Automotive

Wednesday, September 30, 2020

2020 BMW M8 Gran Coupe Review

 

2020 BMW M8 Gran Coupe

Overview


BMW no longer makes the ultimate driving machines, but the 2020 M8 Gran Coupe proves it's still committed to making outrageously powerful machines. 

The sedan's twin-turbo V-8 generates between 600 and 617 horsepower, and its anamorphous all-wheel-drive system can simulate rear-drive rowdiness. Per M-car tradition, this four-door Bimmer features a pumped-up appearance and exclusive performance equipment. 

2020 BMW M8 Gran Coupe

Of course, its interior is as picturesque and posh as sitting poolside at a five-star resort. There's also an enticing array of high-tech and luxurious features to satisfy passengers who aren't preoccupied with reaching extralegal speeds and clipping apexes on a race track. 

Although the M8 Gran Coupe is the definition of excessive, it's also a synonym for exhilarating.

2020 BMW M8 Gran Coupe


What's New for 2020?

The M8 Gran Coupe is all new for 2020. It slots above the regular BMW 8-series Gran Coupe, which itself is a four-door version of the 8-series coupe and convertible. In terms of BMW sedans, this is the company's definitive driver's car.

2020 BMW M8 Gran Coupe

Pricing and Which One to Buy

Those who want M-car performance are obviously willing to spend M-car money. In this case, the base M8 Gran Coupe costs about $21,000 more than the one-rung-below BMW M850i. 

While I'd be content with the cheaper M850i and its detuned twin-turbo V-8, the M8 Gran Coupe is the only antidote for BMW enthusiasts who want the company's fastest four-door. 

2020 BMW M8 Gran Coupe

For that reason, I'd recommend the M8 Competition. I'd go all-in on the priciest paint option (Frozen Bluestone Metallic), pony up for both Driver Assistance packages, the Comfort Seating package, and tick all the other option boxes. 

These include the carbon-ceramic brakes, M Carbon exterior package, night vision with pedestrian detection, faux-suede headliner, Bowers & Wilkins sound system, and M Driver's package.

2020 BMW M8 Gran Coupe

Engine, Transmission, and Performance


The 2020 M8 Gran Coupe is powered by a lusty twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8 that makes 600 horsepower on the regular model and an additional 17 ponies on the Competition version. 

Both M8s send that power to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. 

2020 BMW M8 Gran Coupe

However, tail-out antics are made possible by a selectable rear-wheel-drive mode that routes all the V-8's fury to the back wheels. 

A specially tuned adaptive suspension is also standard, and it can be adjusted through the sedan's customizable and preset drive modes. 

For those who want the ultimate performance from the M8 Gran Coupe, BMW offers carbon-ceramic brakes on both models and exclusive go-fast goodies on the Competition.

2020 BMW M8 Gran Coupe

Fuel Economy

Regardless of whether you strap into the 600-hp M8 Gran Coupe or the 617-hp Competition model, both Bimmers have the same fuel-economy ratings from the EPA. That means an estimated 15 mpg in the city and 21 mpg on the highway.

2020 BMW M8 Gran Coupe

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo


As with the stubbier BMW M8 coupe and convertible, the Gran Coupe equivalent features an exquisitely appointed interior that looks as rich as it feels. 

2020 BMW M8 Gran Coupe

While the design is more dignified than dazzling, the four-door M8 provides more plentiful rear passenger space. 

2020 BMW M8 Gran Coupe

It also offers a cornucopia of desirable standard features such as a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, 16-way power front seats with memory settings, four-zone climate control, heated and ventilated front seats, leather upholstery, and more. 

2020 BMW M8 Gran Coupe

The cabin also can be enhanced with fancier color schemes and trims as well as a Comfort Seating package. This adds heated seats throughout along with power sunshades for rear-seat passengers.

2020 BMW M8 Gran Coupe

Infotainment and Connectivity


Every 2020 M8 Gran Coupe is equipped with a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system that can also be operated with a rotary controller on the center console. 

2020 BMW M8 Gran Coupe

Along with a 16-speaker, 464-watt Harman/Kardon sound system, the brawny BMW has a Wi-Fi hotspot and Apple CarPlay as standard. 

However, Android Auto is conspicuously absent. Those who aren't satisfied with the default audio unit can upgrade to a more powerful Bowers & Wilkins setup.

2020 BMW M8 Gran Coupe

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

The 2020 M8 Gran Coupe hasn't been crash-tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) at the time of writing this post. 

2020 BMW M8 Gran Coupe

While copious driver-assistance technology is available, everything except forward-collision warning and automated emergency braking costs extra. 

2020 BMW M8 Gran Coupe

Key safety features include:

  •  Available adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go technology
  •  Available blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert
  •  Available lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist

  • 2020 BMW M8 Gran Coupe

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage


BMW provides a competitive limited and power-train warranty compared with luxury rivals. It also provides complimentary scheduled maintenance unlike competitors from Mercedes-AMG.

  •  Limited warranty covers 4 years or 50,000 miles
  •  Power-train warranty covers 4 years or 50,000 miles
  •  Complimentary maintenance is covered for 3 years or 36,000 miles.
  • 2020 BMW M8 Gran Coupe




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Tuesday, September 29, 2020

2021 Volvo V90 Cross Country Review

2021 Volvo V90 Cross Country


Overview


Volvo is a brand that's well known for its wagons, and the Swedish firm's latest long-roof models—including this 2021 V90 Cross Country—are moving this body style upmarket. 

Based on the normal V90 wagon, the V90 Cross Country adds a lifted suspension and standard all-wheel drive for improved capability in inclement weather. 

Like the smaller V60 Cross Country, the V90 Cross Country comes with more rugged styling cues to match its go-anywhere persona. Inside, real wood trim, sculpted seats, and a large cargo area balance practicality with luxury to good effect. 

Driver-assistance features abound, including standard automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection and a semi-autonomous driving mode.

2021 Volvo V90 Cross Country

What's New for 2021?

Like its sedan and wagon counterparts, the V90 Cross Country receives a light refresh for the 2021 model year, complete with tweaks to exterior styling, a new Bowers & Wilkins stereo system, and a cabin-air particulate-filtering system. 

The V90 Cross Country's turbocharged and supercharged four-cylinder engine—called T6 in Volvo-speak—is expected to carry over unchanged to 2021, even though European models will be offered with a 48-volt hybrid system.

2021 Volvo V90 Cross Country

Pricing and Which One to Buy

Volvo hasn't released pricing for the 2021 V90 Cross Country at  the time of writing this post, but I don't expect it to change much from the 2020's outlay. 

All models come with the T6 power-train and all-wheel drive, and most of the wagon's desirable features come standard, including semi-autonomous driving technology, a large sunroof, a digital gauge display, real leather upholstery, and dual-zone automatic climate control.

2021 Volvo V90 Cross Country

Engine, Transmission, and Performance


The T6 engine is a supercharged and turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that makes 316 horsepower. Acceleration is fairly brisk, but the power delivery isn't consistently linear across the entire rev range. It manages to hit 60 mph in 5.9 seconds, which is quick for a family wagon. 

The Mercedes-Benz E450 wagon is quicker still, zipping to 60 mph in just 4.8 seconds. Although the V90 Cross Country does not feel overtly sporty, it is nimble, rides well, and offers impressive cornering competence. The brakes are strong despite the spongy-feeling pedal.

2021 Volvo V90 Cross Country

        Fuel Economy

Because of its small-displacement, forced-induction engine, the V90 Cross Country has one of the highest EPA fuel-economy ratings in the luxury-wagon segment. 

The EPA says the V90 Cross Country should get 30 mpg on the highway.

2021 Volvo V90 Cross Country

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

Mercedes-Benz aside, no company is doing luxury interiors better than Volvo. The Swedish brand's warm and comforting cabins offer a compelling argument for its wagons' premium prices. They offer high-quality trimmings, elegant design, and substantive technology.

 Two-tone leather on the steering wheel, textured knobs, beautiful open-pore wood, artful speaker covers, a vertically oriented tablet-style infotainment screen—it all helps separate the Volvo's vehicles from the pack. As is the case with most wagons, the V90 Cross Country offers generous amounts of interior space. 

2021 Volvo V90 Cross Country

However, it is not quite as efficient in the cargo-hauling department as Mercedes is. Nor can it beat the nonluxury Subaru Outback in that area. The Mercedes and the Subaru both holds more carry-on suitcases behind their rear seats than does the Volvo. 

With all the seats folded, the V90 Cross Country holds 21 cases while the Outback has room for 22 and the E-class, 24.


2021 Volvo V90 Cross Country


Infotainment and Connectivity


The V90 Cross Country comes with a 12.3-inch digital gauge display and a vertically oriented 9.0-inch center touchscreen that includes features such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability. Navigation, USB and Bluetooth connectivity, and in-car Wi-Fi are also standard. 

The Sensus Connect infotainment interface looks nice and is fairly intuitive but is often slow to respond to inputs, especially within the first few minutes of starting the car.

2021 Volvo V90 Cross Country


Safety and Driver-Assistance Features


Volvo has earned a reputation for producing some of the safest cars on the market. It's a reputation the company clearly intends on maintaining, as illustrated by the abundance of standard driver-assistance features on the V90 Cross Country. 

However, it hasn't been tested by either the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) at the time of writing this post. 

Key safety features include:

  •  Standard automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection
  •  Standard lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist
  •  Standard adaptive cruise control with a semi-autonomous driving mode
  • 2021 Volvo V90 Cross Country

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage


Volvo offers warranty protection that is similar to its competitors but gets extra points for offering the longest period of complimentary scheduled maintenance in the class.

  •  Limited warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles
  •  Power-train warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles
  •  Complimentary maintenance is covered for three years or 36,000 miles.
  • 2021 Volvo V90 Cross Country




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Monday, September 28, 2020

2021 Volvo V60 Review

 

2021 Volvo V60

Overview


Practicality and luxury go hand-in-hand in the 2021 Volvo V60 station wagon, which is based on the Swedish automaker's S60 sedan. 

Offered both in regular and lifted Cross Country guise, the V60 is powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder engine and can be had with either front- or all-wheel drive. 

2021 Volvo V60

A high-performance plug-in hybrid variant is also offered and brings big thrills to this grocery-getter— along with up to 22 miles of electric-only driving. 

The V60 and its SUV- inspired V60 Cross Country version have few competitors—the Audi A4 Allroad, the Mercedes-Benz E-class All-Terrain, and the larger Volvo V90 spring to mind—but its posh cabin, long list of standard features, and reasonable base price make it the bargain of the bunch.

2021 Volvo V60

What's New for 2021?


Like the rest of the Volvo lineup, the V60 and V60 Cross Country gain blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, LED head lamps, power-folding exterior mirrors with an auto-dimming feature, and additional USB-C charging ports as standard across the lineup. 

The V60's radio tuner will no longer offer the AM band, but those channels will still be available through the provided TuneIn app. 

2021 Volvo V60

Elsewhere, the Momentum model receives a new 18-inch wheel design, the R-Design trim adds glossy black exterior accents, and the Cross Country receives new Linear Lime wood interior trim as standard. 

The T8 Polestar model now bears the Recharge moniker as a way to symbolize its partial-EV status and denote its place next to the all-electric XC40 Recharge SUV that makes its debut this year.

2021 Volvo V60

Pricing and Which One to Buy


I 'am partial to the racier R-Design trim, which brings such niceties as nappa-leather upholstery, a Harman/Kardon stereo system, unique 18-inch wheels, fog lamps, and sharp exterior styling. 

Most V60 models are front-wheel drive, but if you want an all-wheel-drive model, both the Cross Country and the Recharge T8 Polestar offer that as standard.

2021 Volvo V60

Engine, Transmission, and Performance


Two engines are offered in the 2020 V60 lineup: Cars wearing the T5 badge are powered by a 250-hp turbocharged four-cylinder and come with front-wheel drive in all but the Cross Country model, which comes exclusively with all-wheel drive. 

The T5 power-train is a strong performer, with a 60-mph time of 6.4 seconds. As long as you're not pushing it too hard, the V60 feels agile and responsive through corners. The ride is firm, particularly on models equipped with the optional Sport suspension and 19-inch wheels. 

2021 Volvo V60

The souped-up Recharge T8 Polestar comes with a 415-hp hybrid power-train that pairs a turbo- and supercharged four-cylinder with electric motors and all-wheel drive. This arrangement is far quicker than the T5 model, leaping to 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds. 

The Recharge T8 Polestar also comes with a manually adjustable suspension—something driving enthusiasts will think is cool—so the owner can dial in the car's riding behavior to his or her preference.

2021 Volvo V60

Fuel Economy

The front-wheel-drive T5 models earn EPA fuel-economy ratings of 23 mpg city, 34 mpg highway, and 27 mpg combined. 

In comparison, the all-wheel-drive Cross Country loses some efficiency, rated at 22 city, 31 highway, and 25 combined. 

Despite being the lineup's performance-oriented model, the V60 Recharge T8 Polestar's plug-in-hybrid power-train is fairly efficient.

2021 Volvo V60

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

Volvo has been doing some great interiors lately, and the V60's is no exception, largely mimicking those of the S60 sedan and the XC60 SUV. 

2021 Volvo V60

The cabin is spacious, the seats are comfortable, and the design is undeniably upscale. But Volvo's minimalist approach means that many controls are hidden away inside the infotainment system. 

2021 Volvo V60

Like other Volvos of this vintage, the cabin looks and feels more expensive than it is, which makes it all the more impressive. 

2021 Volvo V60

Cargo capacity is great, too, something I expect from a station wagon. It manages to fit eight carry-on suitcases behind the rear seats and a total of 22 with the seats folded.

2021 Volvo V60

Infotainment and Connectivity


The simple and intuitive nature of the interface makes it easy to operate while driving, so you take the good with the bad.

2021 Volvo V60

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has given the V60 a five-star safety rating but the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has not yet released crash-test results at the time of writing this post. 

2021 Volvo V60

Volvo's safety-focused ethos means driver-assistance features such as lane-keeping assist, automated emergency braking, and other collision-avoidance technologies are standard. 

Key safety features include:

  •  Standard automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection
  •  Standard lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist
  •  Available adaptive cruise control with semi-autonomous driving mode
  • 2021 Volvo V60

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage


Volvo's standard protection plan doesn't break from the luxury-brand norm, offering four years or 50,000 miles for both power-train and limited warranty coverage, but it does add some value in the form of a three-year complimentary scheduled maintenance plan.

  •  Limited warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles
  •  Power-train warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles
  •  Complimentary maintenance is covered for three years or 36,000 miles.
  • 2021 Volvo V60




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