The BMW 5-Series Touring

BMW is very famous. It has the luxury cars for people who can buy very expensive cars and the not-so-cheap cars for people who are not very reach and the not-so-expensive cars.

The 5-series Touring is an luxury car which can run very fast. It costs from £33,010 to £50,920. The price is not suitable for everyone. However, if you pay that amount of money for this car, you will not feel regret later.

POWERTRAIN

Because the current 575-hp M5 is inhibited from posting quicker acceleration numbers by limited (rear-drive) traction, BMW uses the same tire treads with Mercedes-Benz and Audi, and adds four-wheel drive. The 5-series keeps the current 4.4-liter V-8, but with output boosted past 600 horsepower. The models before 5-series retained their current turbocharger with four- and six-cylinder engines. A new turbocharger 4.0-liter V-8 is likely and would be brought in line with BMW’s current 500-cc-per-cylinder strategy.

ON THE INSIDE

BMW intends to go for a slightly more simply look than Audi. It’s smart – so long as you can avoid some of the ugly options with bad designs – but doesn’t have quite the blend of sophistication and simplicity that Audi manages so well. Building quality is high-level, though, and the 5-Series’ four seat will easily make you feel so comfortable. But the middle seat is a bit of a squeeze. BMW’s also introduced cool digital dials for 2014, upping the tech count further.

OWNING

At 119g/km CO2, the 520d is now so green, there’s no need for a green EfficientDynamics model. The 5-Series should offer bulletproof reliability. BMW’s stop-start technology is well authenticated nowadays, and there aren’t too many complicated electronics anywhere else. If you’re a company car buyer, the 5-Series is the best choice for you in this class, no else car can be so suitable for you like BMW 5-series.

DRIVING

Nearly no one buys a petrol 5-Series, so you’d expect that the diesel choice have to be excellent. It is. Top of the list of brilliance is the 535d, but the 520d of the 5-series that most buy won’t make you feel disappointed. It’s very quiet and fast enough for everyday driving situations. There’s a extended version badged 518d for 2014 too, which is cheaper, but its 145bhp output doesn’t sound sufficient to us. If there is not any traffic light race, it will yawn from the beginning to 0-60mph in 9.7 seconds.

Bugatti Chiron

Bugatti, which is undoubtedly the one of the most famous car manufacturers in the world, it's a historic brand revived by Volkswagen. For 10 years it had just one model, the Veyron, sold at a price well over 1 million dollars. Now the Veyron’s successor, the Bugatti Chiron, has been revealed in the Geneva auto show. Being such a wonderful sports car, the Chiron reaffirms the company’s exclusive nature. Bugatti will produce only 500 examples of the all-new Chiron “super sports car,” as the company calls it before the official version is released, and sell them for $2.6 million each. Even at that price, Bugatti has already taken about 180 preorders.

The Bugatti’s top speed can reach at 261 mph. A seven-speed automatic routes that power through all four wheels. Hardly a normal person can afford it, because the price is around $2.6 million when it goes on sale this fall. The Chiron is a 1500-hp smack down of every hyper car ever produced in the history of time. It is running the way that no car has ever run before. An 8.0-liter sixteen-cylinder engine utilizes four turbo to make 1500 hp and 1180 lb-ft of torque for what will surely be epic acceleration.

The Chiron’s appearance is similar to the Veyron, the emphasizing and styling Bugatti design language is repeated in an upgraded way. Like its former generation, the Chiron has only two seats and uses a carbon fiber body. The mid-engine sits behind the cabin.

There is a titanium exhaust, as well as six enormous catalytic converters. The manufacturer also claims the Chiron uses the highest-performance clutch so that it can be fitted to a passenger car. Carbon silicon carbide brakes with eight pistons rein all that power in, as does the air-brake that protrudes from the rear haunches. The new Chiron makes almost 300bhp more than its Veyron Super Sport predecessor. The “road use” version can reach the maximum speed of 300bhp, but the firm states this is “by no means the end of the road” for the Chiron. The top speed is up to even 500kmh (310mph), but we don’t expect that speed to be achievable any time soon. Bugatti has made this monumental speed possible by enlarging each of the four turbo and introducing an innovative new two-stage spooling system. And that speed can certainly become a legend when the Chiron was released this autumn.

The Chiron is undoubtedly an engineering triumph and the pinnacle of immoderation; the masses should be properly attracting. The Bugatti Chiron is regarded as a beautiful design of Louis Vuitton–brand, Bugatti says the car has “an extremely high level of electromagnetic compatibility” borne out by tests of an unspecified military standard. Everything can’t be the same, it’s the truth. No two cars can totally at the same. There’s no doubt that the Chiron trumps even the mighty Veyron in the jaw-slackening department. So should those with the considerable means to purchase this over expensive car.

Acura NSX

The Acura NSX is in the form of a highly technical and utterly thrilling supercar. Having weight-saving construction, a hybrid powertrain that has three electric motors and a mid-mounted twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 making a combined output of 573 hp, the NSX supply you for pulse-pounding performance paired with everyday using. A nine-speed dual-clutch automatic and all-wheel drive are all that you are looking for due to the good standard. The NSX is comfortable, fast, and it can satisfy even the most fastidious customer. The NSX a unique supercar, from the way it approaches performance to how it goes down the road. Therefore, it’s a true successor to the original and the feeling being in it will be completely unique, too. The 2017 Acura NSX comes back to us as an all-new, two-seat, mid-engine hybrid sports car. It is not in dispute that the Acura NSX turns out to be a sports car with the dramatic styling, aluminum construction and a V6 hybrid powertrain good for more than 500 horsepower promise elite sports car style and performance. The frame of the new NSX is made of aluminum and steel and the floor is a carbon-fiber floor. The body panels are made of aluminum and a fiberglass-like composite. This light body shell should help offset the mass of the hybrid and electric components, but Acura hasn’t announced b weight yet. Engineers proclaim the NSX is the car of which the gravity center is the lowest in its class, which allow the drivers to handle much more easily, but for certain this won’t be the skinny-jeans NSX of old. We guess that it will weigh around 700 pounds more than the original, or 3,700 pounds total. The NSX is completely complex, with an assist motor between the twin-turbo V6 and the nine-speed dual-clutch transmission, add to two torque-vectoring electric motors at the front axle. And the NSX is expensive. It will probably cost $170,000 when it is on sale in spring in 2016. It seems like we are trolling with such a price. The 2017 Acura NSX is heavy. It is much heavier than the original car which was revealed in 1990 by more than 800 pounds and is over 300 heavier than a Chevrolet Corvette Z06. Inside, where the interior is, there’s a vast canvas of aluminum and leather befitting an expensive sports car, high door sills, flat-bottom steering wheel, a racy, tall center console and a floating center stack. The car’s driving mode varies a lot, there are many choices for you to choose, such as a track setting and low-speed, electric-only operation, will be available. After all, with all of the features that impress us so much, what surprises is that of a company that hasn’t aimed at building a sports car from the beginning, cautiously feeling its way with a complicated new machine produced by a rushed development program. It has the essentials; what it needs can mostly be added with software. The on-sale date is coming soon you needn’t wait until spring, so there’s still time to make the NSX of our dreams. Source: auto sales

Maserati Ghibli

Maserati has prestige, history and Italian pedigree, all hallmarks of an exclusive sport-luxury brand, whatever they said. Not hard to realize that Maserati executives watching Porsche’s recent growth with some envy. With the new 2014 Maserati Ghibli, a midsize luxury sedan, the automaker is deep digging below its traditional six-figure threshold, looking for a niche among the old European guard. In reality, the Ghibli is more effective in the flesh than it does in photographs and what the test drivers say, but we still suspect that it’s designed to appeal more to the very fast-growing Asia- Pacific and Chinese markets than European one.

The car allows drivers to customize itself with an array of wood, upgraded leather trim and carbon fiber. Several wheel designs are available, which mean that your choices are much more various, up to 21 inches in diameter, as are brake calipers in multiple colors. There are so many features that certainly attract you attention, for example, power-adjustable pedals, front and rear parking sensors, steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters, a driver-adjustable adaptive suspension, a power rear sunshade, heated front and rear seats, ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel and all of them belong to the notable options.

The base setup is a 345-hp, twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 and rear-wheel drive. Due to deliciously curved lines, the Ghibli looks backed up by what’s under the hood. Furthermore, the S performance version has 404 hp and optional all-wheel drive. The materials used to make the interior are not as nice as what we expected and both engines have an eight-speed automatic, but this desert wind is a breath of fresh air in a world dominated by German sedans.

Not only being mid-size executive, the Ghibli is also Maserati’s first diesel. Perhaps, but it’s a necessary move. There is a clever exhaust tuning helps you save power and gives it the baritone rumble of a V8 on the outside. Among Maserati cars, it seems to be the best feature is the power saving ever, but the fact is that most of its rivals all have smoother, punchier twin turbo units that are easily the measure of Maserati’s single turbo diesel in all the key areas.

But the Ghibli has just slightly more technical and modern in appearance. Besides, the interior is a more sober environment, a generation advanced from the bigger Maserati sedan. The reason for that is that the dash is shaped like one of its relatives from the Fiat Chrysler Group, the Jeep Cherokee. It is different from its origins with layers of leather and opulent trim choices like open-pore wood, and fitted with huge, cold-to-the-touch paddles for shifting. Additionally, there are lesser cues which show up in some plastic trim, in the parts-bin switches and buttons.

The engine also had great changes. But it's still a question, how they will change the Maserati’s income. That said, 443lb ft of torque from 2,000rpm is juicy, and with 50:50 weight distribution, a proper mechanical diff, and a talented chassis that enjoys being pushed, the Ghibli doesn’t disgrace its well-known badge. In addition, the 325bhp V6 petrol brings on feeling that is more naturally athletic and Italian. Maserati’s engineers specifically upgraded to the more fashionable electric steering in favor of a hydraulic set-up, which feels linear and accurate. The eight-speed auto box is fantastic, the ride quality rather less so.

The way that the car allows you to drive like what you want will satisfy you a lot. Although the price that Maserati said is a little expensive, but the Ghibli is undoubtedly well equipped. This is the unbelievable challenges that Maserati challenge in hands themselves. At least the diesel is green: the 48mpg Maserati is now a reality.

Source: car dealerships

The 2016 Peugeot 208 GTI

In 2016, Peugeot released a new range named the 2016 Peugeot 208 GTi. It’s rare for a manufacturer to introduce a car that it doesn’t expect (and in all honesty doesn’t really want) to be popular with customers, but that’s exactly what the new entry model in the 2016 Peugeot 208 range is. Peugeot Australia admits the 208 Access is unlikely to be a sales success, but toppling the likes of the Toyota Yaris and Mazda 2 isn’t its intention. Now, let me show you what this range has been expanded from the former Peugeot.

ENGINE
The six-speed transmission’s shifts smooth and fast. The GT-Line reaches 0-100 km/h in a leisurely 10.9 seconds
FEATURES
The seven-inch screen is clear and bright, but still slow to respond to your inputs. Moreover, isn’t exactly the last word in ease-of-use or up-to-the minute design.

if the screen is not so slow in responding to your fingers, there will be a lot of things going on the screen and it will be wonderful . It takes care of both climate control and the full trip computer and the stereo in the car.
The sat-nav in the car is fine if it is not highly detailed or if there are not the high resolution and the stereo, once you’ve worked it out, it will deliver good sound and work more than happily with your Bluetooth or USB-connected phone.
DESIGN
You can’t imagine, the 208 GTi is the latest in a long, proud line of Peugeot hot hatches and for many of us who remember the original 205 GTi the expectations so high.

From the outside at distance the GTi looks very sporty but only to a discerning eye. If you come near the car, you will realize that there’s lots of GTi badges (and even more inside) but if you donn’t know what “GTi” on a Peugeot means you wouldn’t want to look twice.

The car is something of a sleeper, and indeed at a recent Cars and Coffee meeting the 208 attracted the attention of people who knew what they were looking at, not those there to admire showy cars. You decide whether that’s a good thing or not.
SAFETY
There are six airbags, ABS, brake assistance, brake force distribution, stability and traction controls and load-limited front seat-belts, which make the car up to five ANCAP stars.
DRIVING
It is close to the standard 208 with the benchmark for ride and the ability to handle in its class. The standard GTi is the best riding hot hatch all over the world even if it doesn’t have that ultimate handling ability (which few of its owners will ever use) of its Renault, Ford and VW rivals.

The GT Line chassis falls in the middle of the standard and GTi tunes and is all the better for it. The tauter chassis further sharpens the already-excellent steering and the fast-responding throttle and transmission make the 208 feel a lot more sprightly than its 0-100km/h figures suggests.
There’s plenty of grip on offer, on the way, more than the engine could ever overwhelm. However, at the same time, it’s a terrific amount of fun.
That extra handling ability doesn’t ruin the ride but it brings an edge, with body roll almost disappeared. The larger tyres are also a little noisier, but again, if you like a bit of fun, it’s doesn’t matter.

The petrol range contains the following versions:

1.6 litre THP 208 hp S&S, 6-speed manual; 125 g/km.

1.6 litre THP 165 hp S&S, 6-speed manual; 129 g/km;

1.2 litre PureTech 110ch S&S EAT6, 6-speed automatic; 104 g/km;

1.2 litre PureTech 110 hp S&S, 5-speed manual; 103 g/km;

1.2 litre PureTech 82 hp S&S, 5-speed electronic; TBC at 97 g/km;

1.2 litre PureTech 82 hp, 5-speed manual; 104 g/km;

1.2 litre PureTech 82 hp, 5-speed manual; Very Low Consumption at 99 g/km;

1.0 litre PureTech 68 hp, 5-speed manual; 102 g/km;

The new Peugeot 208 is still fitted as standard with all of the safety systems that allow it to earn five stars in the EuroNCap tests (ABS, ESP, EBFD, EBA, etc.). This level of passive safety and the arrival of Active City Brake make the new Peugeot 208 one of the safest cars in the segment.

Source: car insurance

Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4

The Lamborghini Aventador is much easier to drive and control an Aventador than the Murcielago. Still, it might seem dishonest that the Aventador inherited the mantle of the last challenging thrill in the segment. As it used to be, it’s a challenge to drive at all. The tests are carried on only because everything else around it has gotten so much easier.

The Lamborghini Aventador is a squat, low, big and wide monster from the old school, which is the replacement for the ageing Murciélago supercar. A 0–62mph time under three seconds and a 217mph top speed, sporting a mid-mounted 6.5-litre V12, this is the fastest car in Lamborghini’s current range and can be regarded as one of the fastest ever. It was built by using a carbon-fiber monologue and draped with aluminum and CFRP panels. There’s a four-wheel drive and the transmission and bodywork that scares small children.

Lamborghini also provides an Aventador Roadster variant with a two-piece carbon-fiber taiga top weighing just 6kg. Due to such an unbelievably light materiel, the taiga can be easily stored and removed in the Aventador’s nose. Howrever, it remains a supercar of the old school. It was first public shown more than 40 years ago and up to now, it is still a massively wide, impossibly low machine powered by an outrageously powerful and classic normally aspirated V12.

This car doesn’t have the controls are all human-resolving and the self-driving option. I literally rocked up in a Huracan, got out, swapped keys, and hopped in the Aventador. The Huracan drives automatically, it releases the brake and the coupe rolls forward. But when I got on the Aventador and took my foot off the brake, the car didn’t respond, nothing happened. The clutch in the ISR transmission – that’s Independent Shifting Rod and it’s a single-clutch automated gearbox. Furthermore, the gearbox doesn’t work until you press the throttle. Come to a stop and take your foot off the brake for more than seven seconds, and the Aventador will shift into neutral, which seems to be the only thing in the Aventador that automatically work. Grazing the throttle won’t work, either, only human-commands will do because the Aventador doesn’t respond to suggestions.

First, the SV (which stands for “Superveloce,” or “superfast”) packs the same tune for its V-12 as did the hyper expensive, Veneno, which was limited in the number in three. It’s Lamborghini’s most powerful V-12. In addition, it stimulates optimized variable valve timing, a new exhaust system, and a higher red line to raise output to 740 horsepower at 8400 rpm. Torque remains staying at the same level as in the non-SV Aventador: 509 lb-ft at 5500 rpm. However, the SV is intended solely to circle a racetrack as quickly as possible, while the dorsal-finned Veneno’s calling card was its crazy styling, it can lap the Nürburgring in less than seven minutes. Only a “crazy” car can do that.

Remarkably, the Aventador has ‘gone green’ due to both of cylinder deactivation and the engine stop-start, which helps improve economy by up to 20 per cent. Now, the Lamborghini’r range-topper is currently looking at an 18-month waiting list, meaning premiums on used examples, even with a list price of £260,040.

Source: car leasing

Infiniti Q70

Infiniti is the luxury car label of Nissan, which is one of the most famous Japanese car manufacturers. Infiniti has been selling well in America for years now. And now, they are planning to widen their market passing the Atlantic Ocean right straight to Europe. Moreover, all the products of Infiniti are perdurable.

The car has got major options including Bluetooth audio streaming, a 16- or 10-speaker Bose audio system, Infiniti’s Around View 360-degree camera system, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, front and rear parking sensors and navigation. The car also has many things for the standard features, for example, a rearview camera, a USB port, proximity key and Bluetooth phone compatibility. On the other hand, in spite of these, some critics say that the Q70’s tech features are out of date, because they think that the navigation and audio controls are too easy to use.

The Hybrid nets a combined 360 hp from its gas-fueled 3.5-liter V6 and electric motor. The only feature that was upgraded is a seven-speed automatic with four different shift modes: Normal, Sport, Snow and Eco. There are three trim levels — 3.7, 5.6 and Hybrid — named after their respective engines. The 3.7 comes with a 3.7-liter, 330-horsepower V6, while the 5.6 packs a 5.6-liter, 420-hp V8. Rear-wheel contributes a lot to drive the all car, with all-wheel drive optional on the 3.7 and 5.6 versions.

The 2015 Infiniti Q70 has got a seven-speed autos transmission is standard. It has got very good standard with a six-cylinder engine that test drivers call powerful, although many of them prefer eight-cylinder engine because it bring about the quicker acceleration than the six-cylinder engine. The six-cylinder engine is not as fast as the eight-cylinder engine, but it still provides bountiful power, according to critics. That is the reason why the Q70 Hybrid is powered by the six-cylinder engine.

There are soft-touch materials throughout the Infiniti Q70’s cabin, but these materials can’t make the Q70 the best because some rivals boast more modern tech features and smarter interior layouts. However, Infiniti notes that the both of the rear seats and the front seat are roomy, which make you feel so comfortable in the car. The new-for-2015 long-wheelbase Q70L doesn’t have any additional entertainment features or climate controls in the back seat, which some reviewers say makes its competitiveness become less that the rivals. The Q70 and Q70 Hybrid both offer less trunk space than rivals do.

Being compared with all other wheel-drive sedans that are over two tons heavy, the Q70 and Q70L have a standard power source. It isa naturally aspirated 3.7-liter V-6—isn’t exactly breathtaking, but 330 horsepower isn’t milquetoast, either. The engine allows drivers speed up to 60 mph in only 5.6 seconds and drivers can pass a quarter-mile in 14.2 seconds at 100 mph, which is no longer in dreams. If you love speed, you could upgrade to the 5.6-liter V-8 version of the Q70L and lop off nearly a second in both measures. Everything can happen with this Q70.

With an Infiniti Q70, you will look so much like a boss and people even ‘reveal’ it to you from under a silk cloth. Owning a Q70 is not so expensive. The petrol version will struggle to better 20mpg and it helps you to save energy, so that really is a crazy choice, but even the hybrid and the diesel can’t match the fuel economy figures that rivals can.

Cadillac 2017 XT5

Introduction

The XT5 brings about a fresh design, lightweight construction, generous passenger space and an unfamiliar name. Though roughly the same size as the outgoing SRX, the XT5's wheelbase stretches about 2 inches longer. This pushes the wheels farther against the front and rear bumpers, opening extra interior space in the process. Other interior improvements include a renewed focus on the quality of materials, including the availability of higher-end leathers in the top Platinum trim. This trim also delivers cool new tech features.

In addition to the newfound interior space and features, the XT5 also benefits from significantly lighter construction than the SRX. This weight loss helps it ride better, consume less fuel and accelerate more quickly. The driving experience is further improved by enlarged and relocated sideview mirrors, which aid outward visibility. For now, Cadillac is sticking with a 3.6-liter V6 as the XT5's sole engine.

XT5 prices start at $39,990 and crest at $65,835 for an all-wheel-drive Platinum edition with the optional Driver Assist package (park assist, automatic braking, and adaptive cruise control).

The base XT5 comes standard with:
- a rearview camera
- 18-inch wheels
- a power rear liftgate with memory height
- rear parking sensors
- LED daytime running lights
- a power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel
- automatic headlights
- leatherette upholstery, an eight-way power driver seat
- a six-way power passenger seat
- dual-zone automatic climate control, keyless ignition and entry and remote engine start.
- a 40/20/40-split sliding and reclining second-row seat
Technology features include:
- voice commands
- An 8-inch central touchscreen with the CUE infotainment interface
- a Bose eight-speaker sound system with satellite radio
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, OnStar (with a 4G LTE connection and WiFi hotspot capability)
- four USB ports and an auxiliary input jack.
- GM's wireless device charging
Special Features

Every XT5 comes with an infotainment system called Cadillac User Interface (CUE). CUE now responds quickly to inputs, but the display can appear cluttered at times, especially when using the optional navigation. Fortunately, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard across all models and provide a friendlier user experience.

Where previous Cadillacs used touch-sensitive panels to adjust things like climate settings, every switch in the XT5 is a physical button. We welcome this change, as the tactile sensations of real buttons take the needless guesswork out of setting the temperature or the level of desired seat heating. Unfortunately, there's still no volume dial. Instead you swipe your finger across a horizontal bar below the infotainment screen. As it doesn't have the accuracy or response of a dial, we were content using the physical steering wheel controls.
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay come standard.

Upgrading to the Luxury trim gets you leather upholstery, an eight-way power front passenger seat, front seat power lumbar, heated front seats, driver memory settings, a heated steering wheel, interior accent lighting, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and a panoramic sunroof. Added safety features for the Luxury include front parking sensors, rear cross-traffic alert and blind-spot monitoring. The cargo area receives a management system and a retractable shade.

Options for the XT5 Luxury include a towing package, ventilated front seats, heated outer rear seats, three-zone climate control and a navigation system that comes bundled with a 14-speaker Bose stereo. The upgraded stereo also allows one to opt for LED headlights with front park and cornering lamps. A Driver Awareness package adds forward collision alert and mitigation (with automatic braking and pedestrian detection), lane departure warning and intervention, and automatic high-beam headlights. The Advanced Security package includes an alarm that senses vehicle movement outside and in, a locking steering column, door lock and latch shields, and locking wheel lugs.

The 2017 XT5 is quiet and comfortable on the highway.

The XT5 employs a few tricks to boost fuel economy: The engine turns off when you come to a stop and restarts when you're ready to move, and the V6 will occasionally run on four cylinders alone. The 3.6-liter V6 easily motivates the XT5, and it does so with impressive quietness. You only hear the engine after standing on the gas pedal for extended periods, but even then it's still subdued.

Powertrains and Performance

The 2017 Cadillac XT5 comes with a 3.6-liter V6 that produces 310 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque and is joined to an eight-speed automatic transmission. While front-wheel drive is standard, all-wheel drive is available on all trims except for the base and is capable of sending 100 percent of its power to either the front or rear wheels. Power can be further apportioned to individual wheels, depending on traction needs in rain, snow, ice or other surface conditions. Their XT5’s turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder has fewer ponies but a torque curve that rises 9-percent higher and peaks 2000-rpm lower than does the V-6’s. Cadillac was unable to offer this engine in the States or in Europe in spite of the popularity of the generally more fuel-efficient 2.0-liter turbo configuration among the XT5’s competitive set.

An automatic engine stop-start feature to help save fuel at stoplights is also standard. The EPA rates front-drive models at 22 mpg combined (19 city/27 highway), while the all-wheel-drive XT5 gets a rating of 21 mpg combined (18 city/26 highway).

When equipped with the optional Trailering package, the XT5 offers 3,500 pounds of towing capacity.
Safety

Standard safety features include antilock disc brakes, traction and stability control, front airbags, curtain airbags, driver knee airbag and OnStar support, which includes automatic crash notification, on-demand roadside assistance, remote door unlocking and stolen vehicle assistance.

Most XT5s will be optioned with a Driver Awareness package that includes forward collision alert, a following distance indicator, lane departure warning and intervention, front pedestrian detection, forward collision mitigation and a seat that vibrates to alert its driver if it senses the vehicle drifting or nearing an obstacle when parking. An optional Driver Assist package (Premium Luxury and Platinum trims) bolsters these features with added collision mitigation functionality.

The 2017 Cadillac XT5 has excellent forward visibility. The large sideview mirrors sit on the door versus ahead of the side windows, opening up the space in front of the driver. And though only available with the Platinum trim, a rear camera mirror looks to be a promising safety feature. Flipping a switch on the mirror activates a video feed from a camera mounted above the rear license plate. The wide-angle image shows a rear view unobstructed by rear headrests or roof pillars. We weren't able to test it extensively, but found it capable of solving rear visibility concerns at the cost of minor disorientation.
Interior Design

The 2017 Cadillac XT5's interior presents a renewed focus on design and quality of materials. At 30 cubic feet behind the second row, cargo capacity compares favorably to the Audi Q5 and Lexus RX 350. The second row folds flat and extends storage space to 63 cubic feet. Elsewhere in storage, front passengers will find a clever pass-through cubby underneath the center console. It's sized to fit a handbag or purse.

     
We do like the XT5's spacious interior. The second row will feel roomy to normal-sized adults, with plenty of knee- and legroom -- enough to cross your legs. Even though the size of the XT5 is roughly the same as the SRX it replaces, Cadillac added 3.2 inches of rear legroom by moving the front and rear wheels closer to the corners. Rear headroom is a little tight, but you can recline the rear seatbacks to give yourself some extra space. The second row also slides forward and back, either benefiting legroom or storage space. Backseat passengers will also appreciate the two USB ports for charging devices.

The Ferrari California T - Handling Speciale 2017

About two years since Ferrari updated the California to T-spec with twin-turbocharged engine, flat-plane crank, a 3.9-liter, and we found it to be a suitable change – compelling to experience, and rewarding to drive. 2017 Ferrari California T Handling Speciale as if every Ferrari weren’t speciale, the company has pasted the label on a long and glorious line of cars, from the 1962 250GT SWB Berlinetta Speciale to the recent 458 Speciale. The new California T Handling Speciale, for instance, is basically a Cal T with a sports suspension. BMW guys may think of it as the equivalent of an M Sport version while those with a bent toward American iron may draw parallels to a Chevy Impala SS. The California is a pathway into the Ferrari brand, with half of them sold to customers who are new to the marque.

The Handling Speciale now returns to the California T, which was restyled for 2015 and re-armed with a new 552-hp 3.9-liter twin-turbo V-8, good for smashing zero to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds. The new California T is a wonderful improvement—better looking, quicker, more luxurious, and usable as a daily driver. The HS package is just a mild toning. For $8120, chump change in Ferrari-land, it turns up the suspension stiffness a click or two, hastens the shifts slightly, adds a few styling tweaks, and if not more power, it opens up the exhaust to deliver more sound.

This is standard performance-package stuff, done by every car company to broaden appeal without breaking the bank, price standpoint or either from a cost. The spring rates rise a mere 19 percent in back and 16 percent in front, with a revised tune to the MagneRide variable dampers to leverage the tautened hardware. In addition, an altered gearbox map cuts the upshift time by 30 percent and the downshift time by 40 percent, while the F1-Trac traction control’s Sport mode also is massaged for more digging when exiting a corner and better power delivery over rough pavement.

The standard mufflers are replaced with straight-through pipes attached to a Helmholtz resonator, an acoustical box that diminishes undesirable noise while helping to shape the outgoing harmonic frequencies. An average of three decibels louder across the rev range, the effect is a sharper roar. Inside, there’s a dash plaque, while on the outside rear lower valence and the grille are rendered in accent-color gray to give the car a more purposeful appearance. the California Ts with the Handling Speciale package will feature a matte grille, a rear diffuser with matte-painted fences, and matte black tailpipes. A special-edition plaque, located in the cabin, is also standard.

Since the massaging is so mild and the underlying car is so good, there are virtually no faults to be found in the HS. It behaves like a California T that got nine instead of seven hours of sleep last night. It’s just a bit more eager to corner, a bit lustier in its engine cry and a bit more alert. The sublime balance in even this cheapest model (base price: $202,723 before Speciale package) will floor those who’ve never driven a Ferrari. Few cars are as fluid in motion, from the perfectly weighted steering to the precisely calibrated brakes to the seamlessly shifted transmission.

Special kudos go to the engineers who sorted the turbocharging. The Cal T has no dead spots or lumpiness in its torque delivery. The driver never gets one more nor one less pound-foot than what was requested via the pedal, which makes for incredible confidence when rocketing into a twisty section. This is not a car that will fall down dead when the driver lifts or run away on an avalanche of boost. Its responses are as near to those of a naturally aspirated engine as a turbo gets.

In a very Italian move, the exhaust note has been recalibrated "to underline the performance gains." That is to say, if you don't happen to have a skidpad handy to do a direct measurement of the increase in cornering capability – which, it should be noted, Ferrari doesn't quantify – the sportier sound will serve as a psychological reminder. There's no claim that the new exhaust system changes the engine's output – cars so equipped make the same 553 hp at 7500 RPM as the model we tested back in 2014.

     

A Ferrari is great, but this one really is, whether it’s in HS or regular grade. The one thing the Speciale package doesn’t do is fix the car’s proportions, which are a few too many cannoli this side of gorgeous. It has just a bit too much bodywork above the wheel arches and a little too much front overhang, especially in back. You have to walk past a number of prettier and less-expensive convertibles to choose this one, the Aston Martin Vantage among them, but the California T grabs and holds you with its dynamic perfection.