In light of the news that there will be no 2020-model-year Volkswagen Golf R, we’re bringing back this May 2018 comparison with the best from Subaru, Honda, Ford, and VW. Enjoy.
Every generation has one. Volkswagen Golf GTI. Acura Integra GS-R. Mitsubishi Evo. If you smuggled automotive magazines in from Europe, perhaps it was the Renault 5 Turbo or Ford Escort Cosworth.
No matter who you are or where you grew up, odds are you remember your first hot hatch—a plebeian-skinned powerhouse designed around the democratization of performance and practicality. Some looked like ATMs on wheels; others had sloping lines approximating a coupe. But they all held the same secret: startling horsepower and tight handling underneath their econobox sheetmetal.
Me? I’ll never forget the first time I saw a Subaru WRX. I was about 12 years old. It was a snowy winter morning, made colder by the wind ripping off an angry Hudson River. My [...]
The Cadillac CT6 lives on despite rumors it would be cancelled. Not only that, the flagship sedan charges ahead with a “V” variant boasting a more potent 4.2-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine making 550 hp. Because of its tame exterior design, the 2019 Cadillac CT6-V is the definition of a sleeper sedan. But is that a good thing or not?
The CT6-V has a much more subtle design than the 640-hp supercharged CTS-V, which serves a different role but is pictured below for reference. The new sedan has a relatively small grille, and it also features vertical headlights that Cadillac often uses on its cars. Overall, it looks just like the regular CT6, with no visual cues hinting at its sporty intentions.
It’s the same story from [...]
Buying an enormous SUV? You’ll want to check out this February 2018 comparison of the biggest players in the segment right here.
As Americans, we ask a lot out of our family vehicles. But none exerts itself harder than the full-size, three-row SUV. These seven- and eight-seat SUVs are tasked with shuttling family members to school, jobs, and sports practice during the week. On the weekend, these workhorses support our hobbies—from towing horses or boats on trailers to taking us down remote two-tracks to our favorite hiking or hunting spots. While we play, they work even harder.
Because of the honeydew lists we place upon these big family SUVs, manufacturers build ’em tough. They typically feature big V-8 engines, four-wheel drive, and full-size pickup-based platforms. Given how many jobs we expect these SUVs to do, our testing will ask more of ’em, too. On top of the usual criteria—you know, driving, riding, and handling, plus [...]
Yesterday, Volkswagen announced changes to its lineup for the 2020 model year, which mainly revolved around standardizing active driver assistance tech. When we combed through the release, we noticed the Golf R wasn’t outlined so we assumed that Volkswagen was either going to release a separate announcement or the car carried over unchanged. Unfortunately, neither of those are the case. The Volkswagen Golf R has been discontinued for 2020.
A Volkswagen spokesman confirmed to MotorTrend that the all-wheel-drive Golf R has officially ended production, leaving the Golf GTI as the hottest model. The Golf R is expected to return when the eighth-generation Volkswagen Golf debuts. It’s rumored to feature a more potent 2.0-liter turbo-four that reportedly makes well over 300 hp, giving the Golf R more separation from the Golf GTI, which could only see a minor power bump if any at all. An updated MQB platform will underpin the eighth-generation Golf family.
Turns out limited-production hypercars aren’t necessarily great moneymakers, even when they cost more than $2 million. Automobili Pininfarina shocked audiences at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show with the Battista, an all-electric hyper-GT with nearly 1,900 hp and 1,700 lb-ft of torque. The car’s incredible design and projected performance figures may justify its price tag, but the brand is still looking at ways to improve its revenue stream by carrying the Battista’s momentum into an expanded product lineup.
“It’s our clear strategic intent is to become a significant player in the hypercar and super-luxury segment,” CEO Michael Perschke said to Automotive News Europe. “We have a very clear intent to not remain a one-hit wonder.” As such, Automobili Pininfarina aims to bring a sedan and SUV to the market in the next few years.
The plan would start by partnering with an established automotive supplier to co-develop an electric vehicle platform. This platform would take a [...]
