Welcoem to posts!!
in the future - u will be able to do some more stuff here,,,!! like pat catgirl- i mean um yeah... for now u can only see others's posts :c
Baby GTR?
For the past couple of days, Iāve been driving the new Nissan Z NISMO!
My first impressions are very positive. The fact that the new Z is built on a platform that dates to early 2000ās and that isnāt necessarily a bad thing! All the inputs are great and you have that feel of being connected to a car missing in many modern sports cars.
The twin-turbo V6 delivers the power in an incredibly super smooth manner, and there is virtually no turbo lag. It received a 20 hp bump and 34 lb-ft of torque increase, meaning itās now pushing 420 hp and 384 lb-ft of torque. I hope you like automatic transmissions, because unlike the predecessor (which was available with a 6-speed gearbox), the new NISMO comes only with a 9-speed automatic. The good news is that the transmissions is very responsive, changing gears very quickly and never auto up shifting in manual mode.
Now, what is so special about the NISMO? Well, from the design standpoint, it has new front and rear facias, which not only look better, but also improve airflow to the engine, generate more downforce, and eliminate lift. The suspension tuning is more track focused with stiffer spring rates and larger, retuned dampers. We also get RAYS rims wrapped in high performance Dunlop GT600 tires, larger brakes with semi-track pads, and Recaro bucket seats.
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Woke up to 50k subscribersā¦ thank you all for your support! More exciting cars to come this Fall!
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Enjoying the last week of summer behind the wheel of the new Mercedes CLE Cabriolet!
I mean, who doesnāt dream of a Mercedes-Benz convertible?! For decades, the brand has made some iconic roadsters, but now, weāre only left with the legendary SL and this - the all new CLE.
Letās face the truth - coupes and convertibles are not selling anymore, as basically the whole luxury market shifted towards SUVs, so it was logical for Mercedes to kill the coupe and convertible variants of both, the C-Class and E-Class. They couldnāt, however, leave some of their loyal clients hanging - thatās why created the CLE - basically a fusion of those two models in a form of a coupe and a convertible. And they did a pretty good job!
What I like the about the CLE is that it doesnāt pretend to be something that it isnāt. Itās a super comfortable GT in the first place, made for stress-free, relaxing travel. Obviously, with the top down! You can easily travel at highway speeds with no issues, as the wind deflector system manages buffeting very well and if you get called, the AIRSCARF system will blow a warm air on your neck to keep you cozy!
375 hp coming from a turbocharged straight-6 (in case of the CLE 450 that Iām testing) is a perfect amount of power and despite a softly tuned suspension, the body control is great - the car doesnāt feel like a giant boat and while the CLE doesnāt handle like a high performance vehicle, you can have some fun in it on a curvy backroad!
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I swapped the Wrangler 392 for something more down to earth and attainable - a Kia Sportage X-Pro!
The X-Pro gets you a more āruggedā styling with all-terrain tires, more plastic cladding, and 8.3-inches of ground clearance ā as if you need it in a compact crossover.
Just like every other compact SUV in the segment, the Sportage has its pros and cons. What it does great is the interior space and overall usability. You get plenty of room, everything is well thought out and Iām not afraid to say that this thing will meet the needs for a family with two kids with its cargo space and backseat room. Another positive is the technology and the way it was implemented ā itās here to help you, and not annoy or overwhelm you.
I am, however, a little disappointed in the drivetrain, especially the power and refinement of the 2.5 liter unit. 0 to 60 in over 9 seconds speaks for itself and if you wanna drive somewhat dynamically, you have to go past 4 thousand rpm and rev the hell out of the engine. If you put the motor out of the equation, you will appreciate the comfort and the ride quality and how easy this thing is to live with.
Fun fact: The Sportage was developed in two versions ā short wheelbase and long wheelbase. In the U.S., we only get the LWB variant.
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There are times when a vehicle unexpectedly comes my way, and then I realize - why did I sleep on it and didnāt even think about it? That was the case with the Wrangler 392 that Iām driving this week. I mean, weāre talking about an iconic off-roader with a 470 hp V8 under the hood!
Putting a 6.4L HEMI in a Wrangler seems like an insane idea, but truth be told, Stellantis is known for them. Vehicles like the Challenger Demon or the Durango Hellcat seem pointless at first, but ultimately, they make our enthusiast hearts beat faster.
The experience of driving the 392 is hard to describe - pushing the pedal to the metal every single time makes me giggle like a little boy and the symphony of 8-cylinders is truly addictive! 0 to 60 in a little over 4 seconds is as wild as it sounds, but at the same time, Iām surprised how civilized this thing is, while sticking to its roots, making off-road capabilities still a priority. Iām super grateful I could experience it as weāre living in a golden era of powerful off-roaders, which will not last for ever.
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The best WRX yet?
This week Iām driving the Subaru WRX TR and by far, itās my favorite iteration of Subaruās performance sedan (at least until the tS becomes available).
The TR trim, which once was a stripped down version for enthusiasts who like modding their cars, now gives you a lot of goodies from the factory. What are they? Stiffer springs with revised damping rates, retuned steering, and high-performance Brembo brakes with 6-piston front calipers. We also get a Bridgestone S007 tires, moonroof delete, and a Recaro bucket seats. The powertrain remained unchanged with a 271 hp turbocharged 2.4L flat-4 under the hood mated to a 6-speed manual.
It seems like Subaru finally figured out how to tune the engine without weird power dips or inconsistency. The AWD system does a good job with transferring the power - it doesnāt wash out the front end, the body control is great and the car willing to rotate, letting you go really fast through the corners (side note: it has that āsafeā, easy to correct understeer). It also rides great and overall, itās a great package for street driving and autocross/track use.
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This week we have a 1000-hp beast, the Hummer EV Pickup! And just like the X2 we tested last week, itās another positive surprise.
Something that was once a definition of a gas-guzzler, is now a fully electric truck of the future. In the top EV3X variant it offers 1,000 horsepower and 11,000 lb-ft of torque! The range isnāt bad either - it varies from 311 to 381 miles.
Believe it or not, the Hummer EV was the first vehicle to use GMās Ultium EV architecture, and the BT1 platform that that the Hummer uses is a mix of unibody and ābody on batteryā solution also used by the Chevy Silverado EV, GMC Sierra EV, or the Cadillac Escalade IQ).
We can only get one configuration - a crew cab with a 5-foot bed, and the cabin matches the exterior with a simple, rugged design, and great usability, offering TONS of room.
What surprised me the most about the Hummer though, is how easy to drive it is. It rides exceptionally well (itās very soft and does a great job reacting to bumps/road imperfections), thanks to a 4-wheel steering system, it is super maneuverable and 0-60 in a little over 3 seconds in something that big is a special experience. More to come!
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Starting my week with the new BMW X2! Design aside, BMW made a pretty good entry-level luxury SUV that doesnāt feel like a discount product. The interior is made of decent quality materials, offers good amount of space.
First driving impressions: The 2-liter 4-cylinder making 312 hp is one of the best turbocharged 4-poppers on the market - the torque and power delivery are linear and we get TON torque in that usable 2k-4k RPM range. The 7-speed DCT however, isnāt that great - there is a noticeable torque dip in between the shifts and the clutch noticeably slips when you want to accelerate fast, unless you use launch control.
The adaptive suspension has been tuned on a firmer side, but itās not punishing, the steering feels neutral and overall, the X2 M35i is a good daily and itās a positive surprise - I like it more than I expected.
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The past couple of vehicles I tested were from different Japanese manufacturers, so it was time to switch things up and get something from the land of no speed limits on autobahns (or at least some of them).
This week I have a 2024 Audi S6, which received a mid-cycle refresh - updated front grill, new color and wheel options, and revised technology. We still get a 444-hp 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 mated to an 8-speed automatic, and the quattro all-wheel drive is obviously standard. Fun fact: EU-spec S6 gets a 344-hp V6 TDI.
The cabin remains the same as in the pre-facelift model, as there was no need to improve already a perfect cabin. The ergonomics are great and itās easy to get around, the materials are high quality and you get what you paid for. Not afraid to say that this is the best interior in the segment, and BMW and Mercedes should take notes what an interior in a mid-size sedan should be like.
When it comes to driving, the best way to describe the S6 is a fast, super-refined highway cruiser that has a solid drivetrain with a decent amount of power, and chassis focused on comfort. The S6 isnāt a vehicle that you wanna toss around corners and search for its limitations. There is a lot of body roll and understeer - much more than I expect from a performance sedan, although quattro all-wheel drive does provide an impressive mechanical grip.
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This week Iām testing Mazdaās newest SUV, the CX-70 (basically the CX-90 without the 3rd row seating) in the top, Turbo S Premium Plus variant.
Itās the first Mazda product based on their new RWD platform that Iām testing and my initial impression are positive. You can tell right away that it was designed with driving dynamics in mind, and the price we pay for that is a stiff ride. Itās not punishing and the body control is good, but small, sudden impacts transmit more vibrations to the cabin than expected.
Other than that, the cabin has been designed with a good attention to detail, is well isolated and a great place to be in. With the 3rd row deleted, the cargo space is massive and I canāt think of any other midsize SUV that offers that much room.
The turbocharged inline-6 while not as refined as (legendary at this point) BMWās B58 unit, delivers power in a linear fashion, works well with an 8-speed transmission and returns decent fuel economy - 24 mpg combined, which is a decent result for a vehicle of this size with 340 hp.
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Car reviews and test drives from a perspective of a guy who spent some time in Europe. You'll find new vehicle reviews, as well as POV test drives during the day and night on my channel.