Luxury

BMW is set to launch an all-new 4-Series two-door sometime in 2019 or 2020, and while the G23 coupe version will not feature any dramatic changes over the current model, the G22 droptop will. Spy shots indicate that for the first time in two generations (E93 and F33), BMW is giving up on the folding hardtop design in favor of the more traditional soft top option which it last used on the E46 model discontinued in 2006.

Heavy camouflage covers the prototype spotted, but this important change is quite evident as the canvas top is left completely bare (quite obviously on purpose). It might be an illusion caused by the camo, but it also appears this new 4-Series has a longer hood and rear decklid compared to its predecessor.

Land Rover is already working on a next-generation Discovery Sport, but with the model still a few years away from arriving, a facelifted version of the current Discovery Sport is making test rounds. The prototype is wrapped in heavy camouflage, but the overall shape of the SUV suggests that there could be a lot of changes made to the updated Discovery Sport ahead of the next-generation model’s arrival in a few years.

Introduced in 2015, the GLE nameplate is only three years old as of 2018. However, the vehicle that received the badge is already seven years old in 2018, a major issue with a brand-new BMW X5 in showrooms. Fortunately, Mercedes-Benz acted fast, and a new-generation midsize SUV was launched for the 2020 model year. It’s the first brand-new crossover to sport the "GLE" badge, and it’s loaded with as much technology as its sedan counterpart, the E-Class. Here’s what we think about it.

The Aston Martin RapidE is an upcoming electric car based on the familiar Rapide sedan. The company’s first electric car, the RapidE will be built in limited numbers in 2019 and feature a brand-new drivetrain consisting of a large battery pack and two electric motors.

Previewed by a concept car shown all the way back in 2015, the RapidE will share most of its exterior and interior design with the gasoline-powered sedan. Power, however, will come from an innovative battery and a couple of electric motors capable of more than 600 horsepower. Aimed at the Tesla Model S, the RapidE will deliver more than 200 miles of range per charge and sports car-like performance. Most details are still under wraps, but we put together a speculative review with what we know so far.

Continue reading to learn more about the Aston Martin RapidE.

The Bavarian motorcycle manufacturer has been the market leader in the adventure scene with their promising GS motorcycles running the show for more than 35 years. Topping this chart is their flagship workhorse, the R 1200 GS series and its flat-twin boxer engine that is undoubtedly the best companion for exploring the unexplored.

Currently, this machine runs on a 1170cc flat-twin boxer engine and is all set to receive some major updates for the 2019 year along with some high-tech features coming in as standard. The new mill is going to make it specked to Euro-V norms and also make more power without losing on any fuel efficiency. What’s the trick? It’s called the BMW ShiftCam technology.

Coming from the rendering bakery of X-Tomi design, the latest 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe looks the business. If I didn’t know better, I would definitely think that this is the real deal - the new GLE Coupe. X-Tomi did a nice job, but it seems, not a comprehensive one. The photography of the new GLE Coupe he chose to retouch needed only a small portion of the rear end of the car transferred into the shape of a coupe. Ok, I say “only,” but I am sure, I would not be able to do it right in a month. So, kudos to X-Tomi. Yet, the GLE Coupe is a prospect in the near future of Mercedes-Benz. Personally, I hope it will not have that shouty nature of its predecessor.

Vanity has never been one of Ram’s strong suits, but the hulking pickup brand is making an exception with the launch of the Ram 2500 Power Wagon Mojave Sand Edition. Essentially an aesthetics package, the 2500 Power Wagon Mojave Sand Edition takes advantage of the Mojave Sand beige color, which has become the fastest-selling shade on the Ram Rebel. Now, the color is appearing for the first time on a Ram Heavy Duty model. Only 1,500 units will be built, with each model priced at $54,830.

BMW tuner extraordinaire G-Power has a new tuning upgrade for the BMW M5, and it’s packing three stages worth of power upgrades. The new program is dedicated to the current-generation M5 F90, and in addition to the extensive modifications to the M5’s 4.4-liter, twin-turbo, V-8 engine, the tuning kit also includes a number of aerodynamic changes to go with a new set of wheels.

Harley-Davidson revamped its Street Glide Special yet again for the 2019 model year in an effort to keep it “special.” First, the factory stuffed the largest non-CVO engine into the frame. Then it boosted the infotainment potential with the new Boom! Box GTS system. Color choices span the spectrum so there should be something for everyone on the palette. What else makes the “Special” so special? Let’s find out.

Continue reading for my review of the Harley-Davidson Street Glide Special.

At its Charged Event in Northern California, Audi revealed its first all-electric SUV - the 2020 Audi E-Tron. As the newest electric vehicle on the market, the Audi E-Tron brought a wealth of new equipment, and some of it is truly cutting edge. Among the latest invasion of electric SUVs (the EQ C, the I-Pace, the iX3), the Audi E-Tron, despite its conservative appearance, surprisingly seems to be the most advanced of the lot. I will list here 15 facts and features that make the newest Audi electric SUV the most advanced, and possibly the most appealing, electric SUV on the market.

The E-Tron has been teasing us for as long as we can remember. In fact, the SUV was being used in comparisons before we even had any concrete details about it. After spotting it in camouflage all this while, the automaker has finally decided to showcase it to the public, and the car is unmistakably an Audi. Now, has the E-Tron lived up to the expectations and the hype?

The Mercedes-AMG S 63 Cabriolet was on the receiving end of an extensive tuning upgrade courtesy of Posaidon. The German tuner’s program was developed for the pre-facelift version of the AMG S 63. It’s the same model that uses AMG’s old 5.5-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine, which produces 577 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque. With the upgrades in tow, the AMG S 63 Cabriolet is now able to produce a whopping 1,005 horsepower and 1,033 pound-feet of torque.

Mercedes has unveiled the GT 43, an entry-level model that will sit below the GT 53, GT 63, and GT 63 S that were unveiled earlier this year. The GT 43 has the same engine as the GT 53, albeit with lower power. How much lower, you ask? Well, it’s still good enough to sweep you off of your feet.

The Jaguar XE SV Project 8 has dominated the speed record for production sedans at Laguna Seca by almost a second with Randy Pobst pushing it around the track in just 1:37:54. That beats out the Cadillac CTS-V by almost a second, the Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio by nearly two seconds, the BMW M5 by 2.4 seconds, and the Mercedes-AMG C63S by nearly three seconds. All of this is actually pretty impressive with the exception of one thing – the Project 8 might be a production car, but it’s hardly that. Its production run is limited to just 300 units, and it’s so heavily modified that it’s really not fair to compare it to the mass-produced models that it just beat.

Lets lake the CTS-V, for example. Sure, it’s a modified version of the CTS, but it’s not modified to the extent that it is that different. The same thing goes for the Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio, the M5, and the C63 S. They are all badass sedans, sure, but the Project 8 has a special distinction – only the front doors and roof panel are original. Everything else from the XE it’s based on has been replaced or manipulated in one way or another. That’s not the case with any of the cars that now, sadly, sit below the Project 8 at Laguna Seca. The Project 8 pumps out 592 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque from a 5.0-liter V-8. Do you think you can even get a V-8 in the XE, even in its highest trim? Sorry, not gonna happen. Oh, and the Project 8 cost more than three times that of the range-topping XE S AWD trim level. So, Jaguar wants a pat on the back for breaking the “production sedan” record at Laguna Seca, but the fact of the matter is that it had to use a limited-run car that’s heavily modified to do it. We’re not impressed one bit. This is hardly a production sedan. When Jaguar can beat out the competition with a mass-produced car, then maybe we’ll talk.

But, I digress. Even if this record-breaking run is a ferociously obnoxious pile of PR crap stinking up our office, Randy Pobst was behind the wheel, and it’s always a blast to watch this man drive. So, we’ve posted the video here for you to watch and enjoy.

Mercedes-Benz is going on an all-out SUV onslaught. Not only did it reveal the fascinating 2020 EQC electric SUV only a week ago, but now, the company is showing us the first photographs and revealing facts about the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE - a mid-sized luxury SUV that evolved all the way from 1997 when Mercedes-Benz started the trend with the ML. Honestly, I liked the ML name the most, and I’d prefer if that name remained the official designation for the car. Nevertheless, I made my peace with the GLE and now, I find the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE to be the best ML yet. As with every Mercedes-Benz, even before the company unveils the new car, we all have certain expectations. First, it has to be cutting edge in some sense. Secondly, it has to look appealing. Thirdly, it has to pack technology like no other similar car on earth.

This is a living hell for Mercedes-Benz engineers as the whole world has basically the same expectations. Yet, they deliver. Like every single time.

I compiled here a list of reasons that tell you why everyone should be amazed by the new 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE, a car so advanced that only five years ago we’d probably think it’s a piece of alien technology. Be it Borg, Worlon, or Mon Calamari.

Before Mercedes-Benz officially pulls the sheets off it at the 2018 Paris Motor Show, learn here about many extraordinary features of the 2020 Mercedes-Benz ML. Sorry, I meant the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE. An honest mistake.