Land Rover Range Rover Sport 2016

Depois da famosa versão SVR, o Range Rover Sport agora troca o único motor movido a diesel que usa no país. O novo 4.4 SDV8 gera 339 cv de potência e 75 kgfm de torque – com câmbio automático de oito marchas, ele acelera de 0 a 100 km/h em 6,9 segundos e alcança 225 km/h. De resto, ele continua a se destacar pela tração integral permanente com caixa reduzida, suspensão em alumínio com o Adaptive Dynamics (ajuste automático de altura), sistema Terrain Response 2 para alternar modos de direção de acordo com o terreno, e uma farta lista de equipamentos de conforto, segurança e tecnologia. Há outros dois motores a gasolina.

Lexus LX 2016

Full-size luxury SUVs are such a small market that it’s easy to understand how tough is their life. Their high prices retrieve profit margins interesting enough for many companies but, as with any other high-end category, factors such as the image of the manufacturer or the design of the car outweigh rationalities like cost-to-benefit. The aforementioned small sales volume only magnifies those barriers. Therefore, when an automaker manages to get its piece of the cake, it’s more important to retain it than to frown upon how small it might be. This seems to be the spirit in which Lexus’ biggest model was updated for the new year.

Mercedes-Benz S 63 760 Brabus

Sempre graças à importadora Strasse, a linha de modelos do fabricante alemão preparados pela Brabus acaba de aumentar mais uma vez. O modelo da vez é o Classe S, cuja versão de performance e exclusividade igualmente altos chega por US$ 640 mil. As alterações típicas aparecem de novo, como o predomínio da cor preta e os retoques visuais de gosto extravagante. Entretanto, também está lá um motor V8 biturbo, que desenvolve 770 cv e 112,2 kgfm – aceleração de 0 a 100 km/h em 3,7 segundos e máxima de 325 km/h. Outros destaques são partes feitas em fibra de carbono e dutos do motor banhados a ouro.

Land Rover Range Rover Sport Tech S

Depois do Evoque, agora é o irmão Sport que recebeu uma edição especial. Limitada a cinquenta unidades, ela se baseia na versão S e custa R$ 359.000. Seus destaques incluem farois halógenos, rodas de 20”, e o revestimento em preto Ebony para bancos, painel e portas. Também vieram o famoso Terrain Response (ajuste de funcionamento de acordo com o terreno), o motor diesel SDV6 de 306 cv e 71,4 kgfm, e o câmbio automático de oito marchas. As cores da carroceria são limitadas a branco, cinza ou preto. Todo o demais, como a lista de equipamentos de série, é compartilhado com o modelo S.

Jaguar XJ 2016

Six years ago, this sedan received a whole new generation, and the mission of initiating a whole new chapter of its maker’s history. Sure, the first subversive Jaguar was XF, released one year earlier, but XJ deals with the wealthiest buyers, who can be conservative enough to make its job much harder. But the results couldn’t have been better. Along with Land Rover, the British company is establishing an entire luxury lineup of its own, enjoying huge acclaim vehicle after vehicle. In such awesome context, it was possible to make XJ’s update an opportunity to take its new values to a new level.

BMW 7-Series 6

Over the past decades, the Bavarian company has maintained a rather impressive conceptual competition with its archenemy Mercedes-Benz. While they’re always at the same level in rational aspects, the emotional ones show a diametrical opposition. This is actually one of the reasons why each one’s cars are so alike; think of them as members of the same team. These companies have done a great job being faithful to their respective values, but there have been several exceptions as well. Vehicles such as the sedan you’re about to meet only make it easier for that duel to keep catching your eye.

GMC Yukon 2016

Two years after receiving an all-new generation, GMC’s biggest SUVs get prepared for the next year by increasing the equipment list. The optional Enhanced Driver Alert package brings lane-keeping assist and auto high beams to Yukon’s previous “electronic safety” kit – optional for the SLE trim and standard for SLT and Denali – as well as improved towing sensors. The latter two also offer a White Frost Tricoat and standard foot-sensing tailgate, while all models also get capless refueling. There are also two new designs for the 22” wheels, increasing a list that was already at six.

Volkswagen Phaeton 2016

After having prospered in China almost as much as it has failed in pretty much everywhere else, VW’s luxury sedan receives what must be its last update before a new generation. Only for the Chinese market, there will be retouched bi-xenon headlights and LED tail lights, new wooden options for the internal tirm, Dynaudio audio system with 12-channel amplifier, and two 10.2” screens for the rear passengers. Phaeton uses three naturally-aspirated engines: the 3.0-liter V6 delivers 250 hp and 31.6 kgfm, the 3.6-liter V6 offers 280 hp and 37.7 kgfm, and the 4.2-liter reaches 335 hp and 43.8 kgfm.

Mercedes-Benz G-Class 2016

G-Class has become so iconic that people actually like its old-fashioned styling, specially in a world dominated by crossovers. That’s why Mercedes only gave it some nips and tucks now, like retouched bumpers and spoilers, and new wheels. More important news is the adoption of a twin-turbo, 4.0 V8 for G 500, good for 422 hp and 62 kgfm, and a diesel-burner 2.1-liter for G 350 d, which reaches 245 hp and 61,1 kgfm. Regarding the AMGs, G 63 goes to 571 hp and G 65 to 630 hp and 101.6 kgfm. There’s also the AMG Edition 463, with two-tone internal trim, Nappa seats, 21” wheels and carbon-fiber inserts.

Cadillac CT6

Until not so long ago, people thought one of the biggest qualities of a luxury car is consistency. After all, they have managed to maintain their combination of size, power and comfort equally abundant pretty much untouched for decades, even in times of financial crisis. In nowadays, however, they seem to be following different paths further and further. Does this mean they’re losing that consistency for the first time? No. They are just showing more than ever what has always been their actual biggest quality: the huge dedication towards giving their customers what they really want.

Morgan Aero 8 2

In a world whose competitiveness is growing rapidly enough to force car makers to join forces more frequently than ever, United Kingdom accounts for an interesting exception. This region takes pride on keeping a large number of small-scale companies. They’re largely dedicated to sports cars, and most of them are known only by true car enthusiasts. On the other hand, they offer a level of attention and quality that simply can’t be repeated when you are a conventional manufacturer. One of the oldest members of such prestigious group is Morgan, whose latest creation you’re just about to meet.

Koenigsegg Regera

Imagine that you’ve just achieved something for which you’ve been working for a long time. A very important goal, such as founding a company, having a child, or writing a book. The very first wish you have right after is to simply enjoy that, right? Spend some time contemplating how far you’ve just gone before even thinking of what to do next. Well, even though there are many, many people who think just like you, there are others who are strong exceptions to that, and take pride on it. This article’s vehicle is the latest proof that Christian von Koenigsegg clearly belongs to the latter group.

Mercedes-Benz S 63 Coupé Brabus

Lançada no último Salão de Genebra, a mais nova criação da Brabus já pode ser adquirida no Brasil. A extravagância típica da preparadora já aparece por fora, com spoilers e parachoques melhorados com fibra de carbono. Já as rodas de 21” compartilham a cor bronze com os vários detalhes da cabine, que por sua vez vem toda revestida em couro. O motor V8 biturbo do S 63 AMG foi retrabalhado para gerar 850 cv e 147,8 kgfm, suficientes para levá-lo a 100 km/h em 3,5 s, a 200 km/h em 9,4 s, e ao limite eletrônico de 350 km/h. Também vêm tração integral e câmbio automático de sete marchas.

Audi R8 2

Sports cars usually have very different lifecycles from those of urban ones. Since the latter need to compete through the cost/benefit ratio, their improvements come in a “gradual” way, with several levels of partial updates. The first ones, in turn, have priorities which lead to shorter lifespans and complete reinventions. One of these is preserving a strong image in the market, and this is where Audi was starting to fail with its very first supercar. Now, R8 appears in an all-new generation carried with updates of all sorts, in order to make up for those eight years of its initial release.

Acura NSX 2

There have been concept cars, appearances at auto shows, several racing events, and the subsequent dozens of camouflaged prototypes being secretly photographed while being tested. After having had a sports car good enough to make people give up on Ferraris and Porsches – for much less money –, everyone knew it would be very hard for the Japanese automaker to refrain from attempting to recreate such great times. Besides, if “tradition” wasn’t strong enough, there’s always the argument that the latest years couldn’t have been better for big makers to release performance models.

Audi Q7 2

Most of the conceptual differences one can observe between car manufacturers are mere repetitions of what distinguishes the people of their respective countries. The Volkswagen Group, for instance, is just as conservative and rational as what is said about German people in general. Therefore, its announcement of an investment dedicated to enter a whole new market was received with a feeling of surprise just as big. However, the results it has brought over the past thirteen years claim that the whole process was just a bolder interpretation of the German way of building automobiles.

BMW 6-Series 2015

Full-LED headlights as standard, fog lights in LEDs, signature kidney grilles with nine slats (the previous cars had ten), new front bumper with bigger air intakes, and new options for color, trim and wheels. Since BMW’s flagship sporty lineup is still young and looks quite awesome as it is, these changes are just the company’s way to make you remember of 6-Series again, next time you do luxury shopping. Dimensions, equipments, performance… everything else is pretty much unchanged, whether at the coupé, the convertible, the Gran Coupé or their super-sporty M variations.

Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé

Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz have reached a point where it’s almost impossible for a customer to decide from which to buy by looking for the “best” car. Since their vehicles have managed to be just as comfortable, efficient, powerful, roomy, safe and stylish, choosing one of them has become essentially a matter of personal taste. And this is what has conquered their attention since a couple of years ago. After 6-Series Gran Coupé emerged as a response to CLS, now it’s time for Daimler to release its very own “Sports Activity Vehicle” – also known as an X6-fighter.

Ferrari Sergio

The Italians are really excited with the decision of producing more limited-edition models again. After celebrating sixty years of North-American operations with F60America and extending its own capabilities with 458 Speciale Aperta and FXX K, now it’s time to celebrate another six-decade anniversary: this is how long Ferrari has been working with the design studio founded by the late Sergio Pininfarina, in one of the most successful partnerships of the automotive world. This is the production version of the concept released in 2013, which will exist in only six units.

Ferrari FXX K

Sporty versions, in the traditional sense, bring some exclusive elements whose main intention is to improve the car, indeed, but in a way that remains adapted to the “reality” of the original model. Low-cost ones, for instance, usually stay at visual differentiation. Midsize cases, in turn, are allowed some technical changes, such as featuring stronger engines and quicker transmissions. And luxury ones tend to get the best engines their makers offer at the moment. But what about creating a sporty version adapted to the reality of one of the most fascinating hypercars of the latest years?