Car and Driver - USA (2019-10)

62. CHARTING THE CHANGES. CAR AND DRIVER. OCT/2019

New Cars for 20 20 Audi — BMW

(and largely unchanged) SQ5.
We predict that the 14.1-kWh
battery will provide a little
less than 20 miles of electric
driving range before the gas
engine kicks in.
—
Q7: A mid-cycle refresh brings
Audi’s dual-touchscreen
center console to the Q7 and
updates the appearance inside
and out. We expect that Audi
will replace the supercharged
3.0-liter V-6 with a turbo-
charged engine of the same
displacement and configu-
ration, likely with a 48-volt
hybrid system.
—
R8: A limited run of R8 V10
Decennium coupes cele-
brates a decade of Audi’s V-10
supercar. The $217,545 special
comes with metallic-black
paint, matte-bronze wheels,
unique badging, and the same
602-hp engine as the R8 V10
Performance (formerly known
as the V10 Plus). And the base
R8 V10’s output swells by 30
horses, for a total of 562.

—
Minor trim changes: A3/S3,
Q8, TT/S/RS
Unchanged: RS3
Dead: A3 cabriolet

$250,000. For that money,

you get a zero-to-60-mph time

that’s quicker by a claimed 0.2

second (that would put it at

3.3), a stiffer suspension, and

a louder exhaust.

—

Continental GT: The Conti

GT coupe, all new last year,

adds a 542-hp twin-turbo

4.0-liter V-8 as an entry-level

model that drops the price

to just a few bottles’ worth

of Château Lafite Rothschild

above $200,000. For those

willing to spend more, the

BMW

—

5-series: The 530i and 540i

carry over unchanged, but the

M550i enjoys a 67-hp, 73-lb-ft

bump, totaling 523 horses

and 553 pound-feet of torque.

BMW expects a 0.3-second-

quicker zero-to-60 time of 3.6

seconds. The plug-in 530e

gets a larger battery. And BMW

celebrates 35 years of the M5

with a paint-and-trim special.

—

7-series: The comically large

grille is the most obvious

change, but there are big

updates under the hood,

too. The plug-in-hybrid 745e

replaces the 740e and uses

a 3.0-liter inline-six and an

electric motor to make a total

of 389 horses. A 12.0-kWh

battery delivers 16 miles of

EV driving. BMW also tuned

the 750i’s twin-turbo 4.4-liter

V-8 to deliver a 78-hp bump,

to 523. Another version of this

engine makes 600 horsepower

in the Alpina B7.

—

8-series: A Gran Coupe sedan

joins the lineup; it’s longer,

wider, and taller than the

actual coupe. Plus, a new 840i

trim arrives with a 335-hp

turbo inline-six and rear- or

all-wheel drive. It’s available

across all three of the 8’s

body styles. For news on the M

model, see “ ’Ello, M8.”

Bentley
—
Bentayga: Bentley is adding
a V-6 plug-in hybrid (which
was supposed to launch last
year) and a new top-of-the-
line Speed model. Joining the
existing Bentayga V8 and W12
models, the Speed boosts the
12-cylinder’s output by 26
horsepower, to 626, with an
expected $20,000 upcharge
raising the price to around

BMW 3-series: We were expecting great things

from the G20 generation, but we haven’t felt

the magic of the pre-F30 3-series in the models we’ve

tested thus far. We’re hoping BMW is saving its best

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inline-six and either rear- or all-wheel drive. The

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comes exclusively with an eight-speed automatic.

What’s more, the Gran Turismo and wagon get the

ax for 2020, but the M3 should return for 2021.

BMW M340i

line also offers a convert-

ible. Powered by the 626-hp

W-12, the only engine initially

available with the droptop, the

$241,425 epicurean barge tops

out at a claimed 207 mph.

—

Flying Spur: The Conti’s four-

door counterpart is all new,

seeing its second full redesign

since its debut in 2005. Now

riding on an architecture

shared with the GT and the

Porsche Panamera, it’s lighter

and stiffer, with the beautiful

materials and craftsmanship

that helped the previous-

generation Continental lineup

propel Bentley to new sales

highs. A five-inch wheelbase

stretch pushes the wheels

farther to the extremities and

expands on rear-seat space.

The Flying Spur follows the

pattern of the Bentayga and

Conti GT, launching first with

the 12. Also like the GT, it’ll

come with an eight-speed

dual-clutch automatic. It’ll

likely start near a quarter-

million, but a V-8 version—and

probably a hybrid—will follow.

—

Unchanged: Mulsanne