Mercedes-AMG recently unveiled the all-new M139 2.0-liter turbocharged engine. It’s a complete redesign of the previous-gen M133 four-cylinder motor in the outgoing Mercedes-AMG A45, CLA45, and GLA45. And, with up to 415 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque available, the M139 earns the title of the most powerful four-cylinder engine in the world.
The Rolls-Royce brand is known for many things. It can either be the magic carpet ride, or the immensely powerful engines for both motorcars and the aviation industry. Most of all, though, Rolls-Royce motorcars are known for their excellence in bespoke manufacturing. Nothing embodies this more than the new Wraith Eagle VIII.
Just how far can you squeeze a turbo-four? If you're Mercedes-AMG, then the answer is to record-setting levels, with the new M139 hailed as the world’s most powerful series-production turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four. That's found a home under the shapely hood of the new AMG CLA 45, where it's good for 382 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque. For those keeping track, that’s 7 hp more than the the first-generation CLA 45.
The Bentley Continental GT W12 is the blueprint for a grand tourer. Handsome and effortlessly powerful, it's more than enough car to have you skip the first class cabin and take your next cross-country jaunt into your own hands. What, then, to make of the 2020 Continental GT V8? If you've come looking for compromise then you're on a fool's errand: while the engine may be smaller, the experience for more enthusiastic drivers is a whole lot bigger.
You can think of #NEXTGen as BMW’s very own auto show. After all, why share the spotlight when you're not only showing off your latest production cars - notably the gorgeous new 8 Series Gran Coupe, with four proper doors, rear-wheel-drive or rear-biased AWD, and an available inline-six or V8 engine - but explaining your vision of sustainable driving and technology in the not-so-distant future.
Mercedes-Benz is on an SUV rampage. After unveiling the sleek GLC crossover and GLB compact SUV, we now have the all-new iteration of the full-size GLS-Class SUV. However, this is not my first encounter with Mercedes’ new SUV. The Mercedes-Benz GLS made a splashing debut at the 2019 New York International Auto Show and impressed me with its S-Class levels of refinement, build quality, and premium technology.
Mercedes-Benz unveiled the concept GLB at the Shanghai International Auto Show, and at the time, it appeared to ticked all the right boxes for a small and capable SUV. It’s built on a compact platform while offering to seat seven passengers with all-wheel-drive, and a modern cabin.
Whenever a carmaker unveils a new electric car, I tend to get excited. With the seismic changes in today’s automotive industry, the introduction of a new EV is more than just the usual fanfare of presenting a new model to the public. It signifies the current direction of a particular carmaker. In the case of Mercedes-Benz, it took some time in coming up with their first all-electric vehicle. The 2020 Mercedes-Benz EQC is the first of many to come from Stuttgart, and so naturally it has to be special. I got to drive it in rainy Norway.
The 2020 Rover Range Rover Evoque remains the smallest SUV in Land Rover’s lineup, and it’s all for the better. Why mess with a good thing when you have a winner on your hands? Land Rover sold around 800,000 units of the first-gen Evoque worldwide, so there are high expectations for a solid successor. The new Evoque retained a familiar overall look to the outgoing model, and that’s a good thing. Additionally, as expected, there are loads of improvements inside and out, packing a new array of technology to once again redefine the luxury crossover segment.
The Porsche 911 remains the epitome of the everyday sort of sports car - and, depending on the trim, the everyday supercar as well - but the title of best German sports car is getting a serious challenge by the updated 2020 Mercedes-AMG GT. Now offered in four trim levels, from the GT, and GT C, through the GT R, and finally the track-focused GT R Pro, it's the latter, most intense version of AMG's fearsome coupe that should be giving Porsche some sleepless nights.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I'll happily argue with you all day long that the new 2019 Bentley Continental GT Convertible is more of a looker than its coupe sibling. The grandest drop-top version of the Continental GT is still one of the most luxurious places to spend your time in. It also happens to be one of the best ways to spend $236,000 and change.
The first ever 2019 BMW X7 is, without a doubt, built to satisfy the cravings of modern car buyers. We all know that SUVs - or sport utility vehicles - are the current darlings of the car buying crowd; you have to be a brave automaker to not have an SUV of some sort in your lineup. With BMW, there have been many SUVs to pick from - unless, that is, you needed a bigger people hauler. It's about time that the X7 made its debut, then, casting a huge net in the sea of potential SUV buyers.