In 1992 McLaren Unveiled the McLaren F1, a car that quickly became heralded as the ultimate road car. It was a greatest hits of everything a car could be. Conceived by Gordon Murray, who had just finished up dominating formula one with his 1988 MP4/4, it was powered by a bespoke BMW Motorsports V12 that could deliver over 600hp at its 7,500rpm redline. It utilized a carbon fibre monocoque, technology that had only been introduced into formula one a decade earlier. It would go on to hit a top recorded speed of 243 mph, a speed that it would take Bugatti over a decade to topple. It was sensational as a road car, but the question on everyone’s mind was how would it fair as a race car?

The F1 used race car technology, but only in the context to build the best road car that could be, it still had air conditioning, a 6 CD changer and was designed to be as useable as a Honda NSX on the street, provided you had a big enough wallet that parking £550,000 (in 1993 money) outside a Tesco’s didn’t fill you with a sense of constant dread.

Gordon Murray was quite adamant of this fact, to which he didn’t want the F1 to be influenced by any racing regulation whatsoever. He was given a once in a lifetime opportunity to build an money no object show of what a road car could be, and as such did not entertain the idea of the F1 being used in any form of motorsports. In his eyes, it would compromise the vision of what he set out to do. Even after development of the road car finished Murray had little interest in developing a racing version of the car, despite the clear potential in the chassis.

Photograph by Martin Lee

However 1994 saw the founding of the BPR GT global series, a racing series based around road going production chassis. With the demise of the world sports car championship, it was widely adopted and many established teams enquired about taking the McLaren F1 straight to GT1 class racing and eventually Murray was convinced to allow McLaren to start preparing Chassis to run in the 1995 season.

An unlabelled chassis that was destined to become car 019 was taken from production and was dubbed 01R, and was then to become the prototype for the McLaren GTR project. The cars first step was to go on a diet, with all of the creature comforts that made the F1 so usable being removed in the interest of saving weight. the car was then given carbon ceramic brakes as well as new cooling ducts to keep them from overheating over the long endurance races, using up space that was taken for the side storage bins previously.

Photograph by Stephen Hynds

A fixed large rear wing, simple side skirts and a slightly redesigned front bumper with more cooling rounded out the performance upgrades that were deemed necessary for the GTR to compete. It still had its standard gearbox and standard engine (with removed catalytic converters and mufflers). The only further changes were for regulation, with a roll cage and an airflow restrictor reigning the engine in to 592hp (600PS as the regulations required). The prototype completed 24 hours of testing at Magny-Cours, before McLaren handed the torch over to privateer teams.

The McLaren F1 GTR immediately became a dominant force in the GT world series, winning 1-2-3 at the season opener. F1 GTRs would continue to score podiums all the way through to may, with two 1-2-3-4-5 finishes in the early season before summer. Various updates the the GTR was made during this time, most notably a dry sump gearbox fitted to try and help keep the clutches alive if the F1 was to be entered into a longer race.

Photograph by Martin Lee

BPR GT took a break during the month of June, where all eyes were on the 24 hours of Le Mans. McLaren saw the potential of racing the car at lemans, as another facet of racing they could go into and as a place to cement the legacy of the McLaren F1 not only as a performance car, but one that could endure a gruelling 2,500 miles at full tilt.

Of the teams racing in Le mans, 4 were already racing F1s in BPR, with one new comer. David Price Racing, with a second team dubbed DPR west, BBA Competition and Gulf Racing had all been competing previously with the F1 GTR, Kokusai Kaihatsu Racing was a new team financially backed by a Japanese slot machine manufacture (Kokusai Kaihatsu), and was run by Lanzante, a British company who prepared historic cars and had recently moved into the world of motor racing. They were having limited success in the 1995 BPR season with their GT3 class 911 turbo, and had ordered a McLaren F1 GTR to race in BPR and the 24 hours of Le Mans.

Photograph by Martin Lee

McLaren had 7 customer cars built at this point, however a bad wreck in Spain meant that chassis 08R had to sub in for 03R at gulf racing, meaning that Kokusai Kaihatsu did not have a car to run. It was then decided that 01R, the tired development car used for the GTR project, which was never itself meant to compete, would be loaned to them for the 24 hours of Le Mans. Despite conjecture from other teams, McLaren promised that the 01R car would have no more factory support than the other customer cars.

The grid at Le Mans saw the McLarens be represented in GT1 class, which was poised to be significantly slower than the WSC open top prototypes, and McLaren were only aiming to be first in class, with main competition being the Ferrari F40 LMs, which proved to be a tough opponent in qualifying.

Photograph by Martin Lee

As the race began it became clear that on a good day the WSC cars were the class to win, while the GT1 F1s could just about get along side on a straight the lightweight high downforce prototypes would trounce them in the corners. Despite that the spirits in McLaren garages were high, the cars were running well and looked to be a class winner, with the David Price Racing cars looking like the favourites. It wasn’t all without issues, as the delicate road car gearbox started to spell trouble for the BBA Competition car, which had to pull in after just 7 laps.

Within the hour rain had started to pour down on the track and wrecked havoc on the racing. The Ultralight WSC cars didn’t have enough weight to keep the rear end of the cars in check, meanwhile the laggy F40 turbos proved very tricky to keep control of on corner exits. Many also got caught out being on slicks when the rain got properly wet and cars started to drop out of contention all together. At 8pm Mario Andretti, Piloting the only WSC still ahead of the McLarens, spun into the wall. The 30 minute time loss was enough to put 3 McLarens ahead, the DPR West team leading the way.

Photograph by Martin Lee

As they went into the night the Ueno car started to gain significant time on the leading DPR cars ahead, with JJ Lehto driving the car through the pouring conditions. His driving put a huge dent in the gap but the DPR F1s were still the favourites to win. By this point in the night, the GTRs had been going longer than they ever had in previous races, and there was no knowledge of how the cars would hold up at full racing speed going into the second half of the race. The first major mechanical issue struck the DPR West car, at around 4am the clutch failed. It was turned around within 70 minutes but while the car was still warming up John Nielsen out braked himself and took the team out of the race.

Photograph by Martin Lee

The remaining DPR car lead the charge as dawn broke over the track, however the win was no longer as clear cut, with Ueno’s F1 catching, JJ Lehto still pushing the car faster through the event. Eventually the DPR car spun out, pitting both cars within contention of the title, with pitstops become crucial to the race outcome. Meanwhile the Courage Porsche of Mario Andretti had start to close in and make up time on both McLarens, threatening to beat both of them to the line. A botched Pitstop by KK Racing wasted 4 minutes and sent the car back out on the wrong tyres, seeming to hand the over the victory to DPR.

However at 2pm clutch problems befall the second DPR car, and despite some ingenuity to get it fired up on the starter, the car falls well out of contention for the win. The Ueno F1 took the lead, and after continuing to push on to keep out of the Jaws of the Courage Porsche, finished the race in first place.

Photograph by Martin Lee

Out of all of the cars to win Le Mans, the McLaren’s 01R, being hastily brought together with a team that had no prior experience racing the F1 sits as one of the greatest underdog stories of all time. It was the last road developed car to win Le Mans outright.

Photograph by Yannick Leclercq

The prototype, never intended to race at all was brought back to McLaren’s technology centre where it has resided ever since, meanwhile Motokazu Sayama (who runs the Ueno Clinic) was sold a road going F1 painted in matching black metallic and grey. McLaren Built 5 F1 LMs to commemorate the 5 finishing cars, and returned the next 2 years with the F1 to Le Mans. They were never able to replicate the same success however, as Porsche had developed the 911 GT1, a car seemingly designed to spite the F1s GT1 dominance, and set the new pace for the GT1 class of car.

Oh and what does the Ueno Clinic do you may ask? They specialize in STD treatment and Cosmetic surgery of…. man bits.

Photograph by youkeys

Thanks for reading.

In the pursuit of the “pebble-smooth” aesthetic, the modern electric vehicle has slowly shed the protrusions of the past. From the wind tunnels of Shanghai to the design studios of Silicon Valley, the door handle—once a sturdy, mechanical handshake between man and machine—has been reimagined as a vanishing act. Retractable, flush-mounted, and electronically actuated, these handles were sold to us as the ultimate synthesis of aerodynamic efficiency and futuristic minimalism.

However, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) in China has issued a sharp corrective to this design trajectory. In a move that sends shockwaves through the global automotive supply chain, China has become the first major market to effectively ban concealed door handles on new vehicles. The new safety standards announced February 2nd, 2026, mandate that all vehicles must possess a physical, mechanical means of operation that is accessible even in the event of a total power failure.

For the automotive industry, the concealed handle was never merely about vanity; it was a response to the unforgiving physics of range. In the world of EVs, where a few points of drag coefficient can translate into precious miles of battery life, the “flush” handle was an easy win. By tucking the hardware into the door skin, manufacturers could smooth out the turbulent air flowing along the vehicle’s flanks. But as regulators in Beijing have noted, what is good for the wind tunnel is not always good for the road.

The move follows a series of harrowing reports involving EVs in high-speed collisions. In several instances, rescuers and bystanders found themselves clawing at smooth, unresponsive doors as electronic systems failed and flush handles remained stubbornly retracted. When a car is on fire or submerged, the “user experience” of a door handle ceases to be a matter of ergonomics and becomes a matter of survival.

This regulatory pivot addresses a mounting “usability bug” that has plagued the modern EV era. The digital handshake, whether it be a motorized pop-out of a handle as one approaches with a key fob or a handle with a particular push point, is a delightful bit of theater until it isn’t. In freezing rain, these mechanisms can ice over; in a low-battery state, they can hesitate. By requiring a mechanical override, the MIIT is reasserting a fundamental design principle: safety should never be contingent on the hopeful infallibility of software or the lack of ions.

Perhaps most significant is the explicit requirement for mechanical door releases on the interior of the vehicle. For years, designers have replaced internal latches with buttons, relegating the mechanical release to an obscure, “emergency only” lever, not generally visible to the operator, or tucked behind a plastic panel a passenger would know nothing about. The new mandate brings these controls back into the light. It acknowledges that in a moment of panic, a passenger should not have to recall a sub-menu or hunt for a hidden tab. They should simply be able to pull.

To some, this might feel like a regression, a bureaucratic thumb on the scale of progress, but for those who value the “human” in Human-Machine Interface (HMI), it is a welcome return to form. A door handle is a functional promise. It is the most basic point of contact we have with a vehicle, and its primary job is to open. By prioritizing the tactile over the digital, China is ensuring that the cars of the future remain as easy to exit as they are to admire.

For manufacturers like Tesla, BYD, and Nio, the design language of the next five years just gained a new, mandatory accent. For the rest of us, It’s a reminder that while we can optimize a car for the wind, we must ultimately build it for the people inside.

Max Verstappen will start the title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from pole position, the Red Bull driver setting a stunning lap in Q3 to hold off the challenge of McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

While Piastri and George Russell had led the way in Q1 and Q2 respectively, Verstappen laid down a gauntlet during the opening runs of the top-10 shootout, the Dutchman going quickest before improving with his final effort to post a scintillating 1m 22.207s lap.

Both McLarens attempted to claim top spot on their final efforts, but Norris had to settle for second after clocking a lap 0.201s slower. Piastri, meanwhile, took third place as the top three prepare to battle for the World Championship on Sunday.

Russell ended the session in fourth for Mercedes, while Charles Leclerc claimed fifth and Fernando Alonso took a solid sixth in the Aston Martin. Gabriel Bortoleto put in a good drive for Kick Sauber in seventh, with Haas’ Esteban Ocon, the Racing Bulls of Isack Hadjar and Yuki Tsunoda – in his final Qualifying for Red Bull – completing the top 10.

QUALIFYING RESULTS AVAILABLE ON F1.COM

Despite strong pace through the weekend so far, Haas’ Ollie Bearman missed the cut for Q2 – as did Carlos Sainz, the Williams man ending up in P12 one week on from his podium in Qatar.

Liam Lawson followed in 13th for Racing Bulls, while Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli departed Q2 in 14th place – the Italian having reported struggles with the rear of his car – ahead of the Aston Martin of Lance Stroll in 15th.

The big story from Q1 was another early exit for Lewis Hamilton, the Ferrari driver finding himself down in P16 just hours after a crash into the barriers during third practice. There was also disappointment for Williams’ Alex Albon, who will line up one spot behind in P17.

A good showing for Nico Hulkenberg on Friday did not follow through come Qualifying, with the Kick Sauber man winding up in 18th, while the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto brought up the rear in 19th and 20th respectively.

Post-race, the rearmost skid wear on both McLaren MCL39 machines was found to be below the minimum 9mm thickness by technical delegates on inspection.

The matter was referred to the stewards, who subsequently disqualified both cars from the official result, with Norris having finished second and Piastri fourth.

As a result, race winner Max Verstappen has made a significant gain with regards to the 2025 Drivers’ Championship, as the Red Bull man now sits level on points with Oscar Piastri on 366. Lando Norris is 24 points ahead on 390 at the top of the standings with just two rounds of the season to go.

Confirming the disqualifications of the McLaren pair, the stewards’ document stated that the skid blocks on both cars were “measured and found to be below the minimum thickness of 9mm specified under Article 3.5.9 of the Technical Regulations.”

It continued: “The rear skids were re-measured in the presence of the Stewards and the three McLaren representatives, and those measurements confirmed that the skids did not comply with the regulations. The relevant measurements were even lower than those measured originally by the Technical Delegate.”

It was also confirmed that McLaren had argued “mitigating circumstances existed in that there was additional and unexpected porpoising at this event, limited opportunity to test due to the weather on Day 1, and shortened practice sessions.”

While the stewards dismissed this, they added “the FIA noted that it strongly held the view that the breach was unintentional and that there was not a deliberate attempt to circumvent the regulations”.

McLaren are not the first team to fall foul of skid block infringements this season, with Lewis Hamilton and Nico Hulkenberg also disqualified from the Chinese and Bahrain Grands Prix respectively for similar transgressions.

With two Grands Prix and one Sprint remaining, there are 58 points on offer over the next two weekends to determine the outcome of the 2025 title.

Norris had started on pole for the 50-lap race in Las Vegas and aggressively moved over on Verstappen off the line before running wide at Turn 1 and slipping to third.

Eventually recovering to second, Norris dropped back drastically in the final laps as he was told to lift and coast by his team over a possible fuel concern.

“I don’t know what the issues were. The team just told me there were some problems and they were telling me to back off. So that’s something I’ll go and speak to them about in a bit,” said Norris post-race and prior to the disqualification.

Piastri, meanwhile, had recovered from dropping to P7 on the opening lap after contact with Liam Lawson into Turn 1, finishing fifth on-the-road but initially moving up a position as Kimi Antonelli was handed a five-second penalty for a false start.

“I think first lap was eventful to say the least and then a couple of mistakes after that which didn’t help,” said Piastri post-race prior to the stewards’ decision.

“The team did a really good job in getting our race back on track with strategy, so that was probably the highlight of the race.

“Got stuck behind Kimi, got close on one lap and I lost all grip when I tried to get alongside and I couldn’t get close enough again. That made life pretty tough but a bit of a feeling of more on the table.”

Crappy storms are ruining everyone’s fun in SoCal, with photoshoots and touge runs in gnarly tuner cars sidelined by a level of rain that was last accompanied by an ark. But there it is, our little 2025 Acura ADX A-Spec loaner, ready to tackle the weekend with confidence and deliver some semblance of peace amidst the chaos in the clouds.

That’s right. We’re actually reviewing a practical consumer product with a PRND shifter that isn’t some niche sports car with an H-pattern. How blasphemous. But even the most dedicated enthusiasts could use a coddling daily, and this Acura ADX just might deliver without sucking the life out of them.

Not a bad goal to strive for. But is it enough in this crowded market, stuffed with participants with similar resumes written in different fonts?

A (Sort-Of) Integra On Stilts

The Acura ADX launched for 2025 as an entry-level crossover, forming a two-pronged spear alongside the Integra on which it’s based to attract a more youthful audience. Like how the Integra is a tidied-up Civic, the ADX is a Honda HR-V fresh out of finishing school, complete with a sharp, slightly fastback roofline, optional all-wheel drive, and a big ol’ mean mug up front.

Specs:

MSRP: $35,000 base, $38,000 A-Spec, $42,000 A-Spec Advance, ($46,890 as-tested)

Powertrain: 1.5L turbocharged inline-four// CVT

Horsepower: 190 horsepower @ 6,000 RPM

Torque: 179 pound-feet @ 1,700 RPM

Seating Capacity: 5

Cargo Volume: 24.4 cubic feet (rear seats up), 55.1 cubic feet (rear seats down)

MPG: 25 city, 30 highway, 27 combined, 27.1 observed

Curb Weight: approx. 3,570 pounds

Base front-drive ADXs ring the bell at $35,000. The $42,000 A-Spec Advance trim adds a killer 15-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo system, Google integration, leather and suede upholstery, and a heated steering wheel versus the base A-Spec’s $38,000 sticker. A mild ground-effects kit adds a few hundred dollars per piece, while all-wheel drive is a $2,000 option on all trims, bringing our loaded Lunar Gray A-Spec Advance with all-wheel drive to nearly $47,000.

While less than the current national average for new car costs (a hair over $50,000), our as-tested price lines it up dangerously close to larger, more powerful offerings from BMW and Genesis. However, you can easily save thousands by ditching the ground-effects kit and the Advance level, turning the ADX into a relative bargain as far as luxury crossovers go. For reference, a BMW X1 currently starts at $42,800.

Standard A-Spec equipment includes a panoramic glass roof, heated and ventilated seats, and a thin veil of sportiness via black 19-inch wheels wrapped in Continental all-seasons and a sport-tuned Machperson front and multilink rear suspension. Motivation comes from a 190-horsepower version of the 1.5-liter VTEC-equipped turbo-four from its Integra sibling, as well as a myriad of Honda products.

What’s Hot?

• Athletic enough to entertain

• Great ride-handling balance

• Excellent infotainment aided by physical switches

• Refreshingly clear visibility

• Spacious, comfortable seating

• Bargain pricing

Cali Cruisin’ For The Whole Family

Upon departing LAX and heading for the stormy coast, the ADX proved to be a capable yet inoffensive commuter. It may not wear a roundel or three-pointed star, yet it makes the most out of its economy ute underpinnings.

NVH is hushed, and ride quality is controlled despite the A-Spec’s sport-tuned suspension and 19-inch rollers. It’s a tad firm but never really stiff, let alone harsh. Sharp bumps just have a bit of a rounded edge to them, while the dampers smartly absorb LA’s spine-shattering potholes with grace.

The A-Spec’s trade-off is a splash of dynamism. This near-3,600-pound crossover wafts around bends confidently with accurate steering that’s well-weighted in all drive modes. Perhaps that’s to be expected in something with a marginally shorter wheelbase than a BMW X1, Lexus NX, or Audi Q3. There’s plenty of grip for bullying traffic on freeway interchanges, and I found myself diving into intersections with more excitement than I should have and being rewarded with controlled, predictable body motions. The combination of well-suited Continental all-seasons and all-wheel drive meant traction was never an issue amidst this weekend’s downpour, too. I call that capable, while families will call it safe.

I certainly enjoy my time in Sport mode and the ADX’s customizable Individual mode, pretending it wears a Type-S badge instead. It’s no Type-S substitute, but it’s more fun to drive than most buyers ever need it to be. Bless! If only it rocked a variant of Acura’s trick Super Handling All-Wheel Drive, which it doesn’t. Boo.

The heated and cooled front seats are plenty comfortable for anyone who still takes issue with the ride. The panoramic glass roof is incredible for bringing light and airiness into an ergonomic cabin that anyone can settle into in minutes, and the thin A-pillars and expansive glass provide stellar visibility. Rear cargo space is ample enough for a few large duffles or a couple of roller bags, but know that it trails some rivals by just a few cubic feet with the rear seats up or down.

Although the interior layout is nearly the same, the average buyer may be hard-pressed to believe this shares close ties with the Honda Civic and HR-V. Panels are snapped tight, and cheaper materials are at least gussied up to look more presentable and sidelined away from common touch points. Acura ensured you mainly notice the spacious greenhouse and those wonderful seats, upholstered in a creamy Orchid and accented with blue suede.

The interior tech is a breeze, thanks to smartphone-quick touch response, Google Maps integration atop of wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, and physical switchgear for the home screen, audio, and climate controls. Trend-followers will call the latter a “dated” choice, but buttons over haptic touch broaden the ADX’s appeal to more drivers, and they actuate with a satisfyingly firm solidity.

The back-up and surround view cameras are among the clearest I’ve seen, while the ADX’s small-ish footprint and front and rear parking sensors ensure that you have to be legitimately trying to hit something. Lane-keep assist and adaptive cruise manage their inputs smoothly and elegantly, which unfortunately can’t be said about the refinement of the start-stop system.

What’s Not?

• Could be a tad sportier

• Could have a smidge more power

• Could be more efficient

• Interior styling is too similar to its Honda counterpart

• Sluggish stop-start

• Not the most opulent or tech-laden luxury crossover

It’s a bit rough at times and takes a half beat longer to fire up, prompting me to always turn it off and reminding me of the humble origins of what’s under the hood. It’s tuned just smooth enough to fit into the segment, and its comparatively meager output is plenty for zipping through traffic. Just don’t expect to win against BMWs or the Genesis GV70 2.5T. Max torque comes on early at 1,700 rpm, but with only 190 ponies and 179 pound-feet on tap, it’s a far cry from ever making us forget more muscular peers.

At least a well-programmed CVT aids this modest honey of a powertrain. Yes, a CVT. And it’s good. Fight me. It does a remarkable enough impression of a seven-speed auto, both at low speeds and high, and is unexpectedly responsive in Sport when you hop on the metal shift paddles for wannabe NSX action. There’s still the faintest whiff of CVT-ness, which is fine when the trade-off is an average of 27.1 mpg over three days of mixed driving. EPA highway estimates are 30 mpg, but the light-footed can easily manage 35 mpg.

A Better Honda Or A Cut-rate Luxury Crossover

Okay, you could find this level of equipment downmarket in a loaded RAV4. Sure. But you’ll miss out on the superior quality and styling, and its infotainment isn’t as nice. The Germans are far more athletic, but nickel and dime you for every option, from heated seats to driving assists, and those sick of touchscreens, scroll knobs, or their styling may be dissuaded. The ADX welcomes these outliers with open arms.

It’s got all the comfort, tech, and space a 21st-century yuppie or budding family could want for an agreeable price, given what’s in its gift basket, even at lower rungs of its spec sheet ladder. Its Civic underpinnings aren’t much to nitpick, and being blessed with its genes with a dose of Acura’s aura births an entry-level luxury crossover that’s sporty enough to satisfy some enthusiasts in search of a warrantied errand runner. The last say in compact luxury crossovers? Perhaps not. But let’s be glad Acura even has a say in it at all.

Mid-life crisis cars. Boomers and Gen X have Corvettes and the Porsche 911. Millennials have (insert any JDM hero car here) and, uh, also the 911. Meanwhile, many Gen Zers are barely passing the quarter-life marker, let alone their mid-life. But a quarter-life crisis car seems to be what’s trending, and it appears that the 987.1 Porsche Cayman and Cayman S are earning their moment in the spotlight.

Great! A Porsche for the masses made even more accessible by the march of time and more desirable by the perceived sterility of new car tech. Younger enthusiasts can cross-shop between a mildly used Toyota GR86 or something bearing that hallowed German crest, still complete with a naturally-aspirated mill and rear-wheel drive bolted to an honest-to-goodness manual transmission.

But are they diamonds in the rough these days? Nothing a blast into Nevada’s twisties in a friend’s 2007 Cayman S can’t answer.

Remembering The “Poor Man’s Porsche”

The 987-generation Porsche Cayman debuted in 2005 for the 2006 model year as the sportier hardtop companion to the entry-level Boxster. Together, they served as a gateway drug for the Stuttgart marque. Early 987.1 variants, such as the one featured here, owned by longtime friend and former contributor Derek Sanders, ran from 2006 to 2008. From there, it was refreshed with a smidge more power and the then-new PDK dual-clutch as the 987.2 from 2009 to 2012

It, along with its Boxter twin, was equally praised and dismissed as a “Poor Man’s Porsche” for bringing mid-engined dynamics to a sub-supercar price bracket. However, it was often accused of being sandbagged in terms of performance and dynamics by Porsche as an alleged means to protect the 911. So came the infamous “Cayman complex,” as some auto journos referred to.

Specs:

Current Values: $30,000 to $45,000 (based on mileage, spec, and condition)

Powertrain: 3.4L flat-six // 6-speed manual

Horsepower: 295 horsepower @ 6,250 RPM

Torque: 251 pound-feet @ 4,400 RPM

Seating Capacity: 2

Cargo Volume: 14.0 cubic feet

MPG: 20 city, 28 highway, 23 combined

Curb Weight: approx. 3,120 pounds

All 987 Caymans wielded the “M97” flat-six, with Sanders’ 987.1 Cayman S displacing 3.4 liters to produce 295 horsepower at 6,250 rpm and 251 pound-feet at 4,400 rpm through a traditional three-pedal arrangement. It’s a healthy bump from the base 987.1’s 2.7-liter version and its 245 horsepower, still a healthy number for motivating roughly 3,120 pounds.

Later 987.2 variants traded the optional Tiptronic automatic for one of the first iterations of Porsche’s world-class PDK dual-clutch, paving the way for later high-performance automatics. Power also increased to 265 horsepower in base cars, thanks to a larger 2.9-liter engine, and 320 horsepower in the S, which still displaced 3.4 liters.

A Mid-Engined Daily Driver

Like most Porsches of the era, they proved to be generally reliable-ish aside from the usual suspects in Porscheville. The IMS bearing ought to be sorted out sooner rather than later, if the one you’re eyeing hasn’t had it done already. The M97s may also suffer from bore scoring, with S models often suffering more than base cars due to higher stresses, poorer tolerances, and reutilizing the same cooling systems as the 2.7.

“Why, yes, I wanted the engine that bore scores more,” Sanders declared, instilling much confidence before a half-day’s drive far away from any Porsche service center.

Starting with a jaunt through Vegas’ suburban grid highlighted the Cayman’s unexpected knack for mundanity. Plush seats, usable cupholders and storage cubbies, and generous storage from the trunk and frunk can genuinely make this someone’s only car if they hate playing DD for their friends. It enabled Sanders to cover thousands of miles over tens of hours without issue during his grand tour from Boise to Salt Lake City to Las Vegas and back.

Most impressive is how it manages such a composed ride, at least with this car’s refurbished non-PASM suspension, unfazed by tattered asphalt despite the short wheelbase and this example’s larger 996-esque wheels. The ride works in conjunction with commendable sound deadening and a rock-solid interior devoid of creaks after 77,000 miles to deliver a quiet ride for the discerning luxury buyer—or irresponsible 20-something-year-old circa 2025.

Still A Porsche At Its Core Many Years Later

Soon, the lil’ Porsche and I departed the valley and ascended into the lush mountains for some exercise on their asphalt ribbons. I leaned a little more on the throttle pedal, dove into corners with more fervor, and learned that a two-decade-old Porsche can still Porsche, which I frankly should’ve expected. It’s not like journos were singing its praises that hard. Were they?

“Perhaps due to its mid-engine layout and slightly rearward weight distribution, the Cayman S felt more stable and balanced during severe braking,” Car and Driver’s Tony Quiroga stated in a shootout with the BMW Z4 M. “Steering is similarly reassuring, direct, and communicative.”

“In the Cayman S, Porsche has conceived and delivered a superb driving instrument, MotorTrend’s Matt Stone praises in an in-period first drive review. “It combines precision, balance, gusto, style, and what we’re sure will be impressive test-track performance. It’s silly fun to drive; a hot-looking partner you’ll enjoy on your first date and never tire of.”

“It’s a blessedly small two-seater,” freelance writer Peter Nelson remarks in his recent review and Hagerty Car Profile of a stock Cayman S. “The current (not for long) 982-gen 718 Cayman is considered small by modern standards, but the 987 is smaller still, and truly feels like a toy to toss around. Yet it also feels confident enough to carve responsibly through a twisty mountain road, which can’t be said for a lot of modern enthusiast chassis.”

Oh. So they were. And they seem to have been onto something.

The hydraulic steering is plenty sharp but not darty and exhibits appreciable feedback through its appropriately-sized wheel, despite the Michelin Alpin winter rubber. I can only imagine the sensations with proper summer tires. Sanders insists it’s a world of difference, with the steering coming to life further. It also has a decent amount of heft, without feeling needlessly so or artificially weighted.

Brakes, small in appearance, are A1 in performance. Four-piston front calipers provide great bite, a firm pedal, and friendly modulation. “Friendly” also goes for chassis tuning that juggles luxury product and bona fide sports car impeccably, even with this car’s lack of the optional PASM adaptive suspension. What makes for a comfortable ride also lends to excellent body control and a resistance to bad asphalt. It simply shrugs off bumps and holds its line without much fear of jostling or punishment from understeer or oversteer.

Bore scoring, be damned. The M97 powertrain is a sweetheart, as well. The addictively slick manual gearbox, paired with a light clutch and its questionably long pedal travel, routes 295 horsepower from an engine that’s as wonderful as the internet’s many prophecies have foretold regarding Porsche flat-sixes. The potency, reigned in by traction afforded by its wide rear tires and mid-engined layout, enabled the big-wig mags to clock 0-to-60 in 4.8 seconds and quarter-mile times of 13.3 at 107 mph in its day. There’s plenty of midrange torque and a deliciously progressive powerband that never relents as you edge nearer to the 7,000-rpm limit.

In short, Porsche flat-sixes rule.

The Cayman S proved to be a driver’s delight, indeed. However, I’m unconvinced that its efforts are enough to scratch the itch in everyone. It’s very close. But not quite there. I can’t help but think it could’ve been a little lighter. A little faster. A little more reactive to inputs and communicative to the driver. Porsche thought so, too, hence the later R model or later generations’ GTS and GT4. Unfortunately, those occupy higher price brackets on the used market, leaving us with something that arguably compromises just a smidge too much, so it can be a palatable everyday sports car.

Is Being “Still A Porsche” Enough?

For instance, without any factory sports exhaust or aftermarket option, the amazing flat-six is too shy to properly sing its wonderful song. The tone is there, but the volume is way down. An apparent fix is a humorously named “GT4 RS mod,” which is simply removing the insulated engine cover and introducing a whirlwind of flat-six clatter and metallic induction honk, but also more annoyingly agricultural engine and drivetrain noises.

The powertrain also feels neutered by long gearing that leans towards bahnstorming and larger racetracks rather than backroads and more technical circuits. And, while a featherweight today at a tick over 3,120 pounds, it’s not as light as expected for something so small and mechanically simple. It’ll still easily outmaneuver most present-day performance cars, for sure. But today’s Miata and GR86/BRZ twins, close rivals in terms of value and driving ethos, may beg to differ.

To those searching for something with the ability to pull double duty as your canyon carver and 9-to-5 runner, the Cayman hits the nail on the head. Just know its limitations and prepare for modifications should you yearn for much more, of which there’s plenty to choose from. And I mean plenty. Tuners can, fortunately, still have their field day with one of these and build their own home-brewed GT4 fighter, should they please.

A Modern Classic That’s Worth Another Look

The 987.1 Cayman S greatly impresses and leaves me craving something extra at the same time, as though the R, GTS, or GT4 would’ve fully fulfilled a promise I thought had been made. Maybe the love surrounding these as values came down instilled expectations I shouldn’t have placed on a car whose mission statement was never to appeal to the mega-hardcore, such as me. Or maybe the Cayman complex is real, after all.

I’ve learned that these are not perfect one-to-one Lotus alternatives. It will never be your bargain-bin Ferrari F430 or Lamborghini Gallardo. But then, you shouldn’t treat them as such. To its target buyers then and its current buyers now, that’s a-okay.

The combination of everyday refinement and unflappable dynamics blends into a product that appeals to a broad spectrum of drivers. It’s a strong alternative to the Mustangs, C7 Corvettes, and GR86s that older Gen Z and younger Millennials have been snagging, one that’s definitely worth a hard look should a quarter-life crisis beckon for you to reinvigorate your garage with a little more flavor.

“Oh, here’s a word of warning,” co-founder of TVR Garage Andi Hughes prods me as we set off in his 2001 TVR Tuscan Speed Six S demonstrator. “There’s no ABS. No traction control. No stability control. No safety systems to help you out. It’s nearly 400 horsepower pushing 2,400 pounds, and it will bite you if you let it. If ya bend it, ya buy it.”

Gotcha. Very cool. Absolutely no pressure as I pull onto a busy public side street in what is one of six Tuscans in the States at the time of writing, and–

W-Wait a minute. We have what in the States now?

We Have TVRs Now!?

The 25-year import rule, yo! Griffiths, Cerberas, and the first run of Tuscans have been allowed to grace American backroads for some time, and this example is reportedly one of six Tuscans in the United States. This 2001 model came by way of Hughes’ business TVR Garage, co-founded with childhood friend Gavin Bristow. It’s the very car featured in Jay Leno’s Garage, allowed into the country under special exemptions for testing.

A minor history lesson, first.

Trevor Wilkinson founded TVR in 1947, originally as Trevcar Motors, before renaming the company after himself with the three-letter moniker. The company fell into the great care of Martin Lilley in 1965. Its sports cars garnered plenty of affection throughout the next few decades, but nowhere near as much as they did throughout the 90s and 2000s after Peter Wheeler took the helm in 1981. Cars of the Wheeler era, including the Tuscan, were crafted in his image, from driving dynamics and in-house engines to the styling.

Specs:

Current Values: N/A; as-tested valued at $149,000

Powertrain: 4.0L inline-six // 5-speed manual

Horsepower: 390 horsepower @ 7,000 RPM

Torque: 310 pound-feet @ 5,250 RPM

Seating Capacity: 2

Cargo Volume: 9.7 cubic feet

MPG: N/A

Curb Weight: approx. 2,425 pounds

Spiritual successor to the original Tuscan of the late 1960s, the Tuscan Speed Six’s recipe is a fairly simple, front-engined, rear-wheel drive, five-speed manual sports car. The engine is almost entirely behind the front axle, making it front mid-engined and setting the Tuscan up to be a spectacular handler, especially when tipping the scales at a Miata-like 2,425 pounds.

Brakes are by AP Racing. Suspension on this particular example features upgraded Bilstein shocks but is otherwise stock. Tires are Michelin Pilot Sport 4S measuring 235-wide up front and 245-wide out back, mounted over the original 18-inch wheels that complement the swooping body lines oh-so well.

Under Wheeler’s direction, the company gradually shifted from Triumph and Ford engines to Rover V8s and eventually engines of its own design. Tuscans utilize a range of aluminum-block, individual throttle body-equipped, 24-valve inline-sixes from TVR’s “Speed Six” lineup. Living in an age when engines are passed around manufacturers like the village bicycles makes you greatly appreciate niche brands that can craft their own.

In base 3.6-liter form, the Speed Six made 350 horsepower and 290 pound-feet, but S models like Hughe’s were amped up with 4.0-liter mills that produced 390 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 310 pound-feet at 5,250 rpm. Later iterations made slightly more, with 400 horsepower and 315 pound-feet prior to the “Mark II” facelift’s revisions. Other S model exclusives include subtle badging, a front lip spoiler, and a Gurney flap-like rear spoiler.

The Strangest Grand Tourer

“It can be a kitten when you want, but a lion when you let it be,” Hughes comments, referring to the Tuscan’s lesser-known knack for coddling its drivers rather than killing them when you’re just puttering around.

There’s no bad temperament over bumpy roads, thanks to its fresh Bilsteins. There’s working AC and a single-DIN stereo nestled within the handy dashboard shelf. The trunk is even ample enough to hold the targa roof, and the space behind your head makes an excellent shelf for large backpacks.

It was a treat to discover how lovely a grand tourer it can be when cruising in fifth gear, with plenty of visibility and almost no wind buffeting with the windows down. Prospective buyers just have to live with everything else, which can be… strange.

If you’ve never watched Top Gear, I invite you to figure out the doors. Go ahead. I’ll wait. While you’re at it, know that the window and HVAC controls are on the rounded center console, and the two-piece hood doesn’t fully open without tools. Only the front half is easily accessible and only as a service hatch for fluids. Be mindful that fuel capacity is only 56 liters or roughly 14.8 US gallons. Oh, and the shift linkage is awfully close to where the exhaust is routed. I wondered why the gear lever was warmer than all the other metalwork inside the cabin.

But it is what it is. Quirky comes with the territory, making it easy to forget that TVRs were primarily honed to be fun, fast, and, most importantly, pure driver’s cars.

“A Lion When You Let It Be”

“From the extraordinary styling and steampunk brass instrument binnacle (complete with in-house-made LCD display) to the snorting four-liter Speed Six engine, the Tuscan was a car that seduced and adrenalized you in equal measure,” Evo’s Antony Ingram praised in a 2024 retrospective after sampling a facelifted Tuscan 2.

“This is not a precision tool, though it was and still is successfully campaigned in many an amateur race series,” Richard Hammond remarked in a 2012 test of a modified Tuscan for Top Gear. “It’s about the experience, more than the absolute results. It simply feels great, perched towards the back of a big, British sports car, complete with authentically British straight-six acoustic accompaniment.”

“This car has many strengths—its mind-warping curves redefine the notion of automobile-as-art and the hefty gearbox is an utter joy to use—but it’s the quality of the steering that really defines the driving experience…” Dan Bevis commented on a small blog on ClassicCarsForSale. “These aren’t machines for people who want an easy time; they’re for those who want their effort to be rewarded, who accept that you get out what you put in. You need to be constantly on edge, worrying about the car—that’s part of the allure.”

Color me intrigued.

Drop a gear or two via that satisfyingly precise shifter to keep the Speed Six above 4,000 rpm, and it wakes right the hell up. The upswept tailpipes and individual throttle bodies duet a feral song as you approach the 7,000-rpm crescendo, crackling and popping with an intoxicating overrun as you lift. God save natural aspiration, because the engine’s metallic zing is so unlike anything today this side of a 911 GT3.

The bottom-hinge pedals are spaced smartly enough to still be comfortable, at least with a size 10 shoe, yet remain easy to operate hastily when I get a little restless. However, the bottom-hinge clutch was a bit of a learning curve. Just a bit. The throttle pedal’s throw is abnormally long compared to modern cars, but that equates to controllable power delivery. Important stuff when wielding 390 horsepower without safety assists. Even so, the engine is still reactive enough to make downshift blips a breeze and forward momentum a thrill.

The brake pedal is reassuringly firm, actuating the AP Racing kit with confidence without catapulting you through the windshield. Our dash across the desert was far from the brake’s limits, but I suspect they’re plenty resilient on track or on tighter roads. We hardly stressed the chassis, either, which I knew was yearning to dive bomb hairpins and sail over undulating B-roads with more aggression than I was willing to give it.

I, indeed, could not buy it if I bent it.

Modern summer tires, Bilstein shocks, and a weight figure that embarrasses many present-day sports cars create a machine that pounces into corners without a second thought. Direction changes are like second nature, and the power steering, one of the few assisted controls, is communicative and appropriately light while gradually building heft as you load it up in a way only cars of this era seem to manage.

Is there cannibalism among cats? Because, as it turns out, this lion could slaughter any Jaguar on an asphalt ribbon.

Gone But Far From Forgotten

The TVR Tuscan Speed Six S walks many fine lines. How well you believe it does so depends on your tolerance for weirdness and its unwillingness to babysit the inexperienced. It’s an unexpected road trip hero, with more comfort, space, and visibility than anticipated. Yet, it still achieves its objective of wowing the lead-footed, excitedly tugging at its leash while reminding you through its intoxicating power and feedback that you’d better play along well, or it’ll knock you on your ass.

Pardon the Gen Z degenerate in me, but dare I say it’s truly the automotive equivalent of the drop-dead gorgeous goth mommy that can and will spit in your drink if you aggravate her in the slightest? Sadistic? A little. Honest, at least? Sure. A proper driver’s car? Without a doubt. And I’m desperately in love. While the oddball British marque and its sports cars may be gone, it sure as hell won’t be forgotten.

Lando Norris surged to a stunning pole position in Qualifying for the Mexico City Grand Prix, the Briton leading the way from the Ferrari pair of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton while McLaren team mate Oscar Piastri ended the session back in eighth.

After setting the pace in Q2, it looked like Norris had a challenge on his hands in the top 10 shootout when Leclerc grabbed provisional pole during the opening runs. But the 25-year-old was in commanding form for his second lap, pumping in a 1m 15.586s to go 0.262s quicker than Leclerc’s final effort.

Hamilton added to a solid outing for Ferrari by taking P3, followed by Mercedes’ George Russell in P4 and the Red Bull of Max Verstappen in P5. The other Silver Arrows machine of Kimi Antonelli, meanwhile, claimed P6 from Williams’ Carlos Sainz, though the Spaniard will take a five-place grid drop following a penalty last time out in Austin.

It looked to be another tricky session for Piastri, with the Australian nearly eight-tenths adrift of his team mate in eighth place, while Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar and Haas’ Ollie Bearman completed the top 10.

Qualifying results on F1.com

Yuki Tsunoda just missed the cut for Q3 by 0.014s, putting the Red Bull driver out of the session in P11. Also eliminated in the second segment were Haas’ Esteban Ocon in P12 and the Kick Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg in P13.

Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso followed in 14th, while Liam Lawson failed to set a representative time for Racing Bulls, leaving him in 15th.

Kick Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto was pushed out of Q1 in P16, followed by the Williams of Alex Albon in P17 and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly in P18.

Lance Stroll claimed 19th for Aston Martin after aborting his final effort, while the other Alpine of Franco Colapinto rounded out the order in 20th place.

KEY QUOTE

“I’m happy to be back on pole, it’s actually been quite a long time,” said Norris. “A good feeling. The lap? I don’t know. It was one of those laps where you don’t really know what happened, it felt decent but when I crossed the line and saw 1m 15.5s, I was very pleasantly surprised.

“I’ve been feeling good all weekend, especially from today, FP3, Q1, Q2, Q3. I got a little bit nervous of the Ferraris in Q3 at the end, but I pulled it out when it mattered and I’m happy because of that.”

Max Verstappen has claimed a dominant victory at the United States Grand Prix, the Red Bull driver converting pole position into a commanding win while Lando Norris beat Charles Leclerc to second place in a thrilling duel between the pair.

It had been a strong start to the race for Verstappen, the Dutchman holding the lead from pole position while the rest of the field got through Turn 1 much more cleanly than during Saturday’s action-packed Sprint.

Though questions remained in the early stages over strategy choices, all of the field opted for a one-stop plan – and this worked smoothly for Verstappen, who remained in P1 after his stop. And while he had to nurse his soft tyres home in the latter stages, the reigning World Champion crossed the line with a margin of 7.959s to seal his fifth Grand Prix triumph of the season.

Behind him, a close fight played out between Norris and Leclerc, a scrap that firstly unfolded in the early stages after Leclerc got ahead of the McLaren at the start. With the two going head-to-head again in the final laps, Norris eventually made a move stick to take a valuable P2, leaving Leclerc to round out the podium in third.

Lewis Hamilton added to Ferrari’s points haul in fourth place – a position he just held onto despite seemingly suffering a puncture on the final lap – while championship leader Oscar Piastri brought a tough weekend to an end by taking fifth.

Results of US Grand Prix available on F1.com

Mercedes’ George Russell followed in sixth, ahead of Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda and the Kick Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg. Ollie Bearman scored points on Haas’ home soil in P9, with Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso completing the top 10.

Liam Lawson just missed out on points for Racing Bulls in 11th, as did the Aston Martin of Lance Stroll in 12th. Kimi Antonelli embarked on a recovery drive to 13th, the Mercedes driver having dropped backwards early on in the race following a collision with Williams’ Carlos Sainz.

The other Williams of Alex Albon claimed P14, followed by Haas’ Esteban Ocon (P15) and Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar (P16). Franco Colapinto took P17 for Alpine – after ignoring a team order to hold position behind team mate Pierre Gasly – while Kick Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto was sandwiched between them in P18.

Sainz was the only retiree of the day, having pulled off track following his aforementioned clash with Antonelli. And in terms of the standings after the race in Austin, Verstappen is now just 40 points away from Piastri in the Drivers’ Championship, while Norris is only 14 points adrift of his team mate.

KEY QUOTE

“It was an unbelievable weekend for us,” said Verstappen. “I knew that the race was not going to be super forward. If you look at the whole race, the pace between myself and Lando was really close. Just in that first stint was where we made the difference and I could eke out a bit of a gap, which is basically what we kept to the end.

“It wasn’t easy to manage the tyres for most of the stints, but we kept it in the lead and I’m just incredibly proud of everyone to be able to deliver a weekend like this.”

Max Verstappen has seized pole position for the United States Grand Prix, the Dutchman’s initial lap in Q3 proving enough to secure him the top spot after running out of time to put in a second effort.

Having set the pace through Q1 and Q2, Verstappen looked to have continued that theme by going quickest during the opening laps of Q3 on an effort of 1m 32.510s. While he attempted to go again in the final runs, the Red Bull driver did not reach the line before the chequered flag fell, meaning that he would have to rely on his earlier effort.

It turned out to be enough, with his time putting him 0.291s clear of closest challenger Lando Norris in second. The McLaren driver was only six-thousandths ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in third, while Mercedes’ George Russell slotted into fourth.

The other Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton claimed P5, with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri seemingly experiencing a tricky session in P6. Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli followed in P7, with Haas’ Ollie Bearman, the Williams of Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso in the Aston Martin rounding out the top 10.

Results of US Grand Prix available on F1.com

After his impressive Sprint Qualifying performance on Friday, Nico Hulkenberg was unable to replicate this in Saturday’s Qualifying. The Kick Sauber driver exited Q2 in 11th, putting him one position ahead of Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson in 12th.

Yuki Tsunoda took P13 for Red Bull, with the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto just behind in P14 and P15.

There was early drama just a few minutes into Qualifying when a crash for Isack Hadjar brought out the red flags, leaving the Racing Bulls man down in 20th and last place.

Track limits proved to be the undoing of Lance Stroll and Alex Albon in the segment, with the deletion of their respective laps putting the Aston Martin and Williams drivers in 18th and 19th respectively, though a five-place grid penalty for Stroll will drop him to the back. The other names to exit early doors, meanwhile, were Kick Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto (16th) and Haas’ Esteban Ocon (17th).

Max Verstappen denied Carlos Sainz a shock pole position for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as Drivers' Championship leader Oscar Piastri crashed out.

The Red Bull driver claimed back-to-back pole positions after a thrilling Qualifying session which was impacted by an F1 record of six red flags, the final one having huge ramifications on the final order.

With Sainz, Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar having set laps in Q3 and drops of rain starting to fall, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc hit the barrier at Turn 15 to bring out the red flag and prevent anyone else from finishing a lap time.

When the session resumed, Lando Norris and Verstappen were setting fastest sector times but dramatically, Piastri hit the barrier at Turn 3 to cause another stoppage with less than four minutes left on the clock.

With the green light back on, track conditions were far from their optimal and drivers scrambled to find the grip, with Verstappen setting a 1m 41.117s to deny Sainz pole by just under half a second.

Lawson improved with his second lap to remain third, ahead of the Mercedes cars of Kimi Antonelli and George Russell and the second Red Bull of Yuki Tsunoda.

Baku results for qualifying are available within the Baku Qualifying report on F1.com

Norris failed to capitalise on his team mate's pivotal error with a scrappy lap that left him only P7 in front of Hadjar and the timeless Piastri and Leclerc.

Despite an impressive showing across practice, Lewis Hamilton was eliminated in Q2 after struggling to string a lap together, leaving the Ferrari driver P12 and behind Fernando Alonso's Aston Martin.

Gabriel Bortoleto's Kick Sauber headed the second Aston Martin of Lance Stroll, while Haas rookie Ollie Bearman wound up P15 and without a time after hitting the barrier on the exit of Turn 2 which caused a red flag.

Franco Colapinto was left 16th and eliminated in Q1 after the Alpine driver brought out the red flag at the end of the session, having hit the barrier at Turn 4.

Nico Hulkenberg finished P17 and also caused an earlier stoppage after striking the barrier at the same turn, while Esteban Ocon (Haas), Pierre Gasly (Alpine) and Alex Albon completed the order, the Williams driver bringing out the first red flag after hitting the wall at Turn 1.

Full Report on F1.com

“Oh, damn, that’s a GT2 RS,” I mutter as my friend and I venture onto Stunt Canyon Road in Malibu en route to a late breakfast. He lightly chuckles.

“You’re going to try to outrun him… Aren’t you?” my passenger slyly asks. With a not-so-humble nod and a drop of the hammer, I chirp second gear and let this 228-horsepower chariot of pure hellfire disappear for all but a minute until the Porsche decided it was having none of that malarky from the likes of me.

As you could guess, I won zero canyon battles that day. But I made it to breakfast after shaving two minutes off Google Maps’ estimate while being reminded that I didn’t need a morbillion-horsepower god killer to feel like a hero. Despite the times, you can still find old-fashioned, analog motoring with a factory warranty, evident in the Subaru BRZ tS that goaded me into spitting in the face of Goliaths ten times its price.

One Of The Toyobaru Twins

It’s a GR86! No, it’s a Subie!

Yes. And also yes. It’s a BRZ. Once again, we greet one half of the same coin, the supposedly more subtle and sedate of the Toyobaru twins, devoid of any boy racer lip spoiler and with a slightly altered rear sway bar setup skewed towards stability.

Specs:

MSRP: $35,345 ($36,597 as-tested; 2024 model), $38,360 (current as of September 2025)

Powertrain: 2.4L flat-four// 6-speed manual

Horsepower: 228 horsepower @ 7,000 RPM

Torque: 184 pound-feet @ 3,700 RPM

Seating Capacity: 4

Cargo Volume: 6.0 cubic feet

MPG: 20 city, 27 highway, 22 combined

Curb Weight: approx. 2,850 pounds

Other than that, the BRZ is the mechanical twin to the Toyota GR86, both rocking Subaru-sourced, 2.4-liter FA24 flat-fours pushing 228 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque through either a six-speed auto or six-speed stick. As the sportier trim level, the tS only comes in a stick.

Is Anything Actually New?

The BRZ became slightly less analog with the inclusion of EyeSight aids across the board for 2024, including manual cars, adding goodies like lane departure warning, collision warning, and adaptive cruise. Thankfully, these features only serve to make a BRZ a safer and easier commuter without tarnishing its sports car abilities.

My 2024 tester rang in at just under $37,000 with destination charges. Unfortunately, 2025 cars receive a substantial, likely tariff-driven price increase. Expect a new BRZ tS to cost a bit over $38,000 as of the time of writing.

2024 added the tS or “tuned by STI,” a performance trim that tosses in Hitachi dampers and enlarged Brembo brakes. Out go the red interior accents in favor of Subaru World Rally-esque blue, along with a new STI graphic in the gauge cluster and STI push button starter. A Series.Purple arrived for 2025, adding dark metallic purple paint and white interior accents. An upcoming 2026 Series.Yellow finally mixes the tS’ go-fast hardware with an exclusive paint color.

The Cutest Little Grand Tourer

In case no one told you, a current-gen BRZ is a closeted grand tourer. Poor person’s Porsche Cayman? How about a poor person’s Aston Martin Vantage?

Commute to work. Get the groceries. Fetch the mead. It’s all child’s play. Or you can journey from town to town, mountain pass to mountain pass, and not shatter your spine doing so, as I discovered traversing Southern California for a weekend.

Compliant suspension and supportive seats are to thank. If the tS’ shocks do stifle ride comfort versus a base car, the difference is too negligible without driving them back to back. The rear seats are somewhat usable, if your passengers happen to be barely-above-average-height Filipinos. I’ve used my own BRZ to shuttle three people before. Well, not comfortably, but you can do it. Or you could just use it as a cavernous storage shelf.

The standard infotainment system is simple and intuitive, although you’ll be using Android Auto and CarPlay most of the time anyway, which syncs quickly via a wired connection. If only there were a better cubby for your phone besides the cupholders.

Dailying a BRZ tS as your only car is no problem. It’s just at home meandering around the neighborhoods of Manhattan Beach, then sitting pretty by the water as you sip matcha like a performative tourist, as it is doing sports car things. Like chasing its Toyota-badged spiritual predecessor up a mountain, for instance—a story for another time.

Speaking of sports car things.

The Blue-Collar Porsche

Departing the narrow alleys of SoCal’s beach towns and heading northbound in search of America’s Gunsai let the BRZ’s true colors as a near-perfect budget Porsche shine bright.

Near perfect, I say.

Driving older cars lately, as well as my highly modified specimen, highlighted a disappointing numbness in the stock steering feel. Huck the car into a banked downhill hairpin and load up the outer front tire, and there’s almost nothing. Its efforts to convey traction and road conditions to your palms are muted. There are faint reverberations to be found, but it’s as though you really have to concentrate to detect them. You get a better sensation of front-end grip by listening for tire scrub.

It’s not a deal breaker, and it’s a spectacular rack compared to many new cars, but dare I say the early, pre-facelift BRZs and Scion FR-Ss felt better? You can’t help but want more, just like I do with its spineless exhaust. Where’s your voice? Sing, damn you!

Alas, it's muzzled, likely for international noise regulations that may be far stricter in other countries than ours. And it ultimately must be palatable to everyone, including owners who bought (gasp!) automatic cars for sitting in traffic because they thought the BRZ was “cute.” Sure, I suppose. The resulting sound is more sewing machine than sports car. Easily solved in the aftermarket, if you have the coin.

I sound harsh out of the gate, but I’m merely trying to get my grievances out of the way. You can’t have it all in a do-it-all car at this price point. But, in truth, they’re minor knocks against what’s still an impeccable overall package with many silver linings to appreciate.

For instance, the hush FA24 revs smoothly for a Subaru boxer and mostly did away with its predecessor’s dastardly torque dip. What’s left is imperceptible to all but the most acute drivers. The powerband has shifted significantly downriver, too, making max torque at 3,700 rpm versus the older FA20’s 6,400, giving you a gruntier engine that pulls earlier on and keeps on ripping to its lofty 7,400 rpm redline.

Paired with the short gearing of its delightfully slick six-speed, which slots into gear with a light but assuring thunk, and the diff’s 4.10 final drive, it maximizes its 228 horsepower to make light work of the brief straights between SoCal’s tightest twists. 0-to-60 in 5.4 seconds and the quarter in 13.9 at 104 mph, according to the big-wig magazine instrumented tests, is V6-pony-car quick.

So, to all the dissenters, repeat after me: a new BRZ is fast enough.

The numb steering is precise and appropriately light. Its reflexes amplify the sensation of delicately guiding a featherweight athlete and not manhandling a 2,850-pound hunk of metal. It does build weight slightly as you add load into a corner, and the ratio is quick enough for crossing arms to be a rare occurrence. The wheel itself is also a lovely piece of equipment to grasp. Just the right diameter, with a rim that’s neither too thick nor too thin.

The tS’ suspension provides a civilized ride with plenty of travel and feels like it turns up its composure over base cars by half a click. Whether sailing through the fast sweepers of Angeles Forest and Angeles Crest or ping-ponging down the wannabe rally tarmac stages of Tuna Canyon or Glendora Mountain Road, the tS remains stable and unfazed by midcorner bumps.

Equally remarkable is the grip from the 215-wide Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires. You’ve got to move at seriously felonious speeds to outdrive a BRZ tS on a two-lane. It’s a reactive chassis that’s famously itching to get sideways at a track yet is unflappable when at canyon pace.

But should it disagree with your driving and revoke traction privileges from the front or ass ends, you can easily atone with gentle nudges of the steering and pedals, allowing you to quickly find a proper rhythm. And this car will let you find that rhythm.

Foot down. Rev! Rev! Rev! Nearly 7,400 rpm as the shift light glows yellow, then flashes red in the gauge cluster. Grab the next gear before the fuel cut strikes and do it all again. You can probably grab fourth for only a second or two on Glendora or the upper half of Azusa Canyon before slamming on those firm, tireless Brembos. Turn in quickly but delicately, and let the car confidently lean in and take a set around the carousel-like bend before the FA24 rockets you towards the next. Rinse and repeat.

We’re Going To Miss You When You’re Gone

As someone who’s driven much faster cars and owns a bastardized, track-focused BRZ, I didn’t think I’d walk away missing a stock one so much. This Subie entrances you with its predictability and unintimidating nature, all without being so clinical that it becomes boring. You find yourself driving at a pace you didn’t know you could, all without fancy drive modes or adaptive this-or-that.

Compromised, sure, but less than you’d think. It’s how it delivers so much of an experience without excess frills while taking so little from you in return that impresses the most. Perhaps that’s the magic of many free-breathing, lightweight, stick shift cars unencumbered by sensory-depriving tech disguised as advancement. The BRZ tS isn’t a new recipe, but it’s a damn good one that we should wring the hell out of for as long as we can.

Pierre Gasly has committed his long-term future to Alpine by signing a contract extension that will see him race for the French manufacturer until at least the end of the 2028 campaign.

The 29-year-old joined Alpine ahead of the 2023 season and has since scored two podiums while also playing a key role in helping the team secure sixth place in the Teams’ Championship last season.

Gasly’s previous contract wasn’t due to expire until the end of next season but both sides were keen to extend that deal by a further two years and so put pen to paper ahead of this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix.

Alpine said in a statement: “The deal reaffirms Pierre’s commitment to Alpine and cements Alpine’s belief in Pierre as the driver to lead the team into the new regulation era in 2026 and beyond, under the leadership of Flavio Briatore and with the full backing of Renault Group led by the new CEO Francois Provost.”

Speaking about the news, Gasly said: “I’m thrilled to commit my long-term future to Alpine. As a Frenchman, especially, driving for a French car company, it makes me feel very proud.

“Since I joined in 2023, I have always felt that this team is the right place to be for the future.

“Flavio’s support and belief in me, Francois’ commitment to the Formula 1 project, as well as the people we have in Enstone made this a natural decision and I want to be here in years to come and deliver on our joint objective: to win races and World Championships.

“We’re all in this together and I look forward to continuing this special story.”

Briatore added: “Since I returned to the team, I have always stated how important it is to build and grow the competitiveness of BWT Alpine Formula One Team.

“We’re well prepared for the new era of Formula 1, beginning in 2026, and now we have our lead driver confirmed to bring us well into the future.

“Pierre has been an immense asset for the team during this challenging period. I have been very impressed with his attitude, dedication and talent and we look forward to continuing this project together for a long time.”

It remains unclear who will be Gasly’s team mate from next season and beyond, with Franco Colapinto currently occupying the seat alongside him.

Hot on the heels of the announcement of their driver line-up of Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez for 2026, Cadillac have revealed that IndyCar racer Colton Herta will fulfil the role of test driver at the team.

American driver Herta, whose name had been spoken of in relation to a seat at Cadillac before the Bottas/Perez line-up announcement came on August 26, was the youngest ever IndyCar winner back in 2019, and has nine victories and 16 pole positions to his name from his 116 career starts in the series.

Reflecting on the announcement, 25-year-old Herta – son of former IndyCar and ChampCar racer Bryan Herta – said: “This is a dream opportunity, and one I’ve been working towards for a long time. To be part of Cadillac F1’s entry at such a pivotal time is something I couldn’t pass up.

“My dream has always been to race in Formula 1, and I see this move as a huge step towards that goal. For now, my focus is on giving everything I can to Cadillac F1, helping build a competitive team.”

Cadillac’s Team Principal Graeme Lowdon, meanwhile, added: “Colton is an exceptionally talented racer with proven speed, race craft, and maturity well beyond his years. His experience in top-level American motorsport as part of the TWG Motorsport family makes him an ideal fit for this role, and he will bring valuable and fresh insight, perspective, and energy to our team as we continue to build for the future.

“Having an American driver join an American Formula 1 team is a hugely significant moment, not only for our team, but for American motorsport as a whole.

“Colton represents the passion, ambition, and competitive spirit that define the Cadillac Formula 1 Team, and we are proud to have him carry the American flag with us on the world stage.”

Herta has previous F1 experience, having tested a 2021-spec McLaren MCL35M at Portimao back in 2022 – with McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown saying at the time: “We’re very serious about anyone we put in our Formula 1 car… The first gate to get through is: do we think this driver is World Champion, Grand Prix-winning capable? And if the answer to that is yes, then we continue to proceed.”

Meanwhile, the move will mark a return to European racing for Herta, who competed on the continent from 2015-16, including time as Lando Norris’ team mate in the 2015 MSA Formula Championship, before returning Stateside.

McLaren Racing has reached a value of over £3billion, according to Sky News.

Bahraini sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat and automotive investment group CYVN Holdings, which already own McLaren Group, are looking to acquire a further 30% stake in McLaren Racing. If the transaction is completed, the two companies will gain 100% ownership of the racing arm of the automotive company. An official confirmation is expected imminently.

The 30% that Mumtalakat and CYVN Holdings are looking to buy out is currently owned by companies including MSP Sports Capital, which acquired an initial 15% in 2020 when McLaren Racing was valued at £560million, Ares Investment Management, UBS O'Connor, and others.

This comes during a dominant Formula 1 season for the Woking outfit. After clinching its first constructors' championship since 1998 in 2024, the team has taken another step forward in 2025.

With nine races left this year, McLaren leads the standings with 584 points, 324 points ahead of Ferrari, sitting in second. Drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris lead in the drivers' standings with 309 and 275 points, respectively. Over the season so far, McLaren has secured 12 grand prix wins, 25 grand prix podiums, nine grand prix poles, one sprint win, five sprint podiums, and one sprint pole.

"If I take a step back and look at the team, I can see a lot of energy, a laser-sharp focus, and an incredible determination to succeed," McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown wrote in an open letter ahead of the F1 summer break.

"But crucially, we must continue striving to be the very best we can be in the ultra-competitive world of Formula 1. We are always looking for ways to improve. The moment you rest on your laurels, any competitive edge you have can disappear in the blink of an eye.

"And when we look at the competition, we must remember that even our weakest rival is really damn good. We’re talking about milliseconds. So the secret to our success is to come together and never give up.

"For me personally, I have two highlights so far this year. The first was winning the Monaco Grand Prix, for obvious reasons. It’s a Triple Crown event, along with the Indy 500 and the 24 hours of Le Mans and sits at the very core of McLaren’s DNA."

He added: "McLaren Racing is one of the only teams to have won the prestigious Triple Crown, and we want to achieve that again when we enter the World Endurance Championship in 2027.

"Secondly, winning the Bahrain Grand Prix was a very special moment for us as a team. The Crown Prince and Mumtalakat, our long-standing shareholders, have been tremendous supporters, and they had never won their home race before - so achieving victory in Sakhir was incredibly important for everyone at McLaren."

George Russell was the only Mercedes driver to finish the race in the points in Zandvoort – but despite coming home in what seemed a credible fourth, he was left frustrated and disappointed with how his Sunday panned out.

The Mercedes man finished just five seconds off the podium in the Netherlands, at the end of a chaotic race that featured three Safety Cars plus a Virtual Safety Car. Having started fifth, Russell was in the thick of the action – and yet, took no real positives away from the race.

His day quite literally started badly, as he lost a place off the line to Charles Leclerc. Russell could then not find a way back past the Ferrari, but was fortunate that Leclerc pitted before the first Safety Car. The time Russell gained with his ‘free’ stop leapfrogged him back ahead of the Monegasque driver – but that is where the day began to unravel.

Leclerc tried an aggressive move around the outside of Turn 11 and into the inside of Turn 12, and wound up barging past a slightly caught out Russell. But that left the Mercedes man with car damage, leading to him being asked to let team mate Kimi Antonelli through – a message that Russell appeared to question over the radio.

“I take zero satisfaction in finishing P4 after that race to be honest,” Russell said afterwards.

“It was a bad start, poor driving from my side. Then Charles passed me, then the pace was bad, then obviously the damage after the incident with Charles. Because of the damage I lost one second per lap, so it was just really not fun at all, and very lucky to finish in P4.”

The stewards did look into the overtake, but both drivers agreed it was a racing incident and so no further action was taken.

Russell was then fortunate to inherit two places when his team mate and Leclerc subsequently came together, the Ferrari man crashing out while Antonelli picked up enough penalties to drop outside of the top 10 post-race.

But with the car damage, he lacked the pace to try and chase down Isack Hadjar for the last podium place. But while fourth looked like a good return on paper, it was clear Russell was not happy with his Sunday.

“You hope when you return [from summer break] that it's going to be a bit more plain sailing but Formula 1 is never like that. But it just wasn’t a good race in many regards, and we just need to look at that, why that was,” added Russell

“But the fact is the gaps between a lot of the teams now are very tight, and when you come to a track like this where overtaking is very difficult, that track position is vital, Qualifying is important and the pit stop strategy is very important. Luck – you know, Charles was unlucky with the Safety Car timing, and we were lucky with everything else that happened.

“Yeah, I need a day to assess it.”

The one thing Russell was quick to do was congratulate Hadjar on his maiden podium finish, saying the rookie did “an amazing job” and repeating that he himself “didn’t deserve” to finish on the rostrum at this race.

Russell does not have long to collect his thoughts and ascertain where his race went wrong though – as there are just a few days to go until the F1 circus travels to Monza, with the Italian Grand Prix getting underway next weekend.

Cadillac have signed Grand Prix winners Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas to be their drivers when the team joins the Formula 1 grid for the first time in 2026.

The American squad, who are backed by General Motors and will be led by former Marussia Sporting Director Graeme Lowdon, will become the sport's 11th team next season.

Cadillac have opted for experience with their line-up, signing 'Checo' Perez and Mercedes reserve Bottas – who boast 527 Grand Prix starts and 16 Grand Prix wins between them – on multi-year deals.

“Signing two very experienced racers like Bottas and Checo is a bold signal of intent," said Lowdon. "They’ve seen it all and they know what it takes to succeed in Formula 1. But more importantly, they understand what it means to help build a team.

"Their leadership, feedback, race-hardened instincts and of course their speed will be invaluable as we bring this team to life. A big thank you to the team at Mercedes for their co-operation and understanding.”

It marks a remarkable return for the veteran duo, both 35, after they lost their respective F1 race seats at the end of last season.

Perez took some time out to consider his future goals and spend time with his family after leaving Red Bull, while Bottas stayed in the paddock as reserve for Mercedes following his Sauber exit.

Mexican Perez brings immense F1 experience, having competed for Sauber, McLaren and Force India/Racing Point before moving to Red Bull, where he helped the team win the Teams' Championship in 2022 and 2023.

“Joining the Cadillac Formula 1 Team is an incredibly exciting new chapter in my career," said Perez. "From our first conversations, I could sense the passion and determination behind this project.

"It's an honor to be part of building a team that can develop together so that, in time, we will fight at the very front. Cadillac is a legendary name in American motorsport, and to help bring such a fantastic company to Formula 1 is a huge responsibility, one I’m confident of taking on.

"I’m proud to be part of such an ambitious and meaningful project from the very beginning. I’m really pleased to be part of such a dynamic line-up, and together I believe we can help shape this team into a real contender, the team of the Americas. We’re counting on support from across the continent – and we want to make everyone proud.”

Finland's Bottas enjoyed incredible success at Mercedes, playing a key role in the Silver Arrows winning the Teams' Championship every year from 2017 to 2021.

"From the moment I began speaking with the Cadillac Formula 1 Team, I felt something different – something ambitious but also grounded," said Bottas. "This isn’t just a racing project; it’s a long-term vision.

"It's not every day that you get a chance to be part of something being built from the ground up and helping shape it into something that truly belongs on the F1 grid.

“I’ve had the honor of working with some of the best teams in the world, and I can already see the same professionalism and hunger here.

"This is an iconic brand with a big legacy in American motorsport, and to be a part of the story as it enters the world stage of F1 is incredibly special for me. I’m looking forward to representing the American spirit of racing on the greatest circuits in the world. I’d also like to thank Mercedes for their unwavering support and sportsmanship in facilitating such an exciting step.”

CEO of the Cadillac Formula 1 Team and TWG Motorsports, a division of TWG Global, Dan Towriss said: "Bottas and Checo bring the perfect balance of talent, maturity, and drive.

"They’re not just accomplished racers, they’re builders, collaborators, and professionals who will help define what the Cadillac Formula 1 Team stands for. This moment marks more than just a line-up announcement. It’s the beginning of a bold new chapter in American motorsport.”

GM President Mark Reuss added: "Our new drivers are a welcome addition to the Cadillac racing family – each brings a depth of experience, and an unwavering passion to win.

"Together, we’re building the foundation for American motorsports that will be an extraordinary legacy for Cadillac, GM and the sport.”

And so I charge in, winding out third gear until the Beyblade under the hood slams into a hard fuel cut for a brief moment, with enough time to grab fourth for a mere second before braking. The exhaust cracks and chops as the rotary bounces off its limiter with a soft but distinct pop-pop-pop!

“Heh. Fun, ain’t it?” is the only feedback I receive as we glide over the last hill and disappear around the first bend. Funny enough, I was never a big rotary fan growing up for all-wheel-drive and/or inline-six reasons. But now, I see. The Zoom Zoom cultists are on to something.

A Hero Car of The Gran Turismo Era

The FD generation was the last of the RX-7s, praised in in-period car reviews for its potent engine and fleetfootedness. In some Best Motoring shootouts, it even beat titans like the Skyline GT-R around handling courses. However, it was also criticized for mediocre interior build quality and reliability issues with long-term testers–Car and Driver’s tester infamously made nine unscheduled dealer visits over 35,000 miles.

Specs:

Current Values: $30,000 to $50,000 (based on spec, mileage, and condition)

Powertrain: 1.3L twin-turbocharged Wankel two-rotor//5-speed manual

Horsepower: 255 horsepower @ 6,500 RPM (stock USDM models), approx. 360 horsepower (current)

Torque: 217 pound-feet @ 5,000 RPM (stock USDM models)

Seating Capacity: 2 (USDM models), 4 (JDM models)

Cargo Volume: 5.7 cubic feet

MPG: 17 city, 25 highway, 23 combined

Curb Weight: approx. 2,780 pounds

Less than 14,000 USDM FD RX-7s exist out of 69,000-plus FD RX-7s produced globally between 1992 and 2002. That relative commonness, combined with its temperamental engine and perceived build quality hiccups, kept resale values in check as its peers soared far beyond the heliopause. With its hike into the $30,000 to $40,000 range for decent examples, still noticeably less than similar-condition Skylines and Supras, people tread cautiously.

This white USDM RX-7, minty fresh with less than 30,000 miles on the clock, begs to differ and makes a case for a reliable rotary, if such a thing can exist. Mimicking the coveted Spirit R in appearance, its modifications go deep beneath the skin, utilizing knowledge honed over decades of the platform’s cult following.

Built By A Honda Guy, Taught On The Internet

Godges sought to treat himself following his transition from university to the workforce a decade ago. His dream car was a Honda NSX, which had become unobtanium on the second-hand market to people just entering a new career. However, a low-mile FD under the care of its original and now-geriatric owner, who purchased it brand new here in Vegas in 1993, presented itself. Honda or not, it was too pristine to pass up.

“I feel bad because this thing was never my dream car,” Godges reflects. “I’m more of a Honda guy. Even the color scheme with the Spirit R seats, I found cool because it kind of mimics the Honda Type Rs. But I know for many people, this car in this state of build is their dream car. But you know? It grew on me.”

An engineer by trade, Godges fell enamored with the rotary’s allure, anyway, and sought to extract every ounce of potential without harming its inherent character or everyday usability. Within the first three years, his RX-7 slowly transitioned from being an old man’s time capsule into an understated track star, focusing on accessible performance and enhanced reliability thanks to the abundance of support he found online.

“You delete the oil metering pump because it’s a potential failure point, and you get more consistent lubrication with premix,” he explains. “Once that’s done, you can switch to fully synthetic oil and have its benefits without worrying about burning it because your seals are only lubricated with premix, and the engine oil only lubricates everything else. You get better overall lubrication and almost no oil consumption.”

Other decisions include switching to pure coolant in an unpressurized cooling system to reduce the chances of blowing hoses or corroding hardware, negating the reduced cooling capacity with a much larger Koyorad radiator. A GReddy V-mount intercooler dominates the engine bay and chills heat-soaked intake temps from the unshielded air intake and the rotary’s inherently high operating temperatures. Anything rubber has been converted to silicone.

“None of this is made-up stuff. This is actually advice from Mazdaspeed themselves, things they tell owners that want to use their street cars for sportier applications, since a lot of what’s stock is there for economy and emissions. These are the same techniques they use on their 787B race car or like their 20B race engines.”

You Still Have To Commute To The Touge

For something so extreme on paper, the result is shockingly… docile?

Start-up is painless. Its HKS Super Turbo catback is throaty yet reserved when it’s not coaxed. A tame exhaust and no engine porting create an RX-7 that’s content with gently wafting around town, with temps reading surprisingly cool on a hundred-degree summer day. The most hardcore aspect is the manual-converted steering, which utilizes an aftermarket rack designed for a Lotus. It was a quick concession for addressing a leaky steering pump, and even then, it’s not atrocious at low speeds.

Preserving this FD’s usability was a success. Even the OEM stereo works and sounds great and has been rigged so that Godges and I could rip to the tune of Super Eurobeat albums. You know. Like nerds.

But, as I warn with all old Japanese cars, please sit in one before you buy! The FD’s voluptuous lines hide how tiny it is, as small as today’s BRZ, and its cockpit interior doesn’t feel much more cavernous than an NA Miata’s. Thank goodness, the cutesy sunroof in a car this small doesn’t eat up much headroom.

Otherwise, you can easily forgo a trailer and drive this to the track yourself, which its owner does. And yet, as livable as it is, once you’ve reached the track or back road you’ve spent hours in transit for, the RX-7 still isn’t shy to flaunt what it’s meant to be: An S-tier driver’s car.

A Red Sun At Heart

I get why that loud-mouthed hot head from that one anime lived and died by this car, and it wasn’t just copium laced with plot armor.

“Even in a brief drive, the RX-7 proved taut, hunkered down, stuck to the pavement, quick, fast, and hard-edged,” MotorTrend’s Don Fuller noted in a first drive review. “It carves through canyons like a mean outside linebacker on a pass rush.”

“It’s sensational on the twisties out of Prescott—never any duress or doubt,” Car and Driver staff praised in a 1993 comparison. “The bite, balance, and brakes are A-1. Just about perfect for going the snakiest way with little chance of getting bit.”

Now, with over a hundred more ponies than stock, the only thing getting bit by an RX-7 is the road beneath you.

Swinging this thing from hairpin to hairpin, sweeper to sweeper, the Bridgestone RE-71 tires enveloping the squared set of SakeBomb Garage wheels, reimagined replicas of the RX-7 Type RZ wheels, never relinquish grip at a fast back road pace. The FD’s advantages in agility compared to a Skyline GT-R and chassis communication compared to today’s GR86 are otherworldly.

There’s feedback through the bottom of the Spirit R Recaros. There’s feedback through the floorboard. There’s feedback through the top of the gear lever and the edges of the steering wheel. There’s feedback everywhere.

The manual steering rack lightens significantly at speed but weighs back up with load, transmitting Morse code from the front tires, and is utterly devoid of play or numbness. These reverberations tell you exactly how the car feels. However, sensations over rough tarmac can make your palms ache if you white-knuckle the wheel too hard.

The brake and throttle pedals are spaced for effortless heel-toeing and weighted for excellent modulation. Other old cars can feel too heavy, while newer cars often feel way too sensitive. The Miata-like shifter works a smartly ratioed five-speed that never felt too short or long-legged on the tight asphalt ribbons draped over the state line.

The Öhlins Road & Track coilovers yield an impressively compliant ride at all speeds. The car is never upset over Goodsprings’ tattered two-lanes that have never been maintained since 842 A.D. Body control remains superb, and the double-wishbone suspension at all corners keeps alignment and handling predictable under load and over varying road conditions.

As for the 13B rotary, this massaged example blends an assuring smoothness with a spicy zing as it shrieks to its 8,250 rpm ceiling, 250 rpm higher than stock. Its estimated 360 horsepower is plenty to keep its 2,800-pound frame glued to the ass end of more powerful cars. 0-to-60 in 5.3 seconds and the quarter-mile in 14.0 seconds at 100 mph for stock cars is believable, and I won’t be shocked if this one can beat down on today’s muscle cars.

The notorious torque dip as the twin turbos perform their sequential activation is felt for only a split second. Godges believes the tune on his A’PEXi Power FC has considerably smoothed the powerband. Although I can’t speak for a bone stock RX-7, what remains is amusing and mostly unobtrusive. However, I’m warned of being caught off guard mid-corner by that 4,000-rpm boost creep.

“These were considered widow makers in their day,” Godges lightheartedly notes. “There’ve been a few times on track where I’ve felt it want to snap because the turbos suddenly surge in the middle of a corner for just that moment. It’s charming in its own way. But man.”

An All-Time Great Now and Forever

If it wasn’t already obvious, no, a Mazda RX-7 isn’t for everyone. No shit. Godges says so. Seemingly, all my rotary-owning friends say so. Everyone implores me to steer clear. “Don’t buy an FD, bro,” is the number one thing FD owners tell me. Too many maintenance woes for a level of speed that can be found elsewhere. Fine, fine, I get it.

But c’mon. Just let me smoke the same pipe they’re smoking. I want whatever has them believing that a little premix and the threat of flooding because you moved your car three feet are worthwhile compromises for this kind of high.

Keisuke Takahashi was right. The Red Suns were right. Han Lue, Orange Julius, and 2001-era Dominic Toretto were all right. The FD Mazda RX-7 stands tall among the best driver’s cars, both of its age and the present day, and thrashing one with a fire in your heart and Eurobeat in your ears is worth every moment of your anime or video game fantasies. It’s that good. Or, well, at least this little white comet is that good.

Now, Mazda. Finish the production Iconic SP, already. 

And before we go any further, no, I haven’t seen Ronin. Don’t ask. Sorry to disappoint those hoping for more movie references, but that’s okay. A good car like the D2 S8 doesn’t need stardom to attain greatness. It just has to be genuine.

Remembering The Lost Bahnstormer

Even at 20-plus years old, Nye’s S8 doesn’t look a day over 10. It’s clean. It’s tidy. It’s a mostly pristine example of a late-90s to 2000s Audi, rocking 73,000 miles on the clock without a single hole anywhere in its upholstery and an OEM+ CarPlay unit as its only mod. He’s only had it for a year at the time of publishing, but its current state is the way he intends to keep it. A drivable time capsule… Er, with CarPlay.

“I think I’ve only put 3,000 or so miles on it, and most of that was driving it back from Texas and a road trip to Palm Springs a few months ago,” Nye explains as he details how it stays so minty under the Vegas sun, which he partly attributes to his frequent absences when he’s away as a commercial pilot. “It mostly sits around the airport parking garage where it feels it belongs.”

Specs:

Current Values: $10,000 to $30,000 (based on mileage and condition)

Powertrain: 4.2L DOHC V8 // 5-speed automatic

Horsepower: 364 horsepower @ 7,000 RPM

Torque: 317 pound-feet @ 3,400 RPM

Seating Capacity: 4

Cargo Volume: 17.6 cubic feet

MPG: 13 city, 20 highway, 15 combined

Curb Weight: approx. 3,860 pounds

Actual production numbers are tricky to find, but it’s widely agreed that North America got about 1,250 cars, if not fewer. The D2 was the first-ever S8. The D2 A8 as a whole was also the first Audi to utilize an aluminum space frame, which they proudly proclaimed with a circular emblem on the corner of the door sill and B-pillar. The D2 S8 was also the first Audi sports sedan to be featured as an action movie hero car, thanks to Ronin, starting a lineage that’d later be followed by The Transporter, Taken, Hitman, and more.

Fun fact. The key phrases earlier are “sports sedan” and “action movie,” as the first Audi movie car was actually an Audi 5000 in E.T.

A Transcontinental Express

“No, no, I mean drive this car,” Nye offered. “Take it wherever, do what you got to do, and really feel it out.”

I originally planned to take the car for the evening. Nye insisted I take it for the weekend. Was he this generous because this generation was truly exceptional? Or was it to flex some Bush-era motoring on a Zoomer who was still shitting their pants when this car was discontinued? Ah, well. Didn’t matter. At that point, it’d only be rude to refuse. And so I took his keys and wafted towards the horizon.

I took the long way home on the first night, chasing the mountains’ edge at the city outskirts as the sun dipped beneath their peaks. The S8 delighted me as I’m sure it did some young exec back in my diaper years, puttering along and lazily slushing its five gears below 3,000 rpm as I blasted Japanese city pop through crystal-clear OEM speakers.

The leather was a little firm, but the seats were plenty supportive, and the split armrests that double as storage cubbies are an ingenious touch I wish more large cars emulated. Aircon blows frosty through seven forward vents, just like the cooling system that works tirelessly to ensure that lump of a V8 never bumps the temp needle above half, even during 100-degree summers.

Audi’s efforts also get the Friends N’ Family stamp of approval. A family birthday dinner on the second night and a movie outing with friends the following night were exercises of the S8’s unwavering talent for shuttling adults in comfort and speed. On the Strip, it blends seamlessly into the neon-lit river of Ubers and limos before making the highway excursion home without breaking a sweat like a proper Bahnstormer, all with three passengers in tow.

If there’s any bone to pick, it’s those door plastics showing their age more than any other interior material by a country mile, picking up scratches and wearing loose with time, feeling more Volkswagen than Audi as a result. Audi isn’t the only one guilty of chintzy plastics, however, as it was seemingly a trend that plagued that era of German cars.

Those S Badges Mean Something

What isn’t chintzy is how the S8 conducts itself while bearing its badge, which presumably meant “Super-fast-as-hell-my-dude,” or something like that in German. At a Car and Driver-tested 5.8 seconds to 60 and 14.4 seconds to the quarter-mile at 99 mph, it surely was super fast in its day, and its unflappable highway manners and 155-mph top speed certainly cement that.

Okay, fine. The gruntier Mercedes-Benz S55 AMG, despite being heavier and rear-drive versus the S8’s Quattro all-wheel drive, was 0.3 and 0.4 seconds quicker, respectively, with a quarter-mile trap three mph faster. Today’s ND Miata and GR86 also blitz the S8 by roughly the same amount. However, it’s still no slacker. Like its bodywork, it just likes to carry itself with a little more restraint and maturity.

The 4.2-liter V8, a smooth and capable workhorse, thrums enthusiastically to its 7,000-rpm peak, its hushed exhaust getting throatier once it starts singing in the higher octaves. The five-speed auto is decent at executing firm, timely upshifts and holding gears to keep you basking in the V8’s powerband in Sport, although it’s a little recalcitrant when downshifting or manually swapping cogs. A DSG, this most certainly is not, but it better suits its character, anyway–no one is or ever will track these things.

Just as sorted is the suspension. The S8 is brilliantly composed and is as well-suited to carving as it is commuting. Height is nearly an inch lower than a standard D2 A8, with larger sway bars, 40% firmer compression damping, and 30% firmer spring rates. Capable of 0.88 g back in the day, it nearly matched the sportier and more aggressive S55’s 0.90 g, a figure which Nye’s particular S8 can easily obliterate with its Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber.

“It’s shockingly light in the front, which it shouldn’t be,” Nye raves, lauding Audi’s suspension tuning and the S8’s apparent reluctance to understeer. “The engine is in front of the front wheels, basically. I don’t know how they made it drive so well. It shouldn’t.”

“It’s fleet, secure, and quietly confident,” Car and Driver’s Daniel Pund praises in an in-period review. “It corners flat and true and stops with reassuring force.”

“Four-piston Brembo ventilated disc brakes and 18-inch Avus wheels wrapped in 245/45ZR18 Dunlop SP Sport tires serve up good stops and sharp cornering,” MotorTrend’s Chuck Schifsky notes in a short first-drive review. “Its ride is slightly rougher than that of an A8, but the S8’s improved steering response and reduced body roll are worth it.”

This leviathan is a shockingly competent sweetheart when the highway fades into scenic two-lanes, dispatching undulations, midcorner bumps, and fast esses without fuss. It’ll never be mistaken for a sports car, but to move like this in a near-two-ton luxo sedan carries its own sense of whimsy.

Its athleticism is noticeable on the street but doesn’t detract from the luxury experience. It merely gives bumps a bit more of an edge but is never upsetting, and it pays off when the S8 leans ever so slightly, digs in, and holds steady all the way around a bend. Surely, at douchebag pace around a racetrack, that hilariously forward-mounted V8 will rear its fugly head. But at a spirited backroad pace, which is how most of these will be driven anyway, it’s more than up to the task.

I’m sure the Lexus IS350 F Sport I outran in the twisties near Goodsprings would agree.

One of Audi’s Finest Is A Modern Classic

Here I am, writing this review, looking back on a car I forgot existed until weeks ago with deeply rose-tinted goggles. But, of course, it’s not perfect.

Rarity and age make it a challenge to source parts, not to mention their high cost. Those 4.2-liter V8s are their own maintenance hurdle, but Nye is more so kept awake at night by the transmission, notorious for either running a gazillion miles or disintegrating into atoms without notice. It lacks the aggression of its contemporaries in both speed and looks, and, frankly, an immaculate Lexus LS or Toyota Celsior for the same money will be far more coddling. And, again, seriously, what are these door plastics?

But a D2 S8 is still a good car. A damn good, lovably endearing car in a way the Germans don’t really do anymore, with all-wheel drive capability to boot and a “just right” way in which it balances comfort and performance like no other of its era.

As Nye puts it best: “It’s used Kia Soul money for so much car.” Quick enough, with a sonorous V8, and an impressively multitalented chassis lends to the D2 S8 being an Audi worth remembering, with or without Robert De Niro fame points. 

First, let me preface this by admitting that I’m a total noob at watches. My collection is modest and half-comprised of gifted watches. My knowledge is an inch or two below surface level at best, and I’ll likely never be a connoisseur. But I do have an appreciation and curiosity for the craft, which was enough to goad me to attend after receiving the invite.

And so, there I was at the Shelby American museum in Las Vegas on a Wednesday night, fresh off the clock from my day job, horrifically underdressed in a tie-dyed shirt, a loose button-up, and a beanie. It felt as though I stood out like a mangled thumb amongst a crowd of fashion brand reps dressed to the nines. My only visual connection to them was the Seiko on my wrist. But that didn’t matter.

What mattered was that we were there together, enjoying fine dining, free drinks, and classic Shelby eye candy for the unveiling of a new Bulova watch that will further cement this continuous synergy between the worlds of timekeeping and automotive. It was a small gathering at a badass venue for what commemorates an equally revered marque in motorsports history, as well as Bulova’s 150th anniversary. The museum itself was open to explore, from its department-store-sized merch shop to the actual Shelby factory.

Anything Shelby, from the new cars being assembled to the Ford V. Ferrari movie cars, and even the new S650 Mustang-based Super Snakes and GT350s, were present, although the Radwood-era Shelby Dodges that are usually here were absent. Sorry, Chrysler fans.

As for timepieces, Bulova took center stage as the night’s main focus. Originating in Queens, New York, in 1875, the company boasts a motorsports heritage spanning decades, and its comparatively friendly pricing makes it an ideal companion for collaboration with Shelby American, whose upbringing and racing successes have become a widely known underdog story. We all know how much the world loves rooting for those.

And you know what? Quite the collaboration, it is! Or maybe my simple-minded self is biased because I love the color blue. You look at it and decide for yourself.

Bulova, along with a few head honchos of Shelby American, cracked open the box on its new Shelby Limited Edition Racing Watch. It’s a special and comparatively rare piece, with only 7,500 slated for production. The blue dial with white-striped bracelet references Shelby’s most famous cars, like the many Cobras, GT40s, and GT350s that call the museum home, and its bezel is a shrunken-down caricature of stopwatches from long ago. It’s a bespoke design, yet it seems to borrow traits from Bulova’s Racer Chronograph series. The resulting watch is a neo-retro throwback that’s sure to strike up conversations at many car-and-coffees when it hits stores in September.

I’m no fashion critic. I have zero “drip,” as my generation would say, and tastes are always subjective. That said, perhaps the sheer vibrancy of the Shelby watch in a sea of silver bracelets and grayscale dials will be perceived as a little gaudy–or very gaudy–to some. For me, it’s blue, shiny, and colorful to tickle my brain just right. It even comes with an adorable and sharply detailed GT350 die-cast to match.

Now, let’s put aside the shiny blue watch and the cars it’s surrounded by. Big-block Cobras are fine and dandy, but just as notable was how Bulova’s new watch proved that the connection between timepieces and cars goes deeper than collaborative products between seemingly unlikely mashups. I mean, it has to, right?

After amassing a small collection and befriending a few fanatics here and there, I thought I had already understood the connection well enough, even as a rookie. But I chatted it up with the person who invited me out, event co-organizer and fellow auto journalist Michael Satterfield of The Gentleman Racer, just to be sure.

“Well, it’s pretty much all motorsports,” Satterfield explains. “It all goes back to timing, right? From the very beginning, motorsports would use watches and other timepieces for everything. Testing, lapping, and record-setting, it was all done with watches, hence the many collaborations with racing and watch companies. The chronograph on your wrist, for instance, is an example of that.”

In short, a need for record-keeping driven by competition has been the driving force since the beginning. Teams needed robust and accurate timepieces to prove their performance against adversaries down to mere fractions of a second. Satterfield detailed past relationships between renowned watchmakers and world-famous racing leagues, as well as bantered with me about the lengths old racers and some present-day collectors go to for race timing, including strapping stopwatches to the dashboards of their cars.

Today, we may find it quirky and humorous-looking. A method of another era with a uniquely steampunk aesthetic. But in hindsight, how is it any different than modern-day race cars or track builds with GPS lap timers? Or what about high-end sports cars with built-in chronographs? Looking at you, especially, Porsche.

It’s not any different. Not at all. That tie is arguably the main reason why chronographs were and still are a thing. As Satterfield pointed out, even the HKS collaboration Seiko chronograph I wore signifies that bond to racing’s past.

Hell, timekeeping even goes as deep as when my friends and I were deadbeat highschoolers using the stopwatch apps on our phones to see how fast our hundred-horsepower shitboxes ran from zero to 60–it was in the ten-second range, by the way, thanks for asking.

“There’s Tag Heuer and Formula 1, for instance. Before, it was Rolex. And then there’s Bulova with Formula 1 and NASCAR, as you’ve seen with the vintage displays,” Satterfield concludes, referencing the memorabilia immortalizing Bulova’s rich history.

Today, Bulova doesn’t sponsor any big auto racing, although they do sponsor boat racing as of 2024. However, through timepieces like its Racer Chronograph series and the new Shelby watch, the brand still acknowledges and appreciates its vivid past, as though to say those racing days will always be a part of its identity.

I consulted with a good friend, watch fanatic, and automotive videographer, Gavin Pouquette, for his own worldview later that night. He reaffirmed both his and my belief in the two cultures intersecting, not only through battle on the race track, but also through less gladiatorial means —a shared appreciation for their mechanical crafts as a form of art.

“It’s [watches and watch culture] the culmination of art, science, and engineering,” Pouquette explains. “It’s the engagement of a math machine on your wrist that’s also appealing to use, or just to look at.”

There are those of us who enjoy nice cars or watches simply because they’re pretty. No deeper understanding of all the nitty-gritty technical aspects necessary. And there’s no harm in that. At that point, it becomes an appreciation for the talent of artists, with the artists being the creatives within these companies whose drafts make it from paper to production.

Like oogling over the four-wheeled sculptures signed by Bertone or Pinninfarina, one can also find oneself ensnared by the lines, mechanisms, and luster of the best watchmakers’ work. It’s not even a matter of status or fashion anymore when distilled to that very essence. It’s just something pretty. And to a few, that’s all that counts.

For instance, Paganis aren’t the last word in supercars. They’re not the fastest, most track-capable, most expensive, or most technologically advanced. Yet, that doesn’t stop them from being one of the most hallowed automakers. Sometimes, aura is all it takes, and the right timepiece can carry it in spades.

In the end, my curiosities were sated for the night. I walked away affirmed that cars and watches are two sides of the same generations-old coin. They’re both mechanical, engineering, and design marvels, admired on their own, but then became bound by competitive sport since the second car rolled off the line. And beyond both their sporting and everyday practical purposes, they garner widespread adoration for a higher level of craftsmanship and visual appeal, highlighting the dedication that those who produce them have put into them.

Watches and cars have often intertwined. And it seems, for one reason or another, they always will be until the end of time.