Enthusiasts Rejoice!

     We’d like to thank Akio Toyoda. Without him we wouldn’t be writing this review because the Scion FR-S, and for that matter the Subaru BRZ, wouldn’t exist. And having just returned from flogging the budget minded Scion-badged sports car around the track and across the desert we know better than most that enthusiasts will be lining up to shake Mr. Toyoda’s hand once the FR-S goes on sale this summer. As the story goes, about five years ago Mr. Toyoda—a driving enthusiast himself—noticed that his company no longer offered an affordable sports car in the image of the AE86 Corolla GT-S. About that time Toyota found itself with an increased equity stake in Subaru and decided to give a passionate team from both companies the goal of righting that wrong. The target was a small, affordable, lightweight sports car with rewarding handling as its defining characteristic. In the summer of 2009 the joint effort was approved and now three years later driving enthusiasts have a very compelling new reason to part with $25,000.
     Unlike most modern sports cars the defining specification of the FR-S isn’t its horsepower or torque, but its curb weight of just 2,758 pounds. In an era when most manufacturers are proud of their new model’s “light weight” if the curb weight starts with a three, to see a new model launch with six airbags and an 8-speaker sound system and undercut a Lotus Evora by 300 pounds is something to get excited about. That means engineers don’t have to overbuild the chassis to control all that weight being transferred around during enthusiastic driving. By modern sports car thinking the brakes are too small, the wheels and tires are too small and the engine is too small, but true enthusiasts know Scion is right on the money for a car whose capabilities can actually be explored on public roads—unlike, say, a Camaro ZL1. We’re also a fan of the tidy packaging. The FR-S casts a shadow just 166.7 inches long and 50.6 inches high making it almost six inches shorter in length and almost an inch shorter in height than the Porsche Cayman.
     An imposing car this isn’t, but thanks to classic long hood short deck proportions, it’s a good looking car. We particularly like the rear ¾ view where you can best appreciate the strong shoulder line over the rear wheels. That the design earns an impressive .27 Cd rating in the wind tunnel is an added bonus. The one and only 17” wheel design is also one of our favorites from recent years. Although technically a 2+2 layout the back seat is for all intents and purposes storage space only. Scion was smart in designing the back seat to easily fold down, which expands the shallow 6.9 cubic foot trunk to allow room for a set of wheels and tires. There is plenty of space up front, however, where visibility in all directions is good and all controls are perfectly placed. The deeply bolstered seats are fantastic at marrying comfort and support and are covered in a grippy suede-like material set off by red stitching. The small-diameter steering wheel is clutter free with no buttons to be found and is adjustable for tilt and telescope making the ideal driving position easy to dial-in. The manual transmission shifter falls easily to hand and the aluminum pedals are properly spaced. Dead center in the gauge cluster is a large analog tach with an inset digital speedometer that gives you all the information you need at a glance. If only all sports cars had instrumentation so concise. The whole cockpit is driver-focused and finished in nice materials with the only exceptions being a dimpled plastic interior door panel and cheap sun visors. For $25k we can easily overlook those shortcomings.
     A Subaru-supplied all-new boxer four-cylinder utilizing Toyota’s advanced port and direct fuel injection system lies deep in the engine bay and mounted as far back as possible. The little 2.0-liter engine offers compact dimensions allowing engineers to achieve a center of gravity of just 18.1”—lower even than a Porsche Cayman. In unison with a near-ideal 53 front/47 rear weight distribution the FR-S simply dances around any track—in our case Spring Mountain Motorsports Park outside of Las Vegas. Of course with only 200 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque you’ll never rocket out of the corners but the power between 5,000 and the 7,400 rpm redline is enough to keep the thrills flowing and the standard Torsen rear differential is appreciated. Remember this car is first and foremost a handler and you can find plenty of joy at lower speeds the same way you can in our other favorite budget chassis—the Mazda MX-5 Miata.
     The engine features a high 12.5:1 compression ratio so premium gas is required but fuel economy is strong with a combined rating of 25 mpg for the manual and 28 mpg with the automatic. Now is a good time to admit the surprise of the entire event was how good the 6-speed automatic actually is thanks in part to Dynamic Rev Management that rev matches on downshifts. We can’t recall a more responsive torque converter automatic. Simply breathe on the throttle and the transmission snaps down a few gears to prepare for harder running. Steering wheel paddles are standard but the transmission is very nicely calibrated and can easily be left to its own logic. Of course, we hope that most people who appreciate this car for what it is and find pleasure in the art of driving will order and enjoy the superb standard 6-speed manual. The shifter offers short throws and the elusive hint that something mechanical is taking place that we always look for in the great manual transmissions. Clutch take-up is smooth and gear ratios are perfect.
     The only thing better than the transmission on this car is the steering. Despite being an electric power steering system the off-center response is as good as anything out there at twice the price and the short 2.48 turns lock-to-lock mean you can handle all but the tightest hairpins without repositioning your hands. Steering effort weights up appropriately in long sweepers and while actual feedback might be its weakest link, this steering system gives us renewed hope that electric racks can be tuned to satisfy the enthusiast if the right engineers are in charge of development. The 11.6” front and 11.4” rear brakes don’t require any outrageous six piston front calipers to provide excellent stopping power on the road and competent performance on the track in limited bursts. We would like a bit more bite on initial pedal application, however.
     The bottom line is the FR-S is a terrific new offering for enthusiasts on a budget. The manual starts at $24,930 and the automatic costs $26,030 and both come with Scion’s Service Boost providing free scheduled maintenance for the first two years or 25k miles. A number of TRD official accessories will be available this year for those who crave customization and Scion expects to sell 20,000 vehicles in 2013. Who knows if they’ll be able to sustain that kind of number but after a day spent exercising Scion’s new halo car we’re positive of one thing: The line to thank Mr. Toyoda starts behind us.

Photos provided by Scion

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      Quite honestly we’ve been smitten with the Veloster since the very moment Hyundai rolled it out on the floor of the 2011 NAIAS as a concept. To say that there are some pretty big expectations placed on this little hatch / coupe would be an understatement. Let us explain.

Reinvigorating Acura From the Bottom Up

     It’s no secret the last few years haven’t been the highlights of Acura’s 25 year history. Some of the trouble was self-inflicted—we’re looking at you 2009 TL—and some of it was economic meltdown and Mother Nature’s wrath, but Acura is planning to meet aggressive sales targets during the next few years by reinvigorating their lineup from the bottom up. The plan starts with winning in two of the highest anticipated growth segments during the next five years with the all-new ILX entering the Near Premium sedan segment and the redesigned RDX contesting the Entry Premium crossover segment. We were recently invited to sample the new entry points to the Acura brand and we’re now far more confident that Acura’s projected 45% sales increase this year is within reach.

RDX
     The second-generation RDX surpasses the original in every way but nowhere is that more evident than in the powertrain. The gas-guzzling turbo four and yestertech 5-speed automatic have been replaced with Acura’s smooth 3.5-liter V6 and 6-speed auto. The new engine brings a welcome 33 more horsepower and all-wheel drive fuel economy ratings of 19 mpg city/27 mpg highway—an impressive 5 mpg improvement on the highway cycle versus the outgoing model. Much of the newfound efficiency can be attributed to Acura’s seamless Variable Cylinder Management system which can shut down two or even three cylinders when cruising for maximum economy. Based on our initial drive there is no way to tell what mode the system is in and that’s the point.
     Like the best Acura engines, the V6 likes to rev and rewards the driver with a great mechanical soundtrack when pushed. With 273 hp to call on the RDX is a sprightly crossover with a supportive chassis tuned to a great mix of supple ride and composed handling. During our short drive we were also impressed with the direct steering and responsive brake pedal. The whole package has had the typical SUV layer of isolation removed, which results in a crossover that’s far more car-like than most and a true delight to drive.
     Acura wisely refreshed the styling in a comprehensive makeover that results in a cleaner, more upscale look than before. Gone is the busy front end replaced with a larger corporate grille and sporty honeycomb air intakes down low set with fog lights. The profile remains clean and contemporary with muscular fender flares, standard 18” wheels and tasteful chrome trim outlining the greenhouse. The rear is certainly uncluttered but a bit dull and we do miss the previous model’s dual chrome exhaust tips. Actually, Acura seems to have done its best to hide any sign of an exhaust. In addition to the cosmetic updates the actual physical footprint has been modified resulting in a lower height, wider track and longer wheelbase; designers can rarely go wrong with those kinds of alterations and they certainly didn’t here.
     The larger footprint means a bump in almost every interior dimension including generous legroom for the second row plus a very noticeable 6.5-inch wider rear hatch opening. The second row now folds easily with a pull of a simple lever. It doesn’t create a completely flat load floor but the actual seats are more comfortable than most and we’ll gladly take the tradeoff. The center stack remains well organized but the navigation system is controlled by a rotating selector switch instead of a more intuitive touch-screen setup. We also felt the thin screen that combines displays for climate and stereo settings plus the clock was a bit cluttered. Those negatives aside, high quality materials abound and a beautiful small diameter three-spoke steering wheel offers numerous fingertip controls. The center console offers up two great cupholders, a simple PRND gear selector and some covered storage space under the center armrest. We found all seats to be plenty comfortable and appreciated the standard rear view camera and stellar 410-watt ELS surround sound audio system on our top-line Technology package tester. Even without the Tech package the RDX is luxuriously equipped with heated memory seats, keyless access, moonroof and 360-watt premium audio. The only decision you need to make is if you want the Technology pack extras or all-wheel drive. The all-wheel drive option adds $1,400 to the aggressive starting price of $34,320 but the Tech goodies command another $4,000.
     Acura considers their primary competition the Audi Q5 and BMW X3 which are both strong competitors but can cost substantially more when comparably equipped. After one afternoon we’re not ready to say whether Acura’s redesigned RDX can beat the established Germans in this hotly contested segment, but we’re now confident it’d put up a good fight. Sounds like we’ve got a comparison test to plan.

Photos courtesy of Acura

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ILX
     The true gateway to the Acura brand will be the all-new ILX sedan. This small sedan has been designed to attract Gen-Y buyers who are ready to step up to a premium brand from the ranks of the mainstream. The company will offer three powertrain options including Acura’s first hybrid offering in an attempt to cover all bases but expects only 5% of ILX buyers to choose the 2.4-liter 6-speed manual model that, not surprisingly, proved our favorite.
     The 2.4-liter has already endeared itself to enthusiasts via the larger TSX and here it makes the same 201 hp at 7,000 rpm and healthy 170 lb-ft of torque. Exclusively available with a superb 6-speed manual, the ILX proved a lively sedan during our drive and should offer respectable performance metrics thanks to a more than 400 pound weight savings versus the TSX. We were surprised how vocal they let the 2.4 get in the cabin but Acura rightly figures that enthusiasts seeking out the performance model will approve.
     The volume model will be the 2.0-liter engine that comes only with a 5-speed automatic with steering wheel paddles. It’s by no means a powerhouse with only 150 hp to offer but the benefit is 35 mpg on the highway. The 5-speed automatic has also been improved with smoother and quicker paddle shifts compared to the TSX but we still didn’t find them particularly responsive and simply elected to keep it in automatic Sport mode when pushing the car. The steering tuning in both gas models is direct and moderately weighted but it’s the brake pedal feel that Acura has nailed in both the ILX and RDX.
     We only got to ride shotgun in Acura’s first hybrid but we were impressed with how quiet the system is. Of course a 1.5-liter 91 hp engine shouldn’t make a lot of racket in the first place. Engineers match the engine with a 20 hp electric motor that draws power from a lithium-ion battery pack stored behind the rear seat. With 111 hp and 127 lb-ft of torque at its mightiest and a CVT directing power, the Hybrid is not the responsive sporty sedan that the 2.4 is. However, Acura expects 39 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway to attract four times more buyers than the manual-only 2.4 so it should play a big part in the ILX’s success.
     We really like the athletic, taut look of the ILX and the 17” wheels available on the gas models look great. Our favorite design aspect is the kick up over the rear door handle in the crease that runs back and forms the shoulder line over the rear wheels. It’s very well done and the kind of design sophistication we haven’t seen from Acura in far too long. However, just like on the RDX, any sign of an exhaust is disappointingly hidden away.
     All IXL models feature impressive materials throughout the cabin. We preferred the two-tone cream over black interior of the 2.0 model compared to the all black cabin of the sportier 2.4 but we did like the exclusive stainless-steel pedals and red illumination of the gauges. The seatbacks are nicely bolstered but the bottom cushion was a bit flat for our tastes. Luckily there is a large glovebox to help offset the otherwise tight interior storage areas. Trunk volume on the 2.0 and 2.4 measure 12.3 cubic feet but choosing the Hybrid cuts that to 9.8 and sacrifices the ability to fold down the rear seats for extra pass-through room. Rear seats offered enough room for my six foot frame but there would be even more headroom if Acura didn’t bundle a moonroof as standard equipment. We can’t be the only people who don’t care for moonroofs.
     The company has set aggressive prices for its new ILX in an attempt to continue Acura’s strong value image among luxury brands. The 2.0 starts at $25,900 and maxes at $31,400 with the top-line Technology package. The enthusiast-friendly 2.4 manual is available only as a mid-level Premium package at $29,200 and the Hybrid either as the standard trim at $28,900 or with the Technology package at $34,400. The car charged with bolstering Acura’s image among the 75-million-strong Generation Y goes on sale May 22 and will aim to attract 40,000 customers a year to the newly reinvigorated Acura family.

Photos courtesy of Acura

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      The cat’s out of the bag. We like the Nissan Quest. But before the comments flood in saying that we have sold our enthusiast soul to the transportation devil let’s first examine why we like this minivan. It’s good at what it does…period. Would we prefer a station wagon over this hauler of the soccer team? That goes without saying, but when it comes to upright rolling family boxes, the Nissan edges ahead.

Surprise!

     We don’t get many surprises in the AT Garage these days. By the time a vehicle is teased and then detailed down to parts numbers in a thorough press release and then bestowed with a gala auto show debut we’ve pretty much formed an opinion. Which is how we came to assume the Nissan Juke was an ity-bity engined, cramped-cabin crossover abomination that puts the ugly in really, really ugly. Turns out only the last part is true, and even then the ugly is pretty much confined to one side. So what changed our tune? Read on.
      It’s a testament to the engineering prowess of the times that we were unanimously smitten by the 1.6-liter direct-injection turbo under the Juke’s short hood. A few years back such puny displacement would include a permanent sentence to the slow lane but technology has liberated 188 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque that pull the little 2,941-pound oddball around with invigorating haste. With full torque available between 2,000 and 5,200 rpm acceleration is never far away and the superb 6-speed manual of our SL front-wheel drive model only multiplied the driving fun. Spot on clutch take-up and tight, short-throw gates made this one of the best manuals we’ve driven in a front wheel drive vehicle in many moons. The alternative is a CVT and paying $1,650 for an all-wheel drive model mandates the gearless tranny so we’d stick with front-wheel drive and put some of the money we saved toward snow tires.
     Our top-line SL model comes loaded with everything you need including a sporty set of sensible 17” wheels and tires that complement the short wheelbase by providing quick turn-in and the handling response of a sport coupe, plus a surprisingly good ride quality for such a wheelbase-challenged vehicle. We would like more brake bite when initially dipping into the middle pedal but that was about our only dynamic complaint. Well, the steering doesn’t really offer any feedback but that quality is getting very hard to find these days so we’ll just be happy that it offers decent weighting and call it better than the class average. Nissan includes a full suite of standard safety systems including Vehicle Dynamic Control and Electronic Brake-force Distribution.
     As the week wore on we actually found ourselves digging three of the Juke’s four sides, especially the distinctive profile and the 370Z-inspired brake lights, but there’s no hope we will ever warm to the front end. Who can defend six separate lights and that full-width gaping grille? Unique is one thing; Mechanized Praying Mantis is quite another.
     The staff did pen unanimous praise for the Juke’s interior where we found strong materials, very comfortable seats, refreshing use of color throughout and a great driving position. Only a couple problems to report include the lack of a center armrest and a dated nav system. We don’t want to mess up the stylish center console so we’d settle for a seat mounted flip down armrest and we’d ask Nissan to move the 5-inch nav system and its dated graphics to the options list (it’s standard on SL trims) and pass the savings on to the customer. We reckon the demographic buying the Juke will be using their smartphone and Google maps to navigate anyway. We further reckon nobody in said demographic actually uses the word reckon. The standard backup camera did come in handy since the thick C-pillars and smallish rear window do no favors for rearward visibility. Nissan has been a bit brilliant when it comes to minimizing clutter by utilizing the same set of buttons for the climate controls and the Drive-Mode selector. Under the nav system there is a screen surrounded by buttons. Above that grouping are two buttons labeled Climate and D-Mode. Pressing Climate backlights all the buttons with various HVAC system controls such as vent selection, A/C, etc, and displays relevant information on the screen. Pressing D-Mode then instantly changes the button backlighting to reassign dynamic selections, such as, ECO, NORMAL and SPORT to the same controls. The screen will then display a digital turbo boost gauge or other dynamic information. It’s a slick setup and more automakers should steal the multipurpose button tech. Having said that, actually telling a difference between the D-Mode selections is pretty difficult outside of ECO mode, which really dulls throttle sensitivity. We were happy to leave it in Normal most trips.
     Nissan certainly packs the equipment into the SL model including a moonroof, heated leather seats, Rockford Fosgate stereo components, Bluetooth, keyless start and a USB port. For $24,335 all-in it’s a strong value in the compact car/crossover class. We think owners will be happiest with the Juke if they can effectively use it as a 2-seater and leave the 2^nd row folded flat to increase cargo capacity to a useful 35.9 cubic feet; otherwise space under the rear hatch is only 10.5 cubic feet. Engineers have included some handy space under the rear load floor that we rather liked. If you must use the back seats you’ll be quite content if you are 5’10” or under. Taller passengers can manage with some compromise from front seat occupants and a teenager-inspired slouched down and splayed leg posture.
     It’s fair to say Nissan’s bold urban sport cross (their words, not ours) caught us by surprise. We were won over by the overachieving powertrain, enthusiast-friendly manual transmission and well-equipped stylish interior. Fuel efficiency ratings of 25 mpg city and 31 mpg highway are about average for small crossovers, but this one is easily the most fun among a strong group of competitors. Now if Nissan’s front end designers would just take their blindfolds off and try again they could make a diamond from the rough.

Photos by Jason Muxlow

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     We don’t get many surprises in the AT Garage these days. By the time a vehicle is teased and then detailed down to parts numbers in a thorough press release and then bestowed with a gala auto show debut we’ve pretty much formed an opinion. Which is how we came to assume the Nissan Juke was an ity-bity engined, cramped-cabin crossover abomination that puts the ugly in really, really ugly. Turns out only the last part is true, and even then the ugly is pretty much confined to one side. So what changed our tune? You’ll have to watch to find out.

Photos by Jason Muxlow

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      We think it’s safe to call this, the 2012 Mini Cooper S Coupe, the sportiest car in Mini’s line up. Compared to the standard Cooper the Coupe has lost a pair of seats and a whole lot of cargo room. But it’s also lost its fun care-free attitude in favor of a hard edged wanna-be track car. And we’re not sure we’re sold on it.

      Executive Editor Brandon Dye introduces us to the 2012 Nissan Juke. While it’s got a face only a mother could love, the rest of this funky looking crossover’s attributes amount to more than we expected.

      Spring has sprung and just as the last traces of snow disappeared from the landscape BMW handed us the keys to a 2012 Alpine White BMW X3 xDrive 28i. No matter, because even without snow there is still plenty of fun to be had testing the X3′s new 8-speed automatic transmission mated to that wonderful 3.0-liter inline-six engine.

Operation: Opulence

      In the automotive food chain it’s good to be at the top. That’s where automakers like to introduce their latest technologies, premium powerplants and most extravagant luxuries in what amounts to a rolling test bed of the industry’s cutting edge. Competition at this level is always entertaining and reaching borderline comical levels. Thought the 16 speaker audio system in the BMW 7-Series was class leading? Audi will see your bet and raise you an optional 19 speaker system that costs half a Nissan Versa! If the seven speed auto in your S-Class was boast worthy last year Audi would like to introduce you to their new eight speed autobox. What, your cruise control only maintains a set speed? Mercedes has active systems that will brake the car to a stop without your input, pull you back into your lane should you start to drift out and pierce through the darkness with night vision that would make half the world’s militaries jealous. Development moves so fast in this rarified class that we’d have to hire a full-time Luxury Car Editor to keep up. Since we spent all the money budgeted for that position on a Star Wars pinball machine for the office we decided we better familiarize ourselves with the latest and greatest from the primary luxury players. We requested a BMW 7-Series, Mercedes S-Class and Audi A8 loaded to the roof with gadgets and lined with the finest leather to treat–we meant test–ourselves and the latest six figure luxury sedans in an epic comparison test only the AT Crew could concoct. In need of a destination we set the nav systems to Sault Ste Marie on Michigan’s northern border with Canada and set off on Operation: Opulence to determine the winner.

Mercedes-Benz S550
     Who are we kidding? With a Mercedes-Benz S-Class among the competitors we really already knew the ultimate champion of our luxury car mêlée, didn’t we? Everyone anywhere knows that Mercedes has owned this class since long before the other two competitors here were ever sketched on a cocktail napkin. It started out as the world’s best luxury sedan and now some fifty years later it’s still true.
     I can make that claim because the 2012 S550 is better than the competition Muxlow and Gernand brought in every conceivable way. For example, their cars lack the most essential hardware requirement for any self-respecting luxury sedan: that’s right, the hood ornament. Perched at the end of my long Lunar Blue hood is a gleaming three-pointed star that signals the big Benz’s arrival like Brad and Angelina’s security throwing aside paparazzi. As if it needed another bragging point, this year’s S550 is blessed with Benz’s overachieving 4.6-liter V8 that is breathed on by twin turbos and dishes out a mid range punch that would scare the wits out of your average family sedan owner; 516 lb-ft of torque between 1,800-3,500 rpm will do that. To put the S-Class’s power supremacy in perspective the A8 is down 188 lb-ft of torque (a Cadillac ATS-worth) and the BMW gives up 114 horsepower (more than a Fiat 500 offers). Debating the performance champ is kind of like discussing American Air Force supremacy; the numbers don’t lie.
     Still, when you’re out to run errands instead of drag races it’s nice to know the S-Class remains the clear winner. The 7-speed automatic sifts through the gears with faultless execution and the long 124.6-inch wheelbase (longest in the test) and Airmatic air suspension keep the cabin at retirement village levels of tranquility. If we’re honest the interior design is graying and the switchgear doesn’t return a tactile reward like the Audi’s, but the materials are faultless and the luxury level rules supreme in this test. Consider the backseat accommodations that benefit from the aptly named $3,040 Rear Seat Package and as a result feature 8-way power outboard reclining seats that are heated and ventilated and reside within their own climate control zone. Muxlow’s BMW barely offers any rear seat luxuries while the big Benz piles on power side window shades to keep the mysterious VIP within, well, mysterious.
     The technology content continues to swell as long as you keep checking option boxes. We were wowed by the night vision system that displays a ghostly gray image in the gauge cluster until we saw the admittedly more advanced Audi system that offers a superior image. However, the ability to detect pedestrians and suicidal animals well down the road is a pretty helpful safety feature even if actually seeing the video feed is a short-lived novelty that’s best left for wowing friends. For about three grand the Driver Assistance Package includes some helpful tech in the form of adaptive cruise control, active blind spot monitoring and active lane keeping. The intelligent cruise worked splendidly and will even slow to a stop if that’s what the traffic situation calls for. The active lane keeping was a new one for us but it essentially keeps you in your lane should you start to drift out by monitoring pavement markings. If you’re drifting over a line without your turn signal on you’ll get a subtle vibration in the steering wheel and the appropriate wheel will brake to effectively drag the Benz back on course. It’s pretty amazing technology but, thankfully, can be turned off. Another first for us was the $710 Splitview nav screen that allows the driver to see system functions (nav, audio, etc.) while the front passenger watches a movie on the same screen. Don’t ask us how it works, but it does. You’ll have no problem dazzling the neighbors with luxury features.
     We’d rather be dazzled with dynamics and here the S550 held its own against the Ultimate Driving Machine with the optional Sport Package adding 19” AMG wheels and Active Body Control keeping the 4,455 pound curb weight in check by almost entirely eliminating body roll when set to Sport mode. Our only real enthusiast complaint is the slow and numb steering that honestly can’t match the BMW for responsiveness. You would never complain about the Benz’s cross-drilled brakes unless you’d just stepped out of Gernand’s Audi, which offers front and rear discs about 2 inches larger than on my S-Class. Nobody can deny the A8 positively dwarfs the competition in the whoa department. The Mercedes also swills the most premium with EPA ratings of 16 city / 24 highway. But considering the far less powerful straight-six BMW only manages one better in each measure I think most people will happily pay a few more dollars at the pump for the fun provided by the monstrous power.
     An S-Class represents wealth and good taste the world over and if you spend a few minutes with one you’ll know why. First, there is the style, which successfully mixes the formal luxury of an imposing chrome grille with the ‘bahn burner sport of our car’s optional $5,900 Sport Package. Then you’ll climb into one of the most comfortable seats to ever be bolted in an automobile and appreciate the $2,290 Cashmere and Savanna premium leather upholstery. Eventually you’ll fire the mighty twin-turbo V8 and run through the gears of the 7-speed automatic and after reaching 60 mph in 4.9 seconds you’ll realize something: this is the world’s best luxury sedan.
     ~BD

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Audi A8 L
     When faced with selecting an ultra-luxury sedan for a trip to the top of Michigan, the Audi A8 L was not my natural choice. For years the Audi has gained my attention ever since riding shotgun in a diesel second-generation model equipped with a manual transmission. Also leaving a positive impression was watching an S8 perform stunts in Ronin, which also happens to be one of the greatest car chase movies of all time. In spite of all this it is hard to ignore that traditional performance sedans have been blessed with rear wheel drive. It also seems logical that a premium sedan should look like it shares nothing with a plebian ‘Veedub.’ The skeleton in the Audi flagship’s closet has always been a FWD heritage mitigated only by its signature Quattro all-wheel-drive system. To make matters worse, the early model’s exterior styling made only modest attempts to distance itself from its common-man parent brand, Volkswagen. Things were only made worse when VW itself offered the foolishly named and similarly marketed Phaeton.
     Certainly the RWD Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7-Series are more purist when it comes to the uber sedan field, aren’t they? With the third generation A8 we should not be surprised to find out that the A8 has come of age and can no longer be considered the upstart in the German car executive sedan class. After spending several hundred miles behind the wheel I am compelled to make the case that it has, in fact, jumped to the front of the class.
     The first thing you notice about our black A8 L test car is its stance. Unlike the narrow S-class with its sloping hood and early Ford Focus inspired fender flares or the pig-nosed 7-Series, the Audi radiates understated elegance. From the broad shoulders to the long rear doors to the signature six-window greenhouse it is impossible to gaze upon a bad angle. The artful LED headlamps are crafted to ensure that the car’s brilliance is not cloaked by the darkness of night. The contrast of the Audi’s design is greatest over the long-nosed BMW and big Benz. Audi has made a reputation for itself leading interior design. The A8 continues this trend with soft touch surfaces all around, strategic customizable indirect lighting, tasteful wood accents and premium switchgear that gives the impression of brushed aluminum. The Nougat Brown leather was impossibly rich looking. The BMW makes do with comparably cheap looking black leather surfaces interrupted only by a modest smattering of woodgrain. The Benz succeeds where the BMW falls short in offering truly premium feeling materials, but it fails with an uninteresting interior design that focuses one’s attention to a deeply recessed center screen.
     The Audi MMI infotainment system instantly proved its superiority over the complex iDrive and truly befuddling Command system. If the MMI system could be faulted it is only that it seems that the dial should scroll clockwise instead of counter clockwise. This takes a bit of adjustment, but could be intuitively backwards to my natural left-handed tendencies. Where the A8 L truly excels, however, is in the audio department. Handing over a stack of cash that would park a nice used Miata in the driveway for a sound system above and beyond the already capable standard Bose system seemed ludicrous. In order to fully test out the system I loaded my iPod with some of the best examples of Tchaikovsky and John Williams I could find and connected it to the USB port in the center console. After all, for a $6,300 upgrade, I better have the Detroit Symphony Orchestra performing in the A8 L’s vast back seat. Call this skeptic a convert because the precision and brilliance of the sound bellowing out of Bang & Olufsen’s 19 speaker stereo was so clear that I am convinced I heard John Williams make a page turn while conducting the Imperial March.
     The gadgetry continues with the addition of the $3,000 Driver Assistance Package, which included adaptive cruise control, lane assist, side assist, pre-sense plus and a four-spoke multifunction steering wheel with shift paddles. The adaptive cruise control worked seamlessly, while the lane/side/pre-sense plus features worked harmoniously together. When a car approached the driver’s blind spot discreet lights on the inside of the side-view mirrors lit up. When drifting out of the lane the steering wheel gave a gentle video-game-style vibration to alert the driver. This was a response we garnered more frequently than we would like to admit, which was likely a result of playing with the myriad of features and menus that somehow seemed to be necessary to pilot this car down the road despite previously never having these features in a car of our own. As if these so-called driving aids weren’t enough to keep the Audi from striking an unexpected object the A8 also offered night vision, a feature pioneered on the final generation Cadillac Deville way back in model year 2000. Audi’s night vision works well enough when there is no rain to blur the image on the screen nestled between the tachometer and speedometer gauges. This actually is not a very useful place for the screen as it requires one to focus attention away from the road. If there is one handy feature with the night vision, it is its ability to frame human beings. While driving through a park after dark, it was amazing how many people we saw lurking behind the trees completely out of range of the naked eye. After a few minutes of discovering such a high number of shady characters we decided it best to head towards safer areas and back onto the highway.
     After reviewing all the non-essential aspects of the A8 L, I had to remind myself that this is still, in fact, a car. Cars are meant to be driven, and at 100 large this car should be driven hard. The Audi responds with enthusiasm to quick thrusts of the right foot. While the sedan’s response is not neck snapping, it certainly transmits a comfortable amount of thrust to the backside. Changing lanes on the interstate simply required finding a large-car-sized gap, and then taking it. Throwing the Audi into a curve at speed resulted in just as much confidence. Steering is precise and gives enough feedback without need of correction to make one nearly forget that the front and rear wheels are both putting power to the pavement. Bounding into the typical cloverleaf resulted in minimal tire squeal, the limiting factor being more a result of my skills than the car itself. While the 372-horse Audi didn’t have comparo-leading amounts of power to propel all these gadgets down the road, we were thoroughly impressed with the 27 mpg highway rating–a rating that we frequently matched on our trip around Northern Michigan. This economy can largely be credited to the 8 speed automatic transmission, which I can happily point out has two more gears than the technically outdated 7-series. You might expect to feel a lot of shifting going on with all those ratios to choose from, but the shifts were largely imperceptible.
     Yes, all this luxury and technology does come at a price. The “base” Audi A8 L 4.2 FSI Quattro Auto Tipronic Sedan starts at $84,000. Yes, that is the car’s official full name, but at least you are getting your money’s worth per letter. When the pencil dust settled after checking the option boxes, the total price amounted to a mortgage rivaling $102,265. That is a lot of coin, but I can’t think of a better sedan for the money. Sure, the Mercedes-Benz has the prestigious hood ornament, but the car stickers for 20 large more than the A8 L. And sure, the 7-series is nearly the same amount cheaper, but you can feel where every last dollar was spared in keeping the price “down” under $80k. At the end of a long day’s journey, with Bang & Olufsen cranking out the Imperial March and my 18-way power seat set just right, there is no question that I would choose the Audi over the Benz and Bimmer, at any price.
     ~EG

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BMW 740i
     Where they both went wrong is their fascination with stuff! Sure, the Benz and Audi are all sorts of wonderful loaded down with trinkets like night vision and ridiculous audio systems, but they are just OK as cars. The BMW 740i is the driver’s car.
     Under the hood is a direct-injected 3.0-liter inline-six boosted by twin turbos. Aside from the forced induction there is no other motor configuration more quintessentially BMW than a straight-six; a proper mill for the BMW flagship. On paper the 7 is outgunned by the Audi and Mercedes with their massive fuel slurping V8s, but consider the fact that the BMW carries 100-plus fewer pounds than the Audi and almost 400-lbs less than the pudgy Mercedes and it is no wonder that this “underdog” felt just as spry, if not more so, than either of them. At 315 hp and 330 lb-ft of torque the BMW straight-six is actually more power dense than either of them and actually bests the Audi’s 4.2-liter V8 torque figure by two.
     Mated to that wonderful straight-6 is an elegantly simple 6-speed automatic. Left to its own devices this transmission seamlessly puts power to pavement via the rear wheels. It doesn’t have to consult the computer and do a bunch of math to determine proper torque ratio split between front or rear axles like the Audi and it doesn’t have to worry about choosing the wrong gear like the 7-speed Benz. When I feel like a bit of spirited driving I merely tip the transmission joystick to the left and the transmission sport mode is activated. Care to choose your own gears? Nudge the stick forward for a downshift and squeeze back to fire off quick sequential upshifts. Oh, and you won’t find any of those silly paddle shifters glued to the back of the steering wheel; in here it’s all business.
     The pure and simple business of driving as BMW intended. Black Dakota leather covers the seats, steering wheel, center consoles and dash, broken up by Fineline Matte wood trim inlays and satin metallic accent pieces. Sure the interior isn’t as pretty as Gernand’s Audi or as pampering as Dye’s Merc, but give the mighty Bimmer its due. The seats have more adjustments than you can shake a stick at and my backside found them to be plenty supportive for a full day’s driving over Michigan’s pot-marked roads. The gauges are classic BMW, simple and easy to read with exactly the information you need about the car’s vitals. The iDrive system has received some much needed simplifying but still plays second fiddle to Audi’s MMI system.
     On the outside we’re happy to report the derrière by Bangle has been dumped. That fixes our primary styling grievance from the previous model. However, upfront we find that the European pedestrian crash standards have had more than a little effect. That nose is high and flat. Thankfully, the proper BMW profile proportions remain intact with the long hood and short decklid bookended by short front and rear overhangs. Now if I’m honest, I would have liked to have peered over the shoulder of whoever was checking the options boxes on this 7’er and correct one little thing. The M-sport package is missing along with its 19” wheels and stickier tires.
     No matter, because this base model BMW 7-series (if you can really call any 7-Series base) is still the most responsive on the road in this Teutonic trio. Even with the pedestrian rubber and yawn-inspiring wheels it hugged the corners like the Ultimate Driving Machine that it is. The driving experience is completely configurable to the driver’s mood. Handily positioned next to the gear shift is the Driving Dynamics Control selector which lets you select from four progressively sportier drive settings altering the shock absorber firmness, throttle and transmission response, power steering assist and Dynamic Stability Control. Comfort mode is the softest and if the BMW gives anything to the other two in ride quality, it’s this: the Audi and the Benz know how to float over the road better than BMW does. Ratchet things up past Sport to Sport+ however, and you simply leave the other two in the dust. The suspension firms up so that you can feel the road and read it as if it were a driver’s technical manual. The feedback through the steering wheel is direct; you know exactly what each front tire is doing. You don’t rely on your eyes to tell you what direction you’re headed, your hands already know.
     In the BMW you’re looking for that next curve, that next apex. That is what sets it apart. Dye and Gernand may joke that it is more 1-series than marque flagship. But the truth is when you want to drive–really drive–it’s the BMW you want parked in your garage. And at $77,815 I can park it and a well-equipped 135i in the garage for the same coin as the overweight Mercedes.
     With the other two cars the driver is insulated from the road (and the rest of the car for that matter) by a thick layer of syrup. In the BMW, it’s just man, machine and the open road.
     ~JM

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The Conclusion
     Truthfully we didn’t need to convoy to Northern Michigan and peer at Canada across the Soo Locks to find our winner. We knew after the first driver rotation that the Audi A8 L is the cutting edge of mobile opulence. The Mercedes may hang its hat on power and the BMW plays the handling card, but the Audi’s talent portfolio is broad. From passenger comfort and drivetrain refinement to delightful details like the innovative power seat controls, the flagship Audi earned a unanimous endorsement from our trio of editors. In the automotive food chain it’s good to be at the top, but it’s even better to be in the A8.

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