ALL CARS BEGIN AS A CONCEPT. ON RARE OCCASIONS, THEY END AS ONE. It began as an idea unburdened by limitations. And in the end, despite the practicality of manufacturing and the challenges of production, it remained one. Introducing the first creation from the Acura Design Studio–the ZDX four-door coupe concept. Introducing Next. www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com Learn more at acura.com or by calling 1-800-To-Acura. ©2010 Acura. Acura and ZDX are trademarks of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com BY 2012 everY car will Be as safe as the tucson is todaY. www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com THINK ABOUT IT. Electronic Stability Control will be a government safety mandate on all light vehicles in 2012. But you’ll find it standard on every 2010 Tucson we build today. You’ll also find lots of other nice features included, like Bluetooth®, XM® Satellite Radio, and iPod®/USB and auxiliary input jacks, because we see industry standards as mere suggestions and build our cars to standards all our own. HyundaiTucson.com THE ALL-nEW TUCSON www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com Slippery road behind. The Subaru Legacy. As carefree as winter driving can be. Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive helps you stick to the road better than the fattest of snowflakes. A Stability and Traction Control System keeps you going in the right direction. The result is a feeling that’s harder to shake than the road itself. Love. It’s what makes a Subaru, a Subaru. Legacy.® Well-equipped at $19,995† †MSRP excludes destination and delivery charges, tax, title and registration fees. Dealer sets actual price. Legacy 2.5i Limited pictured has an MSRP of $24,995. www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com CONTENTS “This concept pulls every technology we have been developing into one very emotional and sporty automobile.” —Axel Rose, MANAGER, PERFORMANCE AND CO2, BMW GROUP ROAD TESTS FIRST DRIVES PORSCHE BOXSTER SPYDER ROLLS-ROYCE GHOST 64 30 This special edition loses weight, gains power and a It coddles, cossets, yet carves corners too, courtesy COVER STORY: visually striking (though fiddly) top—By Peter Egan of BMW 7 Series suspension—By Matt DeLorenzo 92 ROAD TEST UPDATE BUICK REGAL AUDI S4 34 Propulsion, • A turbo Ecotec inline-4 and European DNA make • BENTLEY CONTINENTAL SUPERSPORTS this—shocker!—a driver’s Buick—By Shaun Bailey A collective 18 angry, pressurized cylinders powering Present & Future two impressive awd performers—By the R&T staff HONDA ACCORD CROSSTOUR EX-L 36 Featuring a fuel-saving V-6, available awd and looks FEATURES sure to spark water-cooler debate—By Calvin Kim Fasten your seatbelts, BMW VISION EFFICIENTDYNAMICS 40 BMW’s wildly futuristic turbodiesel/electric is proof COLUMNS because we’re in the midst that hybrid cars needn’t be dull—By Patrick Hong THE ROAD AHEAD 13 —By Matt DeLorenzo of a revolution in propulsion 46 PROPULSION PROGNOSTICATIONS TO B OR NOT TO B: Small car must-haves, bullet What the future holds, manufacturer by manufac- points for an up-and-coming class of frugal machines technology—vividly demon- turer, in alternative powertrains—By the R&T staff AMPERSand—Edited by Mike Monticello HYBRID PERCEPTION... 16 48 AUDI E-TRON: Ingolstadt’s high performance electric strated by theBMW Vision A look into the hybrid buyer’s enthusiasm, mind-set sports car concept; future lightweight Murciélago and purchase considerations—By Dennis Simanaitis EfficientDynamics and full- ...VERSUS DIESEL & GASOLINE REALITY SIDE GLANCEs—By Peter Egan 52 26 Real-world mpg with the Toyota Prius, Volkswagen HANG UP AND DRIVE: Work the wheel and pedals, electricAudi e-Tronconcepts, not the cell phone; you might save a life someday Golf diesel and Ford Fiesta—By Dennis Simanaitis and with us now in cars like 72 LONG-TERM TEST: AUDI R8 ODYSSEY, II 82 TRACKSIDE Ah, another day, another incredible racetrack. We visit FORMULA 1 RULES CHANGES: Fuel stops go the way the Toyota Prius hybrid, New Jersey, Kentucky and Texas—By the R&T staff of sliding side skirts; and a word with J.R. Hildebrand Volkswagen Golf TDI and COMPETITION 88 the podium—By Marcos Ambrose 84 MICHELIN: LESSONS LEARNED! V8 SUPERSTAR: Revelations and respect for increasingly efficient gasoline Sliced by the double-edged sword of competition, NASCAR, from a guy who’s driven nearly everything the French giant takes it in stride—By tim Considine B-cars like the Ford Fiesta. 94 TECH TIDBITS—By dennis simanaitis TECH STAR: DEPARTMENTS This particular star is three-pointed, as Join us for a thorough look at Mercedes electrifies its Smart and hybridizes its ML 6 FOCAL POINT existing technologies and the 14 REVVED-UP 96 SPEED ZONE—By Douglas Kott 24 YOUR TURN FAST TIMES AT ROAD & TRACK HIGH: Track-day stuff for safety, quicker laps and entertainment shape of powertrains 99 TECH CORRESPONDENCE 100 ROAD TEST SUMMARY 98 COUNTERSTEER—By sam Mitani to come. 102 THE FINISH LINE PECULIARITIES—THE 25 HOURS OF THUNDERHILL: 112 PS NASA’s grueling enduro is not without its quirks www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com LAST-LAP INTENSITY Kyle Busch had a great shot at winning last year’s Coke Zero 400 at Daytona, only to tangle with winner Tony Stewart on the last lap and then get collected in dramatic fashion by Kasey Kahne in car No. 9. PHOTO BY F. PEIRCE WILLIAMS Nikon D3 1/6th at f/8.0. ISO 250. Nikkor 70-200 f2.8 lens Purchase this print (and other Focal Point images) at the Road & Track Photo Store. www.roadandtrack.com/focalpoint www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com www.roadandtrack.com MARCH 2010 7 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com NO.7 ON A HUMAN LEVEL Better sound because of what you don’t hear. How do you block undesirable sounds while still preserving those you want? It was a confounding question, to say the least. Yet an intriguing challenge that drove Infiniti engineer Mr. Daisuke Ochi to help develop the remarkable Active Noise Control system available in the all-new Infiniti M®. Unlike typical noise-cancellation methods, he knew merely quieting the cabin with insulation wouldn’t do. Instead he sought a much more ingenious technology. And from his years of studying vibration engineering, he knew exactly where to look. “Sound is a vibration. A vibration is a wave. Waves can cancel out competing waves,” stated Mr. Ochi. ® Working with a team of audio specialists, including Bose engineers, an advanced sonic technology was devised. One that not only targets and eliminates specific sound waves, but also enhances the auditory sensation of the M’s trademark engine note. The system does this by continuously monitoring engine RPM to identify unwanted low-frequency engine noise. Then the speakers in the doors emit opposing sound waves, effectively canceling each other out. The result is a harmonic engine note that ascends sonically for a smooth, invigorating resonance, especially appreciated at higher RPMs when merging onto highways or passing other vehicles. In the end, you’re rewarded with the sounds you want to hear. And shielded from those you don’t. Most of all, Infiniti’s Active Noise Control system delivers a truly immersive, multi-sensory driving experience. One crafted to move you in a way no other vehicle has before. For detailed specifications and more, visit InfinitiUSA.com. Always wear your seat belt, and please don’t drink and drive. ©2009 INFINITI. www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com ONLINE MARCH 2010 ALTERNATIVE A Luxurious Lexus Takes on the Sports Sedan King PROPULSION Lexus just kicked it into high gear with the rollout of its new 2010 Lexus LS 460 SYSTEMS Sport. Poised to give the BMW 750i a run for its money, the Sport features a stiffer The gasoline internal- air suspension system and a few choice combustion engine has pieces from the IS F. Get the full driving reigned supreme for impression and see the photos at: decades, but alternative roadandtrack.com/LS460Sport propulsion systems are becoming more widespread TS SPY O S H H S FIRST LOOK: by the hour. Check out our O Y T P list of which automaker S P S Brabus Y V12 GLK T O is doing what through 2015 S H H S ½O T Y S P regarding diesels, fuel cells, S Speed Wagon full electrics, hybrids PHOTO BY BRENDA PRIDDY and more. roadandtrack.com/alternatives Need a GLK that can hit 200.3 Win a Passport mph? If so, this Brabus has 9500ix by Escort EXPOSED! just what you’re looking for. Our spy photographer caught the 2011 Dodge Charger SRT8 Get the advanced specs and Enter for a chance to win one see the first photos at: of three Passport 9500ix on the road conducting ride and handling evaluations. Log on roadandtrack.com/brabusglk radar/laser detectors, each valued at $499.95. to see the full gallery of Charger spy shots, and to get all the details on this latest car from the Chrysler group. MoreFirstLooksonline: roadandtrack.com/win • 2011 Mercedes-Benz MoreNewCarsSpied: F-Cell B-Class • Kia K9 Concept • 2011 BMW Z4 sDrive35is • 2011 Audi A7 Sportback • 2011 Audi A8 • 2012 BMW 3 Series • 2011 BMW 5 Series roadandtrack.com/spy roadandtrack.com/firstlooks Jaguar’s Cats Getting Friskier for 2014 Jaguar is getting ready to jump back into the sports-car market as the XE takes shape as much more than a rumor. PHOTO-ILLUSTRATION BY BRENDA PRIDDY It’s now set to go on display at the Geneva Motor Show—just in time for the 50th anniversary of the famed E-Type.