Author Archives: Vincent Nguyen

Sometimes, expectations weigh heavy on you. Big names, promising big things, and with big implications: the 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS is a prime example. After spending two full days driving the German automaker's attempt to redefine luxury through Zurich, Switzerland, it almost comes as a relief to report that the EQS surpasses all my expectations of Mercedes-Benz. To risk a cliche, it's the S-Class of electric luxury, redefining what a modern-day high-end sedan embodies through form and function.

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If you had to define the Audi Artemis project in just a few words, you could say it's upending, well, everything. How a car is designed, how it's driven - or, more accurately, how it drives itself - and how the occupants interact with the technology as a result. Today, as Audi pulls back the curtain on just what its Artemis team has been working on, I caught up with Marc Lichte, Head of Design, to hear about big changes and even bigger promises.

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Some rivalries run deep. The 2021 Ford Bronco is a legend reborn, a fresh SUV at a time when the market is ripe for them, and boasts a long laundry list of goodies its predecessors could hardly dream of, but all we really want to know is one thing: can it truly take on all-conquering Jeep Wrangler? After all, the Bronco nameplate first appeared back in 1966 to compete with the International Harvester Scout and, you guessed it, the original Jeep CJ-5.

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The S-Class is hands down the best-selling luxury car in its class, so where do you begin in trying to describe a whole new generation? For as long as I can remember, the S-Class has always been a hotbed for world-blazing technical innovations. From the first-gen Sonderklasse - or "Special Class" - revealed in 1972, to the 8th-gen W223 model at my disposal, the S-Class sits at the pinnacle of the luxury car hierarchy. I was spoiled with unprecedented levels of comfort, sportiness, refinement, and an eye-watering lineup of technologies.

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The 2021 Acura TLX Type S is a return to form for Honda's premium brand. Long renowned for offering spirited performance alongside the Integra Type R, the Type S arguably couldn't have returned at a better time. In a market where sedans comprise less than 38-percent of new premium vehicle sales, the TLX Type S is a compelling attempt to lure enthusiast drivers back from the domestic crutches of sport-utility vehicles and homogenous crossovers.

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The Volkswagen ID.4 electric crossover is officially the 2021 World Car of the Year. It won the crown against an eclectic mix of hatchbacks, sedans, coupes, and SUVs, including the Toyota GR Yaris, Audi A3, BMW 4 Series, Kia K5, and Mazda MX-30, to name a few.

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Whenever Mercedes-Benz unleashes a new S-Class, the entire automotive industry watches in anticipation. With the impending debut of its 2022 EQS all-electric luxury sedan, meanwhile, the stakes are even higher. All eyes are on the three-pointed star to see if its newest EV can truly redefine the standards of luxury and performance in electric vehicles, and there's plenty at stake either way.

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As the world grapples with new waves of rising COVID-19 infections, businesses and large corporations – in this case, German carmaker Mercedes-Benz – are forced into figuring out new and creative tactics in promoting new products. Just as car sales are increasingly being done remotely, so too was my first experience at the wheel of the 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS electric luxury sedan a virtual, co-piloted encounter.

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Imagine my surprise when Mercedes-Benz canceled the highly-awaited U.S. debut of its EQC all-electric SUV earlier this year. Instead, the automaker is wielding an arguably bigger and more potent stick with the 2022 EQS luxury SUV. Yes, you can think of the EQS as an all-electric derivative of the S-Class since the former shares most of the latter's cockpit operating structure. However, the differences get more significant the deeper you dig, since the EQS is the first Mercedes built using the German carmaker's all-new, dedicated modular architecture for luxury vehicles.

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Much of today's technology has an obsession with things we can see, from photorealistic computer graphics, through increasingly sophisticated computer interfaces, to new virtual and augmented reality experiences. Our senses don't stop at our eyes, though, and sound is an equally important part of having an immersive and believable experience. With the focus on visuals, however, creating evolved audio experiences has been traditionally more difficult and more expensive, leaving would-be soundscape creators priced out even if they know what tools they should be looking for. That's the situation that startup Spatial is trying to address, with a suite of tools and services to make creating such soundscapes more accessible to hobbyists and professionals alike.

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Japanese automaker Infiniti is the first to admit its all-new 2022 QX55 four-door crossover is not meant for everyone. And they mean it, too. It’s a fact not only stated on its official website, but the top brass at Infiniti believes in carving a niche in the growing coupe-crossover segment. “Infiniti has always been a brand that believes in defying conventions,” said Payman Kargar, Senior Vice President and Global Chairman of Infiniti Motor Company. “We believe in making vehicles that are not for everyone but mean everything to some.”

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The incoming 2022 BMW iX not only arrives with the German automaker’s 5th generation eDrive technology, but it highlights BMW’s commitment to sustainable manufacturing. Strict measures for improving sustainability are at the heart of BMW’s iX electric flagship SUV. It covers all phases of production, from selecting the raw materials through manufacturing and recycling.

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