By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(March 1, 2015) Hyundai will launch its new Tucson crossover at the Geneva Motor Show this week, the first created under the direction of Peter Schreyer in his new capacity as President and Chief Design Officer at the Hyundai Motor Group. Previous to this, Schreyer was the chief designer at Kia. 

By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(February 21, 2015) Honda pulled the wraps from the 2016 Pilot at the Chicago Auto Show, and more than a few in the audience were confused. Where was the big, round-cornered box on wheels? What was this oversize CR-V doing on the stand? Why is Honda selling the car with two automatic transmissions, one a six-speed, the other a nine-speed? [Adding one gear to the outgoing five-speed, and making it standard only on the lower trim levels suggests the nine-speed’s extra cost would have placed the base Pilot models at a disadvantage when compared to its competition.] How can it be bigger when it looks so much less bulky?

By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(February 17, 2015) This is the car that the Ford’s GT will go up against in 2016. Ferrari’s 488 GTB takes up where the 458 Italia left off, replacing the previous car’s naturally aspirated engine with a 660 hp/560 lb.-ft. 3902 cc V8 turbo.

By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(February 9, 2015) It was while touring GKN’s European facilities in 2005 that I first came face-to-face with torque vectoring. During a tour of the production area, one of the executives started bragging to me about the technology’s capabilities, saying that I should find the time to make my way to GKN’s cold weather test facility where I could drive a Mustang fitted with the system.

By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(February 1, 2015) After they dropped off the Expedition King Ranch at the palatial TVD offices (between Starbucks and Big Lots, but close to the park) my mindset was this: Unless you are concentrating solely on the area forward of the A-pillars, this isn’t a new vehicle. It’s a make-do until the new one arrives, which puts it at a distinct disadvantage when compared to GM’s new full-size, body-on-frame SUVs.

By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(January 19, 2015) Auto shows are an echo chamber of self importance at nearly every level. From corporate CEOs to journalists scurrying from place to place in hopes of breaking some news, the modern age’s obsession with self runs rampant. This narcissism reached new heights on the GM stand where young women carrying  “selfie sticks” offered to let you take your photo with one of the cars on the stand, so you could tweet it out to your friends and followers.

By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(January 10, 2015) Why would we be testing a 2015 Sorento crossover when the redesigned 2016 model has just been introduced? Why not? There are plenty of 2015s still sitting on dealer lots, making them fodder for close out deals, and a great way to get into a new, highly rated SUV inexpensively.

By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(January 1, 2015) Now that BMW has the X4 and X6 in its SUV coupe lineup, Mercedes comes along with a crossover coupe of its own, the GLE Coupe. Set to debut at the 2015 Detroit show, the GLE line will be headed by the GLE Coupe AMG 4Matic, which features a twin-turbo V6 producing 362 horsepower and 384 lb.-ft. of torque, and sends power to the wheels through a nine-speed automatic and all-wheel drive. To improve vehicle dynamics, the torque split is almost the exact opposite of the weight distribution at 40:60.

By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(December 29, 2014) Jaguar’s suite of new visualization concepts may further blur the borders between virtual reality games and real life by giving the driver 360-degree vision and a virtual chase car to follow in urban areas.The idea behind these technologies is to reduce driver distraction by keeping his eyes on the road, and making visible that which otherwise would be hidden.

By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(December 25, 2014) The day before we headed out from Detroit to Clifton, Va., for Thanksgiving, the winds in Michigan were gusting to 60 mph and above, with sustained winds in the 20-35 mph range. In the driveway sat — or, more accurately, given its height — stood a 148-inch wheelbase Ford Transit 250 High Roof.