What Is a Dodge GLH and Did It Really Go Like Hell?

Pebble Beach Car Week has come and gone. This year's festivities marked my 12th in a row, and the world's biggest automobile bash/gala/jubilee felt more lively and comprehensive than ever. I went as a guest of Cadillac, which was celebrating the brand's 120th birthday. Caddy showed off its Project GTP Hypercar, a stealth-fighter-esque concept that previews the upcoming third-generation prototype race car that will eventually contest the 2024 Le Mans 24 Hours. But the belle of Cadillac's current ball remains the Celestiq, the upcoming hand-built electric supersedan. How big a deal is this thing? GM CEO Mary Barra was at the Celestiq reveal party; I saw her with my own two eyes as I stuffed my maw with caviar-covered tater tots (fat and salt plus fat and salt is delicious—who knew?). Before the beef wellington and lobster were served, I got a long, hard look at the Celestiq and asked a whole mess of questions. Not to be one who bites the hand that feeds me foie gras, but I have some concerns.Can Cadillac Really Sell $300K Cars?First, though, it's important to consider whether the Cadillac brand is strong enough to support a $300,000 car. My take: Absolutely, yes. Even more so than Maybach, I feel Cadillac could compete on equal footing with Bentley and Rolls-Royce should GM ever choose to fully embrace that route. Yes, the Celestiq is being built to go toe to toe against both British brands' upcoming EV entrants. And in more ways than either Bentley or Rolls will ever publicly admit, the Escalade is a true competitor to both the Bentayga and Cullinan. I'll always remember former head of Rolls-Royce design Giles Taylor telling me the Cullinan had to be made much larger after American Rolls-Royce owners were shown a proposal and said something to the effect of, "You call that an SUV? I have an Escalade at the ranch that's three times as big!"Obviously, the Celestiq's success is not a fait accompli. Everything can still go wrong. But for whatever reason, and aside from all the "Standard of the World" sloganeering, Americans simply have a soft spot in our hearts for great Cadillacs. But the XT4? Uh, no. It's a bad little thing our Buyer's Guide has ranked fifteenth in its segment. Fifteenth! Cadillac needs to make sure this sort of product is dead and buried by the time the Celestiq (pronounced "sell-EHS-tick," not "sell-ess-TEEK") shows up in 2024. And, hey, as a sign of good faith to those you're asking to plonk down three big bills, why not kill the XT4 now? "But they sell," I can hear someone all the way in Michigan saying back to me. As Dan Ammann, GM's former CFO, said when Cadillac briefly moved to New York City, "It's easy to look out your window in Detroit and think Cadillac's a success." A rising tide lifts all ships, while anchors do the opposite. If Cadillac wants the Celestiq to succeed, it has shed the dead weight.It Needs to Be Truly Special and BespokeI raised the following several times at the Celestiq party: "I've been to Crewe. I've met the woman who takes 13 hours to hand-stitch every single Bentley steering wheel. And if a Bentley owner hasn't also been to Crewe and met her, they've seen the video. I've also met the guy at Goodwood who hand-paints every single pinstripe on every single Rolls-Royce. Do you have them? Have you hired these people?" I was not thrilled with the answers. I heard that, no, there's no one in-house right now to do those things on the production vehicle, but members of the design team are capable. Narrator's voice: No one on the design team will be doing anything like that on production Celestiqs. I kept pressing and heard a worse answer: The plan is to let items like this be handled by suppliers. Who, Johnson Controls? That's simply not an acceptable answer.I'm not being snobbish for the sake of being snobbish. People who spent $300,000 on an automobile do so because they want to. It's an unneeded, wholly unnecessary luxury. You can't outsource the little things. You have to sweat 'em, which is why Bentley has a guy named Clive (or something similarly British) and his chisel handling the wood. To be fair to Cadillac, and seeing as how I received several different, uncoordinated answers, I don't think the brand has all the answers just yet. The car is still two years away from production. Everyone I spoke with did explain how the level of customization and individual personification will be tops in the industry. Have a guitar string that means something to you? Cadillac will incorporate it into the interior. Same goes for the guitar itself or Granny's dentures—whatever you desire. As one of those Americans with a soft spot in my heart for great Cadillacs, I want nothing more than for GM to get the Celestiq right. But you must at least rise to the level of the competition before you can beat them.What About the Car?I still can't figure out the design. The size is right—read: massive—but I neither love it nor hate it. I think that means I haven't gotten a great look at it yet. Yeah, there were the mediocre press photos, and I saw the car at night in a crowded party, but I still don't feel like I've really seen the thing. The front end is imposing but eyeless, like a blind shark. The hard side is different to the point that I'm not sure what to make of it. I see an Audi concept car mixed with SUX 6000 from Robocop. The rear glass needs a tint, and I'd love to see a Celestiq in a color other than gray. The rear end is the most successful part of the design to my eyes, but still there are angles—much like the new Nissan Z—that make me suddenly go, "Hmmm." I think the actual production version needs to be a grand slam knockout. Nothing should be able to be questioned.The interior is commodious, a true four-throne luxury villa. Although, boy, it would have been cool to have seen a themed interior, one showing off the customization Cadillac kept bragging about. Caddy, I have one of Billie Joe Armstrong's guitar strings from a Green Day show in 1992 (before they sold out!) in a box somewhere if you need it. Speaking of cool, the interior felt a bit frore, like sitting in a robot's lap. Cadillac's design team kept stressing that, "Everything that looks like metal is metal." Indeed, but how about some leather and/or wood?The most troubling thing about the interior is the massive screen that spans from one A-pillar to the other. Why's that a problem? Well, unless Cadillac has the software engineers on hand to make sure the screen is constantly filled with car-appropriate stuff, you're instead going to have a big, empty screen. That ain't world-class luxury. I asked if there's a way for the screen to go away, pointing out that in both Bentleys and Rolls-Royces there are ways to hit a switch and the screen is suddenly replaced or covered by wood. Cadillac's answer was no. But what if a customer doesn't want to see the screen? The key to cars like this is being able to answer yes, almost no matter the request.PostscriptThere was much sarcastic chatter about Cadillac's plan to fly customers to GM Technical Center in Warren, Michigan, when it's time to begin customizing the car. 'Thank you for your $300K, here's your ticket to Detroit.' And, 'where is Cadillac going to hotel these well-heeled customers, downtown at the Book Cadillac?' Mind you, these were dudes from Detroit making these cracks. I've always admired the Tech Center from afar—it's a mid-century architectural masterpiece—though I've never visited. I have been to Crewe and Goodwood, Maranello and Sant'Agata Bolognese, and Porsche's Exclusive Manufaktur showroom in Zuffenhausen, all places where people visit in order to customize cars at this price point. Making this sort of visit a positive one is vital. I think Cadillac's on the right track here.The night after the Cadillac Celestiq party, I attended the annual Bentley Signature Party where Bentley's CEO Adrian Hallmark took the wraps off the brand's not very good-looking Batur. (It looks like it could be the 2028 Infiniti Q60.) Once inside the fabulous house on Pebble Beach's 17th fairway that Bentley rents year after year, I noticed the whole team from Crewe was dressed like dandies. Rule Britannia and all that, but my word, did the Bentley team look well tailored. Classy, high end, like the sort of people who might know a thing or two about selling you a $300,000 car. Team Cadillac? Far too many white T-shirts from multipacks worn under dress shirts. It's a Midwest thing, I get it, but come on.But let's back up, all the way to the night before the Celestiq party. That evening, I attended the Land Rover party where we were shown the Range Rover Carmel Edition. It's going to be the rarest Range Rover ever built, limited to just 17 units (one for each mile of 17-Mile Drive), has a pretty nifty interior, and stickers for $345,000. Yes, I spit my champagne out when the price was revealed. However, Joe Eberhardt, the CEO of Jaguar Land Rover, did mention that the only people being invited to purchase a Carmel Edition were standing right there. I heard the car sold out later that weekend. Perhaps that means $345,000 ain't what it used to be. Maybe Cadillac knows exactly what it's doing. Check back here in 2024.

mazda mazda3 Full OverviewAspiration toward a higher plane of luxury and refinement is a near-universal notion. Plenty of us Yanks would call it the American dream, but the idea is far from exclusive to those living in the States. Mazda has been working at it for years.The Japanese automaker has been known for decades as the sportier alternative to similarly priced Hondas and Toyotas (insert the well-worn "zoom-zoom" tagline here), but it's been striving toward a different brand identity as of late. Based on its product strategy over the past five years and having developed a rear-drive hybrid inline-six platform for the next Mazda 6 and a pair of new SUVs, it's obvious Mazda is working to go upscale along the lines of Lexus or Acura.But what of its current lineup? With the optional turbocharged engine, AWD, and the Premium Plus package, our 2022 Mazda 3 test vehicle rang in at a steep for the segment $34,115—more than $10K richer than a base Honda Civic and within three grand of a BMW 228i Gran Coupe. So the question becomes, is a loaded Mazda 3 a proper luxury alternative, or a cheap compact with a handful of extra features?Test Figures and Driving ImpressionsOne thing's for sure, this particular Mazda 3 isn't your basic front-drive compact sedan with a wheezy four-cylinder. Its optional 2.5-liter turbo inline-four develops 227 hp (or 250 hp on premium fuel) and 310 lb-ft of torque; both numbers are the highest you'll find in the compact segment this side of a Civic Type R or a Subaru WRX.Here are the numbers: 0-60 mph in 6.4 seconds and the quarter mile in 14.8 seconds at 94.6 mph. For context, when we tested an AWD Mazda 3 with the standard naturally aspirated four-pot kicking out 186 hp and 186 lb-ft, it reached 60 mph in 8.1 seconds and took 16.2 seconds to run the quarter. (By comparison, our long-term BMW 228i Gran Coupe took 6.0 seconds to hit 60 mph.) Braking from 60 to 0 mph was slightly better in the Mazda 3 turbo car, too, taking 120 feet and 122 feet, respectively, to get to a full stop. That's quite a bit off the stopping power of the new Honda Civic Si, however, which hauls to 0 mph in just 110 feet.On the road, this top-spec Mazda 3 delivers a driving experience that's more refined and mature than you'd expect of this class of vehicle. The turbo-four's plentiful torque provides a good shove any time you explore the latter half of the throttle's pedal travel, plus the earlier peak torque disguises the aging six-speed automatic tranny's lack of cogs compared to some of its peers. Additionally, noise, vibration, and harshness levels from the powertrain are better than some entry-level luxury cars.The steering is weighty and accurate, even providing a bit of feel. This is one area where Mazda's sporting history shines through. Ride quality is firmer than a more relaxed compact like the Hyundai Elantra, but that pays off in the 3's superb body control and stable handling. The platform feels rock-solid through corners and is happy to keep up when you get excited on a twisty two-lane. We had a chance to drive in snow and ice, too; the AWD system shuffled torque fore and aft to keep the little Mazda pointed straight and the driver unworried. The traction control system severely limits power, but you can turn it off and have a bit of fun when you do.All that said, Mazda's driver assist system isn't programmed to be nearly as supportive as those from Honda, Hyundai, Kia, or Toyota. Lane centering hardly ever engages, and the adaptive cruise control occasionally exhibits unnatural braking behavior. If you want something that minimizes fatigue on the highway with modern active safety features, the Mazda 3 isn't it.Design ExcellenceThe Mazda 3 easily looks like the most expensive vehicle in the compact segment, with a dash-to-axle spacing that disguises its FWD underpinnings better than competitors like the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class and BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe. Its LED head- and taillights are distinctively premium, and the way the turn signals blink on strong and slowly fade looks like it's straight off an Audi.Inside, the 2022 Mazda 3's interior layout is minimalist without feeling cheap, and there are no finicky touch buttons; you get expensive-feeling knobs for climate control and volume, which is a huge plus. This is what elegance and class can feel like in a relatively inexpensive vehicle. Materials and build quality feel top notch, too, and the ergonomics are excellent other than the cupholders, which aren't ideal for taller drinks.Some staffers experienced issues with the infotainment system (it can take a few too many steps to find basic functions like a radio tuner), but in many ways it comes off as a better-executed version of an older BMW iDrive system. Mazda's use of a rotary infotainment controller rather than a touchscreen allows the standard 8.8-inch infotainment display to be mounted high on the dash, which means drivers can keep their peripheral vision on the road while selecting a podcast or adding a gas station to their navigation route.That's not to say the interior isn't missing a few features given its nearly $35,000 price point. Even fully loaded, the Mazda 3 lacks cooled seats, wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, rear climate control vents, and a wireless charging pad—all of which are available in lower-priced competitors. It's also worth noting that the Mazda's rear seat is the tightest in the segment. Six-footers will be brushing their noggins on the headliner, and sharp impacts aren't going to be easy on the spine.Is the Mazda 3 Turbo a Good Car?The turbocharged and loaded-up 2022 Mazda 3 isn't a vehicle for everyone. Its back seat is exceedingly small and poorly equipped, the driver-assist tech is way behind those of the competition, and some folks won't vibe with the infotainment system's occasionally convoluted layout. There are competitors with more features, too. But would we take it over an entry-level luxury sedan like the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe? In a heartbeat.Looks good! More details? 2022 Mazda 3 Sedan AWD Turbo Specifications BASE PRICE $31,565 PRICE AS TESTED $34,115 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan ENGINE 2.5L Turbo direct-injected DOHC 16-valve I-4 POWER (SAE NET) 227 hp @ 5,000 rpm* TORQUE (SAE NET) 310 lb-ft @ 2,000 rpm TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 3,376 lb (62/38%) WHEELBASE 107.3 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 183.5 x 70.7 x 56.9 in 0-60 MPH 6.4 sec QUARTER MILE 14.8 sec @ 94.6 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 120 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.84 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 26.6 sec @ 0.67 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 23/32/27 mpg EPA RANGE, COMB 343 miles ON SALE Now *250 hp on 93-octane fuel Show All

lexus lx Full OverviewThe 2022 Lexus LX600 is a giant leap forward—15 years have passed since its last major redesign—but the 27-year-old SUV nameplate is still a work in progress. The fourth generation of the luxury brand's SUV flagship expands to five trim levels, but Lexus may have stretched itself a bit thin in its bid to appeal to a wider swath of potential buyers. At least in the LX600's first model year on a new platform.A lot is asked of the 2022 Lexus LX600 that goes on sale this quarter. With Toyota's decision to not offer the 300-Series Land Cruiser in North America, the lower trims of the Lexus LX600 must pick up these loyal orphan buyers lest they stray to another automaker's brand. At the other end of the spectrum, the new LX600's Ultra Luxury trim is a four-passenger, VIP-treatment SUV. Then there is the heart of the market, where the majority will buy a mid-trim, three-row LX600, including those who want a sportier look and more off-road capability with the new F-Sport trim.Here are the five trim levels, with a price span of almost $40,000 from base to VIP treatment:The base trim is a five-passenger, two-row SUV that will account for 5 to 7 percent of 2022 Lexus LX600 sales. It starts at $88,245. The Premium, new F-Sport, and Luxury trims are seven-passenger, three-row SUVs. Starting prices are $96,345, $102,345, and $104,345, respectively. The Premium trim will account for as much as 40 percent of sales, and the three middle trims combined could be 90 percent of the mix. The new Ultra Luxury is a two-row, four-passenger SUV with reclining captain's chairs in the second row. It starts at $127,345 and will represent a small fraction of total sales. To attract a more diverse customer base and continue to meet the needs of loyal LX customers as well as those moving up from the Lexus GX, the 2022 Lexus LX600 has moved to Toyota's GA-F platform which also underpins the 2022 Toyota Tundra full-size pickup truck, the 2022 Land Cruiser offered elsewhere in the world, and the third-generation 2023 Toyota Sequoia SUV.Dynamic New Platform is a Big LeapDeveloped in Japan, engineers were ready to ditch the aging platform for one that would allow them to make the 2022 Lexus LX600 lighter, with a lower center of gravity and a more dynamic ride. The GA-F architecture also accommodates a new powertrain with the ability to add electric motors for a hybrid in the future. Lexus will not offer a diesel engine in North AmericaThe new LX600 has the same powertrain as found in the Toyota Land Cruiser and Tundra: a 3.4-liter twin-turbo V-6 that generates 409 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque in the Lexus. (Toyota markets it as a 3.5-liter V-6 but actual displacement is 3,445 cubic centimeters, or 3.4 liters.) The eight-speed automatic transmission is replaced by a 10-speed. Fuel economy improves to 17/22/19 mpg in city/highway/combined driving, far better than the 12/16/14 of the outgoing model.All trims of the 2022 Lexus LX600 can tow up to 8,000 pounds, which is 1,000 more than the 2021 model, with wiring and components integrated into the platform—no bolt-ons here. For comparison, the Lexus LX600 has higher output but tows less than the Tundra.Lighter is BetterThe LX600 has dropped 441 pounds—the aluminum roof is a first for Lexus—which means a little less weight to haul around. It still feels like a large vehicle when you drive it, with heavy steering and a sense of the mass around you, but acceleration is smooth and ample in all driving conditions.There is little body roll, and the suspension soaks up most road impurities; it is only on especially rough pavement that you are reminded you are in a body-on-frame truck. Inside the cabin is the quiet, cocoon-like experience Lexus is known for.Adaptive cruise control is easy to find and use. Lane centering can be a bit abrupt in its corrections at times, but for most of our drive it kept the vehicle evenly and uneventfully centered, never coming close to the painted lines or crossing out of the lane.Lexus Safety System+ 2.5 is standard on all trims and adds lane-departure with driver assist, courtesy of the upgrade to electric power steering. The safety suite is not quite as advanced as the 3.0 system on the 2022 Lexus NX which has a digital key and remote park. Higher trims of the LX have a standard head-up display, and the Ultra Luxury has a digital rearview mirror.No Mistaking That GrilleYou won't miss the 2022 Lexus LX coming or going. The grille is massive and remains the subject of debate: people tend to love it or hate it. The new F-Sport is notable for its giant black mesh front grille that's meant to provide a sportier and more menacing look. The chrome horizontal bars of the new Ultra Luxury speak to a different customer.Across the back, "Lexus" is spelled out in large letters, replacing the old logo in the center and model name at the right corner. This is a new design element that debuted on the Lexus NX.Despite its size, the 2022 Lexus LX600 is easy to get into thanks to running boards and grab handles. But it is a long reach to adjust the side mirrors or the volume on the stereo.All About the SeatingExcept for the Ultra Luxury's captain's chairs, the other trims have second-row bench seats with seatbelts for three, but the middle passenger's space is narrow. Lexus product planners are looking at adding captain's chairs to future trims, but it seems like an early miss for a luxury flagship vehicle. The seats are heated and ventilated, and with a manual lever the 60/40 split bench seats flip up and tumble forward for third-row access.Good news: the third-row seats fold into the floor, a huge improvement over the outgoing model where the seats were pushed to the sides of the cargo area, encroaching on space for gear. On the Luxury trim you can push a button to fold both the second- and third-row (50-50 split) seats flat. But the 2022 LX600 still has a live rear axle, which means those in the very back are forced to sit up high, upright, and with raised knees.Another improvement: the split-opening at the back is replaced by a traditional single-piece liftgate. It is powered and can be opened by kicking your foot under the sensor, just right of the trailer hitch.Big Infotainment NewsInside, the big news is a vastly improved, in-house-developed infotainment system. It relies on touchscreens and good old-fashioned knobs and buttons rather than the much-maligned Lexus joystick/touchpad.The new infotainment system, which debuted on the 2022 Lexus NX, was a top priority. On the LX, there are two separate center screens so that navigation can remain displayed on the top 19.3-inch screen while off-road information is shown on the same-size screen below. There are four USB outlets on the lower two trim levels and six on the top three trims.The "Hey Lexus" voice command works well and recognizes natural speech patterns. But on a dirt road in New Mexico, with no service, the Google nav system could not reroute us when we got mixed up. In more urban areas it worked flawlessly.The 2022 Lexus LX600 comes with six drive modes, one more than the 2021 model offered. They include Comfort, Normal, Sport S, Sport S+, Custom, and Eco. The Sport modes are barely perceptible as sportier; the throttle and exhaust notes are turned up, but barely.This remains a quiet vehicle to drive in all modes. The F-Sport is a bit more visceral; you feel gear shifts more succinctly and acceleration does fall off quicker when you lift your foot. The F Sport has standard Adaptive Variable Suspension electronically controlled dampers, and the electric power steering is tuned to be more responsive.Off-Road ProwessThe 2022 Lexus LX600 has a full-time four-wheel-drive system with low range. The Torsen center differential can lock to split the power 50-50 front and rear, but only the F Sport has a Torsen limited-slip rear diff.You'll find 8.9 inches of ground clearance, and the Active Height Control hydraulic suspension can increase the height by 7 inches and lower it by 2.0 inches. It is standard on the Ultra Luxury and optional on Luxury and F-Sport.The F Sport has a standard Torsen rear limited-slip diff and new rear anti-roll bar for better off-roading. The trail we clambered over in Santa Fe was moderately challenging and was a cake walk for the F Sport.Anyone who has used the Downhill Assist Control in a Lexus or Toyota knows it is loud—like, "Is there something broken or wrong with this?" loud. Not anymore. The DAC/Crawl feature is operated by a single button to control low speeds up or down a hill on the trail, and it is pretty much dead quiet. The camera that shows the trail ahead is invaluable when all you can see is hood and sky. Push a button in a tight turn to brake the inside wheel; the LX pivots better around an obstacle without the need to throw it in reverse for a multi-point turn.Ultra Luxury for a VIP ExperienceThe 2022 Lexus LX600 Ultra Luxury has a diamond-stitch-pattern leather interior, wood, chrome, a microsuede headliner, and Mark Levinson stereo.Second-row passengers will be happy, especially the right-rear passenger who can recline their seat 48 degrees with a button on the screen in the center console. The front passenger seat moves forward, the headrest lowers, and an ottoman can be employed for your feet. Push another button to restore everything for exit. There are seven massage settings to choose from, too, setting your own intensity level.The HVAC system has regular vents as well as an "air showerhead" that gently releases a soothing airflow from above; a vaporous spa treatment to aid relaxation. There are sunshades for the back seat, but they are operated manually without power assist.Amenity Upgrades to ComeThere is a wireless charger in the LX600 Ultra Luxury trim for rear-seat passengers—but not for the driver. Lexus is working on fixing this oversight, product planners told us. The driver has wireless CarPlay but can't charge wirelessly. Nor does the driver's seat come with massage. Lexus is looking at that, too, we were told.Rear passengers have headphones, but they are not Bluetooth, which means a cumbersome cord. Nor is there a remote for the lounging passenger to manage the entertainment. Again, Lexus is considering/working on it. Captain's chairs are only available on the Ultra Luxury but could become available on more trims sometime down the road. The rear door opening feels a bit small for VIP entry; a wider-opening door to the second row would also be appreciated. The issue is exacerbated by the screen on the back of the front seat which further impinges on space as you climb in.Lexus said one reason some seemingly obvious amenities are not available in the first model year is to let the new 2022 Lexus NX600 get out of the gate. Lexus officials will continue to gather feedback from LX600 customers to help guide future upgrades. We'll go out on a limb and say greater availability of captain's chairs will make the list. Additionally, giving drivers of a $130,000 vehicle a massaging seat and wireless charging, while adding power sunshades—and a remote and Bluetooth headphones for VIP passengers—are good ideas for the suggestion box.Company officials hope the 2022 Lexus LX600's additional trim levels and broader reach will double the model's sales and market share. The new LX600 is a giant leap forward, but customers expect certain amenities for this amount of money. The sooner the product planners get them approved and executed, the better.Looks good! More details?2022 Lexus LX600 PRICE $88,245-$127,345 LAYOUT Front-engine, RWD/AWD, 4-7-pass, 4-door SUV ENGINE 3.4L/409-hp/479-lb-ft twin-turbo DOHC 24-valve V-6 TRANSMISSION 10-speed auto CURB WEIGHT 5,700-5,950 lbs (mfg) WHEELBASE 112.2 in L x W x H 200.6 X 78.4 x  74.6 in 0-60 MPH 6.9 sec (MT est) EPA FUEL ECON 17/22/19 mpg ENERGY CONSUMPTION, CITY/HWY 153-198 kW-hrs/100 miles CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB 1.02 lb/mile ON SALE First Quarter 2022 Show All