If you’re a car enthusiast, you’re probably familiar with the popular automotive show, Top Gear America. Hosted by Dax Shepard, Rob Corddry, and Jethro Bovingdon, the show explores the latest and greatest cars on the market, as well as offering in-depth analysis, car reviews, and exclusive interviews with industry leaders.

In this article, we’ll explore what makes Top Gear America stand out from its competitors, and how you can use its content to enhance your own knowledge of the automotive industry.

Why Top Gear America?

Top Gear America is more than just a show about cars; it’s a lifestyle. The show has a loyal fan base of car enthusiasts who appreciate the hosts’ unique perspectives on the latest cars and industry news. From the latest supercars to the most rugged off-road vehicles, the hosts leave no stone unturned in their quest for automotive excellence.

But what really sets Top Gear America apart is its ability to connect with its audience. The hosts’ passion for cars is contagious, and their unfiltered opinions on the industry make for entertaining and informative viewing. Whether you’re a seasoned car enthusiast or just getting into the hobby, Top Gear America has something to offer everyone.

What Makes Top Gear America Different?

One of the things that sets Top Gear America apart from its competitors is its commitment to showcasing the latest and greatest cars on the market. From luxury vehicles to muscle cars, the show offers a comprehensive look at what’s hot in the industry.

In addition to its car reviews, Top Gear America also offers in-depth analysis of the automotive industry, including interviews with industry leaders and coverage of major events like the SEMA Show and the Detroit Auto Show. This level of coverage is unmatched by other automotive shows and has helped to establish Top Gear America as the ultimate destination for car enthusiasts.

How Can You Use Top Gear America to Enhance Your Knowledge of the Automotive Industry?

Whether you’re a car enthusiast looking to expand your knowledge of the industry or a business owner looking to stay up-to-date on the latest trends, Top Gear America is an excellent resource. By watching the show and following its social media channels, you can stay informed about the latest cars, industry news, and events.

Top Gear America also offers a wealth of information on its website, including car reviews, industry news, and exclusive content. By regularly checking the website, you can stay up-to-date on the latest happenings in the automotive industry and gain valuable insights into the industry’s future.

Conclusion

Top Gear America is the ultimate destination for car enthusiasts. With its in-depth coverage of the latest cars and industry news, the show has established itself as the go-to source for all things automotive. By utilizing its content and resources, you can enhance your knowledge of the industry and stay informed about the latest trends and developments.

So if you’re a car enthusiast looking to take your knowledge to the next level, or a business owner looking to stay ahead of the competition, make Top Gear America a part of your regular routine. You won’t be disappointed.

The post Top Gear America: The Ultimate Destination for Car Enthusiasts appeared first on Car Reviews, News, and Auto Industry Insight.

Car Loan Calculator Canada: The Best Tool to Help You Make Informed Car Buying Decisions

Buying a car is a significant investment, and for most Canadians, it is one of the most expensive purchases they will make in their lifetime. While financing options such as car loans are available to make the purchase more manageable, it is crucial to know the full cost of ownership before committing to a loan. This is where a car loan calculator Canada comes in. In this article, we will discuss the importance of a car loan calculator, how to use it, and how it can help you make informed car buying decisions.

Why You Need a Car Loan Calculator Canada

A car loan calculator Canada is a tool that helps you estimate the total cost of ownership of a car. It takes into account factors such as the purchase price, interest rate, loan term, and down payment to give you an accurate estimate of your monthly payments. By using a car loan calculator, you can determine the affordability of the car you want to buy and adjust your budget accordingly. It also helps you compare different financing options and choose the one that best suits your needs.

How to Use a Car Loan Calculator Canada

Using a car loan calculator Canada is easy. First, you need to gather the necessary information, including the purchase price of the car, down payment, interest rate, and loan term. Once you have all the information, enter it into the car loan calculator. The calculator will then give you an estimate of your monthly payments, total interest, and total cost of ownership. You can adjust the variables such as the loan term and down payment to see how they affect your monthly payments.

Benefits of Using a Car Loan Calculator Canada

There are several benefits to using a car loan calculator Canada. First, it helps you determine the affordability of the car you want to buy. You can adjust the variables such as the interest rate, loan term, and down payment to see how they affect your monthly payments. This way, you can choose a car that fits your budget and avoid getting in over your head.

Second, a car loan calculator Canada helps you compare different financing options. For example, you can compare the monthly payments and total cost of ownership between a car loan and a lease to see which one is more cost-effective. This way, you can choose the financing option that best suits your needs.

Finally, a car loan calculator Canada helps you make informed car buying decisions. By knowing the total cost of ownership, you can determine whether buying a new car or a used car is more cost-effective in the long run. You can also choose the financing option that best suits your needs and avoid getting ripped off by unscrupulous lenders.

Conclusion

A car loan calculator Canada is a valuable tool that helps you make informed car buying decisions. It takes into account factors such as the purchase price, interest rate, loan term, and down payment to give you an accurate estimate of your monthly payments and total cost of ownership. By using a car loan calculator, you can determine the affordability of the car you want to buy, compare different financing options, and choose the one that best suits your needs. So, before you sign on the dotted line, be sure to use a car loan calculator Canada to ensure that you are making the best decision for your financial situation.

The post Car Loan Calculator Canada – Get Best Rates appeared first on Car Reviews, News, and Auto Industry Insight.

It would be too easy to assume that Ross Brawn, despite the driver in the seat, is a sufficiently brilliant strategist to conjure up Formula 1 victories from nothing more than willpower. Mr. Brawn is that special. To say nothing of his newest driver, one fourty-one year old Michael Schumacher, the umpteen-time World Champion. Reuniting those previously-Maranellan forces alone should be enough to convince you that Mercedes GP should be taken very seriously. But to assume that those two alone will win the Championship would be to miss something much bigger.

This bigger something is the company which derives its name from the granddaughter of a Hungarian rabbi, a particular that Adolf Hitler was evidently unaware of as he paraded around 1930’s Germany in his heavily armoured 770K Mercedes.

Mercedes-Benz has only ever fielded a Formula One team during two distinct periods in the company’s history: 1934-9 and 1954-5. To say that either period was simply “successful” for the German racers would be a gross and flagrant understatement. You might have heard the term “Silver Arrows” in reference to the frequently victorious German cars from these eras, but Mercedes wasn’t the only manufacturer being supported by the Third Reich to build these superlative cars, Auto Union also used aluminum bodies that gave the cars their naked silver colour. Up until 1934, German cars had always been painted white, but legend has it that painting the cars was deemed frivolous as engineers scrimped weight to keep under the new 750kg Formula 1 limit.

From 1934-6, the Mercedes W25 racer employed a marvellously sophisticated suspension system that perfectly accompanied the prodigious output of the supercharged straight-eight engines. Ok, so perhaps a swing axle with transverse quarter elliptic springs in the rear and double wishbones with coil springs up front might seem archaic and antiquated today, but it was arcane and avant-garde at the time. Some of this advanced motorsports technology also made its way into Mercedes production vehicles of the same period, such as the sensational Friedrich Geiger-designed 500K (W29). The W25 was successful in its first two campaigns but was usurped by Silver Arrow compatriot Bernd Rosemeyer in his Auto Union during the 1936 season.

Nineteen thirty-seven saw the introduction of the Mercedes-Benz W125 racer to Formula 1. The W125 was not simply a slight improvement over the W25, it was a shot into the thermosphere to rival Gagarin’s. Utilizing a De Dion rear axle, Ferdinand Porsche’s patented torsion bars, and front suspension longitudinal compliance afforded by coil springs and independent wishbones, the W125 had the roadholding to match its 646hp 5.7L supercharged straight-eight. The car was so dominant in the hands of Rudolf Caracciola (who won 3 of the 4 races he entered) and Manfred von Brauchitsch (who podiumed in all three races he completed) that the Formula was changed to limit engine capacity to 3000 cc for the 1938 season.

Not so easily detered, Mercedes persisted in Formula 1 and developed a 425hp 3.0L V12 with 2-stage supercharging to replace the nearly-doubly-large eight of the W125. The racer that saw the first fitment of this new engine was dubbed the W154. Like the W125 before it, the W154 was also a clean-sheet redesign, although it did use a similarly stiff nickel-chrome molybdenum tube chassis. Again, this Mercedes racer was crushingly successful, winning fully 50% of its races and proving to be a dominant force over Auto Union’s Type D. For 1939, just before Nazi Germany invaded Poland, Formula 1 races continued with Hermann Lang in his W154 winning two out of four races entered. Rudolf Caracciola in his W154 won one of the remaining two European Championship races and finished second in one other. As the Second World War broke out and Germany refocused its technological and engineering efforts away from motorsports, Hermann Lang was left with the most point for the season, making him the unofficial Champion.

Without the tireless work of Nobel Peace Prize winner George C Marshall, the motor industry of mainland Europe would have taken much longer to recover after the Allies triumphed. Although nor should the financial support provided by the accumulated wealth of 6 million exterminated Jews (held in prudently lodged Swiss bank accounts during the war) be underestimated. With both these factors, oh how it recovered. In 1954, Mercedes-Benz returned to Formula 1 mid-season with its first naturally-aspirated racer, the W196. With a fuel-injected 2,499cc straight-eight developing 257hp, Juan Miguel Fangio and Stirling Moss steered the W196 (pictured above) and W196 Type Monza (an open-wheeled body used for the last ten races of the campaign) to nine victories in only twelve races between the 1954 and 1955 seasons, with Fangio alone taking 88.9% of the wins for Argentina and Mercedes. Mercedes withdrew from all motorsports, including Formula One, after the horrific magnesium, gas, benzene and alcohol explosion at the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans that claimed the lives of 80 spectators and Mercedes driver Pierre Levegh (née Bouillon).

So, you see, Mercedes-Benz does not affix its name to a racing team lightly. Despite the slew of young talent, shrewd strategists, and more recent experience of other teams, one venerable manufacturer is back for the first time in 55 years to wage psychological warfare on the competition. You should care (and worry).

Mercedes returns to Formula 1 on March 14 in Bahrain.

[Photo credits: Flikr/Randy52, Blitz.bg, eMercedesBenz, autowallpaper.de]

[Sources: Drive On! a social history of the motor car, Peter Orosz, Wikipedia]

The post Tangential Treatise #0: Why You Should Care (And Worry) About The 2010 Mercedes GP Formula 1 Team appeared first on Car Reviews, News, and Auto Industry Insight.

Fuel economy. Something I never, ever, thought I would care about when it came to sports car ownership. “It just comes with the territory, so it’s no big deal”, I told myself. Err, no.

Thirteen point one. That’s all the 350 managed on its last tank of premium, in L/100km. Not too swell. That works out to a miserable (not miserly) 18 mpg on the US scale and 21.5 mpg on the Imperial scale. And at around $1.10/L for the 91 octane stuff, my estimation of $200/month was a little light. It’s more like $250. That’s more than double the hit the Protege5 was doling out to my Y-3 wallet. I guess I shouldn’t complain, after all, I do get to drive a 350Z every day. But still.

I wonder if anyone has ever tried hypermiling a 350Z before…

The post Living With A Sports Car – Nissan 350Z Part VI appeared first on Car Reviews, News, and Auto Industry Insight.

 Part I, Part II.

Today we’ll address the running costs associated with owning a sports car. I could pretty much call today’s installment “Living With A Sports Car: By The Numbers”, but I won’t.

Previously, I’ve bemoaned the cost of premium fuel, but how much more expensive, overall, is the 350Z to run than, say, my Protege5?

Let’s dig deep into the numbers. 

Protege5:

• Insurance: $150/month
• Payments: $290/month
• Fuel: $110/month
• Maintenance: $50/month
• Depreciation: $214/month

350Z:

• Insurance: $138
• Payments:$331/month
• Fuel: $200/mo
• Maintenance: $74/month
• Depreciation: TBD

The insurance is cheaper for the Zed than it is for the Protege5? Well, that’s because I didn’t get collision insurance against the 350. Had I, it would have cost me $217/month, but I decided against it. I don’t even know why I have it on the Protege5, come to think of it…

The fuel cost for the Zed is only an estimate so far because I haven’t even driven it for a month.

The payments are closer than you might think because the interest rate used to borrow money for the P5 was higher (~6%) than for the 350Z (~2.5%).

The depreciation of the Protege5 was calculated based on a purchase price of $14,000 and a current value of approximately $5,000.

Also, I’m ignoring costs for new tires and whatnot. For the 3.5 years I owned the Protege5, I spent about $2,500 on wheels and tires. I also bought a short-shifter and a cold-air intake in that time, both of which I paid to have installed. Altogether, the P5 cost me about $85/month in non-maintenance expenses over the last 3.5 years. If I were to drive the 350Z 12 months of the year, the way I did the Protege, I would expect the annual running costs to be higher, but since I’m only going to drive the 350Z in the summer, it has yet to be seen how much the 350 ends up costing me. So far, the new Toyo Proxes 4 tires cost $1250 for the rubber and will cost another couple hundred to install, I expect.

I would love to use this time to talk about how great the new Toyos are, but the dealership I went to was unable to swap out 35-series tires due to the “stiff sidewall”. Which, when translated from dealershipese to English, means “we have no idea what we’re doing, so we can’t do it”. As a result, I called Kal-Tire to see if they could mount the new rubber for me. Nope, not unless I purchased my tires there. It’s their policy, apparently. Well their policy doesn’t stock the tires I wanted either, so I called my local Firestone Tire. “We can do it”, the service advisor said, “no problem”. They’re just booking into next week, is all.

So by Friday, May 22, I should have a definitive report on the Toyo Proxes 4 tires. Sorry for the delay. You can just blame the dealerships and the protectionist policies of some tire shops for the wait.

The post Living With A Sports Car – Nissan 350Z Part III appeared first on Car Reviews, News, and Auto Industry Insight.

Living with a sports car is something that every car enthusiast aspires to experience. Admit it. Despite this, since we don’t have Laguna Seca in our backyards, most of us are relegated to driving vehicles that are “practical” and “make sense”. For some, this can mean driving a Corolla. For others, a minivan.

But while you might be driving a 1994 VW Golf, you really, really want to drive a Caterham Se7en as a daily driver. You’re already imagining all the Stop Light GP’s you’re going to win; the track-days you’ll attend; the heads you’ll turn; the women you will turn into giddy schoolgirls.

If only you had the means to do it, you would. But that’s usually about as far as your thought process goes. Have you ever wondered why your local aristocrats drive Porsche Cayenne Turbo’s and not KTM X-Bow’s? It’s probably because of practicality and compromise. So the question is: are the sacrifices of living with a sports car worth it? As your CarEnvy editor, I’ve plunked down my own money to find out. It’s a hard job, but someone has to do it.

I’ve been driving a 2002 Mazda Protege5 for the last 3.5 years. Nothing fancy, but it carried my golf clubs, my skis, my gym bag, and even a few friends. The short-throw shifter kit and the cold-air intake were an homage to the sports cars out there that I wished were mine.

Well, I was driving the P5, until this last week when I bought a 2003 Nissan 350Z. It’s silver, it has the 6-speed manual, it has 19″ Axis wheels, it has only 54,000 km, and the best part? It cost only eighteen and a half thousand loonies.

So what is it like to live with a 287 hp coupe seven days a week?

Well first, there’s the firm ride, but you needn’t have developed the Special Theory of Relativity in 3 months to figure that one out. The 350Z is a sports car, but it is by no means a no-frills track-day special a la Ariel Atom. Yes, the visibility is crap, the sounds lound, the ride harsh, and the space compromises significant, but it still has a full windshield, a roof, heated leather seats, a radio, cruise control, and a trunk that can apparently fit two sets of golf clubs. Although I have yet to confirm that last one, there’s at least enough space for a weekend’s worth of bags.

Obviously, most car enthusiasts (myself included) would be willing to live with these compromises in exchange for the blood-hungry cry of the VQ35 crescendoing at 6,500 rpm. And that’s exactly what I’ve done for the summer of ’09. Bryan Adams, it’s been 40 years, let’s go.

Stay tuned as I accustom myself and my driving to this fine example of the venerable Z34.

The post Living With A Sports Car – Nissan 350Z Part I appeared first on Car Reviews, News, and Auto Industry Insight.

In the first installment of this series we discussed the timing and viability of starting a Formula 1 team in today’s economic climate. In this installment we will explore the challenges of establishing a race team.

Some famous warrior is quoted as saying that an Army marches on their stomachs. Logistics are the key to winning a war, as General Schwarzkopf stated after the liberation of Kuwait. Logistics are also the key challenge a race team must conquer. 

In order to provide Logistics support for their race team, USF1 will need to build a support organization to facilitate the multiple functions and disciplines required to go racing. Like any business they will involve revenue, R&D, manufacturing, purchasing and transportation. These functions will be supported by administration. In all, USF1 is forecasting a staff of 100 employees.

The first step will be to find a home for the team, a facility that will house the employees and where they will design, manufacture and assemble the race cars. This facility will look more like a computer lab than your local service garage, Formula 1 is a very high-tech industry. They will also have a European location to house their equipment during the pre-season tests and the European legs of the Grand Prix season.

Information technology plays an important role in Formula 1. USF1 will use advanced computers to design and perform initial testing for all of the components of the race cars. CFD (computational fluid dynamics) software is used extensively to pre-test ideas prior to building prototypes and final testing. Data collection and analyses systems will be required to monitor progress and predict performance. Computers are also used to simulate performance on the race track, running virtual races to establish performance goals and design objectives. Today, Formula 1 teams use communication links to transfer data from test sessions and races to the engineering departments in real time. All of these systems will have to be designed and implemented.

Moving equipment to and from their headquarters to the race sites will be accomplished by special air freight. In Europe, most of the teams are located in England. These teams share chartered aircraft to move their equipment around the world (about two transport trailers full per car), with-in Europe they travel by truck (called transporters in racing circles). USF1 will fly from North Carolina and use transporters with-in Europe from their European base. International logistics companies like FedEx and UPS are well positioned to serve USF1′s unique requirements.

Formula 1 cars are fragile cargo, special containers will be designed and built to ship them from race to race. Every spare part, from suspension pieces to body work will have it’s own packaging requirement. The equipment required for track-side support will also need to be designed, built and packaged for transport. Formula 1 teams travel with enough spares to re-build an entire car. Everything they need to go racing will be designed, packaged and transported to the race site. Only the garage space to work in is provided at the race track.

Flights, hotels and local transportation for the team need to be arranged. Each test session and race is a different challenge and these arrangements will need to be made well in advance. Local visas, currency and customs need to be understood. Some races are located in areas where English may not be widely spoken.

As in any business, money is needed to fuel these efforts. In professional racing this means sponsorship. I think they have a good story to tell as many US corporations sell to global markets. Technology based companies like Apple, Oracle and Microsoft may find value in promoting US innovation on the global sporting stage. Many of the world’s largest consulting companies are US based as well. How many consumer brands are US based? Even though there are no race events in the United States, these companies are active in Asia, the Middle East and Europe.  Formula 1 has the highest television ratings for international sporting events (Olympics excluded) at approximately 300 million viewers per race.

Revenue will also come from the sale of branded merchandise. This can be a very lucrative source of income. Could Nike benefit from this? The marketing genius of this company is legendary and USF1 will need a supplier of team uniforms and swag. I am positive there will be good competition for this franchise.

The majority of USF1 employees will be highly skilled technical people. Engineers and mechanics that will design and build the race cars. Some of these people will serve on the race team as well, performing crew duties during pit stops as well as collecting and analyzing data during testing and competition. Other duties at the race track include feeding the team and entertaining sponsors and guests. Press relations will also be required to schedule interviews and provide news releases to an information thirsty public.

With the organization defined and in place, USF1 may now concentrate on their main objective, to build a race car and go racing. In our next installment we will discuss the process of designing and building a race car.

The post USF1 Challenge: Part 2 – The Organization appeared first on Car Reviews, News, and Auto Industry Insight.

The Fiat 500, the little Fiat that could, will see another addition to its line-up at the Geneva Motor Show next month – a convertible! This is the same cabrio that we caught spyshots of about a month ago. True to the spyshots, the Fiat 500 Cabrio will open like a sardine can by maintaining its B and C pillars. This new variant will use the same engines as the standard 500 including the 1.2L gas, 1.3L diesel, and 1.4L gas engines. Don’t expect to see a hotted-up Esseesse version just yet though because Fiat has to same something for next year’s auto show circuit. 

We could very well see this exact vehicle on our shores in 2010 at local Chrysler dealerships thanks to the recent partnership agreement between the two companies. I’m excited at the prospect of having little Fiats running around our frozen streets but I think I’ll stick with the hard-top version for myself. It’s the only way to preserve even a semblance of my masculinity. 

Gallery after the jump. 

[Autoblog]

The post Leaked: Fiat Drops Top In Geneva (Fiat 500 Cabrio – Geneva Motor Show) appeared first on Car Reviews, News, and Auto Industry Insight.

Stan, Stan, Stan. How could you be so wrong about so many cars and forget so many others. Clearly, your age is showing. For starters, forget about all those old cars. Yes, they have “character”, but that’s just another word for “electrical problems”. If you want a great GT car, how could you neglect the mighty SLR McLaren? Heck, if you’re mental adventurous enough, you might even go for the one we showed you on How Hard Can It Be? And you brushed off the American and German supercars like they were dandruff on your shoulder! I’m no American stalwart, but I’ll give credit where credit it due. The Corvette is a great GT car and the ZR1 is one of the best cars on the planet with its colossal supercharged 6.2L V8. The ZR1 might lack the sense of occasion necessary in the supercar arena, but no one will argue its performance credentials. And I don’t really think that the Corvette’s trunk is that small. In fact, I’m pretty sure it’s huge. Also, for all of ChryCo’s shortcomings, the Viper stands as one of their great achievements. Just look up the fastest lap times for production cars on the Nurburgring. Notice which car stands atop that list? Here, I’ll save you the time, it’s the Dodge Viper ACR. Not bad for a car you claim is “not really a driver’s car”. I could go on, easy. 

As for the Aston Martin DB9, I think that it would make a perfectly good daily driver. It even has doors that raise slightly when you open them so that they don’t scrape the curb. It might be a little low in the ground clearance department, though. So I’ll agree that Astons aren’t the right cars for our climates, although the V12 Vantage might make me reconsider that position. The V8 Vantage is outclassed in this competition, though. Too bad, because it’s a looker. The XK-R (the new supercharged one with the XF-R engine) is the dark horse in the supercar category, it has Ferrari quantities of power in a wrapper that stops you dead in your tracks. I’m not going to dismiss this Jag just yet. 

For other British cars, there’s Bentley and RR. If you can call the VW and BMW subsidiaries “British”, that is. The Conti range, with their borrowed Quattro system, would make fine cars for Canada. Too bad they’re all so ugly. The Brooklands Coupe is on par with the RR Phantom Coupe but is even more rare. Therefore, the Brooklands gets a (5.4 m) spot on to my short list and the Roller gets snubbed. Yes, I’m expanding the definition of “supercar” with this 5,800 lb selection, but this is my list. Make your own if you don’t like it. 

While putting Italy on a pedestal, Stan, you forgot the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione. Not that I think it’s the world’s most competent car, but its looks alone are worthy of mention in any article about supercars. The Gallardo LP 560-4, on the other (Sant’ Agata) hand, makes my short list, especially after what we saw when Tiff got behind the wheel. 

Also, to snub Germany would be to neglect the Audi R8, the Merc CLK Black and SL Black, and the previously mentioned SLR. I’d call the SL Black a hardcore track car and unsuitable for our climate, but the others would make fine choices. And don’t bash the R8 just because its engine is behind the driver. The R8 was designed to fit two sets of golf clubs on the shelf behind the seats. But that probably doesn’t include staff bags, so Tour pros need not apply. I know that the R8′s Quattro would certainly come in handy when the roads get snowy. I think I’ll have to cut the CLK Black, though. It just isn’t quite special enough to keep up with this field. Shame really, it’s a great car. 

Also, you dismissed the Ferrari for its lack of reliability and servicing locations but later said that you would put up with these grievances for the GranTurismo. Don’t get the wrong idea, I think that the Maserati is a fantastic work of art and the GranTurismoS transforms the portly standard car so that it handles with aplomb. Still though, this is a bit like putting a pig in ballet shoes instead of work boots. You’re still not going to fool anyone. 

That’s quite enough for what we disagree about, now let us focus on what we agree about. I think that choosing a car that is livable with in the city, especially ridiculously-far-North Canadian one, is a great idea. Normally, I’d be tempted to pick the best car for windy roads and hot tracks, promptly forgetting that I live in a reality called Edmonton. So that eliminates the Koenigseggs, Bugattis, Vipers, Ascaris, Gumperts, Paganis, Caterhams, and Ferraris. What does that leave me?

Well, from what I’ve deduced so far, I’ve got the Mercedes McLaren SLR, Aston Martin V12 Vantage, Jaguar XK-R, Bentley Brooklands Coupe, Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4, and the Audi R8. Now we get down and dirty. V12 Vantage is out. All the vents and side skirts and spoilers ruin the classic design. The XK-R is out. The Jag looks great from the rear, but the front end lets it down. Now it gets really tough. Gallardo is out. Ouch, that physically hurt me to write. Probably too demanding for day-to-day driving, though. Try parallel parking it. R8 is out. Stan is right, not enough room. Where do I put my skis? Down to two, the Brooklands and the SLR. I really didn’t see it coming down to these two when I started the article, but here I am.

It has to be the Bentley. I just realized that the one thing you really look for in a supercar is a sense of occasion. That can come in many shapes and forms. It can be performance, design, price tag, exclusivity, or the mystical je ne sais quois. As a gearhead, I’d always assumed that performance was the number one factor when choosing a car. Until I went through the problem step-by-step, that is. Now, a whole lot of design, price tag, exclusivity and yes, performance, have led me to the Brooklands. With its 6 and 3/4 Litre, twin-turbo, hand-built engine producing 550 hp and 774 torques, the supercar power statistics are certainly in place. But the Brooklands is much more than just power stats (or even weight stats). For example, the interior of the Brooklands takes 125 hours just to trim and 16 cows make the ultimate sacrifice to make the leather for said interior. The level of detail and rampant excess that goes into the Brooklands is just mesmerizing. To me, this is what a supercar should be about. Plus, you can fit four above-average adults in it. The SLR is just too compromised and hardcore. I guess I’m getting old. Hey Stan, warm up that seat next to you at the Bingo. I’m on my way in the Brooklands.

The post Editorial: Supercar – Peter’s Response appeared first on Car Reviews, News, and Auto Industry Insight.

Such dimensions could nearly be used to describe a UFC fighter but instead describe Lexus’ most capable off-roader ever. And that’s about the same introduction that will be running through people’s minds when you arrive in this thing. Because you don’t just show up, you really do arrive. This is a vehicle to make a statement; much in the way a Hummer makes a statement. Not to discredit the LX570′s phenomenal off-road credentials, but people will really be buying this for the number of seats (8!), the toys inside, and the sheer audacity of it. When asked if they’d like to go chew up some mountain trails on the weekend, no one says “Count me in! I’ll bring my new Lex “. That’s actually what Jeep was invented for. Oh, and Hummer too. Only in the perverted minds of the Lexus marketing team would a customer actually say that.

Excessive is the only way to describe Lexus’ new behemoth, Toyota Land Cruiser-based SUV. It. Is. Large. But so is the Land Cruiser on which it is based. The difference is that Canadians don’t have a choice because the Toyota isn’t sold in our market. Using the same 5.7L V8 from the Toyota Tundra and putting out 383 horsepower and 403 torques, The LX570 still meets California’s strict Tier 2 Bin 5 emissions standards.

The LX employs some of the most advanced off-roading technologies ever seen including Crawl Control, Full-Time 4WD, Vehicle Stability Control, Active Traction Control, Hill-start Assist Control, Downhill Assist Control, and Engine & Transfer Case Protector Plates. But will anyone use these? Or are they about as useful as the “Cool Box” in the centre console that keeps your ice cubes for your scotch just right?

Contradicting the rough and tumble image with the Lexus image is the laundry list of gadgets inside. Rear Seat DVD Entertainment System, Audio and DVD Remote Control, In Dash 6-Disc DVD/CD Auto-Changer, Powered Flip-up/Flip-Down 9-inch LCD Rear Monitor, 19 Speaker 450-watt Mark Levinson Reference Surround Sound Audio System with Hard Disk Drive, Power Rear Door with Jam Protection, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Front Console Cool Box, Smart Card Key, Intuitive Parking Assist, Wide-view Front and Side Monitor System, Illuminated “Lexus” Scuff Plates, Pre Collision System, Heated and Air Conditioned Front Seats, and Heated Middle Row Outboard Seats. Yikes. One could argue that maybe the LX570 isn’t a contradiction, maybe it’s the best of both worlds? That would be a valid argument if anyone would off-road with it. But they won’t. So it isn’t. That just leaves a great hulking SUV with a lot of seats, more tech, and even more buttons.

The previous analogy to the Hummer H2 was apt because not only are they both huge, but also because the LX570 makes the H2 look like it isn’t so bad on fuel after all. 15mpg? Maybe if you feather the gas pedal. One massive advantage that the LX does have, however, is that no one will egg your vehicle and flip you the bird every time you go to get milk from the IGA. Things that can’t be guaranteed when cruising around in the Hummer. So there’s something to be said for Lexus/Toyota’s “green” credentials after all, even if they’re shredded to bits here.

The sense of occasion continues once inside the cabin. The quality of the cabin is, as one would expect in a vehicle costing on the wrong side of $100,000, very good. The materials used are of high quality and the dash and buttons all have a very solid feel. It’s a good thing that the buttons are so nice to touch because there are approximately eleventy billion of them cluttering every square inch of the cabin. There are so many that I think some of them are just for decoration because there’s no way they can all have an effect on this 3 tonne beast.

The 5.7L engine is quite powerful and the standard 6-speed transmission does a good job of keeping the revs down so the fuel economy stays out of the single digits. Unfortunately, the transmission isn’t particularly eager to kick down as it wants to keep revs low all the time. But it’s good that the engine and transmission are such a powerful combination because they have a lot of mass to motivate.

I’m saving the best for last: the sound system. My God what a treat. I’d swear that Yamaha had something to do with it because it was just as impressive as the IS-F engine note. Believe it. I actually thought that I was in a Lil’ Wayne concert! Thank you Mark Levinson and your 19 speaker orchestra.

So I’m kind of confused as to what to make of the new Lexus LX570. It’s very luxurious, but not much to look at. It’s a competent off-roader, but no one will ever use it so it just adds even more weight. The engine is great, but the transmission prevents it from shining. It doesn’t really sit 8 people very well, maybe 6 at most.

So why would I get one of these when the RX350 sits only one person less, doesn’t drink premium for a living, and costs half as much?

I guess it’s for those who just have to make a statement, but it’s just not a statement that I would want to make in 2008.

Price as tested: $101,000
Summary: What was the point of it again?

Exterior Design: 2/10. Bloated and boring.
Interior Design: 5/10. Plush, but cluttered.
Engine: 7/10. Strong, especially compared to previous gen LX470.
Transmission: 5/10. Somewhat reluctant to kick down, jerky in Sport Mode.
Audio/Video: 10/10. Your ears won’t know what hit them.
Value: 3/10. Pricey, especially considering that most of the options are must-haves for the intended market (if they actually exist).
Overall (not an average): 4/10. Commanding presence. Phenomenal sound system. No point.

Special thanks to Bruce Kirkland and Lexus of Edmonton.

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