The Mercedes-Benz M-Class is a refined and polished SUV built for a quiet ride. Jeep built the Grand Cherokee for outdoor adventure. Both are built on the same basic design, with some slight tweaks to suit different buyers. Each of these SUVs is purpose-built.
An accessible luxury SUV for families
The Mercedes-Benz M-Class, later known as the GLE, is a run-of-the-mill midsize luxury SUV. This is a winning choice for families with seating for five. It also scored high IIHS safety scores and features plenty of interior storage for gear.
This SUV fails to impress with either luxury or driving performance. For the price, many expected more from the M-class. Its rivals deliver more at a lower price. The M-class comes with a high cost of ownership .Buyers can expect to shell out over $35,200 over the first five years. This is anywhere rom $500 to $100 more per year than competitors.
J.D. Power gave the M-Class average reliability ratings with an overall 3 out of 5. For the starting price of $49,225 owners get an upscale interior and a smooth ride. Critics have called the M-class woefully underpowered. Its diesel engine puts out 200 hp while a gas-powered twin-turbo V8 option give more than double that at 518 hp.
Common ground between rugged and plush
From 2011 through the current model year the Jeep Grand Cherokee has kept a luxury secret under its rugged exterior. It’s built on the Wk2 platform which is a slightly modified version of the W166. The W166 platform is the blueprint that the Mercedes Benz M Class, GLE, and Dodge Durango are built from.
The Wk2 was designed by Chrysler while the company was under Daimler ownership. Global platforms like these save automakers time and money. The Wk2 has the size and strength of the W166 but is fine-tuned for off-roading. The SUVs that share this common platform cover the spectrum from polished to rough and tumble.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee is dressed for a different party
Where both the Mercedes M-class and GLE are smooth, quiet and plodding the Jeep Grand Cherokee is powerful and capable. This SUV was built with the trail in mind. Its 2.1-L twin turbo diesel option puts out 369 lb-ft of torque.
This SUV has more than just the power to get over rough terrain, it has the body reinforcements and technology to navigate any landscape. The off-road option costs around $1,100 and includes steel underbody skip plates protect the Jeep from kicked up rocks and other potential sources of damage.
Three different all-wheel-drive options keep this SUV gripped to the trail. Each upgrade adds around $2,000 to the sticker price. Limited Slip Differential enhances this helpful feature.
Each of the SUVs build on these closely related platforms has a distinct style from each other. The Roomy Dodge Durango is known as a sturdy hauler for big families. Jeep made an off-road ready SUV with the Grand cherokee.The Mercedes-Benz M-Class and GLE both offer upgraded comforts but less capability.
https://news.usamotorjobs.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/logo-usa-motor-jobs-white.png00Gabrielle DeSantishttps://news.usamotorjobs.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/logo-usa-motor-jobs-white.pngGabrielle DeSantis2021-06-20 23:59:002021-06-21 00:29:56Mercedes-Benz M-Class Is a Dressed up Jeep Grand Cherokee
When it comes to midsize luxury crossover SUVs, there are few as good as the 2021 Lexus RX. That being said, one of those few comparable SUVs is the newer 2021 Genesis GV80, and it’s a pretty stiff race. Here’s a look at which of these two great luxury SUVs is just a bit better than the other.
The old and the new
The Genesis GV80 | SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg via Getty Images
As Kelley Blue Book wrote, when it comes to these two luxury SUVs, the differences can be seen by their age. After all, according to Kelley Blue Book, the Lexus RX is, “a veteran among midsize luxury crossovers, it could be argued that the Lexus RX actually invented the class.” As such, in many ways, the RX has aged like fine wine as it is consistently one of the best SUVs in the class.
On the other hand, the GV80 and Genesis as a company are relatively young upstarts in the segment. Genesis was founded a handful of years ago by Hyundai, and it operates as Hyundai’s luxury arm. Thus, while Genesis is a new company, the people working at Genesis definitely have a lot of experience in the field. Similarly, the Genesis GV80 has only been in production since 2020, but it’s already shown a lot of mettle.
Comparing and contrasting the 2021 Lexus RX and the 2021 Genesis GV80
The Genesis GV80, being so new to the segment, had to prove itself, and according to Kelley Blue Book, it certainly does just that. Off the bat, the GV80 is loaded with a lot of standard features, especially for a luxury SUV that comes in at just under $50,000. Not only is it equipped with a suite of smart safety features, but it also has a massive 14.5-inch infotainment screen.
On top of that, the GV80 has a powerful 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine as well as an optional twin-turbocharged V6 that comes with all-wheel drive. Either option will deliver, according to Kelley Blue Book, “excellent driving manners for thousands less than its German competitors.”
The Lexus RX, on the other hand, is similar but different in many ways to the GV80. It costs about the same, and it also has a similarly large suite of smart safety features, but Lexus definitely put its focus on other areas of the car compared to Genesis. Kelley Blue Book wrote that, rather than providing a fun to drive luxury SUV, Lexus instead prioritized the comfort of the passengers as the RX is certainly a very comfortable car to travel in.
Take a chance on the 2021 Genesis GV80
Make no mistake, the Lexus RX does have a few things that the Genesis GV80 doesn’t have, such as a hybrid engine option, but overall, Kelley Blue Book doesn’t think that the RX has aged perfectly. Indeed, Kelley Blue Book said that the RX is “a bit behind the times.” Plus, given how new and stylish the GV80 is, as well as how similar the two SUVs are in other areas, ultimately, the GV80 won out.
Despite that though, it will take some time before Genesis and the GV80 can earn the trust and respect of most American customers. Lexus and the RX have spent years doing that, and their sales figures don’t lie. According to GoodCarBadCar, so far in 2021, the RX has already sold about 47,000 units, and in a typical year, it’ll sell over 100,000 cars.
On the other hand, GoodCarBadCar said that the GV80 has only sold about 8,000 units so far in 2021. That’s a solid number for a brand-new luxury SUV, but it goes to show that the GV80 still needs time to prove itself.
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Success stories aren’t guaranteed in the world of supercars. And that even applies to a brand as well-known as Bugatti. It’s only because Volkswagen resurrected it that the world has cars like the eight-figure La Voiture Noire one-off. However, VW wasn’t the first entity to try and bring Bugatti back from the dead. There was an earlier attempt that birthed a lesser-known supercar: the Bugatti EB110. And recently, Doug DeMuro got behind the wheel of one.
The Veyron of the ‘90s, the Bugatti EB110 can match the McLaren F1’s history, engineering, and performance
From left to right: A Bugatti EB110 SS, EB110 race car, and an EB110 GT | Bugatti
Although pre-war models like the Type 35 earned Bugatti an international relationship, the French marque didn’t survive long after WWII. After founder Ettore Bugatti died in 1947, the brand itself closed in 1952. And for decades, it stayed that way.
But in 1987, Italian industrialist Romano Artioli bought the rights to the Bugatti name. The following year, he started building a state-of-the-art factory in the outskirts of Modena, Italy. It was practically within earshot of Ferrari’s and Lamborghini’s factories, Hagerty notes. And pulling from the local design, engineering, and manufacturing expertise, Artioli began working on a supercar. That supercar was the 1991 Bugatti EB110.
Calling the Bugatti EB110 a supercar might be selling it slightly short. MotorTrend and Autoweek muse that it’s arguably one of, if not the first hypercar. Automobile holds it in equal regard to the McLaren F1. And considering what the EB110 offered in the ‘90s, that’s not hyperbole.
Bugatti EB110 SS overhead rear 3/4 | Bugatti
For its time, the Bugatti EB110 was highly advanced; but, like the F1, it was also old-school. Like the F1, it has a carbon-fiber chassis and a six-speed manual. But unlike the F1, it has aluminum body panels, an electronically-rising rear wing, all-wheel drive, and a completely, from-the-ground-up bespoke engine, The Drive notes. It’s a mid-mounted 3.5-liter quad-turbocharged V12 that, in the EB110 GT, makes 560 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque. That’s enough to let the Bugatti EB110 go 0-60 mph in under 3.6 seconds and top out at 209 mph, MT says.
The later Bugatti EB110 Super Sport, aka the ‘EB110 SS,’ though, was even faster. Its V12 makes 611 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque, The Drive says. And thanks to weight-savings measures like Kevlar body panels, the EB110 SS is roughly 300 pounds lighter than the GT, Hagerty reports. That meant a 0-60 mph time of 3.26 seconds, and a 221-mph top speed.
Calling the Bugatti EB110 a 1990s Veyron, then, is appropriate. Because for a time, it was one of the fastest cars in the world.
Let Doug DeMuro show you just how quirky a Bugatti EB110 GT is
The Bugatti EB110, though, isn’t just fast. As Doug DeMuro explains in the video above, it’s also as quirky as a ‘90s supercar can be.
For example, the latch for the scissor door isn’t where the ‘handle’ is; instead, it’s located below a mid-level panel crease. And if you want to get out of the EB110, the doors unlatch electronically. Though there are emergency mechanical releases if the battery goes flat. Also, the only power-adjustable features on the EB110’s seats are the backrests and lumbar support. And getting back to that crease in the panels, that also limits how much the power windows go down. Further limiting fresh air entry is the fact that only a small portion of the window glass moves.
Bugatti EB110 SS V12 engine overhead | Bugatti
Although the Bugatti EB110 has a bespoke engine, some of its components were more ‘garden-variety.’ Its gauges and steering-wheel stalks, Doug DeMuro explains, are identical to those found in Lamborghinis from this period. It’s a similar story with the HVAC controls. Speaking of controls, some of the ones in the Bugatti EB110, are mounted on the ceiling. That’s also where you’ll find the ABS warning light and maneuverable map light.
The fuel door release is also mounted on the ceiling. However, it only opens the passenger’s side fuel door. That’s right, Bugatti EB110 has two fuel doors because it has two fuel tanks. The supercar doesn’t have two windshield wipers, though. Instead, it has three separate blades mounted on one arm.
Being a supercar/hypercar, the Bugatti EB110 isn’t exactly practical. As Doug DeMuro shows in his video, the largest storage space is the glovebox. And the seating position is a bit tight, if not exceedingly so. However, the EB110 “feels surprisingly well put together,” DeMuro says, especially given that it’s a ‘90s car from an orphaned brand. The clutch is also remarkably light and the shifter is “pretty easy and nice to use.” DeMuro found it surprisingly civilized overall, especially compared to cars like the Diablo and Countach.
It’s a rare supercar worthy of its badge—and now worth millions
That civility and performance, though, came with a high price tag; in 1991, the EB110 cost the equivalent of $692,000. And it didn’t help that the Bugatti EB110 debuted right before an economic downturn. There are also rumors that some of Bugatti’s Italian competitors may have also played a role in its downfall, Autoweek muses. Regardless, shortly after EB110 production ended, the company went bankrupt.
After the bankruptcy, German firm Dauer Sportwagen bought the remaining components and unfinished cars and made some ‘continuation’ EB110s, Automobile explains. But only 139 EB110s left the Modena factory. Of these, 30 are EB110 SS models. That makes the latter rarer than a McLaren F1, if not quite as valuable.
That being said, a Bugatti EB110, especially an SS model, is still an expensive car. And these days it’s even more expensive. Today, a pristine EB110 SS can easily go for $2 million, Hagertyreports. And even ‘lesser’ examples cost close to $1 million. Bugatti even offers a factory restoration service for it.
It seems, therefore, that the Bugatti EB110 might not be forgotten for much longer.
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Adaptive cruise control, optional on many new vehicles today, is one of the latest advanced car safety features. It’s very similar to cruise control, which allows you to set your car to a certain speed. However, the systems offered by automakers like Hyundai use radars to determine when neighboring cars get too close.
Hyundai vehicles also have their own version of adaptive cruise control named Hyundai Smart Cruise Control. Is there anything that makes it better than regular adaptive cruise control? Here’s what the folks at Rosen Hyundai have to say.
All the Hyundai Smart Cruise Control’s features
Since it’s a cruise control system, you can set Hyundai Smart Cruise control at a specific highway speed. It doesn’t mean the car can drive itself, but that’s less pressure that you have to apply to the accelerator. It’s a useful feature to have for road trips, especially if you easily get sore limbs.
Hyundai Smart Cruise Control also has the same elements of adaptive cruise control. The radar system emits waves that reflect off of the car in front of yours, detecting its speed. If the preceding car speeds up or slows down, the Smart Cruise Control adjusts your vehicle’s speed accordingly. It also has a Stop and Go setting, which tracks the driving behaviors of cars around you during traffic.
If the car ahead of you stops unexpectedly, the Smart Cruise Control brakes itself as well. The radar waves are so fast that there’s no delay between the data received from the radars and the resulting functions. Oftentimes, humans can’t react as quickly in emergency situations, resulting in fender benders or collisions. The Cruise Control button is located on the steering wheel, so it’s easy to engage or disengage at a moment’s notice.
The Smart Cruise Control’s radars also won’t be limited by hazardous weather conditions, such as heavy rain or fog. Rosen Hyundai also boasts that Smart Cruise Control is highly reliable, even inspiring some new lunar excursion technology.
What makes Hyundai Smart Cruise Control different?
Our latest evolution of Smart Cruise Control, the Hyundai SCC-Machine Learning, makes autonomous driving a lot less awkward. Learn from its creators how #AI technology helps make this happen here: https://t.co/28HGpDSD63pic.twitter.com/KtDUDMaKZH
Many of the functions offered on Smart Cruise Control can be found on any adaptive cruise control system. However, the Hyundai software offers one really useful perk: the front-mounted radars can still work when the vehicle’s grille gets dirty. Wintery conditions can cause your car’s grille to become covered in snow and slush, which can be hard to remove.
If you’re driving during a blizzard, you can’t really keep your grille clean as you’re driving. Adaptive cruise control is essential in severe weather conditions, especially when drivers around you might struggle to see clearly. Hyundai Smart Control is also usually included in its cars’ standard features, whereas other automakers might make you pay extra.
Which vehicles have Hyundai Smart Cruise control?
Many of the latest Hyundai vehicles have Smart Cruise control, including the 2021 Hyundai Sonata. It also has a nice collection of other standard safety features, like driver drowsiness monitoring, forward automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist. Higher trims can have blind-spot monitors, sensing any vehicle driving above 20 mph.
The Hyundai Sonata also benefits from two engine options, with great gas mileage for the base trim. The cabin feels luxurious, but taller passengers in the backseat might not have enough legroom.
The Hyundai Palisade is more spacious, able to seat up to eight riders. The first two rows are incredibly roomy, and even the third row can accommodate some adults. It only has one engine choice, but it packs enough horsepower to keep this SUV moving quickly.
Critics also report it handles well despite the added weight over its sedan siblings. Like the Sonata, the Palisade includes Hyundai Smart Cruise control in its generous library of standard driver’s aids.
https://news.usamotorjobs.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/logo-usa-motor-jobs-white.png00Gabrielle DeSantishttps://news.usamotorjobs.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/logo-usa-motor-jobs-white.pngGabrielle DeSantis2021-06-20 22:32:002021-06-20 22:57:25What Is Hyundai Smart Cruise Control, and Is It the Same as Adaptive Cruise Control?
