Mercedes-Benz S550 Plug-In Hybrid 2015

Just 22 years ago, the Mercedes-Benz S-class exceeded 400 horses for the first time, with the 402-hp 6.0-liter V-12 in the 1992 600SEL besting the BMW 750i by more than 100 horsepower. The car was a gauntlet fired into the turf, and it instantly became one of the most prestigious, high-performance sedans in the world.

These days, all it takes is a 3.0-liter V-6 and an electric motor to

BMW M2: The Lean, Mean Track Machine 2017

BMW has so perverted the sanctity of the letter M in its model names and
option packages that a brief nomenclature lesson may be appropriate
here.


Let’s start at the bottom. An M followed smartly by the word “Sport” is
BMW code for interior- or exterior-trim changes, chassis upgrades, and
engine tweaks offered as optional equipment. The M Perform­ance label
has a double meaning. It

Nissan 370Z NISMO Automatic 2015

The shift performance and responsiveness of automatic transmissions have
gotten pretty good in recent years. We still prefer manuals, of course,
but a good set of paddle shifters and a quick-shifting sport mode—and,
preferably, dual clutches instead of a torque converter—can occasionally
allow one to weave a thrilling tale. (We can’t believe we just wrote
that, either.)


The reality is

Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Eight-Speed Automatic 2015

The race to higher gear counts is in full swing, and automatic gearboxes
are leading the way. Driven partly by marketing one-upmanship and
partly by the need to meet ever-tougher fuel-economy mandates,
eight-speed autoboxes are everywhere, Chrysler’s running a nine-cogger in select models, and 10-speeds—from Ford, GM, Volkswagen, and others—are just around the corner. The General’s own

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT Coupe and Roadster 2013

Before marketers hijacked them, before BMW slapped them on an awkward hatchback, and long before you could buy a Mitsubishi Outlander GT, the letters “GT” defined a very specific type of automobile. A grand tourer, or gran turismo, was
a swift, athletic car that placed

Jaguar XFR-S 2014

Action-figure lats for one of Jag's quicker cats.
August 2013






 

Whether or not you’ve heard of Jeffry Life, you know his face—or, more accurately, his body. Dr. Life
is the balding 74-year-old with the chiseled torso in those
hormone-replacement ads that look like an old head that’s been
manipulated by Photoshop onto a young body. Like Life, Jaguar has
recently

Subaru BRZ Premium 2013

BY MIKE SUTTON | MULTIPLE PHOTOGRAPHERS



Subaru’s rear-wheel-drive BRZ
sports car was a lock for long-term duty in our vehicle fleet, what
with its being fun, affordable, and relatively efficient, as well as one
of the most significant new models for 2013. So we ordered up a Premium
model in Subie’s iconic WR Blue Pearl hue. Fitted with a six-speed
manual transmission and