First Drive: The 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS450+ Is A Beautiful Electric Porpoise

Posted on December 23, 2021 by admin

I Don’t Know What To Do With All This Tech

My husband used to be a sales associate at a Mercedes-Benz dealership in Montreal, and he’s spent the entire duration of our marriage telling me that no automaker is as luxuriously high-tech as Mercedes. I have never discounted this observation. I’ve just also never felt the need to drive an extremely tech-heavy car. I still have a hard time dealing with a tiny infotainment screen.

So I think it’s probably a little bit of an understatement to say that the EQS’s offerings are a bit overwhelming. After I laughed out loud at the exterior, I also laughed out loud at the absolutely massive Hyperscreen. I wanted to ask it if it was compensating for something. I wanted to ask why such a cute fella needs such a big screen.

Functionally, the Hyperscreen is great. A single piece of curved glass, it’s a gorgeous feat of technological innovation that works with rapid speed due to an eight-core processor and 24 gigabytes of RAM. You tap on anything, and there’s not going to be lag. You’re immediately transported to the place you chose to go in the infotainment system.

The graphics are also gorgeous, but again, it’s a little bit Much. There’s a screen for the driver, one of the passenger, and a tall screen in the center, and in those latter two, you can access everything from radio controls to vehicle settings to satellite maps to photo galleries to video games. I did poke around the Tetris game and found it took a while to load but was otherwise fun. I still can’t imagine myself using an infotainment screen instead of my phone for gaming, though.

Even worse, you still get a lot of glare, despite the fact that Mercedes tried its best to avoid that. There’s not really anything you’re going to be able to do about the reflection of the sun when it’s especially bright.

You can also navigate with conversational commands after saying, “Hey Mercedes.” As in, you can say something like, “Hey Mercedes, I want coffee,” and your car will find you the nearest coffee spots. I used to hate voice commands because it was next to impossible to actually get what you were asking for, but this modern iteration that you see on luxury cars has really changed the game. I don’t have to think up the robotic command I’d need to change the radio station. I can just say it.

The digital dashboard was also one hell of a feature. You can cycle through tons of different displays, most of which are just mind boggling. You can literally have your navigation map displayed on your dashboard — and I don’t mean you get a little box that has navigation. The whole screen turns into a map. I’m sure some folks will enjoy it, but it was massively overwhelming for me.

As was the augmented reality navigation, which feels a little bit more video game-y than anything else. Maybe I’m just too old to appreciate these things.

The Verdict

It’s difficult to offer a verdict for a car that I can’t compare to the other vehicles in its class, I can say that the 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS450+ is a delightful vehicle that transforms much of what makes Mercedes special into a flagship luxury sedan — but it does feel like the German automaker couldn’t decide what it wanted to do. It tried to combine modern austerity with Benz’s traditional elegance, and it works… but it’s probably not going to work for everyone. It didn’t work for me, but it could very well work for you. And you know what? I respect a delightfully polarizing car.

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The Volkswagen Touareg V10 TDI Could Turn A Superhero Into A Villain

Posted on June 8, 2021 by admin

I just flew out to Seattle to buy a 2006 Volkswagen Touareg V10 TDI, a vehicle so infamously expensive to repair that any one visit to the dealership could cost as much as a whole new car. Not only did the Touareg make it the 2,100 miles home, but it did it without even triggering a check engine light. And, I should mention, the engine under the hood of this SUV has the power to corrupt even the best drivers.

Like many car enthusiasts, I spent my formative years watching car-focused television and videos. One of the videos that’s still vivid in my memory is watching a blue Volkswagen Touareg V10 TDI pull a decommissioned Boeing 747 down a runway at a leisurely pace. That story is incredible in itself, as VW added 15,498 pounds of ballast weight to the already nearly 6,000 pound SUV before hitching it up to the 747.

Since I recently got news that my Passat W8 has met an unfortunate end, I decided to replace it with something even more stupid. I took the gamble and picked up the V10 TDI sight unseen with the only promise being that it didn’t have a check engine light. And what I found out in my 2,100-mile drive home is that the marketing for the V10 TDI isn’t just hype. This thing is as ridiculous in real life as it appeared to be in promotional videos.

New, they were expensive. The starting price for the V10 in 2006 was $67,750, or $91,240 in today’s money.

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On the outside and even the inside, the Touareg V10 TDI isn’t much different than its VR6 or V8 siblings. We’ve written about the mind-boggling first-generation Volkswagen Touareg and the technology VW put into it before. You can get the same stuff without opting for V10 power. Here’s the V10 TDI compared to the VR6:

Your first sign that something is different about this Touareg is the V10 TDI badge on the back.

Things change once you hop behind the wheel and fire up that V10. American diesels back in 2006 still sounded a bit like a big rig, but this? It’s quiet. It even idles smooth like a well-tuned V6 or V8. But open up the throttle and the engine will take you on an adventure.

The Touareg V10 TDI weighs about 6,000 pounds. It even looks heavy. So when you put the throttle down you don’t expect it to launch like a sports car. But stomp it and you’ll hear those twin turbos spool up followed by a surge of power that keeps you in your seat.

The power in itself is bewildering because it’ll keep you in your seat through every gear and past every speed limit in the land. You’ll run out of road before the V10 runs out of power.

It’s weird, too, because on paper, the V10 TDI isn’t all that impressive. It makes 310-HP and 553 lb-ft torque. Those are similar numbers to the Ford 6.0-liter Power Stroke V8 of the same year, and those don’t make you feel like you can pull down a mountain or tow a jumbo jet. And, the V10 TDI is able to dispatch 0-60 times in about 7 seconds in the real world.

Where the V10 TDI really shines is on the highway. See a mountain up ahead? The V10 TDI will climb it without breaking a sweat or downshifting. Need to make a pass? It’ll pass anything in your way faster than you can say Ferdinand Piëch.

On my trip home I scored 20 mpg while scooting through the Rockies and it wasn’t like I was trying to be conservative with the go pedal, either.

There have to be some downsides, right? Of course there are!

You have to remove the engine to do what would be minor repairs on smaller engines. Alternator? Engine removal. Turbos? Engine removal. Starter? Engine removal, or disassemble much of the right side of the car. As you can imagine, that makes anything related to the engine a hilariously expensive repair.

Still, despite the endless warnings from former owners and even our own articles, I couldn’t resist the temptation.

I’m glad, because I’ve never driven an SUV this fun. The V10 TDI is irresponsibly fast and the intoxication of driving it is so corrupting that it could turn Superman into Lex Luthor. It’s a vehicle that somehow doesn’t run out of power; at least, so long as it’s working right. The accelerator pedal is like a gateway drug and somehow, it’s packaged up in a SUV body that can tow around 8,000 pounds and off-road like a beast.

I paid $5,000 for this one and as far as I can tell, it only needs a new dial for the air suspension, a little touch up paint on the tailgate and new tires. Otherwise, everything works as it should. But even after my trip would I recommend you buy one? Absolutely not, unless you have like 10 other cars to drive when it breaks.

Thank You For Thinking Of Us, New Škoda Fabia

Posted on May 5, 2021 by admin

Rejoice, car lovers, because it’s New Škoda Day! The Czech carmaker has debuted the fourth-generation of the Fabia, which is based off the MQB-A0 platform from Škoda’s parent company, Volkswagen.

That’s the same platform that underpins the current VW Polo and T-Cross, which means the new Fabia has actually grown up a bit. Its new engine options are more efficient, to comply with Euro 6d. The standard engine is a 1.5-liter turbo four making about 148 horsepower, but there’s also a 1.0-liter turbo inline 3 that makes about 109 HP. The standard transmission for the new Fabia is a seven speed DSG automatic from VW, but there are also some configurations with either a five- or six-speed manual.

It’s become a little heavier, a little longer, a little wider. Just bigger overall, but it’s gained cargo capacity in the process. Even though I would normally complain about this kind of thing — I hate when great small cars become average medium cars — I won’t complain about it now, because Škoda knows how to use that extra space in genuinely clever ways.

The first thing to note, though, is how alike the new Fabia looks to something from BMW. If you split the single grille into two and over-styled the car’s profile, maybe added a Hoffmeister kink, this new Fabia (along with some other late model Škodas) could fool a lot of people into thinking it’s a BMW. All you would need to do is slap a roundel over it’s winged arrow badge.

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The interior, however, could teach BMW a thing or two about simplicity. It’s a clean dashboard, and somewhat like that of the new Hondas. The large touchscreen at its center may not be ideal, but the Fabia does not overload its driver with more touch inputs, and the climate controls are dead simple.

Once again, Škoda has shown how thoughtful its designers are. The Fabia is full of useful extras throughout its cabin. For example, there is an umbrella near the door sill. There are smartphone pockets on the pockets of the backrests. A card and coin holder lives in the glove compartment. The sunroof screen folds and stores under the hatch shelf, and there’s even a folding basket back there.

My favorite, though, is the USB-C socket on the rear-view mirror. It’s perfect for connecting a dash cam, and eliminating unsightly, long power cables for any windshield mounted electronics. That mirror USB connector is genius. The USB ports below that in the center console are backlit, too. Oh, bless you, Škoda!

Overall, the interior design of the new Fabia puts a bunch of expensive cars to shame, all because the carmaker takes a little time to think about its drivers.

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What Do You Want To Know About The 2021 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody?

Posted on April 24, 2021 by admin

It has a mouthful of a name, but you may never drive a car as muscular as it is desperately fun. It’s the 2021 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody, baby!

I’m in the middle of a full week with this magical machine, and even though the weather hasn’t been ideal for my first outing in a rear wheel drive performance car that boasts almost 800 horsepower, I’ve been having one hell of a time. Not only is the most satisfying gas-guzzler I’ve ever driven, but everyone in my entire family has been fielding questions about it wherever we go. I dropped my younger sister off at her math class, and all the preteens were ogling at the window. I dropped my mom off at the Nissan dealership to pick up her Armada, and she had to let people know that, no, this isn’t actually her daughter’s car. My neighbors hear the doors unlock and wait outside to ask if that’s what they think it is. My grandpa won’t stop asking for photos. My brother asked if he can have the engine to put in his Scamp. I think this is the first time my mom has been legitimately impressed by the fact that I write about cars, whereas most of the time she’s just glad I’ve found something to do that makes me happy.

It’s definitely a vehicle that demands attention, which has taken more adjustment from me than dealing with mad wheel spin on damp roads (although I’ve quite enjoyed scaring the shit out of my sister with that whole situation). No one has ever paid attention to my Mazda 2 aside from once when it was parked at COTA and someone drew a penis on the window in dust.

And I figured that, if I’m going to be writing about this fella, I should know what you want to know before I take this sweet fella out for a long weekend drive.

The Audi A6 E-Tron Concept Is A Long-Range EV With A Confusing Name

Posted on April 19, 2021 by admin

Audi’s electric range is finally taking shape, now that the E-Tron GT and Q4 E-Tron have joined the existing E-Tron crossover. And in case you thought the E-Tron branding couldn’t possibly get more puzzling, Audi just revealed a concept of the A6 E-Tron it expects to hit showrooms sometime in the next two years.

It’s bothering my obsessive-compulsive tendencies that E-Tron now exists as a standalone nameplate and a version of existing Audi models, but I’ll try my best to keep that down to focus on the concept itself, which looks pretty good. The A6 E-Tron debuted at the Shanghai Auto Show today, and marks the first Audi we’ve seen based on the company’s Premium Platform Electric architecture.

Audi calls the A6 E-Tron a sportback, which followers of the brand may argue actually make it more of an A7 by nature. According to Audi, the A6 name was chosen to link this car to one of the brand’s most historically significant models, and dimensionally it’s equivalent to the existing A6. Here I am again talking about the car’s name — you just can’t get away from it with these new electric Audis.

The design you see here is reportedly 95 percent representative of the final model, which isn’t bad news considering that the A6 E-Tron cleans up for the most part. Sure, it’s derivative in places — the high beltline of the profile evokes the departed Ford Fusion in my mind’s eye, and the way the headlights meet the grille — I’m sorry, the inverted face, as Audi calls it — strikes me as remarkably similar to the Mustang Mach-E’s furrowed brow. Neither of these familiarities are necessarily bad though. Don’t hold your breath for images of the interior yet — Audi is saving those for later.

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Audi designers say the tautness of the roofline and width of the track on this concept will be scaled back slightly ahead of production, though the black trim near the floor that looks like a cutaway panel will be retained. It’s a neat visual trick that slims the car down somewhat, and I like the way it trails toward the rear bumper. There are projectors at the corners that beam light at the ground to greet passengers and signal turns that may or may not make it to the final iteration. There’s a precedent for similar tech in road cars already, though, so it wouldn’t be inconceivable if it did come to pass.

In terms of performance figures, Audi is mostly keeping those close to the chest for now. This concept packs a pair of electric motors combining for 469 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque. That’s projected to get the A6 E-Tron to 62 mph from a standstill in under four seconds.

Illustration for article titled The Audi A6 E-Tron Concept Is A Long-Range EV With A Confusing Name — Image: Audi

Turning to range, Audi claims the A6 E-Tron will return more than 700 km on a full charge (434 miles), though under the generous WLTP cycle. The E-Tron GT is rated for 298 miles by that same measure, so the A6 E-Tron is sure to bring a huge range improvement to the brand even if the actual, real-world distance falls short of the WLTP-based projection. For reference, the latest Tesla Model S starts at an EPA-estimated 412 miles of range.

The A6 E-Tron’s efficiency is helped by an ultralow drag coefficient of 0.22 — one of the lowest out there, matching Mercedes-Benz’s A-Class — though there’s no confirmation on whether those slight exterior changes to the production car will dent that somewhat. Like other new electric Audis, it supports 800-volt peak charging that aims to replenish 300 km of range in just 10 minutes.

As far as timing of the sedan’s arrival, for now Audi is saying only that its first PPE-based cars will emerge in the second half of next year. That will likely begin with the Q6 E-Tron, before this A6. In the meantime, I’m going to try and work out a flowchart to make sense of all these E-Trons.

The Toppola Saab Camper Was A Brilliant Idea That Would Still Be Great Today

Posted on March 8, 2021 by admin

There’s never been a better time to get out and go camping somewhere than right now. It’s a chance to be socially distant somewhere that isn’t your house. For some, camping means buying a trailer, motorhome or a whole school bus. What if you could slide a camper into the back of your family sedan? That’s exactly what Toppola campers did for some Saabs.

The Toppola campers were a bit like the campers that you slide into the beds of pickup trucks, but meant for cars instead.

According to Toppola’s website written by one of its founders, the camper is the brainchild of Arwo Pullola. In the early 1980s, Pullola wanted to build a car camper. In 1982 he met Matts Mollestam and Peter Malmberg. The duo bought the camper project from Pullola and created EMICO. The two would bring their strengths together to build a car-based camper. Malmberg and Mollestam sold boat accessories and built boats, respectively, so they wanted their campers to be built and feel like boats. Check out this tour of one!

The team got right to work making their ideas a reality and they even managed to get 10 campers delivered in the same year, too. In case you were wondering, Toppola does have an explanation for its name:

The word Toppola came from “Topp” – on top and “ola” is a refinement of the ending as Arwo originates from Finland.

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Eventually Saab got involved in the EMICO Toppola camper project and changes to the campers came along with it. The Toppola site says that Saab wanted the campers to look as good and have a similar fit and finish as Saab cars. The Toppola camper was changed from top to bottom with updates to materials and design. A combination stove and heater was added to make cooking and winter camping possible. Saab helped the EMICO team with brochures and marketing.

The partnership between Saab and Toppola was definitely two-way. As the Toppola site says, the EMICO team was involved in the development of the Saab 9000 to make sure that the camper could slide in without issues. Toppola-equipped Saabs even appeared at dealerships during the release of the Saab 9000.

Unfortunately, the partnership between EMICO and Saab ended because, as Malmberg says in the Toppola site, Saab and EMICO were too different in size and culture. EMICO itself also closed down. Sadly, misfortune became a norm for Toppola in the following years. Not only did Toppola have delays due to getting approvals from the German TÜV vehicle inspection but its shop suffered from a destructive fire.

But between the bad news came a new idea: Make the Toppola camper compatible for any car. The unit would be separated into two pieces. The upper unit was the main living space while the lower unit would be built to fit into specific cars. Such would make the Toppola modular. Imagine being able to shove a camper into any car. It also made the Toppola campers able to be fit on pickup trucks, too.

The Toppola campers were pretty roomy and lightweight. Check out these specs from Do It Yourself RV:

Exterior length: 10.8′
Interior height: 6.5′
Roof height when mounted: 8.2′
Weight: 330 lbs (once the hatchback was removed from the Saab, it only added 253 lbs to the vehicle’s weight).

They appeared to be pretty durable, too. We wrote about some Swedes that took one from Sweden to Vietnam and back!

Unfortunately, that future didn’t happen for Toppola. While Toppola got off campers for the Saab 9000, 900, and 9-3, its greater dreams never materialized. Some were also used in Ford Scorpios and Sierras. Sweden’s recession hit Toppola hard and it closed its doors in 2006. Saab didn’t last much longer.

It’s a shame because given the meteoric RV sales of today I bet something like this would be a smashing hit. Car design has also changed quite a bit since those days, but I bet a crafty engineer could get around modern car limitations.

H/T – Austin Little!

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First Drive: The 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS450+ Is A Beautiful Electric Porpoise

I Don’t Know What To Do With All This Tech

The Verdict

The Volkswagen Touareg V10 TDI Could Turn A Superhero Into A Villain

Thank You For Thinking Of Us, New Škoda Fabia

What Do You Want To Know About The 2021 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody?

The Audi A6 E-Tron Concept Is A Long-Range EV With A Confusing Name

The Toppola Saab Camper Was A Brilliant Idea That Would Still Be Great Today