California Concours d'Lemons 2022: The Absolute Worst Cars at Monterey Car Week

genesis g90 Full OverviewWe get excited when ordinary becomes extraordinary, and that's exactly what you'll find with the 2023 Genesis G90. The Korean automaker's flagship sedan receives a complete makeover, and the new generation takes the existing G90 to a whole new level. Make no mistake, today's G90 is already a wonderful car; it impressed us so much, it won a comparison against the BMW 7 Series, Lexus LS, and Lincoln Continental.The 2023 Genesis G90 is a step in the right direction, building on the outgoing car while adding more luxury features and technology that focus on passengers' emotional state as well as on ergonomics. We spent a couple of hours with the 2023 Genesis G90 at the Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles, home of golf's Genesis Invitational, and although we didn't drive the car (we will around the middle of the year), the attention to detail inside the cabin and aimed toward passengers blew us away.How Are You Doing?When someone asks you that question, chances are your response isn't entirely honest or complete. The 2023 Genesis G90 tries to change this with a feature focused on your mood. Depending on your emotions, Mood Curator adjusts the ambient lighting and sound system while the window shades open or close automatically, and a fragrance sprays through the air vents to relax you. The massaging seats are also enabled to enhance the experience. There are four different mood modes, and you may customize each of them.If that's not impressive enough, perhaps the reclining rear seats with footrests are. The seats recline a fair amount, though not business-class flat. With the front passenger seat and seat back in their forward-most positions, the Genesis G90's reclined rear seat can accommodate adults who are up to around 5-foot-9. This scribe stands just taller than 6 feet, and my feet touched the front seat back during full recline.Your mood might also be enhanced by the 23-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system, which positions speakers in key areas of the 2023 Genesis G90's cabin. Although the car is equipped with a ton of sound-deadening material, the system minimizes exterior noise by adjusting the in-car noise depending on the speed at which the vehicle travels.Indeed, the attention to detail is so extensive, the blind-spot monitor "beep" sounds its alarm only through the driver's headrest speakers without distracting the rest of the occupants. We didn't get to test this feature, but we were massively impressed by how much Genesis designers and engineers focused their attention on everyone traveling in the vehicle.Screens Without the OverloadScreens have become a big feature in luxury cars. Porsche, Mercedes, and even Jeep have now placed displays running from one corner of the dash to the other. Genesis, however, opted to take a different route while keeping a clean cabin design. The digital instrument cluster is flanked by a wing-like design that separates it from the infotainment display, making the cabin feel premium but without the screen overload. Buttons for the infotainment are placed under the slim air vents, and the driver or front passenger can operate the screen via touch or a rotary knob located next to the rotary shifter on the center console.Rear passengers can also control the sound system, temperature, and other features via a screen located in the rear center console. The 8.0-inch touch display found in the center armrest can also be used to adjust seat position, massage settings, curtains, and ambient lighting.Another fun feature found in the G90 sees all four doors close with the push of a button located on the center console or on the door panel.New Materials, Great QualityWhile the 2023 Genesis G90 will be available with different interior options, the one we had access to at the Riviera Country Club featured crushed carbon-fiber trim with metal inlays, which looks contemporary and elegant. It's something we haven't seen before, and we applaud Genesis for trying something new and coming up with fresh ideas. The door panels' metal inlays carried the same diamond pattern as the grille.Of course, there will be various trims available if the crushed carbon-fiber isn't your thing. The manufacturer will offer wood and other materials when the 2023 Genesis G90 arrives in U.S. dealers by the middle of 2022.Looks good! More details?

cadillac lyriq Full OverviewProsGreat lookingUnique and stylish interiorDrives like a classic Cadillac in the best ways ConsInfotainment interface is a bit fussySilly door handlesWorrying assembly issuesThe 2023 Cadillac Lyriq represents an important reset for the storied American luxury brand. After a resurgence around the turn of the millennium that started with the Art and Science-design Cadillac CTS and Escalade and through a period that ended with the demise of the CTS-V Sport Wagon, Cadillac was on a roll. But it then squandered its momentum, ceding ground as a cool status symbol to archnemesis Lincoln and upstarts like Tesla. The industry-wide pivot to electrification is a chance for the brand to wipe the slate clean, and the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq 450E is the first fruit of that labor. But is it another CTS, or is Caddy having another ELR or CT6 moment? We're about to find out.What Makes the Cadillac Lyriq Tick?Cadillac's association with General Motors has often been more of a curse than a blessing, resulting in sport sedans with unrefined truck motors and/or switchgear shared with $20,000 Chevrolets. In the Lyriq's case, however, the association is no curse. The Lyriq rides on GM's new bleeding-edge modular Ultium electric vehicle platform, which allowed Cadillac designers the freedom to pen a midsize SUV that somehow manages to recall the mid-century modern greats of Cadillac's postwar years while also looking contemporary and visionary.Propelling our Lyriq 450E Debut Edition test car and its long dash-to-axle ratio and kammback rear end is a rear-mounted motor good for 340 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque, backed by a quick-charging 102-kWh battery pack. The EPA says the Lyriq should be able to cover 312 miles on a charge, and the 190-kW peak rate helps ensure you aren't spending much time tethered to a public charger when necessary. A dual-motor all-wheel-drive Lyriq is also planned. You can get the full details of the rest of the Lyriq package, including its passive suspension system, by checking out our First Drive here.How Fast Is the Lyriq?With just a single, modestly powerful motor, we weren't expecting Tesla Model Y Performance, uh, performance out of our rear-drive Lyriq test vehicle, yet it still impressed. The Lyriq zipped from 0-60 mph in just 5.7 seconds and through the quarter mile in a respectable 14.2 seconds at 100.5 mph. That's significantly slower than many electric SUVs in the segment (most of which offer dual-motor all-wheel drive as standard), including the slowest Model Y we've tested, which needed 4.1 seconds to 60 mph and a 12.4 second quarter mile at 114.8 mph. Yet it's as quick or quicker than many of its gas-powered contemporaries, including the Lincoln Nautilus, Genesis GV80, and Mercedes-Benz GLE.And although its 134-foot 60-0-mph performance leaves us a little wanting, the Lyriq manages a respectable 27.2-second figure-eight lap while averaging 0.64 g. Not bad considering its 5,654-pound curb weight.Is the Lyriq Better on the Road?The Lyriq drives wonderfully out in the real world. Unlike the violent rip-your-face-off acceleration you get in many of its EV competitors, the Lyriq is tuned more conservatively, in many ways mimicking how a big, understressed V-8 performs. Dip into the throttle and you get one big tidal wave of torque that you can surf long past any legal speed limit in this country. "The throttle pedal is well damped, too," said associate editor Duncan Brady. "EVs with instant torque tend to expose less smooth driving habits, but the relaxed response in the default Tour mode makes it easy to drive smoothly." Those looking for more thrills, fret not, as dual-motor and V versions ought to pack more than 500 horsepower.The Lyriq's brakes are tuned well, too. The one-pedal driving mode is smooth and perfectly calibrated, allowing you to come to a complete stop, and should you ever need more braking power, pulling the paddle on the left side of the steering wheel results in even more regenerative deceleration. Those who prefer to brake the old-fashioned way will also find lots to like, as the pedal feels natural and offers plenty of bite.Contemporary high-end Cadillacs are known for their fine ride quality thanks to the wide use of MagneRide dampers, but the Lyriq makes do with a more traditional setup using what GM calls "Passive Plus" frequency-selective dampers. As far as our finely tuned auto journalist butts are concerned, the likely cheaper passive dampers are nearly as good as the fancy magnetorheological ones. The Lyriq floats over all but the harshest impacts—without actually becoming floaty, as did many of its predecessors. Also, like many of its mid-20th-century forerunners, the Lyriq isn't overtly sporty but it handles competently. Put it this way: The Lyriq won't leave you white-knuckling on a curvy road, but it also won't ever be mistaken for Cadillac's finely tuned V performance models, either.Inside the Cadillac LyriqThat's just as well because it's worth slowing down for a beat and appreciating the Lyriq's interior. For the first time in a Cadillac this millennium, the Lyriq features bespoke switchgear and hardware not shared with lesser Buicks, Chevrolets, or GMCs. The new controls make a great impression. "They're beautifully weighted," Brady said. "The real metal and heavyweight feel of the knobs remind me of Bentley. These are not things I anticipated would stand out in Cadillac's new EV, considering how many of the brand's cars share controls with other GM stuff." More than just looking good, the Lyriq is surprisingly functional, too, with hidden storage (such as the drawer lined with blue leather in the center stack), comfortable front seats, and an incredibly spacious back seat and trunk.Still, there's some obvious room for improvement. For starters, Cadillac's infotainment system shows much promise—the curved displays and its Google Maps integration are particularly great—but the UX doesn't make good use of the space, displaying blocks of apps that are difficult to navigate with the control knob. Similarly, the door handles appear to have been engineered in virtual space; getting into the car requires you first press the door handle—which is really just a button masquerading as a handle—to get the latch to release and then grab onto a separate handle hidden in the window trim to pull the doors open … unless you're getting in back, as there aren't any grab points back there. The Lyriq, despite being rear-drive in this test car's case, also lacks the frunk that's become so common on EVs.On the worrying side of the ledger, we experienced build quality issues with our early production Lyriq test vehicle. The charging port cover flapped in the breeze, the rearview mirror vibrated subtly at highway speeds, and a handful of inconsistent panel gaps in the interior distracted from the otherwise beautifully furnished cabin. And although the hardware for it comes standard, our Lyriq also didn't have GM's excellent Super Cruise advanced driver assist system due to the ongoing semiconductor chip shortage. Cadillac says owners will be able to add it at a later date with a software update and an indeterminate subscription fee.Is the Lyriq Worth It?Despite the build issues, though, the Lyriq still feels like a striking value at its $62,990 base and as-tested prices. Stellar to look at, good to drive, and generally easy to live with, the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq 450E Debut Edition provides both a viable and enticing path forward for the brand as we rapidly approach the middle of the 21st century. Second chances are rare. The Lyriq proves that Cadillac isn't wasting one.Looks good! More details?2023 Cadillac Lyriq 450E (Debut Edition) Specifications BASE PRICE $62,990 PRICE AS TESTED $62,990 VEHICLE LAYOUT Rear-motor, RWD, 5-pass, 4-door SUV MOTOR TYPE Permanent-magnet electric POWER (SAE NET) 340 hp TORQUE (SAE NET) 325 lb-ft TRANSMISSION 1-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 5,654 lb (49/51%) WHEELBASE 121.8 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 196.7 x 77.8 x 63.9 in 0-60 MPH 5.7 sec QUARTER MILE 14.2 sec @ 100.5 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 134 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.79 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 27.2 sec @ 0.64 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 97/82/82 mpg-e EPA RANGE, COMB 312 miles ON SALE Now Show All

audi s8 Full OverviewOur MotorTrend test team cycles through hundreds of vehicles a year, and an old pro like road test editor Chris Walton has been in and out of thousands of them during his career. So when he starts waxing poetic about a car like the 2022 Audi S8, you better believe we sit up and take notice."Wow. What a sleeper," Walton said of the S8 super sedan we recently had in for testing. "It's way too easy to find yourself driving 90 mph without noticing it. I could live with this car for the remainder of my life." That's a bold statement, Chris, do go on. "The whole thing kind of shrinks around you and makes it feel like an S6. Goodness, what an achievement this thing is."He's right, of course, about all the sleeping and shrinking 2022 S8 does. This particular car looks downright menacing, as well, thanks in large part to its Daytona Gray pearl paint scheme offset by a Black Optic Plus package ($2,100) that adds 21-inch, 10-spoke gloss black rims shod with summer tires, and other blacked-out elements including Audi's famed four-ring badge adorning (what else?) a bold black grille.There's also some menace in its exhaust note, a bombastic baritone that bellows out from its 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8, which produces 563 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque. The engine is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission that proved smooth and quick under hard acceleration. It all works in concert to move the S8's significant 5,204-pound mass with authority.Audi S8 0-60 mph Time: Very ImpressiveGiven its prodigious poundage, the 2022 S8's 0-60-mph time of 3.7 seconds is darn impressive. Its Quattro all-wheel-drive system and attendant sport differential certainly don't hurt matters when you're firing it out of the starting block, and the S8 also has a launch control feature that further aids the cause.The test team reported some issues getting the S8 to launch right—but when it does, it launches hard. "Because the window of optimal boost and rpm is brief, and if you miss it you must wait a bit before trying launch control again. But when everything works, you get neck-snapping acceleration. Very harsh shifts from 1-2-3," road test analyst Alan Lau noted.Audi S8 Quarter-Mile Time: Low 12s Will Do After hammering past the 60-mph mark, the 2022 S8 barreled its way to a quarter-mile time of 12.2 seconds at 113.0 mphagain, a heck of a number for a car of its size and class. It's hard to find an apples-to-apples comparison to the 2022 S8 given its curb weight and configuration other than maybe the BMW Alpina B7 xDrive or the last-generation Mercedes S63 AMG, as most of the 2.5-ton machines we've tested in the past few years are either SUVs or EVs.Interestingly, one of the closest EVs we found to compare the S8 against is another Audi, the dual-motor E-Tron GT Prestige sedan, which weighs in at 5,095 pounds. That car hit 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and on to a quarter mile of 11.9 seconds at 118.8 mph. Of course, the E-Tron doesn't get the S8's twin-turbo terror of a V-8, but you won't have to pay a gas-guzzler tax or live with the S8's officious inefficiency, either (it's EPA rated at 14/23/17 mpg city/highway/combined). Different power strokes for different folks.Audi S8: Getting Its Oversteer OnAs for the rest of the 2022 Audi S8's overall abilities, once again, with the "for its weight" caveat out of the way, its stopping distance of 105 feet from 60 mph is as impressive as its acceleration. Lau reported the following: "The brake pedal feel seems to be tuned with a good balance between comfort and performance. It's not overly touchy and easy to modulate. When it comes to very aggressive braking, they get the job done very well." Walton added that the brakes were "tremendous and easy to modulate to just stay barely out of the ABS" during his testing.But it was out at our figure-eight (24.4 seconds at 0.79 g avg) and skidpad (0.95 g avg) tests where Walton truly fell in love with the S8 and its capabilities. "The way it turns in makes it feel so much smaller and lighter," he wrote in his notes. "The steering is a bit vague in feel but very precise. The car takes a very neutral attitude, just barely dancing on oversteer. The way it drives off the corner with the all-wheel drive (the S8 also comes standard with a four-wheel-steering system) is phenomenal."Comfort, Plus a Whole Lot MoreSo yes, the S8 does things cars of its size, heft, and weight distribution (55/45 percent front/rear) have no business doing from a performance standpoint. But when it comes to its other mission as a cosseting luxury limo, all play and no relaxation can make for a bone-jarring bad time. That's where the S8's Comfort+ setting and its optional predictive active suspension ($6,000) come in to help smooth the road ahead. As with other systems of its type, the predictive suspension uses a camera to read the oncoming surface, sense jarring impacts or other undulations, and react accordingly to soften the S8's ride.In addition to the fancy active footwork, the 2022 S8 has all manner of standard and optional luxury trappings (this particular S8's black interior, trimmed with carbon accents, looked stealthy chic), as well as safety systems and other craftsmanship befitting a car that starts at $118,995 and rang up at $135,595 as tested.It's a car you won't see many of to begin with and one that you can be assured won't be around for much longer in its present configuration. It's a special sport sedan for a chosen few. So if you happen to be in the Los Angeles area and see one blow past you, it could very well be a certain MT staffer at the wheel (if he robbed a bank or raided his 401(k) to get one, that is). Be sure to say hi—if you can catch him.Looks good! More details?2022 Audi S8 Specifications BASE PRICE $118,995 PRICE AS TESTED $135,595 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan ENGINE 4.0L Twin-turbo direct-injected DOHC 32-valve 90-degree V-8 POWER (SAE NET) 563 hp @ 6,000 rpm TORQUE (SAE NET) 590 lb-ft @ 2,050 rpm TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 5,204 lb (55/45%) WHEELBASE 123.2 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 209.5 x 76.6 x 58.5 in 0-60 MPH 3.7 sec QUARTER MILE 12.2 sec @ 113.0 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 105 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.95 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 24.4 sec @ 0.79 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 14/23/17 mpg EPA RANGE, COMB 369 miles ON SALE Now Show All