Cars reviews

After seven successful years on the market, the third-generation Ford Focus was replaced by a brand-new hatchback. Although it’s too early to say whether the new model will be as successful as its predecessor, it has many features to brag about, starting with a new platform that will underpin several Ford vehicles in the future. It also boasts a sportier exterior, new tech inside the cabin, and a revised engine lineup. With the standard Focus on its way to dealerships as of 2018, it’s time to talk about the RS model. The performance-oriented model might arrive by the end of the year and rumors and renderings are already making headlines on the internet.

Ford’s very own competitor for the all-popular Volkswagen Golf GTI, the Focus ST will benefit from all the cool features of the new Focus, but it will receive a few extra features inside and out. The sportier exterior with more aggressive cues will be joined by an exclusive interior, while its engine will provide the most power in an ST model yet. Until the next-generation Focus RS arrives, the ST will sit at the top of the range in terms of performance and pricing. Let’s take a closer look at what we already know about this car in the speculative review below.

Continue reading to learn more about the upcoming Ford Fiesta ST.

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is the German automaker’s tip of the spear when it comes to luxury and opulence, offering the very latest in technology, styling, and interior features. With a history that dates back to the early ‘70s, the latest sixth generation for the flagship sedan model (also known as the W222) was introduced back in 2013, which means it’s time for a ground-up redesign. With that in mind, we pulled out the TopSpeed crystal ball, drew up the above-pictured rendering, and wrote up a speculative review on what exactly the next S-Class could be bringing to the table.

Continue reading to learn more about the 2020 Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

Pininfarina has been around for quite a while now, first spreading roots in Torino way back in 1930. Best known for its design work for major automakers like Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, and Maserati, among others, Pininfarina is more old-school cool than it is next-gen tech. However, that association looks like it’s getting a shakeup with the release of the H2 Speed, a production-ready hydrogen-powered race car destined to blitz race tracks around the world, leaving nothing but water vapor from the exhaust tips.

Continue reading to learn more about the Pininfarina H2 Speed.

Revealed in October 2015, the BMW M2 Coupe turned out to be a revival of the iconic BMW 1 Series M Coupe from 2012. With a more compact body and a power-to-weight ratio similar to the M4, the M2 is actually a better option for those looking for the dynamics and dimensions of the original M3. All told, there are plenty of things to get excited about with the M2 Coupe. However, as soon as it arrived, word got out that the M2 won’t be the most hardcore incarnation of the 2 Series. Original rumors talked about a CSL version of the coupe, but come 2018 and BMW launched a more powerful version of the car under the Competition name. And surprisingly enough, it’s not an addition to the lineup, but a successor to the M2 Coupe.

Although it’s actually mid-cycle facelift, the M2 Competition received a notable amount of extra features over the standard M2. The exterior is a bit more aggressive, while the interior gained new standard features and carbon-fiber trim. There’s big news under the skin too, where the M2 Competition comes with an engine based on the M4, with more oomph obviously, and upgraded chassis, cooling, brakes, and exhaust. All told, the M2 Competition is a slightly more compact M4 now, which is both good and bad for the company. Keep reading to find out why.

Continue reading to learn more about the BMW M2 Competition.

The history of Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera stretches all the way back to 1926, with a lengthy hiatus between 1966 and 2008 breaking up an otherwise very impressive resume´ of custom cars and design work. The latest from this Italian powerhouse is called the Sciàdipersia, and as you might have guessed, it’s an utterly bespoke, limited-run sports machine dripping with high-end details.

Continue reading to learn more about the Touring Sciàdipersia.

After seven years on the market, the seventh-generation Audi A6, also known as the C7, was finally retired in 2018, making way for a much-improved midsize sedan from the Ingolstadt-based automaker. Redesigned to look more modern inside and out and fitted with all the fancy tech that it needs to go against the competition, including semi-autonomous capability. With the A6 sedan unveiled to the world at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, Audi quietly revealed the wagon version, also known as the A6 Avant.

Just like its predecessor, the Avant takes all of its design features and tech from the sedan model. The key difference here is the longer roof and the bigger trunk, which makes the Avant more practical for drivers who haul stuff on a regular basis and an ideal family vacation car. It’s as practical as any midsize wagon out there, but it comes with premium comfort features and the latest safety technology. Does it have what it takes to compete against the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Wagon and the BMW 5 Series Touring? Let’s find out in the review below.

Continue reading to learn more about the Audi A6 Avant.

The 991.2-generation Porsche 911 may be just a year old, but the German company is already working on the next iteration of the iconic sports car. Likely to be called the 992, the upcoming 911 is already being tested on public roads according to our paparazzi, who just sent us the first pictures with the coupe. Although the 992-gen 911 looks identical to the current model, that’s not to say that the upcoming sports car will carry over unchanged on the outside. The reason for the similar looks is that the 992 is still in its early stages of development, and thus Porsche uses the body of the current model, albeit with some modifications.

We don’t know much about the next-generation 911, but Porsche is working on a brand-new platform and new version of the existing engines. Alongside the standard model, Porsche will also launch a new Turbo variant, which will be sportier and will use a more powerful drivetrain. There’s no official word as to when it will arrive, but I expect it to break cover sometime in 2018. However, we should see an update model with the new styling features on the road by the end of 2017. Meanwhile, find out what we already know about the upcoming 911 Turbo in the speculative review below.

Updated 04/17/2018: The next generation Porsche 911 Turbo was caught testing once again around the famous Nurburgring race track.

Continue reading to learn more about the 992-generation Porsche 911 Turbo.

The Toyota Yaris (alternatively known as the Echo) first arrived in 1999, but it didn’t head stateside until 2007, with a second generation debuting for the 2012 model year. Framed as an entry-level subcompact, Toyota says the latest refreshed model seeks to combine “efficiency, fun, comfort, and safety all at a reasonable price.” Previously titled the Yaris iA, the four-door is now simply called the Yaris sedan, and it brings a charming attitude and a decent list of equipment for a reasonable price tag.

Continue reading to learn more about the 2019 Toyota Yaris Sedan.

Introduced in 2016, the current-generation Porsche Boxster gained a couple of major changes compared to its predecessor. While the styling and interior didn’t change much compared to the previous roadster, the new Boxster changed its name to the 718 Boxster, a tribute to a sports car from the late 1950s, and switched to turbocharged engines for the first time ever. Come 2018, and it seems that Porsche is finally working on a new version of the Boxster Spyder. First introduced in 2009 and relaunched in 2015, the Boxster Spyder is a modern tribute to the 718 Spyder of the 1960s, and the upcoming will be the first to actually wear the iconic "718" badge next to the "Spyder" lettering.

There isn’t a lot of information to run by as of this writing, but the spyder configuration is pretty obvious in the spy shots. First spotted in snowy weather in northern Europe, the upcoming sports car hit the Nurburgring track for some high-performance testing in April 2018. And we can see a few differences. The soft-top roof is different toward the back, while the engine hood features the famous flying buttresses. I also spotted a few changes front and rear. They’re not massive, but they do make the Spyder a bit more aggressive. Under the hood, it should get the most powerful engine ever fitted in a Boxster, but the nameplate’s switch to turbocharging makes things a bit complicated. We should find out more later this year, but until then let’s have a closer look at the spy shots in the speculative review below.

The new 718 Boxster Spyder could break cover in the summer of 2018.

Updated 04/16/2018: Our spy photographers caught the upcoming Boxster Sypder out for a new testing session around the famous Nurburgring track.

Continue reading to learn more about the Porsche 718 Boxster Spyder.

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class was first introduced in the early ‘90s as a replacement for the outgoing 190 range of vehicles, offering customers an entry-level compact packed with high-end three-pointed star luxury. In the time since, the C-Class has grown to become Merc’s best-selling nameplate, with a plethora of model variants on the table to entice a swath of different customers. However, those looking for maximum headspace are encouraged to check out the drop-top cabriolet model, which just saw a refresh for the current fourth-generation W205 at the 2018 New York International Auto Show. Dropping alongside the new hard-top coupe, the latest C-Class Cab gets many of the same upgrades as the four-door and wagon that debuted before it, including a tweaked exterior style, new digital options for the interior, and extra ponies under the hood.

Continue reading to learn more about the 2019 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Cabriolet.

Introduced in 2010, the Aston Martin Rapide isn’t exactly fresh, and it’s been five years since its most recent upgrade. While the DB9 was replaced with the DB11 and the Vantage was redesigned from the ground up, the Rapide remains alongside the Vanquish one of the last old-generation Aston Martins in need of an update. While we’ve seen prototypes of the new-generation Vanquish, the upcoming Rapide has yet to make a public appearance. Whether Aston Martin is working on a new sedan remains a mystery, but we just got confirmation that the British firm is preparing an AMR version of the current Rapide.

This isn’t exactly surprising though. The AMR division, which is derived from the Aston Martin Racing arm, was launched at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show, where the company showcased two near production-ready concepts. One of them was the Rapide AMR and had various new features inside and out, as well as a more powerful engine. The second car on display was the Vantage AMR Pro, a more hardcore model tuned for track use. Whether the Rapide will also get the AMR Pro treatment remains unknown, but we’re definitely getting a production variant of the Rapide AMR later in 2018. Let’s find out more about that in the speculative review below.

Continue reading to learn more about the Aston Martin Rapide AMR.

Jaguar introduced the F-Pace compact luxury crossover back in 2015 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, eventually bringing it stateside in May of 2016. Lauded by critics as both beautiful and opulent (and when equipped with a supercharged V-6, pretty quick too), the F-Pace is the right machine for a segment overflowing with demand. Now, Jag’s first-ever SUV gets the go-faster treatment courtesy of JLR’s performance and customization division, Special Vehicle Operations (SVO). Making its debut at the 2018 New York International Auto Show, the F-Pace SVR is framed as a combination of sports car performance and practical SUV design, adding two cylinders, loads of extra power, a fresh aesthetic, and a whole lot more over the standard model.

Continue reading to learn more about the 2019 Jaguar F-Pace SVR.

The Ford Focus has finally entered its fourth generation, and it brings a lot of change in terms of design, comfort, and economy. It comes complete with a largely revamped interior and loads of new technology; not to mention a range of new engines that are more powerful and more efficient. As usual, the new Focus will call Europe (and China) home first, before coming to the United States for the 2019 model year.

Originally arriving in 1994, the Toyota RAV4 is one of the Japanese brand’s older nameplates, especially within the crossover segment. In the quarter century since the debut of the original RAV4, demand for crossovers has grown substantially, and sales of the compact Toyota have grown with it, eventually becoming the Japanese brand’s number-one seller in the U.S. However, the RAV4 last got a redesign in 2013, so to keep it fresh, Toyota just pulled the sheets on a new fifth-generation at the 2018 New York International Auto Show, bringing updated exterior styling, a redesigned interior, the latest safety tech, and a new architecture under the skin.

Continue reading to learn more about the 2019 Toyota RAV4.

Introduced all the way back in 1978, the Mitsubishi L200 is now in its fifth-generation, having been redesigned most recently in 2015. Although anonymous in the U.S. beyond the Ram models based on it back in the 1980s, the L200 is a popular truck in emerging markets from Asia and posts good sales in some European markets too. The current L200 is also the basis of the Fiat Fullback, Italy’s first big truck in years. The L200’s increasing success in Europe prompted Mitsubishi to create a limited-edition version through its Special Vehicle Project (SVP) division.

Based on the Barbarian Double Cab trim and dubbed SVP II, this limited-edition truck builds on the success of the first SVP version, launched in 2017. Much like its predecessor, it gains extra standard features in the tech department, but it also stands out from the crowd thanks to special color schemes with striking accents. The bad news, beyond the fact that the L200 is not available in the United States, is that the SVP II can’t be purchased outside the United Kingdom. Nevertheless, let’s find out more about this truck.

Continue reading to learn more about the Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian SVP II.

Introduced in 2006 as the company’s first full-size SUV, the Mercedes-Benz GL developed from a longer version of the ML into a model of its own with unique features and an AMG version. Just like the ML, which became the GLE, the GL was renamed to GLS in 2016. Part of the brand’s revised nomenclature, the GLS badge signals that this vehicle is the SUV equivalent to the S-Class. On the market since 2012 in its second-generation, the GLS is about to get a big overhaul for the 2019 model year. Alongside the redesigned SUV, Mercedes will also launch a brand-new version of the AMG GLS63. Already spotted on public roads, the performance SUV will arrive sometime in 2019.

While the standard GLS has plenty of competition to go against, including the Cadillac Escalade, Lincoln Navigator, Lexus LX, and the Land Rover Range Rover, the AMG version is almost alone on the market. The Range Rover is the only SUV available with a high-performance drivetrain, and it will remain the only option until BMW launches the X7 and its M version. From this standpoint, the AMG GLS63 will remain a unique full-size SUV on the market and will enable Mercedes-Benz to dominate the niche in the high-performance realm. Let’s see what the upcoming AMG GLS63 might have in store for us.

Continue reading to learn more about the Mercedes-AMG GLS63.

Launched in 2013, the Vision Gran Turismo program gave mainstream automakers to develop wild concept cars for the Gran Turismo 6 and Gran Turismo Sport video games. No fewer than 26 virtual vehicles were created by more than 20 carmakers until 2018, with the likes of Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Aston Martin, Toyota, Chevrolet, Lexus, and Bugatti having joined the ranks. Come 2018 and Audi launched its first concept car for the Gran Turismo Sport video game. But unlike the competition, the Audi e-Tron Vision Gran Turismo is a fully functional vehicle.

While most Vision Gran Turismo concepts were developed exclusively for the pixelated world of Gran Turismo, some were built as full-scale models, and only a small fraction had an actual drivetrain. But none of them were able to function as actual race cars outside the video game. Audi is the first to deploy its Vision Gran Turismo car to real-world racetracks, as the fully-electric vehicle will be used as a taxi during Formula E events.

One of the first manufacturers to enter Formula E with a factory-backed team, Audi is now the first carmaker to offer its customers and guests the opportunity to experience Formula E’s city circuits as passengers in the e-Tron Vision Gran Turismo. This will happen starting April 14, when Formula E goes to Rome, Italy, for the seventh race of the 2017-2018 season. There’s no specific information as to how you can sign up for a ride, but a Vision Gran Turismo concept that actually works in the real world is a might big accomplishment.

Continue reading to learn more about the Audi e-Tron Vision Gran Turismo.

Chevy’s resident muscle car and Mustang fighter went under the scalpel for the 2019 model to bring it up to speed in the looks and technology department. As part of this mid-cycle update, Chevy also added in the 1LE package for the Camaro Turbo to make it more track ready while updating various components of other trim levels to help keep them fresh while still standing out in the crowd. There are no power updates as part of this update, but with the new tech and new looks, the Camaro should be able to hold its own against the Mustang and the Challenger for a few more years.