The last time Jeep shoehorned a V-8 under the hood of its iconic mil-spec Rubicon-runner, it was AMC’s wheezing small-block 304-cubic-inch lump that struggled to produce 150 horsepower and 245 lb-ft of torque in 1972, numbers choked down to 125 and 220 by the time the engine was retired in 1981. But customers have clamored for such a Jeep with a V-8 ever since, creating a cottage industry of engine-swap kits, primarily to jam GM LS or FCA Hemi V-8s under the hood of any CJ or Wrangler YJ/TJ/JK/JL built since Ronald Reagan became president. Now it appears our long wait for a factory Jeep Wrangler V-8 will have been worth it. Presaged by a concept version we drove earlier this year, the 2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 is here. <!– –> Wrangler 392: Powerful and Quick Je...
The V-8-powered 2021 Jeep Wrangler 392 is the latest addition to the off-road-oriented SUV‘s ever-growing model line, which also includes gas-powered four- and six-cylinder engine options, an available turbo-diesel V-6, and the forthcoming gasoline-electric hybrid 4xe. Despite the Wrangler sharing its mechanical bits with the Gladiator pickup, the SUV’s 4xe and 392 powertrains are currently missing from the midsize Jeep truck’s options menu. So the obvious question is: Will the Gladiator lineup add either option in the future? Jeep isn’t ready to kick a possible Gladiator 4xe or 392 to the curb, as brand spokespeople acknowledge the Wrangler 4xe’s 375-hp plug-in hybrid powertrain and 470-hp 6.4-liter V-8 are capable of fitting under the Gladiator’s hood (and, in the case of the...
Jeep engineers like to have fun. So, the brand’s decision to stuff a big 6.4-liter V-8 engine under the hood of a Wrangler and unveiling it as the Rubicon 392 concept didn’t strike us as much of a surprise. After all, this is the same brand that regularly rolls out wild concept trucks and SUVs it has no plans of mass-producing as part of the Easter Jeep Safari. The Rubicon 392 seemed to us like just another such concept vehicle—an awesome idea that was unlikely to reach production or one left to the aftermarket (which has been providing V-8–powered Wranglers for years). Boy, were we wrong. Jeep formally announced its plans to unveil the salable 2021 Jeep Wrangler 392 on November 17, 2020, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern time. It’s really happening. So, what can we expect from this latest addit...
Launched in 1959, the original Mini revolutionized automotive design. With its engine mounted transversely across the front of the car and driving the front wheels, the Mini’s space-efficient mechanical layout became the blueprint for small and medium-size cars the world over. The second-generation Mini, launched in 2001 by BMW, was a digitally remastered homage to the original’s cheeky design that also amped up its fun-to-drive dynamics. BMW’s new Mini Vision Urbanaut concept is less a car than a lounge on disco-lit wheels. Think of the Urbanaut as a small minivan stuffed with a hipster loft interior. According to BMW, it has a “daybed” and a “street balcony” at the front and a “cosy corner” at the rear. Pop a token into one of three slots on the ...
Pro Impressive base model Fun, quality interior AMG engine Con Melty exterior design Some cheap bits Rough ride The democratization of luxury has proven difficult for many premium brands, none more so than Mercedes-Benz. Pilloried for its cynical first attempt at the entry-luxury CLA-Class subcompact sedan, the folks from Stuttgart could have packed it in. Instead, they doubled down, first with the A-Class (a 2020 COTY finalist) but then with the second-gen 2021 Mercedes-Benz CLA, which is nothing short of impressive. So impressive, in fact, that it is also a Car of the Year finalist. View Other 2021 Car Of The Year Contenders And Finalists Here “The previous version always felt built to a price and like it had been finished by Mercedes’ van division,” features editor Christian Seabaugh sa...
Pros Fun N Line variant Good value Roomy back seats Cons Unrefined transmission Fishy front-end styling Ride quality The 2021 Hyundai Sonata makes a compelling case to grab our Golden Calipers this year with bold styling and an expanded lineup, which includes a hybrid and a new N Line model powered by a powerful turbo-four engine. With consumers continuing to gravitate to crossovers, will the revived Sonata be enough to slow the trend? And can it rise above the midsize segment’s juggernauts, the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord? View Other 2021 Car Of The Year Contenders And Finalists Here The biggest surprise in the lineup is the new Sonata N Line. Enthusiasts looking for a practical yet fun midsize sedan will likely find a lot to like with this one, including a 2.5-liter turbocharged ...
Pros Gorgeous styling Strong inline-six Four-door practicality Cons Pricey Unrefined stop/start system Cramped rear headroom The BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe won’t set any sales charts ablaze, but based on our judges’ notes, it might be the most desirable car in the automaker’s lineup. And why wouldn’t it be? Yes, it’s a sedan version of the very attractive BMW 8 Series coupe, but it manages to be just as gorgeous. The coupe’s most standout styling details—its wide haunches, frameless doors, and long hood—translate well to the Gran Coupe. And the practicality of its rear doors is just icing on the cake. View Other 2021 Car Of The Year Contenders And Finalists Here “The proportions are just stellar,” senior features editor Jonny Lieberman said. “Just how you drew up cars on your Pee-Chee folders...
Pro Surprising style Standard safety tech Features per dollar Con Average fuel economy Poor retained value Lumpy CVT tuning Nissan has done it. After years of wallowing in econobox mediocrity, the compact Sentra sedan matters again. Even without the head-turning two-tone paint of our test car, this Nissan can compete head-on with the Toyota Corolla and almost every other car in the segment. View Other 2021 Car Of The Year Contenders And Finalists Here True, this isn’t a comparison test, but judges found it impossible not to consider the new-for-2020 Nissan Sentra against an aging but still excellent class leader, the Civic. “The Honda Civic looms large,” senior features editor Jonny Lieberman said, “and in terms of engineering excellence, I don’t think the Sentra has that bogey beat.” Stil...
Pro Excellent chassis Great powertrains Premium interior Con Complicated infotainment Gets pricey quickly Climb into a 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, in either sedan, coupe, convertible, or wagon form, and you will understand the true meaning of luxury. For 2021, Mercedes has freshened the E-Class‘s sheetmetal, updated its engines, and upgraded its infotainment system. View Other 2021 Car Of The Year Contenders And Finalists Here From the graining of the dashboard wood to the suppleness of the heated, ventilated, posture-correct leather seats, the E-Class delivers a premium experience. Yet it also is thoroughly modern, from the robust yet efficient responsiveness of its powertrain to the plethora of high-tech features. “The E-Class delivers on every front you can think of—both from a pa...
Pros Weak-in-the-knees looks Phenomenal performance Drives like a Porsche should Cons Inefficient in a market that demands efficiency Insufficient range Very pricey The CliffsNotes summary of the electric Porsche Taycan is this: a staggeringly impressive vehicle that struggled against some of our Car of the Year criteria. View Other 2021 Car Of The Year Contenders And Finalists Here Remember, we employ six key criteria when evaluating cars during COTY, which is how the $26,000 Nissan Sentra is able to be in the same competition with a $146,000 electric Porsche. The Taycan knocked several of those criteria out of the park. But let’s get the bad stuff out of the way first. “You are looking at the least efficient fully electric vehicle currently produced today, period,” Zach Gale said. “How d...
The Mitsubishi Debonair V 3000 Royal AMG is a real AMG—a really different AMG, too. A global blend of Teutonic tuning and Japanese luxury, it may have been the perfect expression of its moment in time. And the epitome of what Japan aspired to be—a builder of world-class luxury automobiles to rival the European elite. And what better way to do that than wrap one of your top offerings in the mystique of a celebrated German tuner? In 1987, when this AMG-ified Mitsubishi debuted, Japan was thriving. The Bubble Economy, as it’s known, meant automakers were absolutely flush with cash and happy to spend it developing moonshot cars like the Eunos (Mazda) Cosmo, the Acura NSX, the sequential-turbocharged monsters like the Toyota Supra and Mazda RX-7. A generation beyond the devastation of WWII and ...
In the wake of five vehicle fires involving 2016–2019 Chevrolet Bolt EVs, General Motors has issued a global recall and is asking owners to have their software updated to prevent further incidents. The first fire occurred in summer 2019 and there have been five to date. The one common element: All were at, or near, a full state of charge when the fire started, says Jesse Ortega, executive chief engineer for the Chevrolet Bolt EV. The only injuries have been reports of smoke inhalation, and both GM and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are investigating the fires. <!– –> The recall affects 68,667 2016–2019 Bolt EVs globally, with 50,925 of them in the U.S. All have battery cells manufactured by LG Chem in Korea from May 2016 to May 2019. The 2020 C...