TIP OF THE SPEAR.

JUDGES/TESTERS ERICK AYAPANA Associate Road Test Editor SCOTT EVANS Features Editor MIKE FLOYD Editorial Operations Director ALAN LAU Road Test Analyst JONNY LIEBERMAN Senior Features Editor ED LOH Head of Editorial MAC MORRISON Executive Editor CHRISTIAN SEABAUGH Features Editor ALEXANDER STOKLOSA Deputy Editor CHRIS WALTON Road Test Editor PHOTOGRAPH: RENZ DIMAANDAL ACURA TLX TYPE S • AUDI RS Q8 • BMW ALPINA B8 GRAN COUPE • BMW ALPINA XB7 BMW M3 COMPETITION • BMW M4 • BMW M5 CS • CADILLAC CT4-V BLACKWING CADILLAC CT5-V BLACKWING • FORD MUSTANG MACH 1 • FORD MUSTANG MACH-E GT HONDA CIVIC SI • HYUNDAI VELOSTER N • LAMBORGHINI HURACÁN STO MERCEDES-AMG GT BLACK SERIES • PORSCHE 718 BOXSTER GTS 4.0 PORSCHE 911 GT3 • PORSCHE CAYENNE TURBO GT • PORSCHE TAYCAN TURBO S SUBARU BRZ • TOYOTA GR86 • VOLKSWAGEN GOLF R WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY MOTORTREND STAFF PERFORMANCE VEHICLE OF THE YEAR | Behind the Scenes BEST DRIVER'S CAR IS DEAD. After all, we previously evaluated both it and the new GTI as part of the 2022 MotorTrend Car of the Year contest, and despite the car generating some enthusiasm among our judges, we uncovered a few major issues. Despite knowing the Type S carries 59 percent of its hefty 4,100 or so pounds on its front wheels - and as such needs to be driven like a FWD car - and despite knowing the torque-vectoring AWD system won't kick in until power is applied, judges couldn't provoke consistent responses from the car. "If smooth is fast, then this is the opposite", senior features editor Jonny Lieberman said. BMW's xDrive sends so much engine torque to the rear wheels that you'd swear the car is rear drive. Slotting in above the Cayenne Turbo S, the Turbo GT gets a reworked 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8, a quicker-shifting eight-speed auto, a water-cooled AWD system to aid more aggressive torque vectoring, a retuned four-wheel steering system, stiffer air springs, and massive carbon-ceramic brakes. [Extracted from the article]