The Manhart MH4 GTR Outguns Mightier M Cars, Sniffs Around Hellcat Territory

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 The outgoing M4 was plenty powerful, but this takes it to a whole new level.

BMW recently took the wraps off of the new BMW M4, and, well, it didn't go over so well with the internet. There's hardly any way around the fact that its grilleface is a tough one to love, so let's cast our minds back to the original BMW M4 and its smaller kidney grilles. The BMW M4 originally came out in 2015—when it stopped being known as the M3 coupe—and it was a spicy car to drive, so naturally Manhart has decided to give it the one thing it didn't need: Even more power.

The Manhart MH4 GTR is actually based on the already rather rare BMW M4 DTM Champion Edition. Just 200 of these special editions were built to celebrate BMW's successful return to the German Touring Car Championship. In BMW's first season with the M4, Marco Wittmann won the driver's title, and the commemorative M4 followed with DTM-inspired looks, some extra aero bits, and a fresh BMW M inspired livery.

2017 BMW M4 Manhart 112017 BMW M4 Manhart 11

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Manhart takes things just a little bit further. Thanks to an ECU remap, a new intercooler, aluminum charge pipes, and a stainless steel exhaust, the  MH4 GTR now makes (a frankly ridiculous) 698 horsepower and 722 lb-ft of torque. For reference, the M4 DTM  Champion Edition came out with "just" 500 horsepower—the same amount as the M4 GTS thanks to their shared water injection system.

You might think that, to cope with the extra power, Manhart has maybe added some fancy dampers or maybe some extra bracing around the car. But no. Instead, to tame all that grunt they added custom wheels that are just 0.4 inches wider than the wheels the car originally came on. There's also a new front splitter and a bigger rear wing, but you're probably going to need a few more enhancements than that to tame that monstrous engine. Hey, at least it's still better looking than the new M4.

Use Lexus's LX 570 J201 Concept as a Template for a Bougie Overlander

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It's like many of the old-school Land Cruiser and LX builds you've seen, only new and expensive.

Luxurious, expensive, rare...a brand-new Lexus LX 570 might not seem, at first glance, to be a great candidate for an overlanding build. But Land Cruiser aficionados are well aware that this big luxury SUV shares its bones with its Toyota sibling—and as upmarket as both of them are, the underpinnings are formidable, as are their capabilities. Older Land Cruisers and depreciated Lexus LXs are popular starting points for full-size overlanding rigs. Lexus is fueling the imagination with this J201, a custom overland build done in collaboration with Expedition Overland.

Normally the LX 570 doesn't boast the kind of power the J201 produces. The 5.7-liter V-8 is naturally aspirated in normal models, good for 383 horsepower and 403 lb-ft of torque. It's plenty, even at part throttle, even considering the LX's heft. And yet, more is always welcome. The J201 features a supercharger, cranking up the output to 550 ponies and 550 lb-ft. The supercharger is an aftermarket unit sourced from Magnuson, which can be added to the LX (or Tundra, Sequoia, or Land Cruiser with the same basic 5.7-liter V-8). Icon suspension provides up to 4.8 inches of front and 4.1 inches of rear lift.

There's a long list of goodies besides that, including more performance-oriented bits and plenty of overlanding gear—too much to list, as the saying goes, so we'll call out the highlights. ARB front and rear air lockers are a great upgrade to provide useful traction to the General Grabber X3 tires in sticky situations. CBI off-road bumpers front and rear are complemented by CBI skid plates and rock sliders. A Warn Zeon 10-S winch is on board, as well as two Rigid Industries light bars and a TJM Airtec snorkel. For gear storage, there's a Prinsu rack up top with storage for MAXTRAX traction boards. Inside a Goose Gear drawer system and Zero Halliburton aluminum travel cases help organize other gear.

Lexus LX570 J201 Concept 47Lexus LX570 J201 Concept 47

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The J201 is a concept, although given the heavy reliance on existing aftermarket parts there's no reason you couldn't build one pretty much exactly like this—if you're willing to spend. Many of the components are relatively top-of-the-line, fitting the character of the Lexus. But why is it called the J201, anyways? It's a nod to the enthusiasts who refer to vehicles like this by their internal model code. The LX 570 is the "URJ201"—the UR refers to the V-8 (designated 3UR-FE), and the J201 represents the model code for the J200-series Land Cruisers and LXs. It's dorky fanservice and that's great.

The special Lexus J201 will also run in this year's Rebelle Rally, a 1,200-mile all-female rally, with past champs Rachelle Croft and Taylor Pawney behind the wheel—quite a debut for this ultra-lux off-road machine.

Prototype Test Drive: 2022 Volkswagen Taos

Fuel efficiency is the name of the Taos’s game.

Slated to arrive at dealership showrooms in the summer of 2021, Volkswagen's newest compact SUV, the 2022 Volkswagen Taos, enters VW's SUV and crossover lineup sandwiched between the Tiguan and the recently revealed ID.4. It will be built at the Puebla, Mexico plant, and is ready to go head-to-head with its adversaries in the fiercely competitive SUV kingdom. We recently visited the newly expanded Volkswagen Group Test Center in Oxnard, California, to take a quick test drive of a prototype version of the Volkswagen Taos.

2022 Volkswagen Taos Prototype: All New 1.5-Liter Engine

The Volkswagen Taos is powered by a new 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine generating 158 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. A tad bit more powerful than the 1.4-liter engine used in the VW Jetta, this new engine promises to deliver suitable power and excellent fuel economy.

Featuring a higher compression ratio of up to 11.5:1, the new 1.5-liter engine uses a high-pressure injection system, map-controlled cooling module, air plasma sprayed (APS) cylinder coating, and a Variable Turbine Geometry (VTG) turbocharger. The results of this relatively exotic technology are good low-speed torque, a shorter time to warm up the engine, on-demand engine cooling, and faster heating of the vehicle interior, all in the name of fuel efficiency. Volkswagen's new 1.5-liter engine is the first volume production engine to employ VTG in North America.

2022 Volkswagen Taos Prototype: Drivetrain แม่จำเนียร

The Volkswagen Taos is available with two drivetrains to suit your driving style and your local environment. The standard front-wheel-drive Taos gets an eight-speed automatic transmission, a more economical choice for a commuter. For those who see snow or other slippery conditions for a good chunk of the year, there's the all-wheel-drive version, which also offers an optional upgrade to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

2022 Volkswagen Taos Prototype: Interior, Tech, And Safety Features 

While we were able to take the Taos for a quick spin, Volkswagen kept the interior under wraps and did not disclose details on tech and driver assistance aids. Based on what we could spy through the camouflage, though, the interior looks similar to the current Tiguan's and features a slightly updated steering wheel that looks sporty and cool. What we do know is that the Taos will be 11 inches shorter in overall length than the Tiguan, but that doesn't appear to affect rear passenger legroom, as we also had a chance to sample the backseat.

2022 Volkswagen Taos Prototype: Driving Impressions Quick Take

For less than an hour, I had the opportunity to drive the Volkswagen Taos prototype outside of the VW facilities in Oxnard, testing the compact SUV on mostly rural and suburban roads. On the roughest of surfaces, including over railroad tracks, the Taos feels well-mannered. One caveat: The wheels on the prototype were not the ones that will be on the production vehicle, so it's possible the prototype's ride quality may not be completely representative of the eventual retail model.

At sudden stops, the brakes were reassuring, and during lane changes to pass slower-moving vehicles on the freeway, the Taos reflected agility and guts. Wind, road, and engine noises were almost invisible, and throttle response was reasonably on point, the Taos responding to my throttle inputs smoothly and relatively quickly.

2022 Volkswagen Taos Prototype: Pricing And Competition

The Volkswagen Taos prototype I drove briefly is close to the eventual production model's targeted configuration, according to Volkswagen. Pricing and fuel economy are yet to be released, but we estimate that the Volkswagen Taos will start somewhere in the ballpark of $22,995. VW's latest compact SUV will compete against the likes of the Hyundai Tucson, Nissan Rogue Sport, and Jeep Compass.

Intrigued? We should learn the official price of the 2022 Taos at the unveiling set to take place in mid-October, though VW may hold back pricing until closer to the Taos's summer 2021 sales launch. Until then, we can sit back and relax—something the makers of the Taos's rivals are unlikely to be doing any time soon.

 

Ferrari Omologata Is a One-Off 812 Superfast With Retro Touches

 Commissioned by a European purchaser, this is the tenth one-off V-12 Ferrari has built since 2009.

Buying a new Ferrari is obviously a special experience, but there are always well-heeled folks who think even ticking all the option boxes or selecting a unique paint color aren't enough to set their car apart from other buyers'. Because of this, bespoke bodywork has become a big business, albeit not in terms of volume but rather money and prestige. Take the recently unveiled and very outrageous Aston Martin Victor, which is very much in this vein, as well as 10 V-12 Ferraris since 2009—a roster that now includes this one-of-one, 812 Superfast-based Ferrari Omologata custom creation.

Of course, for decades, custom bodywork was the norm rather than the exception for rarified European sports and luxury cars, and several coachbuilding outfits might body the same mechanicals—for example, you could have your early 1950s Ferrari 212 Inter bodied by Touring, Ghia, Vignale, Ghia-Aigle, or Pininfarina. But what was relatively commonplace then is nearly unthinkable today given the need for the whole vehicle to work as a system optimized to meet safety standards, aero targets, and so forth.

And this kind of coachwork is even rarer, more expensive, and more customized than ever before. It took two years for Ferrari to go from initial commission to final car, and the Modenese company says the entire exterior is all new save the windshield and headlamps. The customer sought a timeless design that also recalled the company's racing heritage—the Omologata's racing stripes and giant meatballs on the hood and doors definitely telegraph that. More important, the Omologata smoothes and settles down the frenetic aesthetic of the 812 Superfast, which is aggressive but perhaps too busy to be considered truly beautiful. The lines of the Omologata—Italian for "homologated," as a nod to racing-approved road cars—accentuate the car's overall length and proportions and especially its organic curves, rather than chopping it up visually. If a more classically beautiful Ferrari was the goal, the Omologata succeeds. แทงบอลออนไลน์

While Ferrari says little to nothing about the mechanicals, the basic 812 packs a 6.5-liter V-12 that makes 789 horsepower and 530 lb-ft of torque—and you know the Omologata isn't going to be any weaker. As such, the new owner can expect their car to hit 60 mph in something like 2.8 seconds, and to cover the quarter-mile in a scorching 10.4 seconds at 139 mph. And, of course, the Omologata will pack all of the other amazing chassis technology of the 812 Superfast.

Inside, special touches include electric blue accents on the seats and a crinkle-paint finish on some interior components that recalls some classic racing Ferraris' cam covers. The rest is black—surprisingly restrained considering the combination of blank slate and massive customization fee generally promote questionable frivolity. Instead, the Omologata is a coherent, if individualistic, reimagining of the 812 Superfast, and its owner now has a tasteful and classy—and, oh yes, hugely capable—Ferrari for the ages.

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2021 Audi E-Tron Sportback Is Your Everyday Electric Vehicle

With a little more range, it’d be perfect.

 

LOS ANGELES—Reviewing an electric vehicle like the 2021 Audi E-Tron Sportback is tricky for an old hack like me. EVs are still a novelty for many, and it's easy to focus only on electrical aspects like range, charging, and (most of all) that silent, satin-smooth power delivery. The way I see it, that sort of approach is rapidly becoming outdated. It won't be long before all-electric cars are, if not mainstream, then at least a common option, and I think it's time we start evaluating them like we would any other car. The 2021 Audi E-Tron is a great place to start. Electric or not, it's a fantastic vehicle and one I really enjoyed driving.

For those unfamiliar, the big story behind the E-Tron Sportback is not so much its electrical powertrain as its body. It's got all the same mechanical pieces as the 2019 E-Tron SUV; what sets it apart is the A7-esque hatchback body style. The E-Tron Sportback toes the line between crossover and sedan-on-stilts.

As soon as it arrived, I hopped in and headed north toward my favorite curvy roads. On the freeway ride to Malibu, the Audi was lovely, its ride pillow-soft and extraordinarily quiet, even without the optional dual-pane side windows. The view out is, shall we say, unusual: The driving position and windshield shape are reminiscent of a car, but your height off the road feels like a particularly tall SUV. Credit (or blame, depending on your perspective) goes to the battery pack, which is mounted under the floor and raises everything accordingly.

2021 Audi E-Tron Sportback Shows Us How Much Fun An EV Can Be

Now, if you're worried that the decline of the internal combustion engine will mean the end of motoring joy, I can assure you that the best is still ahead of us. I had a great time piloting the E-Tron Sportback through the curves, all the while recalling something John Lamm wrote in a 1972 Cadillac review for our sister publication, MotorTrend: "The Cad rides like a Chevrolet with a 1,200-pound steel slab welded to the bottom of the frame. Handles that way, too." I always thought he meant that as a dig, but now that I found myself driving a car with a 1,600-pound slab welded to the bottom of the frame (bolted, really), lemme tell ya, friends and neighbors, this is the way to motor. That low center of gravity all but obliterates body lean, and the big tires gripped strongly and gave plenty of early warning before letting go. Weight balance is near 50/50, and the steering feels light and precise. Too much speed yields gentle understeer, just like most all-wheel-drive Audis.

The E-Tron Sportback comes with air springs as standard, and it demonstrated everything I love about an air suspension: Great handling and a ride as smooth as the proverbial baby's butt-cheek, even with the car in Dynamic mode.

Range And Charging For The 2021 Audi E-Tron Sportback

I also discovered the disadvantages of hot-dogging in an electric car: On my way up the hill, I used up 20 miles of range in just over two miles of driving. Range is a sore spot with the Audi, as the anticipated EPA range (not finalized at the time of writing) from its 95-kWh battery is 218 miles, far short of the 300-or-so offered by Tesla's SUVs and promised by Ford's all-electric Mustang Mach-E. I happen to believe that "range anxiety" is part state-of-mind and part myth. Most EV owners charge at home, and the average American drives less than 35 miles per day, so 218 (or even 118) is plenty for most driving. But for long distance driving, 218 miles is a short tether.

On the plus side, the E-Tron Sportback supports 150-kW charging, which can theoretically get the car from empty to 80 percent in 30 minutes. (Charging slows down as the battery fills up.) I stopped by one of Electrify America's 150 kW chargers, and got from 38 percent (85 miles of range) to 76 percent (163 miles) in 22 minutes. I picked up my first 20 miles of added range in the first 5 minutes of charging,

Back to the curvy roads: I don't have a charger at home, so I slowed down as I approached the summit, but only a little. That wasn't easy—the E-Tron may be tuned for comfort, but it's the kind of car that just begs you to speed up in the corners. If Audi ever comes up with a performance electric—may I be the first to suggest they call it the RS-Tron?—I am so going to run out of juice on a canyon road somewhere.

Happily, the rule in Malibu is that which goes up must drop back down to sea level. For the downhill sections I used the steering wheel paddles, which control the amount of accelerator-off regenerative braking (there are three stages of regen, if you want to get granular), and with judicious use I was able to pick up plenty of power while keeping momentum through the curves. The game I set for myself was to drive as fast as I could without touching either pedal. I had more fun doing this than I should probably admit to, and by the time I got to the end of my route I was showing the same range remaining as I had when I started. God bless you, Isaac Newton, wherever you are.

Power When You Need It And Serenity All The Time

I'll pat myself on the back for exhibiting such restraint, because it's easy to get carried away with the E-Tron Sportback's available power. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain is rated at 355 horsepower and 414 lb-ft, and will boost to 401 hp and 490 lb-ft if you shift to Sport mode and push past the point of resistance near the end of the accelerator pedal's travel. It's hard to describe the feel of 490 lb-ft of electric torque, because it's not at all like a gasoline car, where it takes time to build, then trails off. Floor the e-Tron at any speed, and you just sort of get magicked to whatever speed you want (or, more frequently, a speed well beyond, up to its top speed of 124 mph). Some day, when all cars drive like this, we're going to wonder why the hell we ever bothered with internal-combustion power.

Having already discovered the delights of the e-Tron Sportback on the freeway, I took the city streets home. What can I say about the car except that it's lovely here, too? A bit big, perhaps—the E-Tron Sportback is a much larger car than it appears from the outside, and you'll feel that from behind the wheel. But it's smooth and quiet and serene to a degree that gasoline cars have trouble approaching at any price.

2021 Audi E-Tron Sportback's Cabin Is Modern And Functional

Like its powertrain, the E-Tron Sportback's dash represents Audi's latest-and-greatest, with crisp LCD screens in place of traditional buttons and gauges. I'm still getting used to virtual climate controls—changing temperature and fan speed by tapping or swiping on the screen—but I like that when you press one of the E-Tron's virtual buttons, you get physical feedback in the form of an audible click and a vibration from the screen. It makes the transition that much easier. And I love, love, love, love Audi's moving-map instrument panel display with its satellite imagery (even if that's more useful for helicopter pilots than earthbound drivers).

A few things I don't like: The slab of open-pore wood that bisects the dashboard looks totally out of place to me, as if "wood" was on the checklist and someone fulfilled the obligation without considering the consequences. (My wife disagreed, she thought it looked fine.) The center console is a big gaping hole that can only be partially covered by the armrest, and something about that just annoys me—there ought to be a sliding panel to seal it closed.

As for the whole Sportback thing, obviously you give up some cargo space compared to the e-Tron SUV. The eTron's cargo floor sits nearly at waist level for a short guy like me, owing partially to the fact that Audi stubbornly insists on fitting the car with a real spare tire. (How could they?) Underhood space is taken up by make-the-car-go stuff, but there's a small covered compartment big enough for the home charging cord, and it'll accommodate handbags or other valuables one wishes to hide from prying eyes.

The Sportback body gives up some rear-seat height compared to the E-Tron SUV, but I found plenty of headroom (I'm 5'6", so no surprise there) and easy ingress/egress. I see it as a small price to pay for the Sportback's handsome lines, which make the E-Tron SUV look dowdy and matronly by comparison.

Is The 2021 Audi E-Tron Sportback The EV To Buy?

Speaking of prices to pay, the spread for the E-Tron Sportback is $70,195 for the Premium model (including destination fee and before the $7,500 Federal tax credit) and $83,395 for the top-of-the-line Prestige. My mid-level 2021 Audi E-Tron Sportback Prestige Plus, with optional metallic paint and rear-seat thorax airbags, split the difference at $80,090. That puts it in the same general price range as Tesla's big SUV, the Model X, which goes farther on a charge and has more fancy bits (falcon-wing doors!) but isn't as well engineered.

What I like best about the 2021 Audi E-Tron Sportback is that it presents a realistic vision of our electric future. As an EV, it's cool—but if you ignore its powertrain, it's still cool: It looks good, rides like a Rolls, and is good fun to drive. Shame about the range, though, because the E-Tron Sportback has all the makings of a great long-distance car. If Audi can get the range to that magic 300-mile mark, the E-Tron Sportback will be as easy to live with as it is to review.

2021 Audi E-Tron Sportback Highlights ufa.bet

Mechanically similar to Audi E-Tron SUV

355 horsepower, with boost to 402 hp

95-kWh battery, 218-mile range

4,000-lb towing capacity when properly equipped

2021 Audi E-Tron Sportback Pros

Luxury-yacht ride with respectable sporty handling

Control interface is high tech yet easy to use

Looks way cooler than regular E-Tron SUV

2021 Audi E-Tron Sportback Cons

EPA range rating falls short of other long-distance EVs

A few annoyances in the interior

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2021 Volkswagen ID.4: VW’s Electric-Car Future Is Here

VW’s first mass-market foray into EVs begins with this compact crossover.

Lest you think Volkswagen is merely talking a big game around its future as an electric-car-focused brand, let VW America's COO and industry legend Johan de Nysschen lay it out.

"The [2021 VW ID.4 electric car] is the most important new Volkswagen debut since the Beetle," he said casually during a private debut event for the new electric-car crossover vehicle. "Where the Beetle brought mobility to the masses, the ID.4 brings e-mobility to the millions, not the millionaires." Quite the catchy slogan, but catchy is what VW hopes for the 2021 ID.4, intentionally positioning its first full-scale production EV in the U.S., in the country's hottest-selling segment.

2021 VW ID.4: The Electric-Car/Crossover Ticket

Instead of launching the new ID sub-brand here with a cluster of quirky, bubble-bodied hatchbacks that would have likely undersold and come to be considered by consumers as nothing more than stylistic oddities, VW's first electric-car feint on our shores is into the compact crossover segment. This is a space occupied by A-List best-seller mega-stars like the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Chevrolet Equinox.

Of course, while buyers in this segment are probably some of the least likely to take purchasing risks, VW did its due diligence and double-checked its homework—according to VW, 30 percent of compact-crossover buyers are ready to make the switch to EVs. Not a huge number, but considering there are more than 4 million new compact crossovers sold during normal economic conditions, the 2021 VW ID.4 electric car might be poised to capture a significant chunk of those sales. The ID.4 is set to start landing in customers' hands in early 2021, with order reservations open now

2021 Volkswagen ID.4: Electric-Car Range Anxiety? Not Here

So, with a $55-billion investment in ongoing EV development, the sleek 2021 VW ID.4 lands as the first reasonably priced all-electric compact crossover, standing a full segment-size larger than the Hyundai Kona EV and that car's sibling, the Kia Niro EV. VW wants and needs to make sure this appeals not just to the EV-curious, but to the greater buying populace as a whole.

Range anxiety is usually the No. 1 reason people cite as causing them to hesitate to make the jump, but VW says the average reported distance a compact-crossover driver will travel daily is 59 miles, with only 88 percent of those people reporting they driving more than 100 miles in a usual day. "For some reason, some buyers have it in their heads that they drive across the country once a week," de Nysschen chuckled. "If they do take one of those mythical roadtrips, they can stop and charge it."

At launch, the 2021 VW ID.4 electric car has an 82-kWh battery sending juice to a single rear-mounted motor, returning 201 horsepower and 228 lb-ft of torque, but more importantly 250 miles of range on the EPA cycle. The range is not ironclad quite yet, but VW tells us to expect it to be just above or just below that 250-mile sweet spot. Find yourself running low, and the ID.4 drinks from up to a 125-kW fast charger, shooting the ID.4 from 5- to 80-percent charge in 38 minutes.

If you aren't near a fast charger, expect the 11 kW onboard charger to charge the battery enough to travel 33 miles, in about one hour, and complete a full battery charge in around 7.5 hours at a home or public Level 2 charger. VW will sometime next year launch a dual-motor AWD ID.4 with 302 combined horsepower, and a slightly lower range. Have a small boat or RV trailer to tow? VW claims the ID.4 leads the class with a 2,700-pound towing capacity. Regardless of spec, VW is happy to announce all ID.4s come with three years of free fast-charging service through Electrify America.

2021 Volkswagen ID.4: Style And Substance

It certainly looks the part of VW's EV renaissance. The 2021 ID.4 is very much what we hoped and imagined this electric car would look like—a less aggressive productionized translation of 2017's I.D. Crozz concept. It's an effortlessly stylish design, with strong brand identity balanced with clear-cut conservatism as to not alienate those who are more interested in fitting in than standing out. In other words, compact-crossover buyers. Through the use of clever aerodynamics, lip spoilers, and underbody packaging, the ID.4 slips through the wind with a 0.28 drag coefficient.

Inside, it's a cool, future-forward environment with smart packaging, especially in the driver's quadrant. A 5.3-inch digital dash frames the view ahead of the electric car's driver, while buyers have the choice of either a 10- or 12-inch infotainment display that harbors controls for the aforementioned radio, navigation, media, and climate control. Beneath the screen, touch controls handle additional climate functions, and you also find a handful of essential menu-navigation buttons. Drive functions are operated via a nifty, cluster-mounted shift array that looks straight out of "Blade Runner." Like other electric cars, the 2021 VW ID.4 supports seamless turn-on; that is, once you're seated and ready to go, just put it into drive and set-off without any need for hitting a start/stop button.

Early adopters of the ID.4 are more likely to be tech-gurus, and VW hopes to court them with standard features like wireless charging, adaptive interior lighting, gesture controls, four USB-C ports, wireless app connect, and VW's full range of driver-assistance systems packaged as IQ.Drive. Spec it right, and the ID.4 incorporates a full panoramic glass roof and power tailgate with easy-open gesture function.

As VW put it, this has to be an excellent compact-crossover vehicle first, and an electric car second; the fact it's all electric should just be icing on the cake. As such, there is essentially identical passenger space in the ID.4 compared to the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V, right down to leg and shoulder room. Out back, 30.3-cubic-feet of cargo space with a bi-level loading floor provides a smidge less than the competition, but more than enough for regular use and occasional fold-down second-row duties that gives a combined 64.2 cubic feet.

2021 Volkswagen ID.4: Electric-Car Numbers Game

Of course, the biggest factor in all of this is price, as it's no use going against the industry's best if you can't match them financially. The 2021 VW ID.4 electric car starts at $39,995, before the applicable EV tax credit or state-level incentive, equipped with the mid-level "Pro" trim. With an average segment transaction price of around $33,000, VW thinks this is right on the money, while also promising a lower-cost entry-level model is on its way in the near future that's predicted to land around $35,000. For $43,995, an ID.4 1st Edition combines the available Statement package (vegan leatherette, panoramic roof, power tailgate, premium lighting) and the Gradient package (20-inch wheels, bi-color package with black roof) with 1st Edition-specific touches that include white accents inside and out, small 1st Edition badging, contrast mirror caps, and some seriously adorable Play/Pause graphics on the throttle and brake pedals. แทงบอลออนไลน์

So, finally, VW's electrified future in America is here, and it's every bit as cohesive as we hoped it would be. If the 2021 VW ID.4 sounds like an electric car you'd like to snap-up for yourself, VW will hold you a car if you pay a $100 reservation fee, ahead of those deliveries beginning early next year.

 

2021 Volkswagen ID.4 Fast Facts

First all-electric compact-crossover SUV in the S.

Around 250 mile range

Launches VW's ID sub-brand in the U.S.

Starts at less than $40,000, with a cheaper model on the way

Three years of free fast-charging service

5- to 80-percent battery charge in less than 40 minutes with fast charging

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2021 Acura TLX First Drive: A Seriously Strong Sports Sedan

 After discovering how the regular TLX drives, we can’t wait for the new Type-S.

MALIBU, California- You know, Acura didn't have to redesign and launch the new 2021 Acura TLX in the way it did. Not that an automaker has a duty to do anything at all, but placing significant investment into how its new premium sedan might appeal to an enthusiast isn't exactly a sure-fire way to make some cash. Catering to what car dorks think they want these days is a good way to burn a big pile of corporate greenbacks, regardless of the product's impeccable spec-sheet or bucket of go-fast goodies.

Acura's repositioning of the new TLX as a driver's car is more impressive still when you consider the fact parent company Honda—ever the enthusiast's best friend—is in a state of fanboy retraction, cutting the manual transmission from the Accord, and entirely nixing the adorable Fit and racy Civic Coupe families. It's not like the outgoing TLX was a salesroom dud, either; last year, Acura moved more than 26,000 TLXs in the U.S., and while this isn't within reach of the BMW 3-Series' 47,827 units, it handily outstripped the Lexus IS' 14,920 units, and it matched the 26,435 Audi A4s sold.

2021 Acura TLX: A Welcome Shift

So, Acura could have just as easily made another sharp-ish, easy-driving premium four-door and continued to let that stack of cash grow larger as the sedan segment continues to shrink in the coming years. It could have told the handful of true Acura enthusiasts left to pound sand, and not spent the time and resources developing an Acura-exclusive platform that incorporates a double-wishbone front suspension, NSX-derived brake servo, and according to the product presentation and supplied materials, a vastly improved dash-to-axle ratio. Color us surprised, intrigued, and excited for the new 2021 Acura TLX, all at once.

In the ongoing gradual march toward total crossover-vehicle dominance, and the eventual proliferation of electric cars, a new sedan designed from the lowest levels of production as something with drivers in mind feels like a warm cup of cappuccino and a tight hug in the midst of a storm. Adding to that, the thought of the forthcoming Audi S4-battling TLX Type-S model landing later next year hangs on us like our favorite hoodie. It seems there may be crepuscular rays lancing through the clouds, and we're totally here for it.

All this fuzziness before we even got a chance behind the wheel. Before that happened, we had to decipher just what went into the new 2021 Acura TLX, and where Acura's bread-and-butter sedan now sits in the hyper-competitive premium-sedan segment. The first thing you'll notice is the size differential compared to the old car; this is one of many new segment straddlers we're beginning to see fill in the gaps between the showroom superstars like sand between marbles. Acura knows it can't hope to compete with the eternally popular BMW 3-Series, 5-Series, and Mercedes-Benz C- and E-Class, so why not blur the lines a bit? For 2021, the Acura TLX goes upmarket in size, stretching an extra 2.9 inches in length, 2.2 inches in width, and surprisingly dropping half-an-inch in height. The wheelbase and track grow too, with an additional 3.7-inches on the wheelbase and 1.2 inches extra front track, and 1.5 inches for the rear track.

2021 Acura TLX: Looking The Part

Visually, the new TLX is longer, leaner, and lower. That dash-to-axle mention above was no joke; compared to the older car, Acura added 7.8 inches to the distance, giving the TLX a markedly more purposeful stance and sharp profile. Acura's trademark angularity still very much runs thick, but it's a much more cohesive and pleasing design overall. There's tension to the pinched, creased lines, and it works as a natural progression of what we've come to expect from the automaker.

The interior is redesigned to the same degree. Like the exterior, much of what you find inside takes cues from the current RDX crossover, especially in the center console. The same flat, waterfall-style control cluster for the 10-speed automatic transmission cascades from a large drive-mode selector knob, framed on both sides by seat heating/cooling and climate controls. A 10.2-inch HD screen sits atop the center dash, controlled by Acura's "True Touchpad Interface" just south of the shift cluster. The moderately aggressive and quite handsome steering wheel is similar to the one found in the RDX, as is the red-accented silver gauge cluster, lending a racy feel to the whole affair, regardless of how you spec your TLX.

2021 Acura TLX: What Was Two Is Now One

Speaking of spec, what's under that creased hood up front is the same across the board. Gone is both the base-level naturally aspirated 2.4-liter four-cylinder and the optional natty 3.5-liter V-6, now supplanted by a variant of the Honda K20C4 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder found in the RDX.

Compared to the crossover, power and torque remain the same 272 horsepower and 280 lb-ft, routed to either the front or all-four wheels via the aforementioned 10-speed automatic. This is down 18 hp compared to the discontinued V-6, but up 13 lb-ft; those sticking with the base-level TLX will reap the biggest benefits, as the turbo-four pumps an additional 66 hp and 98 lb-ft of torque against the old 2.4-liter.

Not too shabby for what Acura touts as a sports sedan. In that pursuit, the new 2021 TLX is a significant departure from the prior Accord-based TLX. It features an Acura-exclusive platform with a sizable roster of noteworthy dynamic and structural upgrades when superimposed over the old TLX, a product of developing the new sedan with plans for the future Type-S baked into the design. As mentioned above, one of the more substantial changes is the move to a double-wishbone front suspension from the previous strut design, working in tandem with a multi-link rear suspension setup, and dramatically improved structural appointments that increase overall torsional rigidity by an impressive 50 percent, Acura says.

There's a slight increase in weight distribution, now 57/43 front/rear compared to the earlier TLX's 60/40. Most hardware is reworked as well, including an updated electric power-steering system and a brake-by-wire arrangement that includes control componentry cribbed from the NSX. The fourth-generation of Acura's trademark SH-AWD system manages the new powertrain, capable of sending up to 70 percent of power to the rear wheels, and able to shift 100 percent of power from right-to-left via torque vectoring. All this go-fast stuff, and we're not even close to the Type-S yet.

Moving back to suspension for a moment: Depending on which trim you pick, the new 2021 Acura TLX holds either standard "Amplitude Reactive Dampers"—a fancy name for Acura's two-valve damper design that allows for variable spring rates—or the TLX Advance's adaptive damper setup. Curiously, the TLX A-Spec is not available with the adaptive suspension, despite remaining the aesthetically sportiest of all of the non-Type-S TLXs.

2021 Acura TLX: So Far, So Good

All this is to say Acura put an impressive amount of engineering and work into returning the Acura calipers to their rightful place on the snout of a real-deal sports sedan. With a barrage of percentages, ratios, and charts flying at us during the pre-drive breakdown, and genuinely overjoyed and very enthusiastic Acura engineers and product planners rallying around the new TLX, it was difficult approaching the new premium sedan with anything other than sky-high expectations.

The day's drive route took us on a circuitous route through the Malibu hills and coastal roads that placed us in a variety of different scenarios and environs; both the roads and the region are ones in which we are intimately familiar with, so we improvised at some junctions to wring out the TLX properly. At some points, these roads turn serpentine and narrow to a fault; any small dynamic issues presented by the TLX would be magnified tenfold.

We started in the A-Spec with the fixed dampers, cutting a path up the backside of Mulholland Highway before landing beachside on the Pacific Coast Highway. Right off the bat, the 2021 Acura TLX feels sharp and well-balanced—an innate base level of confidence that encourages heavy right-foot inputs and late-ish braking. Even without the adaptive dampers, body composure is excellent, with minimal roll and predictable reactions during long sweepers and tight, technical turns alike. Steering is light and without much feel, but turn-in is quick and predictable. Considering the intended market, we'd say this is right on-beat, but for a sports sedan, we'd like a little more feedback.

2021 Acura TLX: Tire Troubles

In the TLX Advance, we defected from the route to explore the Advance's adaptive suspension more thoroughly through one of the more vicious sections of tarmac in Southern California. As expected, the adaptive suspension proved even more predictable and progressive, though not to such a degree we'd decry those who settle for the fixed suspension. Regardless of the spec, all TLXs rode smooth and quiet over regular surface streets, with all the poise necessary for the car's premium standing. When the quietness started to make us a little stir-crazy, blasting some surfy tunes from the Panasonic ELS Studio 17-speaker system was top-notch.

Unfortunately, in both Advance and A-Spec form, the new 2021 Acura TLX is under-tired for canyon-carving duty. The chassis greatly outpaces the standard Michelin Primacy all-season tires, with the relatively squishy rubber screaming at full volume even during low-ish speed maneuvers. However, despite the protesting, grip was maintained for most sane speeds, with understeer arriving only at the threshold of enthusiasm. For the majority of TLX buyers, this tire is perfect; for those who commute through the canyons, consider making a simple tire swap to fix the problem outright and have yourself quite the capable sports sedan.

2021 Acura TLX: Engine Chatter

Power from the 2.0-liter engine feels healthy, but since the 2021 Acura TLX isn't exactly the lightest compact/midsizer on the block, acceleration feels somewhere in the mid-to-low 6-second range. The SH-AWD Advance we grabbed the most seat time in spun the scales at 4,028 pounds, just a few pounds shy of a similarly equipped RDX. Of course, looking over the fleet of cars the TLX is up against, it falls somewhere between the 3,900-pound BMW 530i xDrive and the 4,100-pound Audi A6, and the Acura has noticeably more power and torque than those Germans.

it's heavy, but the 2.0-liter never dragged when stepping into the passing lane or charging up steep mountainous inclines. The transmission was similarly snappy, though it's understandably tuned more for slogging through the city than setting a lap record at Suzuka. If you do plan on whipping around your new TLX, there's a whole suite of drive modes ranging from Comfort, Normal, Sport, and Individual that remaps the throttle, shift points, steering, torque vectoring, and adaptive suspension, where available.

2021 Acura TLX: Worthy Of Acura's Legacy

As far as premium sports sedans go, the new 2021 Acura TLX is a good one; with a new set of performance all-seasons and fine-tuned steering, the TLX would be one of the sharpest in both the compact- and midsize-executive segments, despite sitting comfortably between both. It gets even better when you look at how much this is going to cost you—not a whole lot, comparatively speaking.

The cheapest front-wheel-drive 2021 Acura TLX starts at $38,525, jumping to $40,525 to get a base-level TLX with the vaunted SH-AWD. This is right around—or less than—what you would pay for a base-level Audi A4, Mercedes-Benz C 300, and BMW 330i, and significantly less than the midsize BMW 5-Series, Mercedes-Benz E 350, and Audi A6, all of which share similar dimensions to the Acura. The TLX even features a baked-in suite of active driver-safety systems like adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and automatic braking; the same cannot be said for the rest of the gang, though the smaller Lexus IS and Genesis G70 match the Acura in safety content, but not in size.

The new 2021 Acura TLX is a mighty fine effort and an excellent modern interpretation of the type of Acura sports sedan we used to enjoy so much. Like we said, all this brow sweat and engineering didn't have to happen—this is a rare case of enthusiasts getting a chance at the development reins, and it shows. With this level of attention to detail levied on the mass-market product, we can't wait to see what Acura has in store for the TLX Type-S.

2021 Acura TLX Fast Facts ufa.bet

A shift from sharp-ish compact to premium sports midsizer

Bigger than before, but far less expensive than the competition

New double-wishbone front suspension

Sole 2.0-liter turbo-four engine one of the more potent in the segment

Great chassis

Can't wait for the Type-S

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