Exclusive Lamborghini Aventador SV Roadster

Sometimes it just takes a few little tweaks to transform something from good to great, and that's definitely what Lamborghini's stylists manage to do with the Aventador LP750-4 SuperVeloce Roadster. While there's no question that the Aventador SV coupe is an amazing machine, slicking off the roof for the newest version is the perfect bit of tailoring to create something truly bonkers.

Why are we talking about it again? Following the roadster's debut in Monterey, we arranged a date with the car and our photographer extraordinaire, Drew Phillips. The result is the absolutely magnificent gallery of photos you see above, that you're definitely going to want to view in high resolution.

The engineers at Lamborghini HQ in Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy, had a pretty easy job when the time came to the Aventador SV droptop because it carries over all the special parts from the coupe. Still, buyers have no reason to be disappointed with the 6.5-liter V12 making 740 horsepower (750 in metric ponies) and offering a screaming, 8,500 rpm redline. The seven-speed gearbox and all-wheel-drive system zaps the convertible to 60 miles per hour in less than three seconds and to a top speed of over 217 mph. Weight also falls by 110 pounds compared to the standard roadster to tip the scales at 3,472 pounds – some 110 pounds more than the SV coupe.

It's the razor-sharp styling that really makes the SV Roadster a showstopper, through. The droptop still wears the coupe's carbon-fiber body panels but somehow makes them look even better. The key is removing the two top sections to create a small break in the roofline, and that little change is enough to accentuate the rear's curvy hips. The side-mounted intakes look big enough to carry extra passengers in a pinch.




Removing the roof and reshaping the rear emphasizes the nacelles running behind the seats even more. These elements are somewhat visible on the SV coupe, but the engine cover largely hides them. Here, the angular shapes are brashly obvious and look directly inspired by an F-117 stealth jet. To make things even better for the driver, the rear window can be lowered to fully open the cabin to nature.

The first deliveries to customers don't start until early next year, and the $530,075 starting price makes it about $37,000 more expensive than the SV coupe. Lamborghini likely doesn't have to worry about finding buyers for this beautiful machine, and production is limited to 500 units, 100 fewer than the hardtop.

2016 Jaguar XF

 Jaguar has never had a problem with style or driving joy. Every generation of the British brand's vehicles – with excuses made and accepted in advance for S-Type and X-Type and other outliers – has offered compelling styling and great performance. New kid XF was no exception when it was introduced in 2007. The car's sheetmetal pointed the way forward for the fully up-to-date range we see now, and its confident engines and handling chops were on pace with the best Bimmers, Benzes, and Cadillacs.

The first-generation XF made some hay for Jaguar, selling around 280,000 copies through 2014. But those annualised rates still represented a blip on the luxury mid size radar when viewed against the backdrop of the German Three's numbers. Part of that sales story has been down to the E-Classes and 5 Series of the world being consistently excellent, to be sure. But a lot of the blame can be found in Jaguar's historic weak spots. Grace and pace the brand had in spades, but consumer perception of quality and reliability just weren't there, pricing was typically near the top of the class, and the residual values of the cars were low (a combination of all three factors, most likely).

Of course, Jag would love to sell a few more cars. But this time, instead of simply building a great-looking, great-driving new XF (which is absolutely the case), the brand is doing some clever non-engineering-based things to put more big cats in more garages than ever before.



After flying all they way to Spain – Pamplona and the Navarre Circuit, by way of Barcelona and a Range Rover adventure you'll hear about soon – I would be remiss not to tell you how the new XF goes down the road. Some 150 kilo meters (93 miles) of motorway and challenging b-roads lie between the city with that annual livestock problem and the 2.44-mile, FIA approved racecourse. A route that led me to understand that this XF, in my case the 380-horsepower XF S, has gained more than it has lost in the generational changeover.

The company is fully committed to aluminium for its mid sizer, with the new car now using a body structure that's 75-percent built from the stuff. I'm told that means a body in white that weighs just over 600 pounds, and an overall weight savings of 11 percent. Body stiffness has been raised by 28 percent in the process. Those numbers seem impressive to me, but the proof of their worth was truly evident when stringing together Spanish corners on a climbing mountain road. The rigid body combines with quick, weighty steering to offer rapid changes of direction, and it's soon clear that car has more ability than public roads and my fear of international prisons can surpass. Plus, I know there's track time later in the day.

The XF uses a traditional double wishbone front suspension, with an integral link rear, as well as adaptive dampers. That setup is partly responsible for the keen turn-in I felt, but even in the sporting modes there's a bit of softness in the dampers. I really have push before I feel any of that squish in the underpinnings, and, honestly, the trade off of very good ride quality is worth the minute amount of roll.

Said ride quality is appreciated in this nicely done Jaguar cabin, too. There are more evocative colours and textures available than you see in the car I drove and photographed, but even in this staid palate I found the design well executed and the materials good to touch. I'm still not a fan of that rotary shift knob, but even I have to admit that its presentation in the centre of a sizable, satin-finish wood slab is rather dramatic. High-traffic touch points – steering wheel, starter button, door handles, seat backs, etc. – feel as though they'll be pleasing drivers until the third-generation XJ debuts, at least. The one sour spot in the interior, Jaguar's painfully old infotainment system, is getting a replacement with the all-new In Control Touch Pro system, some time in the middle of model year 2016. If you're a low-end gadget user you might be fine with this old/base system, but the larger centre screen, all new "virtual" instrument display, and better software (I hope), could very well be worth waiting for.

On the other hand, I wouldn't bother waiting for the upcoming 2.0-liter turbo diesel engine. After driving the supercharged 3.0-liter V6 that will be available in S models at the start, I'm comfortable giving up the fuel economy. S-model V6s produce 380 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque, both more than adequate in making the XF feel quicker and faster than ever (well, at least without a V8 under the hood). Sixty miles per hour comes up in just over five seconds in the rear-drive car, and thrust feels readily available from any engine speed. As ever, Jags eight-speed ZF automatic transmission is well tuned for sporty driving; I set the trans to Sport mode and mostly ignore the optional paddle shifters until I really feel like playing on switchback roads.

My biggest gripe with the power train, and probably with the car overall, is that it doesn't sound enough like a Jaguar should, to my way of hearing. Perhaps I've been spoiled by years of big, purring 5.0-liter V8 Jags, but under aggressive throttle this exhaust doesn't do much to get the pulse rate up. Even track side at Navarra, I constantly thought my fellow drivers were executing cool-down laps, as they charged into view of the start-finish line. The V6 roar is more like a strident mewing, which is too bad considering this company's filthy rich aural history.

I'm not going to go deep into my track time for a few reasons: I didn't have much of it, and all laps were taken in an all-wheel-drive car that I didn't test on the road. Broad takeaways are that Jags AWD system quite clearly preserves the rear-bias that you'd expect, and that the willing chassis I found on the street isn't lost at track speeds. There were quite a few quick corners followed by powerful exits, and a handful of sliding rear ends, too. Expect more of a report on the all-wheel XFs when they roll into the Detroit test fleet (and hopefully with some Detroit snow).



Again, Jaguar has made an undeniably competent car to go to war with Audi and BMW and the gang. Frankly, I didn't expect less, though I'm happy that there's another joyful Jag in the world. But the potentially game-changing stuff I mentioned at the top has little to do with driving. Probably most important is a shift in pricing strategy, from top-of-market to heart-of-market. For XF, that means a price drop of more than $5,000 from the base car in 2015, to the base car in 2016. Admittedly, that's on the lower powered, 340-hp V6 that I didn't get to sample, but Jags math does sneak under German MSRPs (and Cadillac). On top of that, the company is throwing five years and 60,000 miles worth of free scheduled maintenance, roadside assistance, and warranty that it calls best in class. Throw in good rankings in initial quality metrics for the last few years, and there is some hope that Jaguar might be able to stem its depreciation problem, and, in turn, lower all-important lease rates.

I'm not going to sit here and tell you that XF leases will compete with 5 Series rates next year, but I can say that pieces are in place for the gap to shrink. If that happens, the choice between the ubiquitous German Q-ship and the stylish, lithe XF becomes a lot tougher. I know it would for me. Damn, did Jaguar just make lease rates cool,

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• Image Credit: Copyright 2015 Hot Cars

2K16 BALENO (Smart Hybrid Vehicle)

The 2016 Suzuki Baleno will be officially revealed on the 15th of September at the much anticipated Frankfurt Motor Show till then, Suzuki has released some images and information regarding the upcoming Baleno that was known as Suzuki YRA in concept form.
The upcoming hatchback will be powered by a 1.0-litre direct-injected turbocharged BOOSTERJET petrol engine and will also employ the SHVS (Smart Hybrid Vehicle by Suzuki) that will deliver up to 28-30km per liter mileage. Other options such as 1.3 liter DDiS diesel also likely to be equipped with this SHVS will be offered.
Inside the cabin, you get 7-inch SmartPlay infotainment system with navigation, cruise control among other features. Full LED equipped head and taillights are also expected on the 2016 model.
The 2016 Suzuki Baleno is expected to launched in Europe in the coming spring and as of now there is no word on whether or not Suzuki plans to introduce the new Baleno here, chances are that they will probably not but it will be radically different than the Euro-spec Baleno featured here.

Brakes Caution

 Efficient and effective brakes can be a difference between a safe journey or a fatal accident. Any neglected symptom of brake failure can prove fatal. Most of brake failure cases occur as a result of our negligence towards brake maintenance and some unusual symptoms being surfaced by the braking system. Here we are going to discuss some important symptoms that can lead to brake failur.

Any unusual sound, feel or smell should not be neglected at any cost. It should be inspected from the grass root level.

Poor braking performance:

Braking performance says a lot about the condition of entire braking system of your car. If there is a loss of braking performance to some extent, it indicates some kind of wear in your braking system. It is the earliest stage of brake failing process. Gradually, the force required to stop the car starts to multiply. Heat due to excessive wear and tear causes the brakes to become hard and lose its effectiveness to grab and stop the rotation of rotors or brake drums. Soft braking material is used to ensure that it grabs the drum or rotor effectively to stop the car. Furthermore, loss of engine vacuum can cause loss of braking power from the brake booster.

Unusual noises:

Unhealthy braking system often surfaces some unusual noises. Noises of clicking, squealing or grinding during braking can be significant symptoms of failing brakes. Squealing noises may also be caused by excessive dirt jammed in brake pads. But most importantly, none of these noises should be overlooked.
Such noises indicate worn or glazed brake pads. When the brake rotor comes in direct contact with the wear indicators it causes squealing noises due to worn out brake pads. Do not wait for the grinding noises, get your brakes inspected at once. The cost of repair and replacement will keep on multiplying gradually if you do not visit the mechanic in early stages of brake problems. Once you start hearing grinding noises, be prepared for an expensive repairing bill from the mechanic. It is highly recommended to get your rear brakes checked every six months because of no wear indicators on the rear brakes.

Pulsation of the brake pedal:

If the brake pedal goes long way down on applying brakes or you feel an increase in paddle travel, it might indicate excessively worn out brake shoes. In most cases, excessive pedal travel is the final most stage of brake failing. This problem should be addressed at once to avoid any severe loss. Sometimes, this problem is caused due to leakage of brake fluid and a failure in a brake hose or rust in brake line. But the primary cause of this problem is heat and wear. The brake rotor or the drum goes thin due to mechanical wear and heat which results in warping. The warping results in excessive pedal travel or pulsation. Less often, a worn out wheel cylinder or master cylinder could also cause this problem.

Pulling or grabbing to one side:

Numerous reasons can be a cause of this problem like fluid leakage, rusted or frozen hand brake cables, oily or greasy surface of brake shoes or pads. Get them checked as soon as you start facing such behavior from the car.

Clicking noises during braking:

Clicking noises during braking has been one of the earliest problems with disc brakes. Front disc brakes of Daihatsu Coure with automatic transmission had this problem as well which was later admitted as a manufacturing fault by Daihatsu.
The brake pads of disc are held in a particular position by pressure against the brake rotor from the caliper. The movement of the brake pads is prevented with the help of anti-rattle devices which reduces or stops the clicking noises. Anti rattle device is a spring steel material. Worn out anti rattle device breaks which ultimately displaces the brake pad causing clicking and rattling noises while braking.

Excessive drag during acceleration:

Excessive drag has much to do with hand brakes. Frozen emergency brakes owing to rust prevents it from releasing. Not using your hand brake for long enough is a simple cause of this problem.

Lit ABS light:

An illuminated ABS check light says it all. Any problem with your braking system will result in an illuminated ABS check light on your dashboard unless the the wire of your check light is unplugged. Just make sure all the check lights on your car’s dashboard are working.
Maintaining and inspecting your brakes periodically is highly recommended. Delaying the periodic inspection means putting your and your passengers’ life at risk. Life is precious, do not risk it!

2K16 FORD SHELBY GT350

                                     2K16 FORD SHELBY GT350

How do you test a track-focused car — one bearing the name of the great Shelby — when offered just four laps of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca (including in and out laps)? Ford markets the GT350R as being faster than the monstrously capable Chevrolet Camaro Z/28, and yet our first drive felt as intimate as a handshake.

Ford shouldn’t have kept its light under a bushel basket: the GT350R is truly phenomenal. It’s every bit the car Ford promised it would be, and potentially more.

It’s not hard to grasp the significance of the GT350R versus the Z/28 in the decades-long battle for Detroit muscle car dominance. When Chevy invited us for its first drive event at Barber Motorsports Park last year, we were gifted the keys to the 505 horsepower track-ready muscle car and told we had an entire day to do as we please: “Just let us know if you need more tires,” Chevy said. It also said we could bring along some competition, so we armed ourselves with a Nissan GT-R to compare it against.

Why did Chevy do that? Because it had faith in its creation, and the engineers wanted us to experience it under our own terms. Ford’s few laps, conjoined with some 40 other outlets, left us wondering whether its faith was not as great. But here’s what we did learn:

First, we drove a base GT350 along northern California’s Pacific Highway, a road where the scenery appears plucked from Tolkien’s imagination and giant whales bask just meters off shore. The actual curvature of the road is probably lovely, too, but unfortunately you spend most of your time staring at the Honda Pilot’s tail lamps in front while tourists exercise the art of rubbernecking.

This part of the day wasn’t an exercise in handling. Instead we focused on the changes Ford has made to the base GT, massaging it into the GT350 —a moniker left dormant since 1970, and a car in ’65 and ’66 that perhaps defines Carroll Shelby’s legacy as deeply as his iconic Shelby Cobras. The new Mustang GT finally ditches the solid rear axle in favor of independent suspension, and the GT350 is the first time we’ve seen its potential realized.

Much of the components on the GT350 are bespoke. The front track has been increased versus the GT, while spring rates and bushings stiffened. The ride height has been lowered, and MagneRide features for the first time ever on a Ford, allowing the shocks to adjust to the road’s characteristics every 10 milliseconds. It’s not as pronounced as Chevy’s Magnetic Ride system, but it does ensure the car’s inherent stiffness remains far more livable on the streets. The six-speed manual gearbox — the only gearbox available for both the GT350 and GT350R — is direct and precise, if a tad notchy. And the clutch release is odd, as if it sticks when fully depressed, then releases abruptly to the biting point. This requires precision and a steady foot when launching, lest you embarrassingly stall.

Up to speed and the steering rack is quicker than a base GT; my initial feelings determining it was too fast — you touch the wheel and the car darts, like holding a caffeinated frog. After a while, though, I became accustomed to its speed, and on the track (we’ll talk more about that later) it made absolute sense. And just like in the Mustang GT, the electric steering in the GT350 has wonderful feedback.

The most notable change with the GT350 arrives in the form of a 5.2-liter flat-plane crank V-8, sporting a redline of 8,250 rpm. Flat-plane cranks are common among race cars, and Ferrari use it in all its production V-8s. But by evenly spacing the crank pins at 180-degree intervals versus the rods connecting to the crankshaft at 90-degree intervals, it often produces a roughness (due to the unevenness of the way the pistons fire) most production cars shy away from. In the GT350, it isn’t as smooth as your typical V-8, but then it produces a unique exhaust note that sounds truly menacing — like a cross between a Hellcat, a Ferrari, an F-Type, and a grizzly bear.

Hearing these outlandish muscular acoustics, and yet revving all the way to 8,250 rpm (the main purpose for adopting such a set up), results in an unusual experience. Due to the engine’s sound, I found myself wanting to shift at 4,500 rpm (the torque really only kicks in between 3,500 and 4,500). But you don’t shift. You let it sing for a further 3,750 revs, and at first, max rpm feels as if you’re about to blow the motor into a million tiny aluminum shards — a distinctly odd sensation, almost disconcerting.

Ford’s flat-plane-crank doesn’t spin through the rev range with the velocity of Ferrari’s, rather it gains revs slowly and thunderously like a traditional V-8 muscle car; only you leave it revving for what feels like an eternity. It remains absolutely unique, engaging and wonderfully characterful. Like a fine wine, it takes time to appreciate, but it delivers a whole new driving experience — one that still preserves that muscular flavor buyers demand.

 Well, Ford mercifully allowed us four laps in a GT350 with the $6,000 track package (stiffer suspension, less tech thus fewer pounds, the way you’d actually option it for the road, given MagneRide ensures it remains perfectly livable) prior to jumping in the R. On track the GT350 excels, in the same way driving a BMW M3 or Cadillac ATS-V makes one happy.

But the R? That’s a different animal.

And it has to be to compete with the carbon-braked Camaro Z/28, its Multimatic suspension and its Trofeo R tires. Boasting the MagneRide shocks, considerably stiffer spring rates than even the GT350, a 130-lb. diet and specifically optimized Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires (that out performed dedicated Hoosier racing slicks in testing), wrapped around carbon fiber wheels that shed 64 lbs. of unsprung mass, the GT350R is more than up to par.

Two corners in and my first observation was the lack of body motion. It remains effortlessly flat and composed, the cornering g-forces outstanding thanks to the near-race tires, giant rear wing and front splitter. On cold tires, it isn’t intimidating like the Z/28, rather it feels forgiving. Don’t mistake that for less hardcore. It doesn’t understeer (if anything it’s on the neutral side) and it rewards the accomplished driver as much as it does the occasional track day enthusiast; the suspension’s ability to adjust its firmness, corner by corner, offers incredible versatility. (Say you go over rough curbing on a left hander, the corresponding shocks will soften to absorb the bumps while the shocks on the right — the ones remaining on the smoother track surface — stay firm to keep the car’s platform solid.)

The steering — which felt too quick on the road — is sublime. It’s precise, nicely weighted and boasts excellent feel, one of the best electric power steering systems on the market, and a giant leap ahead of the Z/28 (which is that car’s Achilles heel). Where the Z/28 scores over the GT350R, though, is under braking. Ford’s steel brakes boast all new calipers and they’re genuinely excellent; you’d never expect to declare them inferior, but the Z/28’s carbon ceramics are perhaps the best in the business and boast more immediacy to the braking zones.

Inside the cabin it remains much of the same; both cars offer plenty of rough, cheap-looking plastics, but both are forgiven based on these cars’ intended purpose. The Recaro seats in GT350R are the snuggest I’ve felt, boasting race car-like support — perfect for the intensely high g-forces experienced on track.

Ford claims the GT350R is faster than the Z/28 at every racetrack it has tested; it even brought an independent professional driver to Grattan raceway to compare the Ford, the Chevy, and the Porsche 911 GT3. According to Ford, the GT350R was one whole second faster than the Z/28, while matching the time of the 911 GT3 (Ford also claims the GT350R boasts twice the downforce of a GT3). If you told me this a few months back I’d have scoffed: “No way,” I’d say, “the Z/28 is simply too damn good.” But then you look at the weight of both cars — the Z/28 arrives at a portly 3,822 lbs. whereas the GT350R tips the scales at 3,655 lbs. — and the GT350R boasts 21 additional ponies.

Power to weight is everything, and that’s where Ford scores most over Chevy.

Then there’s the price: A base GT350 fetches $47,795 while the R arrives at $63,495 — that’s a whole Harley Davidson less than the $72,305 Z/28. (Before you jump in the comment section proclaiming how a Dodge Challenger Hellcat is cheaper and boasts more POWWEEERRRR, the GT350R and Z/28 will run circles around the Dodge on a racetrack; a Hellcat is a different beast entirely with a different objective.)

Ford spent three years toiling prior to unleashing the GT350/GT350R, and within that time, its engineers have benefitted greatly by utilizing the Z/28 as a benchmark. Of course it’s more powerful, lighter, and (potentially) quicker around a track — they wouldn’t have released it if it wasn’

t. Chevy set the bar so high it required Ford to achieve something many — including myself —deemed impossible. In my years of doing this job, I’ve never driven a high horsepower Ford that has blown me away dynamically. The Camaro ZL1, for example, destroyed the GT500 in an on-track comparison test I did, lapping seven tenths of a second faster, despite boasting 80 fewer horses. Then there’s the Z/28, a true revelation, and a mind-bending example of what exemplary engineering can achieve — a step so far beyond even the marvelous Boss 302 it’s easy to forget how great that car was.

Then the GT350R arrives. And against all odds, it changes everything.

Despite this success, Ford barely allowed us to sample the thing on track, and that’s a damn shame, one I’m still puzzled by. It’s the best, most capable Mustang there has ever been — and that’s including a white ’65 with blue Shelby striping. Traveling to California for four laps is ridiculous.   

BMW 2K16 7-Series

Automotive luxury is a never-ending game of one-upmanship, though it can be argued that the game is won by any customer with the money to participate. Recently, however, the expression of luxury has moved beyond leather-lined interiors, fat chrome grilles and big motors (although all are still requirements.) Modern luxury has evolved to include high technology, world-class materials, and even olfactory stimulation. Mercedes-Benz threw down the gauntlet two years ago when it launched its current S-Class, which it called the best automobile in the world. Brandishing massaging seats with “hot stone” pistons, a perfume atomizer, and enough road-sensing technology to nearly allowing the car to drive itself, Mercedes had a strong case.

Come this fall, archrival BMW’s all-new, sixth-generation 7-Series flagship hits dealerships, which like the Benz, will only be offered in long-wheelbase form. Would it—could it?—out-pimp, out-hustle and out-luxuriate the Benz? 

BMW just gave us our first stint behind the wheel to gather our first impressions, and being BMW, the drive included some time on a track — the private Monticello Motor Club in upstate New York.

We’ll get to the surreal experience of pounding a limousine around racetrack after we talk about what qualifies it to be there. For starters, the 7-series has shed nearly 200 pounds overall, thanks to aluminum and carbon fiber in the skeleton and body panels. The new 7’s available four-wheel steering can also be combined with all-wheel drive on V-8 models for the first time.

A 320-hp six-cylinder-powered 740i and rear-wheel-drive 750i models will be available from launch, though we were only granted wheel time in the all-wheel-drive 750i, which is powered by a 4.4-liter V-8 that churns out 445 hp and 480 lb-ft of torque, mated to a responsive eight-speed transmission. Thus endowed, the 750i accelerates like a cruise missile. Power builds in what seems like an unstoppable wave that, by the time it has reaches redline, pins your ears to the side of your head, accompanied all the while by a muted growl. BMW says it can attain 60 mph in 4.3 seconds. Which for a car this huge, is really quick.

But that’s not to say it’s engaging. While our track cars were further sportified with the $3,000 M Sport package (sport exhaust, a body kit), a $4,100 Autobahn package (active steering and a road-sensing suspension), and rode on a set of $1,300 20-inch M-sport wheels, we learned within the first few corners that the new 7 is no M6. Even with the active suspension in its most aggressive setting, the body heaves, pitches and dives as we struggle to keep up with BMW’s pro driver, who is tasked with showing us Monticello’s racing line in an X6 M. The new variable-ratio steering communicates a little but not a lot of what is happening beneath us, and by the end of our session, the brake pedal has gone disconcertingly soft. 

Remarkably, what it doesn’t do is put a foot wrong or understeer off the track; the 750i does everything we tell it to do — things that, in the real world, we suspect no one will ask it to ever do outside of a movie set — but as we exit each corner in the right place at the right speed, we sort of feel like we’re the last to know.

So it’s not a track car. Big surprise. If you want excitement, you’re probably not in the market for a 7-Series in the first place. Driven at sane speeds, the 7 is unflappably stable and mannerly, if none too communicative. Normal-speed cornering is flat and tilt-free, the better to allow rear seat passengers to enjoy the available dual screen entertainment system, massaging seats, or even get a mild shoulder/ab workout courtesy of a nifty BMW Vitality Program feature, which we can say from experience is best attempted on a long, straight highway, not a twisty two-laner. Rear passengers may also control most systems (that don’t drive the car, anyway) via a seven-inch tablet. Indeed, touch screens and information displays seem to be everywhere. Even the optional Display Key ($250) has a touch screen.

And for those with VIPs to scoot about, the $5,570 Rear Executive seating package, like similar setups in the Audi A8L and the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, snugs the passenger seat to dash (unoccupied, of course) and presents a footrest to the right rear-seater. Other new livery-minded features include an available etched glass moonroof (a panoramic glass roof is standard), a “light carpet” that illuminates the ground from the side mirror to the trunk, and naturally, a perfume atomizer, with not one but two interchangeable fragrances. Take that, S-Class. For drivers, the list of goodies includes an enhanced heads-up display, a gorgeous instrument cluster, and an industry-first gesture control that allows one to answer or reject phone calls, raise or lower audio volume, and more with the wave of the hand. The 7’s e’er-more-sophisticated lane-keeping and cruise control systems now more or less match the Benz in terms of nearly robotic driving.

Craftsmanship is another arena in which the 7 makes a huge leap. Perusing the gorgeous inlaid wood veneers and soft leather reminds us that BMW has been the steward of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars since 1998, and while every Roller since then has clearly benefitted from its German benefactors, the 7-Series shows that the relationship is a two-way street. As with every Rolls, authenticity is the tenet here: wood is wood; metal is metal. With luxury like this, the new 7 will certainly do well in certain markets (namely China) where being chauffeured is the rule, not the exception.

Indeed, boosting sales in emerging markets could explain why BMW invested so much into cushifying the new 7, and to an extent, why BMW kept styling updates so cautious. (“Not everyone this rich wants to look this rich,” a wise luxury car salesman once told us.) While every bit and piece is new, the most dramatic visual changes are graphical in nature, including squiggly LED headlamp innards, a wide, chrome-framed grille with aero shutters, and an “air breather” vent behind each front wheel arch that introduces a hockey-stick-shaped lower body garnish.

Base prices start at $82,295 for the 740i and climb to $98,395 for the 750i xDrive. Load them up like our test cars and don’t be shocked if prices approach $130,000. As for the matter of whether BMW has out-luxed the similarly priced S-Class, we may have to spend more time in each side-by-side to find out, because at first blush, the contest for ultim

ate luxury appears to be uncomfortably close.

Toyota Prius C 2015

Overview: Introduced for the 2012 model year, the C is the smallest member of Toyota’s expanding Prius family, as well as the least expensive. It’s also the thriftiest around town, according to the EPA, although the standard Prius scores slightly higher ratings in the highway cycle. (We averaged 39 mpg in our last test of the C.) Shared underpinnings with the subcompact Yaris, rather than the other Prius models, mean that the C’s fuel economy is rooted in a smaller version of Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive—a 1.5-liter engine and a 60-hp electric motor—delivering a combined output of 99 horsepower. The transmission is a continuously variable automatic, sending the system’s modest output to the front wheels. In addition to its normal gasoline-electric hybrid operation, the C can travel up to one mile as a pure electric (sub–25 mph), and it also offers an Eco mode, which seems odd in a car whose primary function is eco. The C’s powertrain is wrapped in a snappy, subcompact-hatchback package that’s been freshened for 2015. It’s available in four trim levels, conveniently labeled from One to Four and ranging in price from $20,365 to $25,300. That makes it about $5000 cheaper than the regular Prius.

What’s New: Like its Yaris platform-mate, the Prius C’s cosmeticshave had some attention for 2015, most notably a new grille reminiscent of the restyled Camry sedan. The freshened fascia sports LED projector-beam headlights, and LED lights have also been added at the rear. Upgraded materials improve the interior appearance, but perhaps the most compelling element of this freshening is the addition of three hot bright colors. Electric Lime Metallic (shown on this test car) may suggest the presence of performance that the Prius C simply does not possess, but its shimmering iridescence adds an element of visual fun.

What We Like: It’s hard to think ill of a car that can go so far on a single gallon of fuel—Toyota notes that the C scores the highest EPA city number of any regular (non-plug-in) hybrid. Even the basic Prius One is well equipped, and the upgrades to the upholstery make the interior a more comfortable place to be. And with its uninhibited new color choices—besides Electric Lime Metallic, there’s Tangerine Splash Pearl and Sparkling Sea Metallic—the C now has an eye-candy quotient many of its competitors lack.

What We Don’t Like: Acceleration in this Toyota can be charitably described as deliberate, and in Eco mode it becomes almost imperceptible. Beyond that, brake-pedal feel doesn’t inspire confidence, cornering is reluctant, and the steering is vague. The speedometer is still near the center of the dash, rather than in front of the driver; rear-seat space is snug; interior noise levels are a bit high at freeway speeds; and the center dash screen tracking mpg and the action of the hybrid system—the only source of driver entertainment in this car—is too small to read at a glance.