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Car Reviews, hybrid

2023 Volvo S60 Recharge AWD Ultimate (Black Edition)

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High-horse plug-in hybrid rekindles joy of driving a sedan …

Sedans are such a rarity now that it’s a special treat to drive one, especially when it’s a sophisticated looking, high-horse plug-in hybrid from Volvo.

You may recall a time when Volvos were boxy and boring, but safe as the vault at Fort Knox, assuming it still has one.

This week’s thriller was the Volvo S60 Recharge AWD Ultimate Black Edition, which is a long way of saying a sporty luxury sedan with AWD, and Recharge is Volvo’s shorthand for saying it has an electrical component. This one is a plug-in, which currently (pun intended) is the way to go for practical powertrains.

What that means is that not only do you get a sleek Swedish design, but massive power, a 36-mile electric range great for city drives without adding to air pollution, and AWD for the occasion when winter delivers road slop. Meanwhile, the interior of this black beauty is one of the most comfortable I’ve experienced in the past year. More on that in a bit.

First, let’s look at the S60 from the outside. Since it’s a sedan the ride-height is low enough to crawl in and out without a step ladder or threatening a groin pull. The profile is lean and low with a long hood and short rear end. Lights are thin T-shaped “Thor’s Hammer” numbers that wrap from nose to the front fenders.

The grille, while large is not garish and this being the Black Edition the grille and logo are blacked out, as are the trunk’s logos and the snazzy wheels tucked inside R19 rubber. Taillights are typical Volvo snazzy, sort of a laid down J shape. It’s all as sophisticated as a James Bond tuxedo.

But the power, handling and ride make this Recharge Ultimate a blast to drive.

Get this, the 2.0-liter four-cylinder is supercharged and turbocharged, something Volvo does in several models, plus is enhanced by a 143-horse electric motor powering the rear wheels. That’s the plug-in hybrid portion that helps pump up horsepower here to 455, with a torque rating of 523. Wild child!

And you can adjust via the 12-inch info screen, whether you want hybrid power, Pure electric, or Power modes, along with full-time AWD. Any way you go the power will push you back into the plush seats while planting a smile on your face. This car was the fastest on a highway entry ramp, clocking a triple-digit speedometer reading, of anything I’ve driven that costs less than $80 grand.

Wow, this power is awesome and just so darned incredibly smooth aided by an 8–speed automatic. You feel like you’re on a bullet train as torque is instant.

Watch Mark’s video: 2023 Volvo S60 Recharge AWD Ultimate Black Edition review by Mark Savage – YouTube

Handling is sporty too with quick steering and a firm, precise feel. A few other makes feel racier, but this is a perfect blend of responsiveness and luxury. Likewise the ride is well controlled yet firm without being punishing. I drove this to downtown Chicago and back and some of the streets I was on made the moon appear silky. Never hit a bump that jarred the interior.

More on that hybrid system, which charges either via a plug-in, or via regenerative braking and engine backup. So an overnight charge gave me 36 miles of all-electric range, or I could let the system choose to mix and match gas and electric power for best performance and efficiency. Around town a driver could just use electric mode to reduce emissions.

Yet a button on the info screen allows the driver to go hybrid and charge at the same time. Here the braking and engine recharge the batteries to use electric power as needed. I used 20 miles of charge getting from my house to a highway stent heading to Chicago, then switched on the charging and had regained about 15 miles of charge while cruising the freeway. Awesome!

The shifter also can either be put in Drive and feel like any gas-powered car would, or put in B, for Battery. This is one-pedal driving that more rapidly slows the vehicle and recharges the batteries. If you’ve ever driven a golf cart or snowmobile it sort of feels like that. I love this setting as you rarely need to touch the brake pedal, so less wear and tear on brake discs.

Fuel mileage depends, of course, on how much battery you use for electric power. I averaged 32 mpg on the Chicago roundtrip, but more like 50 around town when I was using mostly electric power. The EPA rates the S60 Recharge at 31 mpg on gas and 74 mpge on electric. Sadly this horsey engine prefers premium fuel, but then you won’t be filling up  frequently, if you keep it charged.

Again, running errands around town you can boost your numbers by putting the Volvo purely in electric mode.

Now originally when I climbed in the S60 I thought I was gonna be miserable for the week as the seats were so tight and had a bevy of buttons and controls for adjustment. But the info screen lights up to show you the bottom cushion leg extender and lumber support adjustments, so within a few minutes I was set. Long-legged drivers will love that bottom cushion extension.

On the highway drive and around town these charcoal leather and Nappa leather trimmed Black Edition seats were absolutely perfectly shaped and soothingly supportive. The front and rear seats also are heated, the rear seat heat and steering wheel heat are part of a $750 winter package that also includes headlight washers. That’s a European thing, but one that US makers should consider. Nice to clean the lights of road grime in winter.

Everything looks great inside too, from the soft leather-like dash and door panels to those seats that include gray accent stitching. Design is Scandinavian minimalist, yet the dash features textured metal trim while air vents and door releases are chrome as are the stereo speakers in the doors. Volvo’s console is gloss black, and for the life of me, I couldn’t find a wireless phone charger. Odd! But there are plugs in the center armrest to accommodate a charger.

The screen is a touchscreen that slides for additional layers of adjustment. I’m getting used to these Volvo screens, but it does take a while to master them and sometimes can be awkward to use while driving. Note this is now a Google-based infotainment system.

I’d love to see a flat-bottom wheel here to reflect the sporty nature of this luxury sedan, plus it’s not a power tilt/telescope wheel, but at least it’s heated. Better yet, you can set the seat and steering wheel heat quickly on the screen and it remembers the setting, even when you turn the ignition off and return. Bravo, many vehicles require resetting everything, a first-world annoyance in winter when running errands and hopping in and out of the car.

Volvo also includes a head-up display, along with a full bevy of safety equipment, not surprising for a Volvo as it earned its safety reputation ages ago. Standard are lane departure (which can be switched off via the info screen), blind-spot warning, parking sensors, collision avoidance, smart cruise control, automatic braking and more.

Overhead is a dual sunroof with power shade. That and the roof are controlled via a sensor overhead that you can just slide your finger over to retract the shade, and then the roof.

The optional Bowers & Wilkins stereo deserves mention too as it’s a monster with amazing sound, but adds $3,200 to the cost. Maybe save that for a home stereo unit. A fine harman/kardon premium sound system is standard.

The sparkly black paint job is gorgeous and only adds $695 to the price, but is sharper than most black paint schemes. Your call.

Rear seat room is good, plus those seats fold down to increase cargo room while also including a center pass-through for long items, something most European makes include that others do not. Rear seat headrests also can be folded down with the push of a rear-seat button, making for better rear visibility for the driver if there are no passengers riding in row two.

Trunk space is sufficient, but smaller than in some sedans at 11.6 cubic feet. Certainly it will hold 4-5 suitcases.

Finally, there’s the price, and this may surprise you. The S60 starts at a modest $41,300 for its front-drive version with a still generous 247 horsepower engine, and is a standard hybrid. AWD is a $2,300 option on lower trim levels. It was standard on the Recharge Ultimate.

Move up to the better-equipped Plus model and the price is $44,000, while the lowest cost Core plug-in hybrid lists at $51,250. The tested Ultimate was $59,045 to start, and $63,690 as tested. All prices include delivery fees.

That’s luxury sedan level pricing for sure, but if you consider its competitors, such as the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, Genesis G70, Cadillac CT4, Lexus IS, or Mercedes C Class, they can approach that price too. Yet the Volvo melds luxury with power, styling and a plug-in hybrid system that is second to none.

FAST STATS: 2023 Volvo S60 Recharge AWD Ultimate

Hits: Sharp looking sedan, excellent power, ride and handling. Big sunroof, heated wheel, heated front and rear seats, supper supportive multi-adjust seats, big screen, awesome stereo, a stylish luxury interior, plus head-up display and a full bevy of safety equipment.

Misses: Infotainment screen can be distracting to use while driving and no power tilt/telescope steering wheel. Pricy stereo upgrade. Prefers premium fuel.

Made in: Ridgeville, S.C.

Engine: 2.0-liter turbo & supercharged I4 w/plug-in hybrid electric motor, 455 hp/523 torque

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Weight: 4,450 lbs.

Wheelbase: 113.1 in.

Length: 187.4 in.

Cargo: 11.6 cu.ft. (rear seats in place)

Tow: 2,000 lbs.

MPG: 74 elect./31 gas

MPG: 32.0 (tested)

Base Price: $59,045 (includes delivery)

Invoice: N.A.

Major Options:

Climate package (headlamp washers, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel), $750

Black metallic paint, $695

Bowers & Wilkins premium audio, $3,200

Test vehicle: $63,690

Sources: Volvo, www.kbb.com

Photos: Mark Savage

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Car Reviews, hybrid

2022 Volvo XC60 B6 AWD R-Design

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XC60 touts style inside and out, awesome ride …

Rare are the crossovers whose styling stands out enough to catch your eye on the highway or in daily stop-and-go traffic. Yet Volvo’s collection of XC models will do just that.

I’m no expert on style, but (with apologies to former Supreme Court justice Potter Stewart), I know it when I see it.

The tested XC60 B6 AWD R-Design, clad in Crystal White Metallic ($695 extra) seemed intent on raising property values in our neighborhood while resting in our driveway. This was not just another luxury crossover, all boxy and grinning an oversized goofy black-grilled smile.

No, the Swedish carmaker (now owned by China’s Geely Holding Group) still designs with a Scandinavian minimalism and sophistication that gives its vehicles a unique look, while continuing the auto world trend of placing a large logo on its vehicle’s nose. That’s OK, the headlights and grille look lean and taunt and the taillights’ sideways V-design immediately distinguishes the brand.

For the record, a couple years ago Volvo started calling its T-shaped headlight lenses Thor’s Hammer to create a skosh of marketing excitement. They do look sharp!

Watch Mark’s video: Mark Savage reviews the 2022 Volvo XC60 – YouTube

XC60 is sort of a large compact crossover, one level up from the small XC40 and well shy of the XC90 that borders between mid-size and large.

That means XC60 rides on a 112.8-inch wheelbase that gives it outstanding ride quality, more along the lines of a larger crossover, yet is a compact 184.6-inches long, so easy to park and maneuver. Handling borders on sporty as little steering input is needed to switch lanes or zip into a tight parking space.

Power is smooth as silk and plentiful in this R-Design model, a mid-level trim. Standard is a supercharged and turbocharged I4 2.0-liter engine, coupled with a mild 48-volt hybrid system to take some electrical pressure off the powertrain. That’s good for 295 horses and a 310 torque rating, while delivering 21 mpg city and 27 mpg highway, says the EPA. I got 21.0 mpg in about 60% highway driving.

Volvo offers several other power choices though, including a base level 2.0-liter I4 that makes 247 horses and a peppier plug-in hybrid model with 400 horses and that provides 35 miles of all-electric power. But the plug-in will put you mighty close to spending $70 grand.

This R-Design with the gas-only engine and mild hybrid starts at $56,195, with delivery, so certainly a luxury level vehicle. Sadly this one went overboard on options and hit $65,990, so deep into the luxury market.

Certainly the XC60 is easy on the eyes and easy to drive with its silky powertrain, including an 8-speed automatic transmission. Braking is solid too with big vented disc brakes. Towing is possible too as this model is rated to pull 3,500 pounds.

Inside the XC60 continues Volvo’s high standard of style and functionality, this one featuring a light gray leather interior with white piping on the seats and lighter gray to white inserts in the upper seatbacks. The dash includes metal meshwork and the Bowers & Wilkins speaker covers are jeweled-look mesh too.

Volvo’s seats are powered and multi-adjustable, the lower cushion able to be extended, a help for drivers with long legs. Seats also are heated and cooled while being incredibly supportive, especially the seat backs. These are borderline racing seats as they wrap around the front seat folks so well.

Rear seats are heated too, as is the steering wheel, part of a $750 option package that adds headlight washers.

Rear seat gets heat controls, nice info screen up front!

Also added was the Advanced package for $2,050. It includes a head-up display, smart cruise control with driver assistance, a 360-degree camera, advanced air cleaner and 12-volt outlet in the cargo area. The hatch also is powered, but that adds $200, which seems odd these days as power hatches are pretty much standard on trim levels above the base models.

Volvo uses a vertical 10-inch touchscreen to direct infotainment data, such as radio station selection. While it’s easy to see and tap, there also are other features to be accessed by sliding the screen. I find that awkward while driving.

Also, the heated steering wheel and seats are controlled via that screen, but activated by tiny icons that are not the easiest to see and get at, again while driving. But it all looks great!

Overhead is a monster dual-pane sunroof and the test vehicle added an awesome B&W premium audio system, but it carries a big price tag at $3,200. I’ve purchased cars for less.

Other options include a 4-corner air suspension system at $1,800, a feature that certainly adds to the enviable ride comfort here. For another grand the tester added 21-inch 5-double-spoke black diamond alloy wheels. If you’re already at $60,000 and change, why not?

Safety equipment is as you’d expect on a luxury model, or most models at this point, from lane departure assist and other semi-autonomous features, to automatic emergency braking, blind-spot warning, rear park assist, etc.

One other note on the driving front, naturally there is the Stop/Start feature that all modern vehicles now include, aimed at saving miniscule amounts of fuel. But the Volvo also, for safety reasons, will not creep forward once your foot is removed from the brake pedal. Nearly all other vehicles do, and we all use that creep as a stoplight turns green.

Well, here you’ll need to be prepared to touch the accelerator to get any creep as you begin moving away from a stoplight or stop sign. Much like Stop/Start, it takes some getting used to, especially when backing out of a driveway or parking space. The first few times it’s possible you’ll over accelerate. Be forewarned!

I’d also expect a power tilt/telescope steering wheel in a luxury level crossover, along with a power rear hatch. Maybe for 2023!

Yet for beauty and driving comfort coupled with interior style and suppleness, the XC60 is a solid alternative to the European and Asian luxury makes. Few will beat its ride!

FAST STATS: 2022 Volvo XC60 B6 AWD R-Design

Hits: Good looker, excellent power, ride and handling. Big sunroof, heated wheel, heated/cooled front seats, heated rear seats, comfy seats with adjustable side bolsters, big touchscreen, awesome stereo, a stylish luxury interior, plus a full bevy of safety equipment.

Thor’s hammer T-shaped headlights rock!

Misses: Touchscreen use (beyond main screen) is distracting to use while driving and no power tilt/telescope steering wheel here. Plus the power hatch costs extra and this drinks premium fuel.

Made in: Gothenburg, Sweden

Engine: 2.0-liter turbo, supercharged I4, 295 hp/310 torque

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Weight: 4,378* lbs. (*Car and Driver)

Wheelbase: 112.8 in.

Length: 184.6 in.

Cargo: 22.4-63.6 cu.ft.

Tow: 3,500 lbs.

MPG: 21/27

MPG: 21.0 (tested)

Base Price: $56,195 (includes delivery)

Invoice: N.A.

Major Options: Climate package (headlamp washers, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel), $750

Advanced package (HUD, Pilot Assist including smart cruise control and driver assistance, 360-view camera, 12v outlet in cargo area, advanced air cleaner), $2.050

Crystal white metallic paint, $695

Power tailgate, $200

Bowers & Wilkins premium audio, $3,200

4-corner air suspension, $1,800

21-inch 5-double-spoke black diamond alloy wheels, $1,000

Test vehicle: $65,990

Sources: Volvo, www.kbb.com

Photos: Mark Savage

Car Reviews

2019 Volvo S60 T6 AWD R-Design

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2019 Volvo S60 R-Design

U.S.-built Volvo S60 torques up the power …

Volvo torques up the size and horsepower in its newly redesigned 2019 Volvo S60 sport sedan, plus this is the first Volvo sedan ever to be made in America.

That’s right, if you’re a buyer who insists your car be built in the United States, well, add Volvo’s S60 to your list. It’s now made in South Carolina.

Continue reading 2019 Volvo S60 T6 AWD R-Design →
Car Reviews

2018 Volvo XC60 T6 AWD Inscription

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Volvo XC60 a sweet ride – fun, luxurious, nimble …2018 Volvo XC60

Sometimes the hardest reviews to write are those for vehicles I’ve really enjoyed, the ones that stand out among the 50+ vehicles I test in a year.

This week’s tester, the Volvo XC60 with the Inscription package shouldn’t be hard to ladle syrupy praise on. It’s just that great, comfortable and sporty just don’t seem thick enough.

I’ve driven plenty of Volvos through the years and many were fine, just often overpriced and not as comfortable or fun to drive as other makes. Well, the XC60 is fun, luxurious, nimble, exceedingly quiet and comfortable, and as stylish as any SUV or crossover today.

Price, well, that still is an issue to me, but more on that in a bit.

This Swedish-made crossover starts with a powerplant that boggles the mind, an engine, if you will, that seems outlandish in its design. First, it’s a 2.0-liter I4 much like you’d find in many small to mid-size utes and crossovers. Yes, it’s turbocharged to give it more power and keep its gas consumption at reasonable levels too.2018 Volvo XC60

Ah, but here’s the funky part, Volvo also supercharges its tiny 2.0-liter. What? Yes, it turbocharges and supercharges the four-banger to give this more kick than most crossovers, even the pricey luxury ones. The engine packs 316 horsepower and 295 ft.-lbs. of torque. If you consider this, because it has all-wheel-drive, a sport-utility vehicle, then by golly it delivers on the sport side. Continue reading 2018 Volvo XC60 T6 AWD Inscription →

Car Reviews

2017 Volvo V90 Cross Country T6 AWD

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New Volvo V90 Cross Country a big, slick wagon … 2017 Volvo V90 Cross Country

Give Volvo credit for creating a high-end wagon that looks like no other. The V90 Cross Country is big and features a swoopy profile that looks downright slick.

The Cross Country part tells you the Volvo prefers to think of itself as a crossover, and it does have all-wheel drive and 8.3 inches of ground clearance. But it looks more like a wagon and feels absolutely enormous. It most reminds me of Chrysler’s former swoopy (in a different way) Magnum wagon.

The V90 Cross Country is nearly as big as last week’s full-size luxury sedan, the Genesis G80, but weighs a couple hundred pounds less.2017 Volvo V90 Cross Country

That’s important because despite its weight advantage the 2.0-liter supercharged and turbocharged I4 doesn’t give it the pep I’d heard that the Volvo was to have. The I4 boasts 310 horsepower and a 295 torque rating, but there’s hesitation every time you get on the gas and the wagon simply feels heavy. Not sure if it’s the engine or the 8-speed automatic transmission that seems to make it hiccup when you first want the power. Continue reading 2017 Volvo V90 Cross Country T6 AWD →

Car Reviews

2016 Jaguar XF 35t R-Sport RWD

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Jaguar XF R-Sport has the looks and the handling …2016 Jaguar XF R-Sport

Jaguars look better than most other luxury cars, and that matters in a world and a time when all luxury cars offer similar features and performance.

The Jaguar tradition is one of lean looks and mighty power, plus excellent handling. This new XF sedan fits that bill and pumps new blood into the Jaguar lineage. There’s the muscular nose and curved haunches that still resemble, albeit less obviously, a pouncing cat.

Power is generous too, a supercharged 3.0-liter V6 pumping out 340 horses and 332 lb.-ft. of torque. The spirited V6 pushes this rear-drive R-Sport edition to highway speeds quickly via a silky 8-speed automatic that you can let do its thing and not give shifts a thought, or you can flick the paddle shifters behind the steering wheel.

Such flicking will make the XF seem more spirited, but the automatic is so good you’ll likely let it do the job most of the time.

2016 Jaguar XF R-SportEven old muscle cars had plenty of power (although mostly horrible transmissions), so if handling is pedestrian the XF R-Sport would be just another sport luxury sedan. Ah, but handling is fine too, a fairly heavy feeling wheel, but one that is responsive and helps put some sport into the R-Sport. You can clip off a corner’s apex and accelerate hard out the other side and the Jaguar is purr-fectly (sorry) happy and stable.

The XF also features four dynamic driving modes, Sport, Normal, Eco and Winter. That last one will get a workout here most winters, especially with this being rear-wheel-drive. And Eco may save you a tiny bit of gas along with the annoying stop-start feature, that is easily turned off via a console button. Continue reading 2016 Jaguar XF 35t R-Sport RWD →

SUV/Truck Reviews

2016 Volvo XC90 T6 AWD Inscription

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Volvo XC90 not mainstream, not good with detailsvolvo3

Volvo has never been mainstream and it’s not about to start now.

Its new XC90 crossover that replaces a quite dated crossover of the same name is a high-end luxury vehicle that offers typical Volvo safety and substance, but drops the ball on a variety of details.

First, know that Volvos are still made in Sweden, but the company now is owned by Geely, a Chinese carmaker. That hasn’t seemed to hurt, or help, Volvo, which continues to do things its own unique way. For instance, the keyless start system is a switch you rotate on the console, sort of like you would turn a key. Most folks now offer a push button.

Different can be better, and the giant (12.3-inch) iPad-like navigation/radio/information screen mid-dash would be one of those ways. It’s large and you slide the screen to other settings with your finger. That’s where you can adjust many of the crossover’s individualized functions, plus the radio and navigation screen.

Good also is the high-powered Drive-E engine, which is the first engine I’ve ever encountered that is both supercharged AND turbocharged. The result is a hefty 316 horsepower and equally peppy torque rating. Continue reading 2016 Volvo XC90 T6 AWD Inscription →

Diecast cars

Die-Cast: Automodello 1:43 1963 Studebaker Avanti

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Automodello’s Avanti offers sharp detail in resin

Eyeballed my first Studebaker Avanti at my first Indianapolis 500 in 1962. The car was just about to be produced and was the “ceremonial” pace car for that year’s race, won by Roger Ward. A Studebaker Lark convertible was the “official” pace car.avanti

This car looked futuristic, and still looks contemporary. Its fastback styling, edgy nose and tail and sporty dimensions made it a head turner. If only Studebaker hadn’t gone bankrupt just a few years later. But now collectors can get their own 1:43 scale resin version from Automodello, which continues to turn out some of the more rare and unusual classic cars, and in a variety of scales.

The History:

Studebaker needed what is now known as a Halo Car, one that exudes creativity and set the tone for the company. Chevy had its Corvette, and Ford its Thunderbird at the time. Avanti was Studebaker’s sports coupe, designed by a crew led by famed designer Raymond Loewy. Supposedly they had 40 days to crank out the concept and thus Avanti was born.

But Studebaker was desperate. After about 110 years in business, first as a wagon maker and after the early 1900s a car and truck maker, its sales were sagging. It had merged with Packard in the mid-1950s, but that didn’t help much and by 1962 the South Bend, Ind.-based company needed a big shot in the arm, or showroom. Continue reading Die-Cast: Automodello 1:43 1963 Studebaker Avanti →

SUV/Truck Reviews

2014 Range Rover Supercharged (LWB)

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LR1Big Rover a tough powerful beast, and pricey too

Land Rover has pounded out rough-terrain handling trucks for years. Think of safaris and you think of Land Rovers, usually with a tire mounted on the hood and a rhino charging after it.

Today’s Land Rovers and Range Rovers are just as capable in the bush, but civilized enough to lug the queen around her estate, if need be. The tested Aintree (a town in England) Green Range Rover Supercharged LWB (long-wheelbase) is exceedingly long on the luxury, while still designed to dominate any terrain you throw at it, mud, slush, rocks and streams.

You might be surprised to find out that the tested Rover’s starting price is $105,300, plus an $895 delivery fee, which compared to the base price seems a bargain. Amazingly at six digits the Rover did not come with any running boards or power step-up and nary a third-row seat. Yet there were options that pushed this luxury land yacht to $122,900.

What’s an option once you hit $106 grand or so? Many apparently.

The lovely test ute added a vision assist pack that included a surround-view camera that allows you to view the truck’s perimeter. Cool! It also included automatic high-beam headlights and adaptive Xenon lights, plus a blind spot monitor with a closing vehicle sensing & reverse traffic detection system. That alerts you if you’re about to ram a stopped or suddenly slowed vehicle and also see out the back. Many luxury cars and trucks now have similar systems. The package also featured configurable mood lighting (Shagadelic baby!) and a leather steering wheel (again, something most $30 grand vehicles have, or offer). Price tag? A modest $1,760.

But there was so much more. Continue reading 2014 Range Rover Supercharged (LWB) →

Car Reviews

2013 Audi S5 Cabriolet

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Convertible adds fun to fast, sure-footed Audi

What’s more fun than a sports coupe? Well, a convertible version of a sports coupe with a supercharged V6 and all-wheel drive, to be sure.Audi S5 Cabriolet/Standaufnahme

That’s what you get with Audi’s S5 Cabriolet Quattro, compared with its standard A5 coupe. The S5 comes as either a coupe with solid top or cabriolet, meaning it has a soft convertible top. Entry price is $50,900 for the coupe, with manual transmission and the super quick 3.0-liter supercharged V6 that will kick you in the pants to the tune of 333 horses.

The “ice silver” ($475 extra) convertible version I drove shoe horns that same engine under its hood and it’ll knock your socks off. Well, maybe just lower them a bit, but the supercharged power plant feels and sounds strong with a throaty, but not overly showy, exhaust note. No lag upon acceleration either. Continue reading 2013 Audi S5 Cabriolet →