Small crossovers are best known for offering a mix of value and utility in a manageable size. They’re less known for offering rousing acceleration. But even so, there are plenty of right-sized crossovers that won’t let you down when you lay into the right pedal. Here are the quickest compact crossovers under $40,000 that Motor Trend has tested.
Land Rover Discovery Sport
Starting price: $38,790
0-60 mph: 7.9 seconds
Quarter mile: 16.2 seconds at 85.9 mph
One of the more accessible Land Rover models, the Discovery Sport features a 2.0-liter turbo I-4 from the Ingenium family. Despite the added heft of its standard all-wheel-drive system, the engine offers good punch even in its base 237-hp guise. Like the larger Discovery, the Discovery Sport is available in a standard five-seat configuration or a 5+2 layout, giving you room for seven in a pinch.
Jeep Cherokee 2.0T Trailhawk
Since August, buyers have been able to go online and configure their own 2019 Ford Ranger before it heads to dealerships early next year. Now, leaked documents reveal a host of accessories that will be available on the truck, from bed products to body graphics and kayak carriers.
The folks at Ranger5G.com say they received a list of accessories from a dealer source, and it’s quite an extensive list. Some of the goodies include Bushwacker fender flares, exterior trim kit hood lettering, a bull bar, and custom exterior graphics, of which prices have not yet been determined. Buyers can choose black or chrome step bars, priced at $399 to $529, respectively. Black 18-inch wheels are on the list, priced at $999. Also look for bed mats, bed liners, and chrome exhaust tips.
Midsize trucks often serve as recreational vehicles, so Ford is offering a host of racks and carriers for your sports equipment. Kayak carriers [...]
Remember that experimental Ford Shelby GT500 Prototype nicknamed “Little Red” that was discovered rusting away in a Texas field earlier this year? Well, the long lost experimental notchback coupe makes its triumphant return to the West Coast at Shelby Legendary Cars in Irvine, California, today.
The legendary muscle car prototype is the star of the grand opening of Shelby’s latest location and we got a sneak peek at its unveiling. Members of the original Shelby American team will answer questions about the carmaker and a documentary crew will be on hand to film anyone who can help shed light on the history of the Shelby prototype on Saturday, October 13.
“We’re very grateful that Craig Jackson agreed to give Shelby Legendary Cars the chance to debut Little Red on the West Coast for the first time since its astounding discovery,” said Lance Stander, CEO of Shelby Legendary Cars [...]
I called the Aventador Superveloce Lamborghini’s “bloodiest axe” when I first drove it a little more than three years ago just outside Barcelona, Spain. Further exposure back in America to that 740-horsepower rolling weapon confirmed, if not strengthened, my thoughts and feelings. Going with that metaphor, the new Aventador LP 770-4 Superveloce Jota (SVJ for short) is the axe murderer, and oh look: He’s licking the blade. And grinning. I remember thinking that the then-ferocious SV version of Lamborghini’s mid-engine V-12 flagship was as wild and as crazed as supercars got—and frankly would ever get. What has two thumbs and was wrong? This guy! Friends, the lunatics are no longer running the asylum. They’ve burned it to the ground and have gone on to seek higher office.
Some technical details before we get to the drive impressions. The 6.5-liter V-12 makes more power and torque, as it ought [...]
Holden, an import-only brand, now has something to call its own. That is, if you count a virtual race car.
General Motors’ Australian brand showed off the Time Attack Concept racer last week. Though it looks like it would fit right in with the futuristic Vision Gran Turismo concepts of the “Gran Turismo” video game series, this virtual car celebrates the 50th anniversary of Holden’s first win at the Bathurst 500.
Designers and engineers worked together to imagine this concept, which is said to use plenty of carbon fiber. The body, chassis, wheels and suspension all utilize this lightweight material, contributing to a weight of under 2,000 pounds. The powertrain consists of four electric motors that make a total output of 1,340 hp and a whopping 2,390 lb-ft of torque. Four individually controllable cyclo-gyro fans, powered by their own motors, use variable blades that can direct thrust to create optimal downforce for a given corner. [...]
