You’d think that having one brutish sports coupe possessed of 550 horsepower would be enough for any oversteer-obsessed car junky, but I ended up having two on a recent weekend, leading to an inevitable, if informal, comparison. The first was a 2013 BMW M6, the latest in a storied tradition of gorgeous grand touring machines from Bavaria. The second was a very rare, low-mileage example of the 2012 Jaguar XKR-S, the ultimate expression (at the time) of the now seven-year old aluminum British beast. These two should inaugurate a new class of vehicle; one that I would label as the super-GT, as they have the performance of supercars like Ferraris and Lamborghinis of only a few years ago. Both will blast through the 60mph mark in under four ticks and run the quarter mile in the 12-second bracket, on the way to top speeds that will land mere mortals in the clink for a very long period of time. Seeing them together is a fascinating experience: both brutal yet elegant, refined yet fierce. The M6 is the more modern appearing, with its chamfered aggression and expensive detailing, including a carbon composite roof. Contrasting that is the XKR-S’ more timeless lines and voluptuous ...

It’s taken till almost the end of the current, second generation, X5’s six year life for me to get any real time behind the wheel, but it was worth the wait. I owned a first-gen model, and was quite happy with it overall. The current one improves on mine in most every respect, and still leads its very competitive class in many areas. One of those, exterior design, is critically important, and here BMW nailed it. The X5 is beefy yet elegant, tough looking yet refined. Add the test vehicle’s M Sport package and it gets even better, with the 20-inch wheels and more aggressive fascias giving this crossover even more an air of barely-contained aggression. Inside the current model X5 has generally aged well, with soft-touch, higher quality moldings and lots of real wood at eye level. But there are also some chinks in the BMW’s armor here: many of the plastics that are below the beltline are shiny and brittle, not to mention being a noticeable step down from the older model’s; the fold-away third row is quite useless for anyone but smaller children—who may be precluded from using it by child seat laws anyway; and time recently spent in ...

Lexus has ruled the luxury SUV class since it basically invented it with the RX300, way back in 1997. The current, third generation RX has just undergone its first major refresh since joining us in 2009, though it now must contend with a much more competent group of competitors. Outside Lexus has successfully grafted on its family “spindle” grill; not only does this bring the RX350 more in line with the rest of the corporate lineup, but it also reduces some of jowliness that afflicted the 2010-12 models. Inside, little has changed—and it must be said, little probably needed to. The Lexus’ size is just right for most people, with comfortable seating for four (five in a pinch) and a large, usefully-shaped cargo hold. However, despite updates to the RX350 infotainment system, it is now well behind the best. The concept of a haptic-feedback, mouse-like controller makes plenty of sense in the design and engineering studios, but in the real world, the driver ends up with his or her eyes off the road for much too long a time, as they try to spot a little curser floating somewhere over a large sea of available icons. Driving the latest RX350 reminds one why ...

There’s no doubt the current Wrangler, internally known as the JK series, is the best of its long and illustrious breed. And it is incredibly fun on a test drive. But is it something you can actually live with? As a one-time Jeep CJ owner, that was the question at the forefront of my mind when a pinot noir-colored Sahara model with matching hardtop and fenders—which really changes the overall look, compared to ones with those parts finished in rough gray plastic—was dropped off for my use. Despite its more refined-appearing body, the Wrangler still appeared thoroughly off-road capable, and neat detailing like the exposed door hinges echoed nicely the tough vibe of my ’83 model. Likewise the inside the Sahara was trimmed out very well, with well-assembled plastics and comfy seating for four people. The amount of onboard tech—40GB hard drive, navigation, climate control, Bluetooth and remote start—would put luxury cars of twenty years ago to shame, and the quite, almost refined way the Jeep drove made it feel a million years removed from my own beast. In fact, on smoother roads I could forget almost entirely I was in a box-framed, live-axled machine, as the solid structure and careful sound deadening ...

Mercedes compact SUV, the GLK series, has recently undergone its first thorough refresh since being introduced Stateside in 2010. The miniature G-series looks of the earlier model have been given a makeover, with a sleeker fascia, hood and lights being the most prominent features. The GLK’s appearance is still a bit polarizing, and remains somewhat wheel-dependent. The test model’s 20-inch, diamond-cut wheels really bring its chamfered form into focus, while the smaller, more basic footwear leaves it appearing a bit top heavy. Inside the GLK350 things have changed even more, and there’s no controversy here: this is about the richest interior in any midsized luxury ‘ute, with plush moldings, lots of gorgeous real wood and polished trim, all set off on the test vehicle by a combination of almond and mocha contrast stitch and seat piping. The upright seating positions mean plenty of room for four occupants and lots of cargo room, despite exterior dimensions that are smaller than the others in the class, such as the Lexus RX350. Technology is another GLK strong point; Mercedes latest generation Comand navigation/infotainment software being easy to use and fast in response. And the color screen between the instruments makes the monochromatic displays in the ...

I have been accused of being a particularly harsh critic of recent Lexus (and Toyota) redesigns, and my first exposures to the latest, fourth-generation GS350 last year did little to change my opinion. As the owner of a third-gen, 2007 vintage model, I’ve felt my concerns are valid, but the public doesn’t seem to agree, as it buys three times as many of the new GS as the old. [caption id="attachment_2175" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="2013 Lexus GS350"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_2176" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="2007 Lexus GS350"][/caption] Was there something I was missing? I had the chance to find out recently, when a GS350, this time in Luxury Package specification, showed up for a week. I had no immediate change of heart, as this latest GS350, parked next to mine, looked like a bloated, amateurish caricature. Gone was the taught litheness of that earlier sports sedan, one the first Lexi to use the company’s then new “L-Finesse” styling. In its place was the new model, with its overwrought, unfinished detailing and slab sides, perched precariously atop too-small wheels. Yet a week driving them back-to-back had me revising many of my original criticisms. For in most every objective measure, the new GS350 was a better car to drive than ...

The Legacy midsize car has just undergone its first thorough refresh since getting enlarged and re-engineered in 2010. That car, while loosing the lithe, athletic stance of its predecessor, fit American needs much better, with a roomier, more comfort-oriented interior and better fuel economy. The 2013 facelift has helped markedly with the Legacy’s appearance— especially in front, where new headlamps and fascia give it a slimmer, less “surprised” look. Not too much has changed with the cockpit aside from the graining on the faux wood, and here the Subaru is starting to feel a little behind the curve. Such cars as the 2013 Ford Fusion and ’14 Mazda6, with their more interesting shapes, polished trim and richer materials, leave the Legacy wanting. The seats have an overly plump feel for smaller occupants and lack lateral support, but those of larger build will find them quite comfortable. The Legacy’s driving position is good, and trunk and back seat space are generous. There’s also a new navigation/infotainment system, which is faster and has clearer, more attractive graphics. But not all technology is equally helpful. If you have a tendency to plow into people at stoplights or in stop and go traffic, consider the company’s ...

The Eos hardtop convertible has never sold in great numbers in the United States, and to understand why—and also to appreciate all its great attributes—it is helpful to examine it from the European perspective. For this is one VW that really seems designed to best serve on the Continent, not here. To start with, it is small, and perhaps more importantly, it looks small. While this compactness makes it easy to park in congested European cities, it works against the Eos in the land of the Big Gulp, where it seems a bit too petite for its price. While others (MINI, Fiat) have gotten away with small, cute and expensive, that’s harder to do with a mainstream brand like Volkswagen, especially when the Eos isn’t visually dramatic; its elegant yet conservative good looks actually work against it. Inside too, it seems to underwhelm many occupants. I found it classy and well thought out, with a surprising amount of room (with enough space for four in a pinch) both in the cabin and in the trunk, despite the folding metal top. And that roof is a work of genius, with a built-in sliding glass sunroof that companies like Mercedes charge buyers a huge ...

It seems like its taken a while to shove the larger corporate V6 into Infiniti’s sporty crossover (Europe has had it for two years), but the wait was worth it. Boasting most of the performance of the FX50 S with frugality of the older 3.5-liter model, the FX37 hits a sweet spot in the burgeoning ranks of five-passenger sports-oriented SUVs. This version of the venerable VQ-series punches out 325hp and 267lb-ft of twist, enabling the Infiniti to run in the sixes to 60mph and serve up the kind of midrange muscle that was sometimes lacking in the older engine. It also seems the best match yet to the corporate seven-speed gearbox. The ratios seem well chosen—unlike in some of the other Infiniti models—and there’s no undue hunting around the box. The sport and available manual modes with rev-matched downshifts make the most of all the horses in the corral. And I needed all of them on the 700-mile round trip that I subjected the FX37 to. Originating in Denver, the journey was a dash between storms to the beautiful town of Telluride, ensconced in the stunningly dramatic San Miguel mountains of southwest Colorado. The route was over some of the state’s best ...

I’ve had plenty of time in various Grand Cherokees powered by the eight-cylinder Hemi, but this past New Year’s was my first exposure to the better-selling V6 version of Jeep’s excellent SUV. My expectations were low; the Grand Cherokee is one of my favorites, but its Germanic roots (derived from the Mercedes ML, and one of the last fruits of the ill-fated Daimler-Chrysler tie-up) mean it is very robust—in feel and actual mass. Its near-5000 pound weight works against it, meaning even the 5.7-liter, 360hp V8 (reviewed here) isn’t all that fast, and gets low/mid-teens fuel economy. I couldn’t imagine the six having the muscle to move the Jeep with any kind of vigor, and without undue aural strain affecting those inside. The six cylinder in question is a very smooth and refined 3.6-liter with outputs of 290hp and 260lb-ft, and it was stout enough (and quiet enough) that I didn’t even realize I wasn’t piloting the Hemi when I first pulled away in it. Around town it has more than enough oomph for stoplight-to-stoplight driving; step-off is actually quite brisk. But to get a real feel for any limitations it might have, I decided to subject the V6 GC to the ...