCAN TO TAKE OUR BED QUIZ *100 hours more proven quality sleep based on internal analysis of sleep sessions assessing sleepers who use multiple features of Sleep Number® products. Claim based on sleepers achieving over 15 more minutes of restful sleep per sleep session.†Limited warranty available at sleepnumber.com. ‡Restrictions and exclusions apply. Does not apply to adjustable bases, upholstered furniture, closeout/clearance or demo/floor model purchases or mattresses already exchanged under another In-Home Trial period. You pay return shipping. Refunds will be made to the original method of payment less original shipping/delivery fees. Visit sleepnumber.com for complete details. SLEEP NUMBER, SLEEPIQ, SLEEP NUMBER 360, the Double Arrow Design, and SELECT COMFORT are registered trademarks of Sleep Number Corporation. ©2022 Sleep Number Corporation
TABLE OF CONTENTS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 COLUMNISTS 22. Ezra Dyer Motor Kombat. 24. Elana Scherr Marriage counseling. UPFRONT The joyful noise of the commentariat, rebutted sporadically by Ed. 13. Meet the Maker: Henrik Fisker USE A COASTER How much did BMW pay Thank you for reviewing two If at first you don’t I scanned through your you for the M5 Competi- $4 million cars in back-to- succeed, keep starting supersedans test and see tion to come in third? back issues. I’d wanted a rec- car companies. that you picked the Caddy ommendation before I went 16. Impossible over the Bimmer and Audi —Philip Brewer to my local auto mall. Do I Leather [“Ticket to Ride,” November Mill Valley, CA choose the perfect glovebox Vinyl for dummies. 2021]. Are you going to do a (Pagani) or custom cuphold- 18. Drive-Through: 40,000-mile test on any of HORACIO’S MILLIONS ers (McLaren)? The cuphold- Palm Springs, these cars? I would be very I like how you felt the need ers, for my Bud Light roadie, California curious to see the costs of to include the “.0” to tell won out. With zero percent Automotive entertain- maintenance and repairs for us the price of the “$4.0 financing, I can pay it off in ment in the desert. the Blackwing. My scientific million” Pagani Huayra only 8.33 years, if I just pay 20. Know Why I Pulled wild-ass guess is that it won’t Roadster BC [“Masterpiece $40,000 (about the average You Over? stand up to hard driving Theater,” November 2021]. new-car price) per month. Why you shouldn’t be over time. Just a guess. Makes me feel like I can And that’s without trading fine with the fines for go around talking about in my 2010 Fusion Hybrid! traffic infractions. —Terry Sott my wife’s new $0.0499 Litchfield Park, AZ million Chevy Tahoe. —Al Hlinak THE RUNDOWN We are looking to add Glen Ellyn, IL a CT5-V Blackwing —Josh Hilts 66. 2022 Subaru WRX to our long-term fleet Kingwood, TX Interesting article on the Soulful survivor. very soon—Ed. Your $0.00000002 million Pagani Huayra Roadster. 70. 2022 Mercedes- is worth every penny–Ed. AMG SL Lost and found. 71. 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Limited AWD Back to the future. 72. 2022 Honda Civic Si Sticking with it. 73. 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Baby grand. 74. 2022 Mazda MX-30 Short-distance runaround. ETC. CUSTOMER SERVICE Call 800-289-9464, email [email protected], visit www.caranddriver.com/service, or write to Customer Service Dept., Car and Driver, P.O. Box 37870, Boone, IA 50037 for inquiries/requests, changes of mailing or email addresses, 5. Backfires subscription orders, payments, etc. Problems raised, prob- lems solved. CAR AND DRIVER® (ISSN 0008-6002), VOL. 67, NO. 7, February/March 2022, is published monthly, 10 times per year, with combined issues in February/March and July/August, by 80. Lightning Storm Hearst, 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019, U.S.A. Steven R. Swartz, President & Chief Executive Officer; William R. Hearst III, Chairman; Frank A. Bennack, Jr., Executive The performance data Vice Chairman; Debi Chirichella, President, Hearst Magazines Group. Hearst Autos, Inc.: Nick Matarazzo, President & Chief Revenue Officer; Debi Chirichella, Treasurer; Catherine we’ve generated in 15 A. Bostron, Secretary. © 2022 by Hearst Autos, Inc. All rights reserved. Trademarks: Car and Driver is a registered trademark of Hearst Autos, Inc. Periodicals postage runnings of our annual paid at New York, NY, and additional mailing offices. Canada Post International Publications mail product (Canadian distribution) sales agreement no. 40012499. Editorial and track test at VIR. Advertising Offices: 1585 Eisenhower Place, Ann Arbor, MI 48108. SUBSCRIPTION PRICES United States and possessions: $13.00 for one year; Canada, add $10.00; all other countries, add $24.00. SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES Car and Driver will, upon receipt of a complete subscription order, undertake fulfillment of that order so as to provide the first copy for delivery by the U.S. Postal Service or alternate carrier within 4–6 weeks. MAILING LISTS From time to time, we make our subscriber list available to companies who sell goods and services by mail that we believe would interest our readers. If you would rather not receive such offers by postal mail, please send your current mailing label or an exact copy to Mail Preference Service, P.O. Box 37870, Boone, IA 50037. You can also visit preferences.hearstmags.com to manage your preferences and opt out of receiving marketing offers by email. Car and Driver assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. None will be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. Permissions: Material in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without permission. Back Issues: Back issues are available for purchase in digital format only from your app store of choice. POSTMASTER Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 507.1.5.2); NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES Send address corrections to Car and Driver, P.O. Box 37870, Boone, IA 50037. Printed in the U.S.A. CAR AND DRIVER ~ FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 ~ SIC YOUR DOGS ON US AT: [email protected] 5
Backfires Some readers don’t like it when we include fantasy cars like the Pagani, but some people are never happy. Curious, why is the cost They are wonderful cars. But and double-digit interest —Lyn Perry SIC YOUR DOGS ON US AT: [email protected] of that optional roof $623 for the 20,000-mile rates. It’s been a problem Chagrin Falls, OH scoop roughly equivalent service to change the oil and for years. I hope your letter to the cost of a well- cabin air filter and do some encourages family members SWAP SHOP equipped 911 GTS? inspections and $1003 to of our troops to sell them Great minds think alike. include a spark-plug change their old Corollas for cheap, I also am a fan of the —Doug in the 30,000-mile service? even if they’re not cool. smaller car and would Kings Park, NY Why? Most cars change their love to have a Cadillac Things are worth what plugs at 100,000 miles. And —Jackson L. CT4-V Blackwing with the people are willing to pay, the 40,000-mile service—to Minneapolis, MN Corvette’s V-8 [“Glory and that concludes my change the oil, filter, and Days,” November 2021]. economics lesson—Ed. transfer-case fluid and do MEINE AUGEN The new Z06 motor would more inspections—for $1051? The rear-three-quarter view be a gift from the gods. Cancel my subscription. I’ve experienced high costs of the BMW iX xDrive50 Every letter basically says at my Porsche dealership, is quite simply, and easily, —Kenton what a POS your magazine but nothing like that. I guess the ugliest of any car I’ve Sea Bright, NJ is! The clincher for me was my current Porsche will be ever seen [“Funky Fresh,” the $4 million “supercar” my last at those prices. November 2021]. Is it the PINKIE SWEAR that can’t hit 60 in under paint that makes it so, or the Does the Porsche Taycan three seconds and has —Tom Orashan actual bends, creases, folds, have charge ports on almost 100 decibels in the San Antonio, TX bulges, and lumps? Does both the port and star- cabin. What kind of idiot anyone at BMW design sign board fenders [“Base Hit,” would buy this? One of your I am so happy you brought off anymore, or do they first November 2021]? I’ve been [expletive deleted—Ed.] idiot back “Baubles and Bolt see it when the covers come wondering how long it writers, no doubt. What a Ons”! I always enjoy new off? Chris Bangle, wherefore would take for manufactur- total chunk-of-shit magazine! items you find, like the art thou? All is forgiven. ers to start including that Thule bicycle rack. Working flexibility. Having a port —Richard Menich in the parts department of —Rod Davies on both sides seems like a Toronto, ON a Pontiac dealership from Baldivis, Australia significant convenience. 1973 (when I was 16) to 1987, Yep, we’re going to buy I was like a kid in a toy store. No matter what you think —Greg Reed it on Hlinak’s $40,000 Maybe spend some of that of BMW’s new styling White Lake, MI monthly payment plan—Ed. $80,000 Porsche Cayenne direction, I think the design Yes, but only the Taycan’s money on accessories. department should be com- starboard side—that’s the PRECIOUS STONES mended for hiring the blind. passenger’s side, land- Elana Scherr’s “Family Tradi- —Michael Thomas lubbers—has fast-charging tion” [November 2021] was Oklahoma City, OK —Bill Hoffer (DC) capability—Ed. literature! Her line describing Newtown, PA the color of the ’57 Chevy The funniest part of the Hoffer, since you’re clearly Pink Porsche? Pink wagon as “a half-sucked jaw- issue is under the “What an aspiring comedian, electric Porsche? Y’all breaker” and the one refer- Bits and Pieces Cost” sec- I’m here to let you know okay up there, C/D? ring to the early-morning tion of the Cayenne test: that this isn’t worthy mountains as “a blue smudge wiper blades, $82. Ha ha. of your tight five—Ed. —Tom Smith of ambition against the dawn Lake Village, AR sky” were easily some of —Pedro Gregorio THE CRAFT We’re feeling much the best and most descrip- Waterford, MI More Jamie Kitman, please better lately; thanks for tive I’ve ever read in your [“Youth Movement,” asking. Oh, and Smith, magazine. Scherr is a gem. HONORABLE MENTION November 2021]. His was a a pink Porsche 917/20 Thanks for highlighting the unique, iconoclastic voice (the “Pink Pig”) raced —Paul Benoit gouging of young service at Automobile magazine, at Le Mans in ’71—Ed. Redmond, WA members at off-base lemon lots [“Signed Up? Signed HOT STUFF Here,” November 2021]. Just Regarding the long-term outside Camp Pendleton test of the 2019 Porsche are several dealers showing Cayenne [November 2021], off blingy Mustang GTs, the maintenance costs you 3-series, and Challengers experienced are outrageous. FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 ~ CAR AND DRIVER 6
Backfires Readers were shocked by the price of Porsche maintenance despite our writing about the issue for decades. BUDGET WHEELS a taller final drive (4.10:1 POSITIVE ENERGY and Driver, both of which “A Car Becomes a Toy” to a 4.30) that reduces I would like to add my are changing rapidly. [November 2021] was the revs at highway speeds.” comments regarding the perfect answer to complaints It seems to me that going July/August 2021 EV issue —Steve Robinson that you only write about from 4.10 to 4.30 would [“Backfires,” November Oro Valley, AZ cars nobody can afford. have resulted in increased 2021]. It answered many Keep up the good work. revs, rather than reduced questions my non-gearhead The only thing less inter- revs, at highway speeds. friends were curious about. esting than an EV issue —Dan McNeal If car enthusiasts are looked is five pages of Back- Portland, OR —Bill Harding upon as individuals with fires on the EV issue. Evans, GA automotive knowledge, GOLDEN RATIO then it behooves us to have —Joe Baxter In the November 2021 Correct, Harding. The 1.8- answers regarding EVs. So Fort Mill, SC “What to Buy,” about the liter NA Miatas got the suck it up and learn, kids! I hope the irony of 1990–97 Mazda MX-5 Miata, taller 4.10 rear end, which Your opinion doesn’t have keeping it going doesn’t you stated: “A 128-hp 1.8- reduces revs at highway to change, and maybe you escape you, Baxter—Ed. liter arrived in 1994 with speeds. The tech depart- will open your mind a little. ment apologizes—Ed. Your November 2021 issue is —Vincent Spampinato my first. The Backfires sec- EXPLAINED Jamesport, NY tion was aflame with readers SIC YOUR DOGS ON US AT: [email protected] lambasting you for focusing In the BMW iX xDrive50 review, you mentioned it Enough already with print- on EVs. The feedback and has “electrically excited motors” to avoid using ing all the snarky, angry, Ed.’s comebacks had me roll- rare-earth elements [“Funky Fresh,” November embittered letters to the ing with laughter. Seems like 2021]. Yet the specs say it is powered by a lithium- editor about the EV issue. I some readers might have, ion battery. I did a quick search for electrically read that issue in its entirety um, sensitive egos. Great excited motors and still really don’t understand and thought it a compelling, first entry to the magazine. what they are and how they are different. But it realistic take on the trends appears they do use lithium-ion batteries. How do and pitfalls of the current EV —Brad Yale they save rare-earth elements? market. It was balanced and Waldwick, NJ yet focused a critical eye for —Steven A. Judge, Royalton, VT us car enthusiasts. Good job. Longtime subscriber and quite willing to let you be It has nothing to do with the battery, just the —Jim W. who you are. I’m not sure motors. In permanent-magnet motors, rare-earth La Jolla, CA what the real problem is with magnets, usually containing an element such as some of your readers. An EV neodymium or dysprosium, provide the magnetic I’m tired of reading about is a car, and its operator is a field necessary for operation. Electrically excited people canceling their driver. I wonder if the prob- motors, like those in the iX, use electromagnets, subscription. Cancel lem is people who just des- which need electricity to generate the required my subscription. perately want to stay in the magnetic field. They can be made from iron, which past. Let me say that I con- is hardly rare. —K.C. Colwell —Rick Banek sider it one of your best, and Hamilton, ON most important, issues ever. Don’t let the troglodytes —Richard Flanagan deter you from leading the Burr Ridge, IL magazine into a future that will be a lot more compli- I bought a Tesla Model 3 cated than just 60-mph three years ago because it times and g-forces. Your has Porsche-like perform- magazine is called Car ance. The acceleration and handling are amazing. 8 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 ~ CAR AND DRIVER
I love my manual gas sports Editor-in-Chief, Interim Eddie Alterman Using Shell V-Power® car too. Cars have always NiTRO®+ Premium Gasolines been about technological Cars Director Tony Quiroga Executive Editor Ryan White Digital Director Laura Sky Brown and diesel fuels appropriately innovation. Please keep BUYER’S GUIDE Deputy Editor Rich Ceppos Senior Editor Drew Dorian Staff Editor Eric in Car and Driver test vehicles the EV articles coming. Stafford • FEATURES Senior Editors Greg Fink, Elana Scherr Staff Editor Austin Irwin ensures the consistency and NEWS Senior Editor Joey Capparella Staff Editors Connor Hoffman, Caleb Miller Social integrity of our instrumented —Peter Vickery Media Editor Michael Aaron • REVIEWS Deputy Editor Joe Lorio Senior Editors Ezra Dyer, testing procedures and Minneapolis, MN Mike Sutton • TESTING Director Dave VanderWerp Deputy Director K.C. Colwell Technical numbers, both in the magazine Editor David Beard Road Test Editor Rebecca Hackett Road Warriors Jacob Kurowicki, Christi and online. The response to your EV VanSyckle • CREATIVE Director Darin Johnson Consulting Designer Pete Sucheski Staff issue showed an amaz- Photographers Michael Simari, Marc Urbano Photo Assistant Charley M. Ladd • VIDEO CUSTOMER SERVICE ing level of denial on the Deputy Editor Carlos Lago Producer/Editor Alex Malburg • PRODUCTION Director of Call 800-289-9464, part of your readers. Editorial Operations Heather Albano Copy Chief Adrienne Girard Associate Managing email cdbCustServ@ The automotive world is Editor Jennifer Misaros Production Manager Juli Burke Copy Editor Chris Langrill Online CDSFulfillment.com, visit changing, and berating (or Production Designer Sarah Larson Online Production Assistant Ron Askew Editorial www.CarandDriver.com/ penalizing) you for report- Assistant Carlie Cooper • CONTRIBUTORS European Editor Mike Duff Contributing Editors service, or write to ing on it is ridiculous. Clifford Atiyeh, Brett Berk, Sebastian Blanco, Csaba Csere, Malcolm Gladwell, John Pearley Customer Service Dept., Car Huffman, Andrew Lawrence, Bruce McCall, Jens Meiners, P.J. O’Rourke, Jonathon Ramsey, Steve and Driver, P.O. Box 37870, —Cal Youngberg Siler, James Tate, John Voelcker Boone, IA 50037 for Boulder, CO Editorial Office 1585 Eisenhower Place, Ann Arbor, MI 48108 inquiries/requests, changes PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. of mailing or email I would think that most of the Editorial Contributions Unsolicited artwork and manuscripts are not accepted, and addresses, subscription people criticizing EVs have publisher assumes no responsibility for return or safety of unsolicited artwork, orders, payments, etc. likely never spent any real photographs, or manuscripts. Query letters may be addressed to the cars director. time with one. They don’t PERMISSIONS Material in do everything perfectly, but Publisher and Chief Revenue Officer Felix DiFilippo this publication may not neither does a Huracán, a 911, be reproduced in any form an M5, a Urus, or any other Vice President, Sales Cameron Albergo • NEW YORK East Coast Sales Director Kyle Taylor without permission. vehicle you write about. Group Advertising Director Joe Pennacchio Integrated Sales Director Shannon Rigby Integrated Sales Account Executive Richard Panciocco Assistant Keierra Wiltshire To order digital back issues, —Ron CHICAGO Integrated Sales Director Rick Bisbee • DETROIT Group Advertising Director go to your favorite app store. Centennial, CO Samantha Shanahan Executive Sales Director Deb Michael Assistants Toni Starrs, Rene Car and Driver© is a Tuohy • LOS ANGELES Group Advertising Director Anne Rethmeyer Digital Sales registered trademark of So many people complained Director Lisa LaCasse Senior Director of Sales Lori Mertz Integrated Sales Director Hearst Autos, Inc. Copyright about the July/August Susie Miller Digital Account Executive Molly Jolls 2022, Hearst Autos, Inc. issue’s EV coverage. But I HEARST DIRECT MEDIA Vice President Christine Hall Sales Manager Celia Mollica All rights reserved. loved it. I subscribed because ADMINISTRATION Advertising Services Director Regina Wall of that issue. Please continue PRODUCTION Manager Chris Hertwig with lots of EV coverage. CIRCULATION Vice President, Strategy and Business Management Rick Day —Terrance W. Published by Hearst 300 W. 57th Street, New York, NY 10019 Grand Rapids, MI President & Chief Executive Officer Steven R. Swartz Chairman William R. Hearst III Executive Vice Chairman Frank A. Bennack, Jr. How entitled do I have to President, Hearst Magazines Group Debi Chirichella sound to get my letter pub- lished? I’m striving to keep HEARST AUTOS, INC. President & Chief Revenue Officer Nick Matarazzo Treasurer Debi up with today’s readers. Chirichella Secretary Catherine A. Bostron Chief Brand Officer Eddie Alterman Chief Marketing Officer Michelle Panzer Director of Audience Development and Content —John Bromer Strategy Sharon Silke Carty Executive Director of Finance Paul Neumaier Executive Black Mountain, NC Assistant Erika Nuñez PUBLISHING CONSULTANTS Gilbert C. Maurer, Mark F. Miller I’m not surprised by the INTERNATIONAL EDITIONS Brazil, China, Greece, Spain backlash against EVs in Back- fires. But why does it have to you can tick a lot of boxes All of those letters spewing and sharpness we enjoyed in be one way or the other? My without much ado. I will be vitriol about the electric-car the past. I am so sorry. I really garage contains an electric renewing my subscription. revolution—who is this believe you are blowing it. Audi e-tron as a daily driver reader base, and do you and an Aston DB9 manual —Michael Woods even want us? Can’t you just —John Banquer as a fun ride. Seems to me Maple Ridge, BC automatically screen out New Orleans, LA emails from AOL accounts? This is for all those who I see that in the Novem- complain about the articles —Adam H. ber Backfires, Rick from on trucks, SUVs, imports, Manchester, MA Lansing, Michigan, offered and electrics. As best as I can For the latest from C/D, his tall-man “Will I fit in the tell, omitting those vehicles check out AOL keyword: car?” services at no charge. would leave five cars to test: Car and Driver—Ed. I would also like to offer the Ford Mustang, the Chevy myself for service. I am five Camaro and Corvette, and Can you publish another feet eight, and I thought you the Cadillac CT4 and CT5. irrelevant issue soon? I had might be interested. I have Even with every variation an absolute blast reading no journalistic talent, I am and trim level, it would be Backfires. Some of the not very interesting, I am difficult to fill each issue best comments ever. Keep not a very good driver, but without offending the “If it’s up the subpar work. I can drive a manual. I will not a car test or compari- accept $10,000 per issue, son, I don’t care” people. —Ron Clark cash, check, or Venmo. Vancouver, BC —Rhys L. Robinson-Pugh —Brady G. Gracemont, OK FINAL BREATH Chandler, AZ Ed.’s attempts at rebuttal I’m pretty sure you From your lips to the angry lack any sense of the humor already work here—Ed. subscribers’ ears—Ed. 9
Add WeatherTech FloorLiner and Cargo/Trunk Liner to your ride for ultimate interior protection all winter long. This pair precisely fits the contours of your vehicle and looks good while doing it. Made in USA
FLOORLINER™ CARGO/ TRUNK LINER Auto. Home. Pet. Find Your Fit.
HOP INTO ROAD & TRACK A LUXURY LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE FOR THE AUTOMOTIVE ENTHUSIAST EXCLUSIVE INTRO OFFER! ROADANDTRACK.COM/JOINNOW WANT TO LEVEL UP? BECOME A TRACK CLUB MEMBER FOR PREMIUM BENEFITS.
MEET THE MAKER Ocean-Front Property After some bad, er, karma, Henrik Fisker reminds us that nothing prepares you for success like a little failure. Henrik Fisker’s most iconic designs were chic BMWs and Aston Martins, and the Fisker Karma was a sporty sedan. So it may seem like a leap to go from high-end toys to the Fisker Ocean, a forthcoming affordable electric SUV, but he says it’s a smart choice. “The world’s most sold segment is SUVs. I’ve already designed a lot of luxury cars. I don’t have to prove that we can design a sports car. Other companies [making EVs], they’re making $100,000 vehicles. That segment will look crowded.” The Austrian manufacturer Magna Steyr is building the Ocean in front- and all-wheel-drive configurations. The base Ocean uses a 275-hp motor and offers a range of around 250 miles; all-wheel-drive Ultra and Extreme trims have two motors good for a combined 540 and 550 horsepower, respectively. Prices will start under $40,000. By Elana Scherr CAR AND DRIVER ~ FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 ~ PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARC URBANO 13
PROFILE MEET THE MAKER 1. 2. 3. Henrik Fisker showed up too soon. Fisker Automotive’s ill-fated first “Our aim is “The gasoline “I don’t believe car, the shapely Karma, was a to make the car will end up in making plug-in-hybrid luxury car that beat world’s most being like the Plan Bs. I don’t Tesla’s Model S to market but suc- sustainable racehorse, believe in cumbed to financial and technical vehicles.” where we ride planning for disasters. He’s ready to try again, for fun.” failure.” with not just one but multiple elec- tric vehicles in various states of pro- 14 duction. The Ocean is the closest to market, scheduled to begin deliver- ies in November. There’s a mystery model called the PEAR (Personal Electric Automotive Revolution), which Fisker will describe only as small, affordable, and unlike any- thing else. At the time of our inter- view, a third was but a swoopy clay model in his studio. And Fisker says a fourth design is coming soon. It’s a lot to take on at once, but Fisker says the world is finally ready. C/D: What went wrong with the Fisker Karma? FISKER: I was too early. I thought there must be a demand for a really cool, sexy, environmentally friendly car. Reclaimed wood from the Cali- fornia fires. A vegan interior, which we called EcoChic. It just went over everybody’s head. We literally had people buying the car going, “What’s that plug on the side?” It was an electric vehicle with a range extender, but people didn’t care. They were putting gas in it—didn’t bother to plug it in, didn’t care about the reclaimed wood. This was more than a year before the Tesla Model S launched. So there were philosophical chal- lenges, but also mechanical ones, yeah? We took a big risk in technology on the battery. That company failed, and we couldn’t continue. It was not like today, with many different bat- tery companies. LG was working with GM, Panasonic was with Tesla, and then there was A123 Systems, an American startup, which was a FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 ~ CAR AND DRIVER
Among the Ocean’s more interesting KARMIC features is California mode. One ENERGY press opens seven windows and the sunroof for an airy cruise. Select highlights from Henrik huge risk. And it turned out to be too risky, car is, in my view, the most de-risked aspect Fisker’s résumé. because they went bankrupt as we were of the entire program. launching the car. 1989–2000 Speaking of quality, the initial response to What’s different with the Ocean? the Karma was sky-high. You won awards. Then BMW Design Let’s say there are three fundamental things started to fall apart, both literally and things that I learned from the Karma. No, financially. How do you build up the confidence 1997 four. One, timing is everything. Number two, to try again? you’ve got to have enough money from the Z07 concept beginning to the end of the launch. I didn’t We took a beating for having a lot of tech- want to really kick off this program until we nical issues. But what I realized during that 1999 had a billion dollars, which we raised last time is that people were against electrifi- year. You can’t build something start-stop. cation. They were just against EVs. They Z8 That kills you. So, number two, get all the wanted to kill it. There were stories about money. Number three, you have to look at battery fires, but we never had a lithium-ion 2001–05 technology and assess the risk. Battery is battery fire. We had a fan fire. We had cars the biggest risk in [electric] cars, so we spent flooded in the port, and the insurance com- Aston Martin Design a long time working closely on a deal with pany said that to get the insurance money, CATL [Contemporary Amperex Technology we needed to be above the waterline. We 2004 Co. Ltd., a lithium-ion battery manufacturer]. were one inch below. So there were days I woke up and thought everything’s against DB9 What’s number four? me. You want to sink away and die in your The manufacturing of the vehicle—we own sorrow. But you have to decide, do I get 2005 need a solid manufacturing partner. We up even if it hurts, or do I stay down? I got ended up with two: Magna Steyr to do the up. The only thing I really know how to do V8 Vantage Ocean and Foxconn to do the PEAR. I’m is design a car. I’m not really good at much going into a factory where people have else. Well, I’m also pretty good at barbecu- 2005–07 worked together for 20 years, where they’re ing, but that’s about it. I love cars, and I don’t currently running luxury vehicles. We are think we’re ever going to get rid of them. I Fisker Coachbuild going to go on the same line where BMWs don’t believe in a future where everybody’s and Toyotas are being built by the same peo- taking public transportation. I mean, I grew 2006 ple. I mean, if that’s not de-risking, I don’t up with it in Denmark. I never, ever woke up know what de-risking is. The quality of this dreaming to take the bus. I dreamt to drive Fisker Tramonto a car—to have my own car. 2008 Artega GT 2007–13 Fisker Automotive 2011 Fisker Karma 2013–present HF Design 2015 Mustang Rocket 2016–17 VLF Automotive 2016 Destino V8 2016 Force 1 2016–present Fisker Inc. 2020 Fisker Ocean unveiled 15
FA U X H I D E ~ By Joe Lorio FINE PLASTIC M US HRO O M P H OTO GRAP H BY KON STAN TI N C H E R NOBAY/G E T TY I MAG ES CORINTHIAN COWS A survey from the research firm Strategic Vision found (WHAT’S IT that 46 PERCENT of respon- dents at least somewhat MADE OF?) agree that a luxurious Most vegan automotive seat MUST be made textiles are plastics. Histori- of leather. cally, vinyl, or polyvinyl chloride, has been made from Impossible Leather petroleum oil. The latest versions claim a greener Automakers think EV buyers want animal-free interiors. Do they? provenance, sort of. Faux leathers can be created from all sorts of things—apple peels, pineapple-plant leaves, mushroom roots (although none of those are yet in pro- duction cars). Mazda claims that the Premium Vintage Leatherette in its MX-30 EV [see “Short-Distance Run- around,” page 74] is made with minimal organic solvents. Lexus reports that production of the brand’s NuLuxe uses no volatile organic compounds and creates 65 percent less carbon emissions than real leather. At Volvo, Rekha Meena, senior design manager for color and material, says the company’s Microtech vinyl is also made without harmful plasticizers. Once the exclusive province of luxury cars, today leather can be optioned even in economy cars such as the Nissan Sentra and Honda Civic, and its popularity is increasing. In a recent survey of new-car buyers by market-research firm Strategic Vision, 53 percent reported getting leather, up from 46 percent a decade earlier. Green cred, though, may become more important going forward. While automakers have offered synthetic leather for years, typically as a cheaper alternative to the real thing, the new trend is to pitch it as the sustain- able choice, often in EVs. Prodded by PETA, Tesla ditched leather upholstery by 2017 (getting rid of leather-wrapped steering wheels took longer). Other EV makers are following suit. The new Rivian R1T [see “Your Move, Spaceboy,” page 58] uses “vegan leather” upholstery exclusively; GMC’s Hummer EV pickup and SUV will have synthetic skins as well. Volvo’s C40 Recharge is leather-free, and by 2030, when its entire lineup is electric, no Volvo will use leather. “In a focus group, someone may say, ‘I don’t want to harm animals,’ ” says Strategic Vision president Alexander Edwards. “But people also like to eat steak and have leather in their vehicles.” 16 PHOTOGRAPH BY ROY RITCHIE ~ FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 ~ CAR AND DRIVER
SHOP WEARABLES AND ACTIVITIES FOR CAR-LOVING LITTLE ONES! NEW PRODUCTS ADDED! GET ‘EM ALL AT The quest to find the ultimate men’s Your journey is at an end you can SHOP.RTCREW.COM watch has always been a difficult one rest in the knowledge that this superb in the world of fashion. A timepiece looking timepiece will stand out on with the perfect look and functionality the wrist. High-quality materials and has long been the goal of both watch design will endure the ravages of time designers and enthusiasts alike. both in terms of remaining fashionable and stylish yet durable enough to be After many years, mastering and hon- worn every day whether at work, rest, or play. ing the construction, design, and look. We bring you a durable rubber strap When we first introduced this out- that will withstand everything the ele- ments throw at it. Three precision sub- standing looking timepiece we sold out dials featuring a split second, second within days especially considering the and minute, as well as being water- very special low-cost offer of only $99 resistant to 3ATM’s. This watch is the plus S&H. To avoid disappointment epitome of style and sporty design. hurry and order today. ORDER NOW TOLL FREE ORDER ONLINE AT 24/7 ON timepiecesusa.com/cd22rn 1-800 733 8463 AND ENTER CODE: CD22RN PROMO CODE: CD22RN Timepieces Int Inc, 10701 NW 140th Street, Suite 1, Hialeah Gardens, Fl. 33018
D R I V E-T H R O U G H ~ By Elana Scherr Palm 1 Springs Eternal 2 3 Gearhead action abounds in the California desert. 1. 2. 3. 4 PHOTOGRAPH BY JAMES LIPMAN So you lost Rochambeau and PALM SPRINGS AIR NATIONAL DIRTY DEEDS: 4. now the family vacation is MUSEUM: If an MUSEUM OF GOLF Off-roaders in the desert city of Palm Springs, electric SUV CARS: Take a quick will find the SCHOOL DAY: How famous for midcentury-modern counts as a run through this Anza-Borrego convenient that architecture and swimming Mustang, so does small museum and area a wild one of the two pools under palm trees. Since it’s a P-51. The air marvel at such delight. Rent a BMW performance also a car-nerd paradise, we’ve museum in town rarities as a side-by-side and driving schools in got your activities covered. is open daily. Get Cushman Golfster hunt for artist the U.S. is at the a ride in a vintage and a Taylor-Dunn Ricardo Breceda’s nearby Thermal SHOPPING (FOR CARS): In addition to biplane. Tee Bird. steel dinosaurs. Club racetrack. the famous McCormick’s auction, Spend the day Palm Springs is full of classic-car clipping apexes. dealers. What could possibly go wrong with a $19,000 Rolls-Royce THE CAR: 2022 Mercedes-AMG EQS bought on a whim? For those With its architectural interior, glowing screens, and two who fear commitment, there are powerful motors, the AMG EQS, the first electric AMG, is several classic- and exotic-car apropos for driving past the windmills, midcentury build- rentals in the area. Forget Jeeping; ings, and neon lights of Palm Springs. It’s all class in town, tour nearby Joshua Tree National and when you’re ready, 751 horsepower will get you gone Park in a Huracán Spyder. faster than Sinatra could punch a reporter. PALMS TO PINES SCENIC BYWAY: Another thing to do with your ILLUSTRATION BY PETER OUMANSKI ~ FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 ~ CAR AND DRIVER rented Lamborghini. Some of Southern California’s best driving roads are near Palm Springs. Take State Route 74 up to Idyllwild for coffee—the mayor is a golden retriever named Max. If you have all day, try State Route 79 to Temecula, then, heck, cut south to State Route 76 and keep going to the coast. Come back on Route 79 through Julian and pick up a pie to excuse your absence. EL PASEO CRUISE NIGHT: Twice a month, this cruise brings out the classics Palm Springs is famous for. Even if you miss it, there’s still plenty of car spotting all over town. Take a Sunday morning run and enjoy both the architecture and what’s in the open garages. 18
U A F I N E F L E E C E ~ By Jamie Kitman Know Why I referred to as the “hidden scaffolding of Pulled You Over? financial incentives” that “underpins the A California program looks to lend a hand to people who policing of motorists in the United States.” can’t afford the increasingly expensive cost of a ticket. The concern—one all motorists should G share—is that rather than working in the et caught running a stop sign in 21.1 interest of public safety, ticketing is used California (which isn’t a thing as a city tax that disproportionately affects you would do, but work with HOURS lower-income drivers. us on this) and you’ll get a $35 ticket. But that’s not what Consider, as the Times did, Henderson, you’ll end up paying. A state Louisiana. It sits along Interstate 10 and penalty assessment adds $10 has a population of around 2000. In 2019, for every $10 of the base fine it generated $1.7 million—89 percent of its general revenue—through fees and fines. and rounds up, so tack on $40 Even after the While Henderson is a particularly egre- gious example, the Times identified more for that. Then there’s a county typical need- than 730 municipalities in the U.S. that rely on fines and fees for at least 10 percent of penalty assessment ($7 for based reduction, their revenue. every $10) punching it up another $28. A court- if you work “They’re depending on you breaking the law to break even,” said Lisa Foster, a construction penalty assessment is good for $20 making minimum retired California Superior Court judge, at a symposium in 2019. Foster is co-founder more. The Proposition 69 DNA penalty assessment wage ($15 per of the Fines and Fees Justice Center, a New York–based research and advocacy group. might not seem like much ($4), but coupled with the hour in Califor- “This is something that’s built up in gov- DNA Identification Fund penalty assessment ($16), nia), that’s how ernments throughout the country for over three decades as an alternative to finding there’s yet another $20. In total, 11 fees are added to long it would take other revenue for vital government ser- vices,” said Martin Hoshino, administrative the original $35 ticket, pushing it to $238. (before payroll director of the Judicial Council of Califor- nia, in early 2021. “What we’ve done is get The math happens again and again, regardless of taxes) to earn hooked on fines, fees, and assessments. It all seemed like a good idea at the time, every the infraction, across the more than 3 million tickets the $316 average time we did this over 30 years.” issued in California each year. Why? Often because amount still due. A May 2021 study by the California Leg- islative Analyst’s Office that zeroed in on local governments need the money. stop-sign violations found that the final price of $238 is up $83 from the cost of the Last fall, the New York Times dug into what it same ticket in 2005. The Judicial Council, in conjunction with the state’s Superior Courts, has been work- ing on a solution. The My Citations: Ability to Pay Determinations for Infractions online tool allows people to fill out a survey and request a reduction in what they owe based on their ability to pay. The program began in 2019. By the end of 2021, it was available in seven of California’s 58 counties; 12 more will get it this year. Through June 2021, about 16,000 people submitted more than 25,000 requests, resulting in over $9.5 mil- lion saved on fines and fees and reducing the average owed on each of their tickets from $692 to $316. It’s a big improvement, but still an expensive mistake. 20 ILLUSTRATION BY MARI FOUZ ~ FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 ~ CAR AND DRIVER
EZRA DYER Motor budget was an extended cab, not a full four-door. As Kombat for a Tacoma, the dealer said something like: “We It’s a cage match out there for new cars have one Tacoma coming in next month, and for a right now. So why not consider the vehicles chance to buy it, customers are going to engage in nobody wants? hand-to-hand combat in our new showroom battle pit. The winner will pay $7000 over sticker.” A friend M y friend Louis needed a truck. After who recently bought a new 4Runner TRD Pro told driving nothing but Toyota Taco- me what a great deal he got—he only paid full price. mas for 20 years, he was tempo- rarily truckless, ironically because A block away, the Nissan dealer had four new the craze for Tacomas resulted Frontiers on the lot and no kind of Squid Game in some household vehicular situation. I gave Louis the soft sell, telling him, “I arbitrage that saw his dented know you love Tacomas, but the Frontier just got and scratched 2017 Taco traded redesigned and is actually better than the Tacoma in straight up for a new Ford Bronco a lot of ways—an extra 32 horsepower, three more gears in the transmission, Zero Gravity front seats.” Sport. But then what? How do He asked what I meant by Zero Gravity seats, and like the car expert I am, I quickly changed the sub- you replace a vehicle that everyone wants without paying a ject. Gravity is one of the most powerful forces in the universe, but not as powerful as my apathy when it concurrently stupid price? I advised him to embrace an old comes to investigating marketing rhetoric. baseball maxim: Hit ’em where they ain’t. If everyone’s after Louis ended up buying the Frontier for at least $5000 less than the cheapest local Tacoma, a dis- a Tacoma, just get something else. You don’t always need the parity I find mystifying. I mean, I like Tacomas, but I don’t understand the deification that’s driving prices hot car. Take it from a guy who traded in his 2007 Mitsubishi insane. “The Frontier drives way better than my Tacoma did,” Louis noted. “It’s quieter and faster.” It Outlander for a 2010 Lincoln MKT EcoBoost. also has four-wheel disc brakes, which, believe it or not, differentiates it from the current Tacoma. “My I counseled Louis to check out the redesigned 2022 Nis- new truck has rear drum brakes” sounds like some- thing you’d say to a fellow passenger on a steamship san Frontier, the Ford Ranger, and the Chevy Colorado/GMC while drinking a laudanum soda pop. Canyon. He immediately clocked the Ranger as the kind of The way I see it, the mere presence of a hot vehi- cle in the market creates opportunities for anyone truck that’s due for a refresh, which is accurate. The only who can keep an open mind. The Ford Bronco is another example. I’ve been rubbernecking Bronco four-wheel-drive Canyon or Colorado that met his $40,000 anguish for months, as reservation holders complain and complain about distant build dates. And the Bronco is cool. But if you’re so impatient for a con- vertible four-by-four, there’s an SUV called the Jeep Wrangler that’s pretty easy to get. My local dealer has more than 40 to choose from, none of which carry five-figure markups. The Wrangler isn’t new and novel, but “new and novel” is a bad reason to buy a car that you plan to keep longer than six months. Want a C8 Corvette, but can’t find one at a rea- sonable price? Get a C7 Grand Sport. As the old Corvette saying goes, “Sooner or later, they’re all a C5.” Do you wish you could buy an FJ80 Land Cruiser, but they’re all halfway back to their origi- nal base price? Get in on the ground floor with a manual-transmission two-door Chevy Blazer ZR2, or a supercharged Nissan Xterra, or a Quadrasteer three-quarter-ton Chevy Suburban. Actually, forget I said that. None of those are hot or trendy. Long may it last. 22 ILLUSTRATION BY DEREK BACON ~ FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 ~ CAR AND DRIVER
U * The Stauer Magnificat II is SAVE $300! powered by your own movement $99 ®
ELANA SCHERR Marriage miles with a wheel hub off the wrecked car to give to Counseling Kristen, who finished fourth in her class. “This race, all the parts are 100 percent different,” Wayne said. Want support for your automotive hobby? “Even the wheels,” Kristen added. “Normally, we can Make it a family affair. Meet the Matlocks. at least share wheels, but now he’s five lug and I’m They race together (in separate cars). four lug, so we even have to keep those separate.” You know, the usual relationship problems. K risten and Wayne Matlock were divvying up their stuff. He was loading a set of Wayne grew up in a racing family; Kristen had wheels into his truck while she checked never even considered it until they started dating off a list of tools that go to hers. The in 2003. During a break in race prep, they sat down support team was split too: half to talk with me in the back-and-forth cadence of Wayne’s, half Kristen’s. The Matlocks long-partnered folks telling a familiar story. “I was have been married 17 years, but they racing when we met. I think she quickly got tired of just can’t share anymore. All marriages sitting around and watching,” Wayne said, grinning go through rough patches, and the at Kristen. Wayne had bought her a quad just for fun Matlocks had 1227 bumpy miles ahead. rides, and in pushing herself to keep up, she realized They were preparing for the 2021 Baja 1000, a famously she enjoyed the competition and wanted to race too. challenging race with a longer course than usual (it varies So she entered a local event, did well, and entered each year depending on conditions and permits). Plus, the another. “I would pick a certain person out on the Matlocks’ usual approach of running similarly equipped track, just to see if I could catch and pass them— Polaris side-by-side UTVs (so they could share spares) was each race, a new person who was a little bit faster,” out the window net. Wayne was testing the newest offering she said. “I ended up with five women’s champion- from Polaris, the just-released RZR Pro R, while Kristen was ships on quads over a 10-year span. Had to take some in her tried-and-true RZR XP 1000. For the 2022 season, time off here and there when I was pregnant with they’d both be in Pro Rs, but for the 2021 Baja, no crossover. our kids.” Now 10 and 12, the Matlock boys also race. In the Baja 500 earlier in the year, both buggies broke. So does it help or hurt to be in an all-race-car- Wayne’s was unfixable, but his co-driver hiked back three driver family? “Well, we fight about different things,” Wayne said. “You’re not arguing about putting dishes in the dishwasher the wrong way. You’re arguing over who chose what cam because it went flat. And there’s nobody to be the voice of rea- son. We both want more racing all the time.” And of course, they worry. One reason for running two cars rather than taking turns navigating for each other is to limit the possibility that they crash together. “Sure, I think we worry a little more than we would if we were sitting on the couch,” Wayne said. Kristen has her own concern. “I worry he’s going to pass me, because he starts behind me,” she said, illustrating another reason for two cars: They both want the thrill of wheeling it across the finish line. Cams and crashes aside, they think racing together is a strength. No need to explain to a non- racing partner why you’re up at 4 a.m. reviewing maps of Mexico. There’s a morale boost in signing off radio communications with “Be safe, love you,” which, sure, you could get from a mechanic, but it’s just not the same. Over the next two days, which were one long day, the Matlocks never saw each other, but each knew exactly where the other was, sometimes more accurately than their own location. It was a tough race for both—33 hours for Wayne, nearly 37 for Kristen—but even when miles of dirt and twisting boojum trees separated them, they knew they weren’t racing alone. 24 ILLUSTRATION BY DILEK BAYKARA ~ FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 ~ CAR AND DRIVER
POWERED BY A car lover’s community for ultimate access & unrivaled experiences BECOME A MEMBER AT ROADANDTRACK.COM/JOINNOW
lightning l apVIRGINIA INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY 3 6 ° 3 3 ’4 3 ” N 79°12’22”W GRAND COURSE XV4.1MILES On our 15th trip to Virginia International Raceway, we set lap times in 21 of the best performance cars of the year. Over three days of hammering tires and brakes on America’s most grueling road course, a few records fell, some old scores were settled, and we came to the realization that this in no way resembles work. by David Beard, Rich Ceppos, K.C. Colwell, Tony Quiroga, and Dave VanderWerp photography by Marc Urbano CAR AND DRIVER ~ FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 27
When we invented Inspiration came from the Ger- We decided on Virginia Interna- Lightning Lap in man magazine Sport Auto, which tional Raceway in Alton, Virginia. At 2006, we wanted published a monthly “Supertest” 4.1 miles long in the Grand Course to develop a that included a lap time at the configuration, it’s one of the longest performance legendary 12.9-mile Nürburgring tracks in the country. This cruci- test that could Nordschleife. One of the world’s ble contains 35 corners and bends not only compare most challenging road courses, the (though only 24 numbered corners), the hottest cars ’Ring has some 180 corners and sub- several of them wickedly fast, some of the year, but stantial elevation changes. Unfortu- blind, and all difficult to master. also become a nately, that track is an ocean away. yardstick to We needed something closer. To create classes, we grouped the gauge progress cars into five price segments (LL1 to over time. 28 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 ~ CAR AND DRIVER
LL5) that we’ve adjusted over the quick laps without mangling any car and tire manufac- years for inflation. To make it fair, machinery. We could’ve used a pro turers replacing tires we chose to run cars the way a cus- driver, but then we wouldn’t be able and making sure their tomer can buy them. Occasionally, to provide first-hand experience and entries were performing that includes dealer accessories, but dissection of the cars. at their best. any performance extras you’d need to re-create our times are added into This year we spread 21 cars over Clearly, automakers have concluded what we call the Lightning Lap base five drivers—three of whom were on that Lightning Lap is serious business. price. That first year, we brought 17 staff in 2006, though not driving in While some factory development driv- cars and four drivers—all four with that first year. As always, if there’s ers with thousands of track miles in their racing experience—and achieved a vehicle missing from the group, cars have occasionally beaten our times, either we’ve already tested it or the the differences are small, and over the carmaker couldn’t supply a car or course of 15 runnings, our times have didn’t want to play. Some carmakers become a benchmark. Which is what we like to play, though, and this year set out to achieve all of those years ago. there were at least 20 people from —Csaba Csere, former editor-in-chief You Stay Classy, Virginia To make comparing lap times easier, we sort vehicles into five price segments. The Lightning Lap base price includes all the options (tires, engine, etc.) needed to re-create our fastest lap. LL1 LL2 LL3 LL4 LL5 up to $35,000– $65,000– $125,000– $250,000 $34,999 $64,999 $124,999 $249,999 and above 29
03:12.4 front straight, where the Limited’s 127.4-mph peak speed is 8.7 mph higher than the tS’s. 2022 Subaru BRZ Limited, LL1 Like its predecessor, the new model is deeply fun to bal- BASE PRICE: $31,455 • AS-TESTED PRICE: $31,455 ance on the knife edge of its neutral chassis. A quick lap 228 hp • 2842 lb • 12.5 lb/hp requires you to keep oversteer at bay, sliding just enough— TIRES: Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 215/40R-18 85Y but not too much—to help rotate the car. That requires judicious use of the throttle and quick hands to catch the The playful character that makes the BRZ such fun to rear the moment it starts to act. Get it right in the sweeping drive on the street—its quick-witted responses and will- NASCAR bend and the left-right-left-right cutbacks of the ingness to slide its tail—is every bit as present at VIR. It’s Infield, and you’ll feel a jolt of electricity run through you. a heart-racing blast that slip-slides through Lap times, schmap times. corners, even if it posts the slowest lap time of the year. FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 ~ CAR AND DRIVER Compared with the 2018 BRZ tS at Light- ning Lap 12, this second-gen Limited model has a significantly stiffer suspension and structure and a new 2.4-liter flat-four with 23 more horsepower and 28 more pound- feet of torque. It runs on the same 215/40R- 18 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires. But it lacks the tS’s firm Sachs dampers, big rear wing, and stout Brembo brakes. The new model’s brakes are marginal for track use, but with high-temp DOT 4 brake fluid added by Sub- aru, the BRZ will survive two consecutive laps without any pedal-to-the-floor issues. Given the new BRZ’s mechanical pluses and minuses, we expected it to lap faster than the tS, and it did, by 1.6 seconds. The new car takes half-second bites out of the tS in Sectors 1, 2, and 5, while they remain virtually equal through Sectors 3 and 4. The difference in horsepower is obvious on the 30
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF START/FINISH A VIRGINIA RACETRACK FRONT STRAIGHT Start of Sector 1 After hosting big-name racers NASCAR HORSE in the 1960s, VIR lay dormant for BEND SHOE years until its rebirth in 2000. When asked about VIR, Paul Newman mused, Sector 2 “If there is a heaven on Earth, it’s VIR.” It SNAKE opened in August 1957 in the heart of the stock-car-racing belt, and Carroll Shelby ROLLER COASTER CLIMBING won the track’s first race in a Maserati 450S. ESSES Although VIR attracted plenty of racers, the Sector 5 spectators necessary to keep the track afloat Sector 4 never showed up. The road course remained BITCH open until October 1974, when the track closed and the property reverted to farmland. Rebuilt VIRGINIA and reopened by its current owners in INTERNATIONAL 2000, VIR is now host to the Michelin GT RACEWAY Challenge at VIR and Fanatec GT World GRAND COURSE, Challenge America. This year it will be the 4.1 MILES site of the SCCA runoffs. We return annu- ally to pay our respect to the grandeur of the Grand Course. ELEVATION, FT BACK STRAIGHT 500 400 Sector 3 OAK TREE Sector 1 Sector 2 Sector 3 Sector 4 Sector 5 NORTH 300 FINISH START 03:12.1 heavier, which negates some of its power advantage. The new car still has a slightly better pounds-per-horsepower ratio, and 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI at 127.1 mph on the front straight, it’s 4.0 mph faster. Autobahn, LL2 The new car’s real edge is in its chassis. We’ve never driven BASE PRICE: $39,790 • AS-TESTED PRICE: $40,185 a GTI that was so poised and planted; understeer at the limit is 241 hp • 3311 lb • 13.7 lb/hp minimal, more like what you’d expect in a rear-driver. The elec- TIRES: Hankook Ventus S1 Evo3, 235/35R-19 91Y tronically controlled limited-slip differential eliminates time- wasting wheelspin while exiting the tight Oak Tree corner, and The eighth-gen GTI’s performance this year recon- there is no need for stability control, which can now be turned firmed what we’ve known for some time: Its han- fully off. The GTI feels so good and trusty that it averaged 118.5 dling is a marvel. Officially, it was 2.5 seconds per mph through the daunting Climbing Esses, a mere 1.1 mph lap quicker than the seventh-gen GTI we ran here slower than the M3 Competition xDrive. in 2015. Unofficially, it is even quicker. We’ll explain what happened in a minute. Unfortunately, the GTI’s lap time doesn’t represent how far it’s come. The driver, who shall remain nameless [see “A Newbie We drove the Autobahn version, which has 21 Takes On VIR,” page 43], claims to have seen a 3:10.6 on the VBox more horses than the 2015 car and is the only GTI readout—but the VBox rookie forgot to slide a memory card into that comes from the factory with summer rubber. the unit, so there’s no proof. The official time is the quickest lap Autobahns also have adaptive dampers, and ours for which there is data. That unofficial lap, some four seconds was fitted with the optional seven-speed dual-clutch quicker than the previous GTI’s, indicates the true potential of gearbox. But the new GTI in this trim is 235 pounds the new one. We’ll just have to bring it back next year to make it official. 31
03:11.8 GET IT STRAIGHT 2022 Toyota GR86 Premium, LL1 People mistake VIR’s Grand Course BASE PRICE: $31,325 • AS-TESTED PRICE: $31,750 for a power track 228 hp • 2833 lb • 12.4 lb/hp because of the TIRES: Michelin Pilot Sport 4, 215/40R-18 85Y long back straight used in the Full The Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ are the auto- increments of time and speed back and Course layout. motive equivalent of identical twins separated at forth with the Subaru. Measured against The portion of the birth. It’s the age-old question of nature versus history, the GR86 is 2.2 seconds quicker back straight we nurture—they start with the same mechanical than the 2018 BRZ tS we ran in Light- use is far shorter. DNA, but how did each parent influence their ning Lap 12. And although it is progeny’s development? just shorter than This year’s Lightning Lap did the front straight, The GR86 has firmer suspension tuning unearth a shared shortcoming with peak speeds are and a stiffer rear anti-roll bar, which makes it the Toyobaru twins: Without the BRZ’s far slower because more willing to hang its tail out on the street. brake-fluid upgrade, the GR86’s brakes the corner that But on the track, we couldn’t tell the difference were so feeble, they’d inch closer and feeds the back, between it and the BRZ; they exhibit the exact closer to the floor as the lap went on. Oak Tree, is some same behavior. Same sharp steering. Same nim- They kept performing, just not inspir- 20 mph slower bleness. Same tendency to engage in sexy oppo- ing. So, if you’re hoping to track either than the front- site-lock tail slides. of these coupes, we recommend at least straight-feeding replacing the brake fluid and stock pads. corner Hog Pen. But not the same lap time. The GR86 is 0.6 That’s not all they have in common, of second quicker, with 0.4 second of its advan- course. From the driver’s seat these tage coming in the sector that includes the tight twins are indistinguishable—two cars, bends of Oak Tree and Bitch and the long back one kick-ass track experience. straight. Around the rest of the lap, it trades tiny BACK STRAIGHT 32 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 ~ CAR AND DRIVER
03:06.7 03:04.9 2021 Acura TLX 2022 Lexus IS500 F Type S SH-AWD, LL2 Sport Performance, LL2 BASE PRICE: $54,945 • AS-TESTED PRICE: $55,445 BASE PRICE: $58,525 355 hp • 4202 lb • 11.8 lb/hp AS-TESTED PRICE: $63,620 TIRES: Pirelli P Zero PZ4, 255/35ZR-20 97Y 472 hp • 3958 lb • 8.4 lb/hp TIRES: Bridgestone Potenza S001L, The TLX starts off strong, hanging on for 1.00 g F: 235/40R-19 92Y R: 265/35R-19 94Y through Turn 1. But it works its Pirelli P Zero PZ4 tires so hard that they have only one strong lap in Our initial test of the IS500 exposed a flaw. them before getting hot and greasy. After six stops from 70 mph and three from 100, the brake pedal felt like we’d stepped A fast lap in the TLX involves managing turn-in into mashed potatoes. understeer—not surprising for a nose-heavy sedan. The solution is getting back on the power early, VIR is even harder on brakes, leading as the torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system us to wonder: At what point will the brakes helps rotate the TLX through the corner. Dubbed fade? Going into Oak Tree? On the back SH-AWD, it’s dialed in for racetrack duty. Step into straight, where the IS hits 135.8 mph? And the accelerator while cornering, and the car pivots then Lexus informed us of a change: “We’ve productively but doesn’t aggressively oversteer like installed prototype front pads that will be some Audis, which had a similar system. sold as an accessory.” The brake-by-wire setup is touchy, with the ped- Brakes are important when there’s a 472- al’s short stroke making it difficult to modulate the hp 5.0-liter V-8 that can call up 142.2 mph braking force. We often got more initial braking on the front straight. Concerned about the than desired and had to back off. brakes, we eased into them and our worries eventually subsided. Though the brake- Speaking of brakes, the TLX’s really aren’t up to pedal feel doesn’t inspire much confidence, track work. Our car was wearing more aggressive the brakes and pads survived three days of dealer-installed pads, and even with the upgrade, lapping without incident. the brakes wore out so quickly that the TLX started each of our three lapping days with a brand-new set A bigger problem turns out to be corner- of both pads and rotors. ing grip. In Turn 1, the Bridgestone Potenza S001L tires only manage 0.87 g. Driving off That’s not to say that the TLX is a slouch. Con- the corner exit requires patience too. Hit sider how it stacks up against the impressive Cadil- the gas too early and the Bridgestones leave lac CT4-V and CT5-V from last year. The TLX and behind a smoke screen. A more aggressive CT4-V trade tenths back and forth through the vari- tire choice would help at VIR. ous sectors, and the Acura’s 355-hp twin-turbo V-6 keeps it within a half-second reach of the Caddy. On a fast lap we did manage to overheat the eight-speed automatic, causing it to burp But the Acura’s engine lacks the pull of the CT5- fluid out of its vent. When that happened, V’s 360-hp twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6. It’s also miss- the transmission refused to upshift, sending ing the thrust of the 382-hp inline-six in the BMW the V-8 bouncing off its 7300-rpm rev lim- M340i and it can’t keep up with the 472-hp V-8 in iter. This thermal drama occurred despite the Lexus IS500, both of which will shrink a TLX in an auxiliary dealer-installed transmission their rearview mirrors. cooler. We get that the IS500 isn’t designed to be a track car, but its 3:04.9 lap trails the RCF Track Edition by only 2.3 seconds. We can think of a few minor tweaks that would certainly close that gap. 33
03:04.3 Though the new R has all-wheel drive and 74 horsepower more than the front-drive GTI, it manages to move with the 2022 Volkswagen Golf R, LL2 same assuredness, finely honed balance, and near absence of understeer as its lesser sibling. That athleticism enabled the new BASE PRICE: $45,440 • AS-TESTED PRICE: $45,440 R to smoke its predecessor through not just one of VIR’s sectors, 315 hp • 3357 lb • 10.7 lb/hp but all five; its 137.4 mph straightaway speed topped the old 292- TIRES: Hankook Ventus S1 Evo3, 235/35R-19 91Y hp R’s by 12.8 mph. Over the 4.1-mile lap, that trouncing equates to a massive 8.0-second advantage over the last Golf R, matching A racetrack doesn’t care if a car looks like a the time set by a 450-hp Audi RS5 back in 2013. decommissioned fighter jet or a box with win- dows. The only thing that matters at Lightning Recording a clean lap was a struggle, though. Your hands Lap is how quickly a vehicle can wend its way need to be at nine and three to reach the dual-clutch automat- through the circuit. Golf Rs might be boxy ic’s shift paddles, but that causes your palms to contact various machines with economy-car roots, but they’re spoke-mounted buttons, creating all manner of havoc. We’d also imbued with the power and handling to leave the pits in the most aggressive chassis setting with the car make your fast-driving aspirations a reality, at in manual-shift mode and, halfway through a lap, find ourselves least most of the time. in a different mode with the steering-wheel heat on and the car shifting itself. In desperation, we shut off stability control, tapped the drive-mode selector into sport, and somehow put together a cohesive lap. If you’re serious about tracking an R, get the six-speed manual or learn to drive with your hands at ten and two. Do that and the Golf R’s sports-car soul will quickly overshadow any thoughts about its exterior design. DOWNWARD SPIRAL FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 ~ CAR AND DRIVER A long, mostly flat left follows the sharp, downhill left-right sequence in Spiral. Less than 10 mph separates this year’s cars at their slowest point in this corner. The GTI slows to 41.6 mph, just 5.2 mph behind the AMG GT Black Series. 34
03:03.0 line speed, its newfound 47 horsepower enables it to start reeling in the 405-hp 2022 BMW M240i xDrive, LL2 2019 M2 Competition down the front straight. But it poses no threat to the M2’s BASE PRICE: $49,545 • AS-TESTED PRICE: $57,120 3.3-second-quicker lap time. 382 hp • 3851 lb • 10.1 lb/hp TIRES: Pirelli P Zero PZ4 Run Flat, Excessive oversteer aside, this all-wheel- F: 225/40R-19 93Y R: 255/35R-19 96Y drive 2 has a friendly rear-drive feel that doesn’t require you to get on the power early The M240i didn’t really get a fair shot this year. Like to cancel understeer as in the TLX Type S. every other BMW present, the all-new 2 arrived But, just like the 3, the M240i’s brake pedal without extra tires. To avoid prematurely wearing softened early and continued to get squish- out the rubber, we sent it around the track in anger ier, which didn’t inspire confidence. only four times in two days. The quickest lap came on the third session, and the by-then scrubbed-up Could the 2 have shaved a few tenths on tires contributed to a startling amount of turn-in fresh tires? Absolutely. But the extra power oversteer that robbed some time. and handling poise made it easy to master with minimal laps. Still, this larger and substantially heavier M240i runs a major 5.0 seconds quicker BACK AND FORTH than the previous-gen model. It’s faster At roughly the three-mile everywhere, thanks in part to its 382-hp mark lies a high-speed right- turbocharged inline-six from the 3-series. left-right combination that The 2’s curb weight is within 100 pounds of seems designed to put you a comparable 3, too, which meant our all- into the grass. To nail the wheel-drive M240i—the only six-cylinder section you want a vehicle with variant currently available—weighed more steering that reports on the than last year’s rear-drive M340i. front tires’ slip angles and a stable chassis that isn’t overly Even without fresh rubber, the M240i sensitive to load transfer. runs with the M340i in every sector, wind- ing up two-tenths ahead overall. Although 35 the 2 can’t quite match the 3’s straight-
03:02.9 03:02.2 2022 BMW X4M Competition, LL3 2020 Audi RS Q8, LL3 BASE PRICE: $81,395 • AS-TESTED PRICE: $86,145 BASE PRICE: $123,695 • AS-TESTED PRICE: $138,340 503 hp • 4548 lb • 9.0 lb/hp • TIRES: Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, 591 hp • 5489 lb • 9.3 lb/hp F: 255/40ZR-21 (102Y) R: 265/40ZR-21 (105Y) TIRES: Continental SportContact 6, 295/35ZR-23 (108Y) AO The aptly named Roller Coaster consists of a 130-foot drop into one of the last corners before the front straight. Smash- No one gets excited about SUVs at Lightning Lap. ing over the final chunk of curbing on the left before dip- They’re too heavy, too tall, too big, too powerful ping into the right-hander Hog Pen is usually routine busi- for their own good. But there is real joy in seeing ness, but in BMW’s roided-out tilt-a-whirl, it’s a moment of an elephant run free and then try to stop, probably. weightlessness. Siri, play Sinatra’s “Come Fly with Me.” On the back of a 591-hp version of the same twin- Like all the BMWs this year, the X4M had only the tires it turbo 4.0-liter V-8 found in the Porsche Cayenne showed up with, so we didn’t have the luxury of laps to sort and Lamborghini Urus, Audi’s 5489-pound RS Q8, out the (ahem) quirks that present themselves at speed. It the heaviest vehicle we’ve ever lapped, charged its didn’t take us long to realize that the firmest damper setting way up to 144.1 mph on the front straight. is too stiff for VIR. The first time we went over the curbing in Roller Coaster at speed, the driver’s-side tires launched into Admittedly, it is exciting to reel in the energy orbit. A post-lap interview with the corner worker put it at of an RS Q8 barreling toward Turn 1. The 17.3-inch about 30 feet of two-wheel action, but at 75 mph, that feels carbon-ceramic rotors clamped by 10-piston calipers like you’re a Wright brother at Kitty Hawk. are the right hardware for the task. They’re strong, although the brake pedal sinks deep enough to make That wouldn’t be the only time the X4M turned its you wonder whether this pachyderm will trample Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber into landing gear. Like an the tire wall. The mass and speed do overwork and old Volkswagen GTI, under a full lateral load in tight corners, then overheat the initially grippy Continental Sport- the inside rear tire lifts off the tarmac. That love of flight, the Contact 6 rubber. But before these impressive tires elevated center of gravity, and quick and get too hot, they put down a strong 1.00 g in Turn 1. hyperactive steering spooked us enough to average just 108.0 mph through the Once you get used to lapping VIR in what feels Climbing Esses, the slowest average of like an RS7 converted to standing-desk height, this year’s contenders. there’s nothing threatening about the RS Q8’s han- dling. Curbs are swallowed whole, the steering is When the X4M isn’t taking to the truthful, and the understeer is predictable and easy skies, its all-wheel-drive system turns to manage. Executing the perfect lap is tough in any the twin-turbo six’s 503 horsepower into car, and even though we’re chasing just one hot lap, relentless acceleration. We reached 131.7 the course’s 4.1-mile length means that it is necessary mph on the back straight. Stand on the to think about the ever-degrading tires and brake firm brake pedal and all of that speed temps. Push even a little too hard and you’ll pay for is erased with confidence-inspiring it later in the lap, when the front tires chatter with ease. The X4M’s 3:02.9 lap is far from a understeer or the brakes require you to get on them new record, but it is good enough for a earlier. As much as we tried, we couldn’t get the RS 1.9-second advantage over a close rival, Q8 under the 3:00 mark, but that time is still quicker the 505-hp Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadri- than the sit-down RS7 that lapped here in 2014. foglio. Pack up; let’s fly away. FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 ~ CAR AND DRIVER 36
03:00.7 Blackwings and the M3 and M5 CS. In the tight- est and twistiest sections, the LE one-upped the previous Type R by 0.9 second. But it went no 2021 Honda Civic Type R quicker through the Climbing Esses, held back Limited Edition, LL2 by the available power as we kept our right foot BASE PRICE: $45,010 • AS-TESTED PRICE: $45,010 against the floorboard through the left-right- 306 hp • 3084 lb • 10.1 lb/hp left-right climb up that hairy hill. TIRES: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2, 245/30ZR-20 (90Y) RO1 Turbo lag requires getting back on the throttle ahead of apexes. Yet the Type R LE is We anticipated that the Type R Limited Edition would take back the amazingly well balanced for a front-driver, with front-drive lap record from last year’s Mini GP by shedding a few a generous lift causing it to tuck in to the apex pounds and swapping to Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 track rubber. and rotate obediently. But it delivered a 3.1-second spanking on the Mini, going 3.2 seconds But there are no front-drive or hot-hatch quicker than the previous Type R. caveats necessary. The now-out-of-production That this hottest Civic is approaching a sub-three-minute lap Type R Limited Edition is just plain great, period. demonstrates the outrageous gains we’ve wit- nessed at Lightning Lap. This Type R not only destroys every other hot hatch but plenty of past Corvettes, M cars, and Porsches too. It ties the Bringing Up the Front quickest car at our first-ever event, a 2006 Ford GT [see “Parade of Progress,” page 39]. ALL-TIME TOP FIVE: FRONT-WHEEL DRIVE The 2008 Chevy Most impressively, the Type R does it without Cobalt SS’s 3:13.0 held the front-drive record until the 2018 Honda Civic Type R. Since then, the record has been hotly contested. the benefit of mega straight-line speed. To put its chassis superiority into context, no production 2021 Honda Civic Type R Limited Edition 3:00.7 car has turned a quicker lap time without the 2021 Mini John Cooper Works GP 3:03.8 benefit of a better power-to-weight ratio and a higher peak speed down the front straight. 2018 Honda Civic Type R 3:03.9 The Type R acts like a real track car, reso- 2019 Hyundai Veloster N Performance Package 3:07.7 lutely stiff and solid, with brakes that never faltered as we kept pushing the braking points 2019 Volkswagen Jetta GLI 35th Anniversary Edition 3:12.2 later and later. Grip in Turn 1 is 9 percent better than the previous Type R and stickier than both 37
A YELLOW HONDA FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 ~ CAR AND DRIVER ’ROUND THE OLE OAK TREE Named for the acorn-dropping oak that lived inside the apex until 2013, Oak Tree corner is one of VIR’s slowest and requires monk-like patience before you floor the throttle on your way onto the back straight. 38
“The Civic Type R Limited PARADE OF Edition feels and acts like a purpose-built track car. It’s PROGRESS the rare production car that Constant upgrades doesn’t wallow and quickly make a front-driver fade when giving its all.” as fast as a supercar. —Dave VanderWerp In 2006, at our first Lightning Lap outing, no car broke the three-minute threshold; this year nearly half the field did. The Honda Civic Type R Limited Edition illustrates that steady improvement in lap times over the years—it matched the lap time of the quickest car from the inaugural year, the 550-hp mid-engine Ford GT. So how is it that a front-drive hot hatch— one with 58 percent more weight saddling each horse- power—that you can buy for one-fifth of the GT’s inflation- adjusted price can hang with a mid-2000s supercar? A lot of it comes down to tires. The Ford’s Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercars (rumor has it that Corvette engineers nicknamed them “Eagle Superhards” when the Corvette wore them) are no match for the Type R’s Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s. In every corner, the Civic enjoys nearly 10 percent more grip, and the front-driver rips through the Climbing Esses at a 6.3-mph-faster average speed. Let the GT stretch its legs and its supercharged 5.4-liter V-8 turns a 1.5-second deficit at Oak Tree into a 0.4-second lead at the end of the back straight. But in the slower, more tech- nical sections that remain, the Honda whittles away at that lead, reeling the Ford in for a photo finish. Is this a perfect comparison? Of course not. Since 2006, VIR has been repaved, and additional curb- ing effectively widens the track in a few spots. What is clear is that cars, tires, and lap times have improved massively. 39
03:00.5 02:56.2 2021 BMW X5 M Competition, LL3 2022 Bentley Continental GT Speed, LL5 BASE PRICE: $115,095 • AS-TESTED PRICE: $126,295 617 hp • 5338 lb • 8.7 lb/hp BASE PRICE: $280,225 TIRES: Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, AS-TESTED PRICE: $343,890 F: 295/35ZR-21 (107Y) R: 315/30ZR-22 (107Y) 650 hp • 5050 lb • 7.8 lb/hp TIRES: Pirelli P Zero PZ4, F: 275/35ZR-22 BMW used to tout its even front-to-rear weight distribution (104Y) B R: 315/30ZR-22 (107Y) B as one of the magical elements that made its cars handle so Bentley’s most powerful Continental GT may share its platform with the Porsche well. Jump from the Audi RS Q8 into the X5 M, and you’ll Panamera, but when you’re sawing at its wheel, wringing out the mighty W-12, be a true believer. The X5 M carries 50.6 percent of its 5338 and ensconced in the rich leather and brushed-aluminum cabin, the experience pounds in front, whereas 56.4 percent of the RS Q8’s 5489 couldn’t be more different. pounds sits on the front tires. Instead of steady understeer, On the front straight, near the start/ finish line, there’s a slight dip in the asphalt the X5 M is playful and works all its tires hard, not just the that goes undetected in many cars, includ- ing Porsche’s four-door. Even with the fronts. The X5 seemingly pivots around an axis in the mid- dampers in their firmest setting, the Flying B displays its softer side as its 5050 pounds dle of the car. Depending on where your feet shift the load ROCK ’N’ ROLLER by braking or accelerating, the X5 rotates in an easy and There’s just barely time for one breath between controllable manner that makes it seem alive and willing. exiting the Infield’s long sweepers and dropping into Gifted the same twin-turbo V-8 as the M5 CS, rated at 617 Roller Coaster and Hog Pen. It’s a downhill sequence horsepower, the X5 moves down the front straight at 145.0 that makes or breaks a lap because a blown corner mph, and its iron rotors slow it down without fade or pedal here results in speed lost on the front straight. weirdness coming into Turn 1. Performance metrics have a funny way of creat- These brakes are awesome. We ing temporary milestones. After all, there was a time when a sub-three-second zero-to-60 time could endlessly list the SUV dis- was inconceivable. When we started Lightning Lap, breaking three minutes became a target advantages—weight, center of because the quickest car on our first outing couldn’t do it. SUVs cracked three minutes a few gravity, frontal area—but there THREE- years ago, and now a sedan won’t raise a brow is one major SUV advantage: unless it dips below 2:50. Even front-drivers are flirting with three minutes. Our fastest lap ever suspension travel. In the X5 M MINUTE is the 2:34.9 set in a McLaren Senna. Will 2:30 you can crush the curbing with- be the new 3:00? That’s going into our next per- out any fear of retribution, and formance review, if only to confuse HR. that allows you to work every TEST FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 ~ CAR AND DRIVER inch and angle of the track to your advantage. There’s numbness in the The once- steering, but the gearbox is unbeatable four- clever enough to downshift minute mile of under braking and upshift at Lightning Lap. redline. Deft, fun, and bal- anced, the X5 M is an M5 CS in platform shoes. 40
list over the undulation at more than 150 mph. “There might be Keeping that speed in check are 17.3-inch cars that beat carbon-ceramic front rotors squeezed by 10-piston the Bentley calipers that are unfazed by the repeated task of Continental GT turning this car’s copious kinetic energy into heat. Speed’s lap time, If only the Pirelli P Zero PZ4 tires could take those temps. The Speed averages a solid and secure 0.97 but nothing g through Turn 1, but the Bentley’s mass and speed that turns a lay into the rubber, and the grip decreases as the faster lap is lap unfolds. Backing off a bit to keep the tires from as decadent or getting greasy is necessary; you find yourself tip- toeing this land yacht through slower corners such luxurious.” as the tight downhill Spiral. —David Beard Whereas the Panamera offers sharp turn-in and feedback, the Continental’s tuning makes the steering feel more relaxed, and the rear-axle steering’s stabilizing role is less obvious. Get into the twin-turbo 6.0-liter’s 650 horsepower too early and you’ll get some photo-friendly but time- robbing drifts. Despite our having to maintain the tires, the Continental answered our Virginia challenge with a 2:56.2. We’d call that a win, since nothing this heavy or luxurious has gone faster. It is a gentleman’s racer. 41
KINK SHAMING 02:55.6 a taco. The damage was more than the The final corner Cadillac engineers on site could rectify. is a subtle kink on 2022 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing, LL3 So a call was made to GM headquarters, the front straight. and a replacement CT4-V Blackwing There’s a bump on BASE PRICE: $67,515 • AS-TESTED PRICE: $78,985 was on a truck headed for Alton within the left side of the 472 hp • 3902 lb • 8.3 lb/hp a few hours. track that spun TIRES: Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, a Mosler Photon F: 255/35ZR-18 (94Y) TPC R: 275/35ZR-18 (99Y) TPC Errors erode confidence, even when in 2011. Mosler it’s not the car’s fault. The smaller Black- hasn’t been back They say that when you summit a mountain, the wing is a track star with rich feedback to LL since. journey is only halfway over. Reach the crest of and secure handling. Sure, if you go the Climbing Esses and what follows is a blind left- directly from a 911 GT3 to the Cadillac, hander with existential repercussions. Overdo it by the sedan’s turn-in response feels rela- a mere 0.1 mph and a very bad ending becomes a tively sluggish, which could cause a late very real possibility. corner entry. But that’s not the car’s prob- lem. Even with a second driver behind After we went in a little hot and missed the the wheel, we couldn’t commit to taking turn-in point, the CT4-V Blackwing went into a lurid the Esses the way Cadillac assured us was slide down the hill that ended in the grass, where possible. The CT4-V Blackwing did aver- a beefy right-front suspension member folded like age 121.4 mph—nearly 2 mph faster than SO YOU FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 ~ CAR AND DRIVER THINK YOU CAN DANCE? Think you can beat our Lightning Lap times? Good news. Kaizen Autosport, VIR’s resident racing school and track-car rental company, has orga- nized a time trial on the 4.1-mile Grand Course to allow you to play along. Come test your skills at VIR on March 15 to see how fast you can go, but be ready for us to point out all the modifications that made your car faster than the bone-stock ones we drive at the real Lightning Lap. Race cars are welcome too. For details and to register, head to www.kaizen autosport.com/ lightninglap. Use promo code CDLL10 for 10 percent off. 42
the BMW M3—but it gave up a tenth or two on its potential. With Performance Traction Management (PTM) in Race 2 (no stability control and track-tuned traction control) and the automatic shifting perfectly, the little ’Wing devours corner after corner, delivering a lap time nearly 11 seconds quicker than last year’s CT4-V. But despite the Blackwing having the advantage over the M3 at a number of apexes, the Cadillac gained time only in Sector 4. In those long high- speed corners, it’s possible to overwhelm the rear tires with too much twin-turbo V-6. Fortunately, it’s easy to catch, as the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires recover quickly from slides. A lot quicker than we do, apparently. ILLUSTRATION BY MONICA HELLSTRÖM A NEWBIE TAKES ON VIR Wherein Ceppos discovers that Lightning Lap demands more than just fast laps. Here’s what I learned as a first-time driver at Lightning Lap: It’s not nearly as easy as our team of editor-drivers makes it look. Oh, it’s fun, but K.C. Colwell warned that it’s also stressful. Stressful? I have thousands of miles of track experience—how nerve- racking could it be? The pile of worry begins with the clock, and it’s not just lap times. Time manage- ment is critical to getting great lap times. Learning the 4.1-mile, 24-turn VIR circuit— particularly the blindingly quick four-corner squiggle that is the Climbing Esses—takes days. Chasing fractions of a second in each of the four or five very different cars you’re assigned eats hours. Most production cars will tolerate one fast lap before needing a cool-down, so every session has only a few real hot laps. Hardware issues pop up unexpectedly: One of my cars had to have a new set of brakes installed trackside. Three of my cars wanted fresh tires for the final morning. On that final day, I spent too much time in one of my cars, convinced I could find a quicker lap, which left less time in the rest. In a rush, I forgot to pop an SD card into the in-car VBox LapTimer before setting out, so my best lap in that car went unrecorded. Ach! I’d been assigned the slowest cars, though Tony Quiroga said, “There are no slow cars anymore, just less-fast ones.” At the start of the event, several other drivers told me, “You’ll figure it out.” I think in the end I did— just barely. The only way to know for sure is to come back and do it again next year. Guys, what do you say? —Rich Ceppos 43
02:53.5 02:52.6 2022 BMW M3 2022 Porsche Cayenne Competition xDrive, LL3 Turbo GT Coupe, LL4 BASE PRICE: $89,845 • AS-TESTED PRICE: $104,595 BASE PRICE: $184,614 • AS-TESTED PRICE: $201,134 503 hp • 3917 lb • 7.8 lb/hp 631 hp • 4945 lb • 7.8 lb/hp TIRES: Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, F: 275/35ZR-19 (100Y) TIRES: Pirelli P Zero Corsa PZC4, R: 285/30ZR-20 (99Y) F: 285/35ZR-22 (106Y) N0 R: 315/30ZR-22 (107Y) N0 The BMW M3 Competition takes the win over the Here’s step one in the Cayenne Turbo GT’s recipe for beating Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing primarily because it can the Lamborghini Urus’s SUV record: Bake four Pirelli P Zero stay with the Cadillac in the lower-speed technical Corsa PZC4 tires at 180 degrees for two hours. According parts of the track and flex its 31-hp advantage on the to Porsche, heat-cycling them in this manner makes them straights and in the straight sections that lead to the more durable on track. Climbing Esses. The Cayenne looks like an SUV, but given the way it We also found the BMW’s all-wheel-drive system rips up the Climbing Esses at an average speed of 124.3 to be an advantage. Driving all four tires allows you mph—faster than the M5 CS—and its 1.08 g’s of grip to stoke the six’s 503-hp flame sooner than would in Turn 1, it sure doesn’t act like any ute we know. Low- be possible in the rear-drive Cadillac. Going into ered and stiffened, the Turbo GT Coupe gets its power to the Climbing Esses, the M3 arrives doing 134.1 mph the ground so effectively that you leave corners with an (6.4 mph faster than the 4 Blackwing), creating a unprecedented (for an SUV) urgency. It’s neutral, too, with 0.1-second lead in that sector. It’s the same case in plenty of throttle-motivated rear-end rotation available. the track’s last corner heading into the long straight. The wowing continues when the call goes out for decelera- The BMW can rocket onto the straight earlier and tion. Faced with the car’s nearly 5000-pound curb weight, harder, picking up nearly a second. the giant carbon-ceramic rotors are up to their task. Unflap- pable and seemingly unfazed by heat, they never required On the rest of the track, the CT4 and M3 are extra care or feeding over three days of lapping. No bleeding. nearly too close to call, despite the M3’s wider No new pads. front tires, which give it more grip in Turn 1—1.03 g’s versus 0.98. BMW also Down the long front straight, the Turbo GT doesn’t have fits the M3 with near-racing seats that any more thrust than the Urus. Perhaps to keep the cor- might be annoying to get into and out porate pecking order intact, the Cayenne’s version of the of but do hold you in place, letting you twin-turbo V-8 makes 631 horsepower to the Urus’s 641 throw the car around without being (and the Audi RS Q8’s 591). The Cayenne’s 2.9-mph peak- thrown around yourself. speed advantage is down to its faster corner exit off the tricky downhill right that feeds onto the straight. Apply Sharper on turn-in than the Caddy, full throttle at the apex of that corner and the Cayenne’s the BMW moves with slightly more 631 horses send it kicking and screaming right to the outer confidence. The steering only whispers edge of the track. what the front tires are up to, while the Cadillac’s steering never stops crying Afterward, savor the tick-tick of the titanium exhaust, “Hear ye, hear ye!” Call it a wash on and relish the Cayenne’s runaway victory, with a 3.2-second braking feel and strength, and we’re advantage over the Urus. Serve with Modenese Lambrusco. back to power. BMW’s six delivers near supercar numbers, while the Cadillac musters sports-car speeds. Judged solely on times, the BMW is the winner. 44
02:51.4 the front wheels canted like the head of a curious dog, the Mach 1 enjoys precise turn-in and averages a 1.13-g ride through Turn 1. 2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1, LL2 The 480-hp 5.0-liter V-8 comes from the retired Mustang BASE PRICE: $60,245 • AS-TESTED PRICE: $60,740 Bullitt. It’s down 46 ponies to the GT350R, and that deficit 480 hp • 3811 lb • 7.9 lb/hp shows up on long straights. Leading into the Climbing Esses, TIRES: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2, the Mach 1 is 3.4 mph slower than the GT350R, but aerodynamic F: 305/30ZR-19 (98Y) R: 315/30ZR-19 (100Y) and chassis bits from the Shelby keep the Mach 1 pressed into the tarmac, allowing liberal use of the accelerator. By the end of that The Ford Mustang Mach 1 didn’t happen overnight. treacherous combination, the Mach 1 is only 0.1 second behind It’s the culmination of years of development to the its more powerful predecessor. sixth-gen Stang bundled into a single package. The 2019 Shelby GT350R donates its camber plates. With The Tremec six-speed manual is also a GT350R part, and engineers have added the ability to keep the accelerator floored Putting the Sport in SUV during shifts. Enthusiasts might scoff at the rev-matching soft- ALL-TIME TOP FIVE: SUV Tire, brake, suspension, and engine ware (which can be turned off), but VIR is so advancements have created a class of SUVs that are able to lap a demanding that having just a bit less to do and track with the fastest sports sedans. Since 2012, we’ve tested 11 more foot on the brake pedal makes it a wel- SUVs at VIR. These are the five fastest of the breed. come feature. 2022 Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT Coupe 2:52.6 The Mach 1 proved to be durable too. We tor- 2019 Lamborghini Urus 2:55.8 tured the Mustang over five consecutive laps to 2019 Porsche Cayenne Turbo 2:59.2 see whether its rear end would overheat like the 2021 BMW X5 M Competition Mustang GT Performance Pack Level 2’s from a 2018 Mercedes-AMG GLC63 S Coupe 3:00.5 few years back. The Mach 1 never broke a sweat 3:01.7 thanks to rear-differential, transmission, and engine oil coolers from the GT350R. This cornucopia of Mustang parts seems to be the perfect combo. The Mach 1’s 2:51.4 time is 0.4 second quicker than the GT350R’s. Plus, that time is good enough to make the Mach 1 the new king of LL2, the mostly affordable sub- $65K class. We’re guessing that record will stand for at least as long as it took to create the Mach 1. 45
02:50.3 THE KING OF 2022 BMW M5 CS, LL4 OUR RING BASE PRICE: $143,995 • AS-TESTED PRICE: $148,995 After a conversation with 627 hp • 4116 lb • 6.6 lb/hp Cadillac engineers about how TIRES: Pirelli P Zero Corsa PZC4, F: 275/35ZR-20 (102Y) much they use VIR, we were R: 285/35ZR-20 (104Y) curious about how many laps our most experienced drivers Without so much as a press release in the next three sectors. The M5’s ILLUSTRATION BY MONICA HELLSTRÖM have logged. So we counted or other announcement, BMW V-8 pulls 157.2 mph on the front 15 years of data. Tony Quiroga apparently decided it would like straight, faster than the Porsche 911 and K.C. Colwell have been at the Lightning Lap four-door record GT3. Despite the added speed, the this the longest, each driving back and rolled out a lighter M5 M5 remains a model citizen. Placid in 12 events, and Quiroga wins CS. BMW briefly held the record, and happy under stress, the M5 puts with 1689 recorded laps. This but then in 2019 was eclipsed by its insane power down coming out doesn’t include sessions lost the Mercedes-AMG GT63 S with a of corners, and the steering is more to data gremlins, laps without 2:49.3 run. alive than in other M5s, partially recording equipment, or other because of the stiffer and grippier times we’ve visited our Virginia We’ve lapped the current-gen track-grade Pirellis. playground. Quiroga has very M5 a couple of times. The stand- likely lapped VIR’s Grand ard 600-hp model and the 617-hp Unfortunately, BMW didn’t send Course more than 2000 times, Competition managed 2:55.2 and a second set of tires. With only one making him king of our ring. 2:54.0, respectively. The CS gains set to use over three days, the car 10 horsepower, sheds 125 pounds, sat most of the first two days while 46 adds a revised adaptive suspension, we waited until the last day to try to and fits Pirelli P Zero Corsa PZC4 set a quick time. Although we didn’t track rubber that took grip in Turn have many laps to shave time, the 1 from 1.01 g’s to 1.04, a tighter hold CS proved willing to stay right on than the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing the limit in a repeatable and trusty managed. way without much practice. Fresh tires and a few more laps might have After that, the Caddy and BMW been enough to beat the beastly remain neck and neck, with the Cadillac. BMW giving up fractions of a second FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 ~ CAR AND DRIVER
02:49.4 nately for the Cadillac, the on-hand engi- neers assured us that the brakes were fine 2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing, LL3 and that the six-piston front and four-piston rear stoppers would do their job. BASE PRICE: $101,265 • AS-TESTED PRICE: $105,665 668 hp • 4132 lb • 6.2 lb/hp Those Cadillac engineers would know; after all, they TIRES: Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, lapped the CT5-V Blackwing at VIR plenty during devel- F: 275/35ZR-19 (100Y) TPC R: 305/30ZR-19 (102Y) TPC opment and set a 2:49.5 best lap. They hoped we’d beat them and the Mercedes-AMG GT63 S’s 2:49.3 to make Fast laps come one of two ways: clean or ugly. The 2:49.4 a Cadillac the quickest four-door. If our lap had been a we managed in the CT5-V Blackwing unquestionably little cleaner, we just might have. falls under the latter classification. On the street, the big Blackwing is an absolute peach—a very fast one, but still You see, we bombed into Hog Pen with a little too juicy and good. But when you put the 4132-pound sedan much enthusiasm and had to scrub a bit too much speed. on a track and right on the limit of its Pilot Sport 4S tires, Blowing that corner cost us about a quarter of a sec- its mass starts to fight against physics and the controls. ond. Set the start/finish line before the mistake and the lap is a 2:49.2. But we don’t move finish lines to suit us. We struggled against the brake pedal. Lifeless with Even if the Cadillac had turned that time, it would not be no progressivity, the pedal offered little feedback, or at enough to beat the new Lightning Lap four-door king, least not the feedback you like to feel when bombing the Porsche Panamera Turbo S. To do that, Cadillac toward Turn 1 at 154.1 mph. Stomping an inert brake would have to mount an even grippier tire. A Pilot Sport pedal doesn’t increase confidence, it shrivels it. Fortu- Cup 2 R could be the way to take the throne. There’s only one way to find out, Cadillac. “the CT5-V Blackwing is a tyrannosaurus, an Apex predator the likes of which the world may never know again.” —K.C. Colwell 47
02:40.6 2022 Porsche 911 GT3, LL4 BASE PRICE: $181,062 AS-TESTED PRICE: $188,862 502 hp • 3229 lb • 6.4 lb/hp TIRES: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R, F: 255/35ZR-20 (97Y) N0 R: 315/30ZR-21 (105Y) N0 It is easy to characterize this 9000- rpm 4.0-liter flat-six as an automotive masterpiece. And while it’s true that this engine is just about the best out there, when the GT3 is placed on a road course, it’s the chassis that makes the car wor- thy of hyperbolic praise. 02:47.8 Every primary control in the GT3 provides the right feedback. All parts seem cinched tightly together and tuned 2021 Porsche Panamera Turbo S, LL4 to provide only good vibes. You can feel BASE PRICE: $181,344 • AS-TESTED PRICE: $192,054 the car’s pulse through the steering 620 hp • 4714 lb • 7.6 lb/hp wheel and single-piece seat. Calling it TIRES: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2, an extension of your body could not be F: 275/35ZR-21 (103Y) ND0 R: 325/30ZR-21 (108Y) ND0 more clichéd, or more true. In typical Porsche fashion, that Like the Hulk, the Porsche Panamera Turbo S’s Mamba Green deep connection allowed us to get up hue hints at the rage beneath. But unlike Hulk, the Panamera to speed quickly. On dealer-installed gets better the angrier you make it. Put it into the curbs, stomp Porsche-spec Pilot Sport Cup 2 R rubber, on the brakes at over 150 mph, throw it into corners as hard as the GT3 sticks in Turn 1 at 1.22 g’s and you dare, and instead of wreaking havoc, it’ll simply drive away exits the Climbing Esses at 118.0 mph. In with the four-door lap record. this year’s crop, only the AMG GT Black The time is a bit unexpected, because at 4714 pounds, the Series improves on those numbers. In Turbo S is 86 pounds heavier than the former record holder, the fact, the GT3 turns and grips so well Mercedes-AMG GT63 S. Porsche’s 620-hp twin-turbo 4.0-liter that a double-apex line—“diamonding” V-8 is also down 10 horses to the AMG’s engine, putting it at a power-to-weight disadvantage. Both go over 150 mph (the Porsche hits 155.7) on the front straight, but by the first corner, the Panamera begins to show its real strength. Even though both roll on track-focused Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, in Turn 1 the Panamera averages a stag- gering 1.14 g’s, 9 percent more grip than the GT63 S. A finely tuned rear-steer system makes it easy to ride the edge of adhesion and helps stabilize the car when you accelerate out of the corner. The all- wheel-drive system shuffles torque from front to America’s Next Top Sedan back quicker than David Blaine handles a deck of cards. All four tires get into the act, and the ALL-TIME TOP FIVE: FOUR-DOOR The fastest sedan at our first VIR Panamera puts up an 80.2-mph exit speed out test was a 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR that turned a 3:13.5. In of Turn 1, the fastest of the year. 2016, three sedans broke the three-minute barrier. Like every Porsche we’ve lapped at VIR, it’s 2021 Porsche Panamera Turbo S 2:47.8 remarkable and almost funny how easy it is to 2019 Mercedes-AMG GT63 S 4Matic 2:49.3 drive at the limit. By the end of the lap, it’s a big 1.5 seconds ahead of the GT63 S. As shocking as 2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing 2:49.4 that might be, the fact that this big, comfortable, 2022 BMW M5 CS 2:50.3 front-engine four-door car is within a second of serious mid-engine hardware built for track days 2022 BMW M3 Competition xDrive 2:53.5 is a totally unexpected display of strength. Pan- amera smash! 48 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 ~ CAR AND DRIVER
Search
