When I got the chance to test drive the new Audi e-tron in the deserts of Namibia, it was clear Audi hadn't developed an electric SUV merely for tarmac roads. While most drivers won't experience it, it turned out to be quite the thrill to drift an electric SUV. Indeed as far as I can remember, it's probably the most fun I've had behind the wheel of a luxury SUV.
When you're building an electric supercar, who better than Tony Stark to give it that superstar shine. "I've been having an extramarital affair with Audi for more than a decade now," Robert Downey Jr jokingly quips at the unveil of the Audi GT Concept. Downey took the stage with legendary automotive designer Marc Lichte, to pull the wraps off a jaw-dropping car that, though dubbed a concept, is in fact an astonishing 99-percent product ready.
It’s been 22 years since the first-generation Toyota RAV4 arrived in US shores. Back then, compact-based crossovers or small SUVs were as ubiquitous as smartphones, emojis, and selfies - in short, it was a tiny market, compared to the behemoth it has become today. Who would have thought larger SUVs would take the place of family sedans or station wagons as the everyday driver?
2018 is perhaps one of Huawei's most exciting years yet. Almost like the script for a Hollywood blockbuster, the year began with a tragedy that seemed like a death sentence for the protagonist. It left its hero in a period of limbo, its future uncertain. But like the true star of its story, Huawei’s perseverance responded with vengeance, putting out smartphones that consumers will want to grab but, due to some circumstances beyond their control, cannot.
It could well be Toyota's most important car, and so the 2020 Corolla is leaving nothing to chance. The sedan version of the 12th generation Corolla made its debut today, and it's promising just as much driver engagement, tech, and style as the 2019 Corolla hatchback launched earlier this year.
The 2019 BMW 8 Series is a unique car for BMW. It’s not as plush or excessively luxurious as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe, nor is it as aggressively sporting as a Porsche 911 or Aston Martin Vantage. There are, it turns out, a whole host of ways to build a grand tourer. Where the Aston Martin DB11 is a sporty GT, the all-new 8-Series is a more elegant way to transport four people - and their four golf bags. With the new 2019 BMW 8 Series Convertible, meanwhile, you can do so with the top down.
Technically speaking, my first drive of the all-new, fully electric 2019 Audi e-tron never saw its cutting-edge electronically controlled all-wheel drive system touch a public road in Namibia, South Africa. The all-electric SUV isn't due to reach US roads until next year, but when Audi asked us if we wanted to put its new EV quattro system through its paces well in advance, we didn't turn the automaker down. Turns out, while the new e-tron may not quite be ready for release, that doesn't mean it's not up for some seriously silly drifting.
The Bugatti Chiron is the holy grail of hyper-fast production cars. At the vanguard of engineering and design, it's a big car with big numbers. It also comes with an astronomical price tag: $2.98M before you start piling on any options. Now, $3 million is a lot of money - even for folks with the financial means to even consider a Bugatti in the first place - but the price is an indication of the performance, top speed, and general refinement of the Chiron. It is a ridiculous car that transcends boundaries.
In an industry obsessed with acronyms, you can credit the BMW X5 as being the first-ever SAV, or Sport Activity Vehicle. Back in 1999, people were left scratching their heads to discern the differences between an SAV and SUV. Fast forward to today, and the new 2019 BMW X5 is still an SAV to the core, but it's certainly all grown up now. Larger, and more practical, the promise is up to seven seats of family convenience but without sacrificing the driving feel that the X5 has always been known for.
Coupe life can be fun but rarely practical: if you love the Mercedes-AMG GT Coupe, but need more space to transport friends, family, or sports equipment, the 2019 Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe may well fit the bill. While you may or may not be down with the recent trend of calling cars with four doors "coupes," there's one thing I found you can't argue with. Somehow - with the help of the base model GT 53 4-Door Coupe - Mercedes-AMG has managed to make some of the most practical, yet outrageous, sports sedans that money can buy.
With the 2019 Audi e-tron, the all-electric SUV category enters the big leagues. Launching in the US midway through next year, the new five-seater promises the Audi style and luxury we're familiar with from the Q5 and Q7, along with the off-roading abilities, but with zero emissions along the way.
Five days, three continents, and four cities: Munich, New York, San Francisco, and Beijing. It may sound like the itinerary of a famous rock band’s world tour, but it’s actually something even more exclusive. BMW's integrated its newest concept car into a jet, and set off on the iNEXT World Flight to preview its vision of the next generation of electric vehicles.