MotorWeek

HI, I'M JOHN DAVIS AND THIS IS MOTORWEEK !

JOIN US AS WE DROP THE TOP ON THE POTENT AND POLISHED PORSCHE 911 TURBO S CABRIOLET... PAT GOSS HAS ADVICE ON TAMING BRAKES BEHAVING BADLY... JOE LIGO DRIVES BACK IN TIME WITH MUSCLE CAR MEMORIES... AND ADDING MORE LUXURY TO AN ALREADY SPORTY UTE, THE NEW BMW X3...

SO COME DRIVE WITH US, NEXT!

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* Announcer: MOTORWEEK , TELEVISION'S ORIGINAL AUTOMOTIVE MAGAZINE.

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John: WHEN SUMMERTIME ARRIVES HERE AT MOTORWEEK , CONVERTIBLES BECOME VERY POPULAR.

ADD THE FACT THAT OUR LATEST DROP TOP WAS A PORSCHE 911 TURBO S, AND WELL...THE KEYS, AS WELL AS THE CAR, ALWAYS SEEMED TO BE "GONE MISSING."

FORTUNATELY, WE WERE ABLE TO GET SOME WORK DONE WITH IT TOO.

SO, HERE'S OUR LATEST SUN BURNED JAUNT, PORSCHE STYLE!

* THERE MAY BE MORE RACE-READY 911s THAT YOU CAN BUY, BUT THE PORSCHE 911 TURBO S IS STILL THE TOP DOG IN A LINEUP THAT NOW CONSISTS OF SOME 20, 911 VARIANTS.

AND THIS 2018 CABRIOLET BODY STYLE NOT ONLY ALLOWS YOU TO GET IN TOUCH WITH NATURE, WHILE YOU'RE STREAKING AROUND YOUR FAVORITE BACK ROADS, BUT IT MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNOWS WHO'S BEHIND THE WHEEL TOO.

WHATEVER YOUR MOTIVATION, YOU'LL FIND PLENTY TO LOVE HERE.

OF COURSE ONE OF OUR FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT ANY 911, IS LAUNCH CONTROL.

IT'S EQUAL PARTS BRUTALITY, SIMPLICITY, AND ROCKETRY; ALLOWING YOU TO LEAP OFF THE LINE NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE, WITH MAXIMUM EFFECT.

THE PURE VISCERAL EXPERIENCE STARTS WHEN YOU RELEASE THE BRAKE AND SLINGSHOT OFF THE LINE.

ALL-WHEEL DRIVE TRACTION GETS YOU GOING IN A HASTE, BUT PREPARE TO DO SOME QUICK STEERING, AS DEPENDING ON WHICH WHEEL IS GETTING THE MOST GRIP, THINGS CAN GET INTERESTING RAPIDLY TOO.

SIXTY MILES PER HOUR ARRIVES IN JUST 2.9 SECONDS; STUPID GRINS ON YOUR FACE, EVEN QUICKER.

AND IT ALL HAPPENS WITH INTAKE, EXHAUST, AND ENGINE NOISES CREATING A HARMONY OF AWESOMENESS; AS THE TURBO-6 PUSHES YOU DOWN THE TRACK LIKE, A FRIGHTENED GAZELLE.

NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES YOU RIP OFF SUB-ELEVEN SECOND QUARTER MILES, IT NEVER GETS OLD.

THIS 911 TURBO S CAN DO IT IN 10.8 SECONDS AT 129 MILES PER HOUR.

AFTER COMING DOWN FROM THAT ADRENALINE HIGH, YOU CAN APPRECIATE THAT ALL OF THIS HAPPENS BECAUSE OF THE 580 HORSEPOWER AND 516 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE THAT POURS FROM THE 3.8 LITER TWIN-TURBO FLAT-6.

LAST YEAR SAW NEW TURBO'S ADDED, AS WELL AS A DYNAMIC BOOST FUNCTION THAT MAINTAINS BOOST PRESSURE EVEN WHEN YOU EASE OFF THE THROTTLE, OR WHEN THE 7-SPEED PDK TRIGGERS A SHIFT.

AMAZING BRAKES ARE NOTHING NEW TO 911s OR PORSCHES IN GENERAL, BUT THE WAY THESE 6-PISTON CALIPERS GRAB THE CERAMIC BRAKE DISCS THAT ARE STANDARD ON THE S IS TRULY EPIC.

STOPS FROM 60 TAKE JUST 90 FEET.

RUNNING THROUGH A SIMPLE SLALOM COURSE AT OUR DRAG STRIP, IS TRULY NO TEST FOR THIS 911, BUT YOU DO GET A SMALL TASTE OF THE INSANE GRIP, SHARP TURN-INS, AND ULTRA-FLAT HANDLING THAT THE TURBO S HAS TO OFFER.

DOES THE FABRIC ROOF OVERHEAD COMPROMISE ANYTHING?

PERHAPS, BUT NOT THAT WE COULD TELL HERE.

AND WE ALL KNOW THE TURBO S IS NO ONE TRICK PONY; ONCE YOU'RE DONE SEEKING LOW E.T.

'S, OR SLICING UP THE SLALOM LIKE A GINSU KNIFE, IT'S JUST AS REWARDING HEADING TO YOUR FAVORITE FAR OFF PLACE.

SEEING 911S ON THE ROAD IS NOT EXACTLY A RARE OCCASION; YET OUR GUARDS RED CABRIOLET STILL GARNERED ITS FAIR SHARE OF ATTENTION.

PEOPLE MAY NOT ALWAYS KNOW WHY, BUT THEY CAN SENSE THERE'S JUST SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT THIS 911.

TOP OR NO TOP, THE LOOK IS ALL CLASSIC PORSCHE; ROUND HEADLIGHTS, SMOOTH BODY, WIDE HIPS, THE WHOLE PACKAGE.

THIS TURBO S OF COURSE, RIDES ON 20-INCH CENTER-LOCK WHEELS.

NOT SURPRISINGLY, TOP OPERATION IS AS SPEEDY AND EFFICIENT AS THE REST OF THE CAR.

Sherryn: OH, SNAP!

SITTING INSIDE, EVERYTHING JUST FEELS RIGHT, WITH ALL OF THE IMPORTANT STUFF FALLING READILY TO HAND.

THE UP-SWEEPING CENTER CONSOLE STILL HOSTS PLENTY OF PHYSICAL BUTTONS.

MEANWHILE, PORSCHE'S TOUCHSCREEN INTERFACE HAS STEADILY IMPROVED, IT'S NOW QUITE INTUITIVE.

SEATS HAVE A "BUSINESS FIRST" FEEL, WITH THAT BUSINESS BEING KEEPING YOU IN PLACE AT HIGH SPEEDS ON A ROAD COURSE; YET THEY ARE PLENTY COMFORTABLE FOR LEISURELY-LONG DRIVES THROUGH THE COUNTRYSIDE.

GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS ARE NOT PAINFUL AT ALL FOR A CAR WITH THIS MUCH PERFORMANCE; 19-CITY, 24-HIGHWAY, AND 21-COMBINED.

WE AVERAGED 22.1 MILES PER GALLON OF PREMIUM.

SO THAT'S AN ONLY SLIGHTLY WORSE THAN AVERAGE ENERGY IMPACT SCORE OF 15.7 BARRELS OF YEARLY OIL USE, WITH CO2 EMISSIONS OF 7.1 TONS.

AND THEN OF COURSE, THERE'S THE MATTER OF PRICING.

WHILE, THE 911 TURBO STARTS AT $162,850, STEPPING UP TO THE 580 HORSE S CABRIOLET WILL COST YOU $204,050.

BUT, BE STILL THAT RACING HEART, AS YOU CAN GET THE 911 CARRERA CABRIOLET, WITH ONLY 420 HORSEPOWER, FOR ABOUT HALF THAT.

STILL, THE 2018 PORSCHE 911 TURBO S REMAINS OUR ASPIRATIONAL VEHICLE, AND IT HAS MANAGED TO STAY RELEVANT DESPITE A NEW UPSTART SUPERCAR ARRIVING ALMOST WEEKLY.

THERE'S STILL NOTHING ELSE ON THE ROAD QUITE LIKE IT.

* MOST ENTHUSIASTS SEE THE 1970s AS THE "DARK AGES" OF AMERICAN PERFORMANCE, BLAMING GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS FOR TAKING ALL THE FUN OUT OF CARS.

WELL, OUR JOE LIGO VENTURES INTO THAT DARKNESS AND DISCOVERS A CHEVROLET HOLDOUT YOU MAY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF.

Joe Ligo: CITIES CHOKING ON SMOG... TRAFFIC FATALITIES ON THE RISE...

ALTHOUGH, PEOPLE LOVED THEIR MUSCLE CARS, THE CASUALTIES OF DETROIT'S HORSEPOWER WAR, MADE WASHINGTON PUT THE BRAKES ON THE AUTO INDUSTRY... BY THE EARLY '70s, THE MUSCLE CAR MARKET WAS DYING.

THE CAUSE?

INCREASED PRICES FOR FUEL AND INSURANCE COMBINED WITH GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS FOR SAFETY AND EMISSIONS.

BY 1975, ALL THAT REMAINED WERE A FEW LAST GASPS.

* WHILE, IT MAY NOT INDUCE HEAVY BREATHING, THIS 1975 CHEVROLET CHEVELLE LAGUNA TYPE S3, TRIES TO CARRY THE TORCH OF ITS MUSCLE CAR ANCESTORS.

THE DOWNSIZED 3RD GENERATION CHEVELLE DEBUTED IN 1973, AND THE LAGUNA TYPE S3 MODEL FOLLOWED A YEAR LATER, REPLACING THE CHEVELLE SS AT LEAST IN SPIRIT.

THE UNUSUAL PLASTIC SHOVEL-NOSE CAME IN 1975.

AND ALTHOUGH, CHEVY DIDN'T OFFICIALLY SUPPORT RACING, THE LAGUNA WAS CLEARLY DESIGNED FOR NASCAR.

THAT ODD AERODYNAMIC NOSE HELPED IT DOMINATE THE TRACK, WINNING TWO WINSTON CUP CHAMPIONSHIPS, BEFORE THE LEAGUE CAUGHT ON, AND BANNED THIS LIMITED-PRODUCTION MODEL FROM COMPETITION.

THIS STREET-LEGAL VERSION HAS WINDOW LOUVERS, RALLY WHEELS, AND ALL THOSE THINGS THAT LOOK FAST, BUT DON'T ACTUALLY IMPROVE PERFORMANCE.

ZERO TO 60 TAKES WELL OVER 10 SECONDS.

SO, IT'S NO SUPER SPORT.

AND THIS CAR'S 3-SPEED AUTOMATIC DOESN'T HELP.

THERE'S THIS DEAD SPOT ABOVE 30 MILES PER HOUR, WHERE YOU STOMP THE PEDAL AND THE CAR GETS LOUDER, BUT YOU DON'T GO ANY FASTER.

BUT THEN FINALLY, IT TRIGGERS A DOWNSHIFT INTO SECOND AND THINGS PICK UP A LITTLE BIT, BUT IT'S STILL NOT A WHITE KNUCKLE, EDGE OF YOUR SEAT KIND OF EXPERIENCE.

[ENGINE STARTS UP] BLAME IT ON THIS 350 CUBIC INCH V8 THAT ONLY MAKES 145 HORSEPOWER.

IT'S A GOOD ENGINE, JUST STRANGLED BY EARLY POLLUTION-CONTROL EQUIPMENT.

AN OPTIONAL 400 CUBIC INCH V8 ADDED 30 MORE HORSES.

YOU COULD GET A 454 BIG BLOCK IN OTHER CHEVELLE MODELS, BUT SADLY...IT WAS NOT AVAILABLE ON LAGUNA.

COMPARED TO OLDER MUSCLE CARS, THE LAGUNA DEFINITELY FEELS QUIETER AND MORE REFINED.

PERHAPS, GM COMPENSATED THE LOSS IN PERFORMANCE WITH AN INCREASE IN LUXURY.

EITHER WAY, THE LAGUNA'S SLOW SALES CAUSED CHEVY TO DROP THE MODEL AFTER 1976.

A 3-YEAR LIFESPAN AND ONLY 32,680 COPIES, MAKES THE CHEVROLET CHEVELLE LAGUNA TYPE S3 A RARE CAR.

HOWEVER, MODERN-DAY PRICES BETWEEN $2,500 AND $8,500 DON'T REFLECT THAT.

THE LAGUNA TYPE S3 WILL ALWAYS STAND IN THE SHADOW OF OLDER, AND MORE POPULAR CHEVELLE'S, BUT IT'S STILL AN IMPORTANT PART OF AMERICAN MUSCLE HISTORY.

IF YOU'RE WILLING TO SACRIFICE SOME PERFORMANCE FOR EXTRA COMFORT AND A NASCAR PEDIGREE, CHANCES ARE YOU'LL HAVE THE ONLY ONE AT YOUR LOCAL SHOW.

PEOPLE STILL WORRY ABOUT REGULATIONS KILLING OFF PERFORMANCE CARS, BUT IF THE PAST PROVES ANYTHING, MANUFACTURES WILL ALWAYS FIND A WAY TO PASS THE RULES AND MAKES CARS EVEN FASTER.

AND THAT'S A GOOD REASON FOR ALL OF US TO BREATHE EASY.

John: WE TALK A LOT ABOUT GOING AROUND HERE, BUT STOPPING IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT.

PAT GOSS SHARES HIS BRAKING KNOW HOW, DOWN IN GOSS' GARAGE.

Pat Goss: CARS KEEP EVOLVING, AND AS THEY EVOLVE THERE ARE NEW PROCEDURES AND PROBLEMS THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT EVOLUTION.

NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH ARE MODERN BRAKES, NOW...HERE, WE HAVE A 4-PISTON CALIPER, THEY'VE BEEN AROUND FOR YEARS, BUT THEY TYPICALLY WERE NOT USED ON GARDEN-VARIETY CARS AND SOMETIMES THEY ARE TODAY.

NOW, THE BIG THING WITH A 4-PISTON CALIPER IS, IT'S MOUNTED RIGIDLY, IT DOESN'T MOVE.

IT HAS THE FOUR PISTONS, THE 4-PISTONS HAVE TO WORK IN UNISON WHICH MEANS THAT PERIODICALLY, YOU HAVE TO CLEAN AROUND THE PISTONS BECAUSE DIRT CAN ACTUALLY MIGRATE THROUGH THE SEALS AND CAUSE THE PISTONS TO BIND.

THE OTHER THING IS, IF THE PISTONS OR THE CALIPER DOESN'T MOVE AND THE PISTONS DO, THAT MEANS THAT THE PADS MOVE ON THESE PINS.

SO, THOSE PINS HAVE TO BE LUBRICATED IN ORDER FOR THE PADS TO MOVE SMOOTHLY, AND IF THEY DON'T, IF ONE OF THESE PISTONS IS OUT OF SYNC OR IF YOU DON'T MOVE THE PAD PROPERLY, YOU CAN WIND UP WITH WHAT WE HAVE HERE.

ONE END IS LIKE NEW, THE OTHER END IS ALMOST WORN OUT.

SO, PERIODIC CLEANING AND LUBRICATION, VERY GOOD IDEA.

NOW OVER HERE, WE HAVE A TWO PISTON CALIPER, NOW THE PISTONS ARE SIDE BY SIDE AND THE CALIPER SLIDES BACK AND FORTH, NOW THE THING WITH THAT IS BECAUSE IT SLIDES, THESE SLIDE PINS RIGHT HERE, HAVE TO BE LUBRICATED IN ORDER TO KEEP THE CALIPER MOVING SMOOTHLY AND NOT ROCKING ON ITS SLIDES.

AGAIN, YOU WANT TO CLEAN AROUND THE PISTONS AND SO ON DURING A NORMAL BRAKE INSPECTION.

AND FINALLY, WE HAVE OUR OLD TRIED AND TRUE SINGLE PISTON CALIPER THAT AGAIN SLIDES BACK AND FORTH ON SOME TYPE OF MECHANISM.

IT, LIKE ALL THE OTHERS, NEEDS TO BE LUBRICATED SO THAT IT SLIDES FREELY.

IF YOU HAVE UNEVEN WEAR ON A PAD OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, SUSPECT THAT THERE'S PROBABLY AN ISSUE WITH THE CALIPER OR THE SLIDING MECHANISM OF THE CALIPER.

NOW, THE THING HERE, IS THAT YOU SHOULD BE CHECKING YOUR BRAKES AND LUBRICATING ALL THIS STUFF ABOUT EVERY 12,000 TO 15,000 MILES OR ONCE A YEAR.

BUT, THE PRODUCT YOU USE HAS TO BE DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY, FOR BRAKES BECAUSE OF THE EXCESSIVE HEAT, YOU CAN'T USE NORMAL GREASE BECAUSE NORMAL GREASE WILL MELT AND GO AWAY.

IT ALSO, COLLECTS DIRT AND THE DIRT MAKES THINGS BIND UP.

SO, PROPER MAINTENANCE, PADS WILL LAST LONGER, BRAKES WILL WORK BETTER.

AND IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT, DROP ME A LINE, RIGHT HERE AT MOTORWEEK .

John: TIME NOW TO HIT THE START BUTTON ON SOME FIRST DRIVES, SO HERE'S OUR LATEST QUICKSPIN.

* THE ALL-NEW, 2019 HONDA INSIGHT IS A BIG STEP IN THE COMPANY'S RENEWED EFFORTS TO DRIVE GREEN, WITHOUT LOOKING LIKE A TREE HUGGER.

THE TOYOTA PRIUS HOLDS MOST FOLK'S HYBRID ATTENTION, BUT HONDA WAS ACTUALLY FIRST IN THE U.S. MARKET WITH THE QUIRKY 3-DOOR, HATCHBACK, 2000 INSIGHT.

IN 2009, THE SECOND GENERATION BROUGHT A MORE NORMAL LOOKING, WEDGE-SHAPE, 5-DOOR HATCH.

STILL, THE INSIGHT NEVER CHALLENGED PRIUS FOR SALES, SO AFTER 2014, HONDA WENT BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AGAIN.

TO CONTEMPLATE THIS THIRD GENERATION, MORE UPSCALE, AND MOST NORMAL LOOKING YET, INSIGHT.

IN FACT, IT EASILY SLIPS INTO HONDA'S LINEUP BETWEEN THE COMPACT CIVIC, ON WHICH IT IS BASED, AND THE MID-SIZE ACCORD, ADOPTING MUCH OF ITS FRONT FASCIA AND SLEEK COUPISH ROOFLINE.

POWER COMES FROM HONDA'S EVOLVING 2-MOTOR HYBRID SYSTEM.

TOTAL OUTPUT; 151 HORSEPOWER.

MOST OF THE TIME, THE 1.5 LITER ATKINSON CYCLE ENGINE WORKS WITH THE GENERATOR MOTOR TO PRODUCE ELECTRICITY FOR THE PROPULSION MOTOR OR THE LITHIUM-ION BATTERY PACK.

THE ELECTRIC MOTOR POWERS THE FRONT WHEELS, SO THERE'S NO CONVENTIONAL TRANSMISSION.

EPA COMBINED RATINGS RANGE FROM 48 TO 52 MPG DEPENDING ON TRIM, THE SAME BALLPARK AS THE SMALLER PRIUS.

THE INSIGHT'S GAS ENGINE TAKES OVER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THROUGH A LOCK-UP CLUTCH.

THE TORQUE SEEMS TO DIE OFF SOONER RATHER THAN LATER, AND WE FOUND OURSELVES HITTING SPORT MODE MORE OFTEN THAN NOT.

ENGINEERS PUT MACPHERSON STRUTS UP FRONT AND A MULTI-LINK IN THE REAR.

Zach Maskell: WE STARTED OFF IN THE LX AND IT DEFINITELY FELT LIKE A CIVIC WHEN IT COMES TO SUSPENSION ANYWAY, MOVE ON FROM THE LX AND THE SUSPENSION IS NOTICEABLY A MORE PLUSH RIDE.

John: EXTRA SOUND INSULATION, CREATES A QUIET CABIN SERVING AS BACKGROUND FOR APPLE CARPLAY AND ANDROID AUTO.

HONDA'S HYBRID TECHNOLOGY HAS CERTAINLY PROGRESSED FROM MERELY AN "ELECTRIC ASSIST," TO HEAVILY FAVORING ELECTRIC POWER, WITH A MUCH MORE MAINSTREAM DESIGN.

THE 2019 HONDA INSIGHT IS ON SALE NOW STARTING AT JUST UNDER $23,000.

HYUNDAI IS CATCHING THE WAVE OF SUBCOMPACT UTEs WITH A "FAR OUT" LOOK AND A NAME INSPIRED BY THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII, THE 2018 KONA.

THE RUGGEDLY SPORTY LOOKING PACKAGE LAUNCHES HYUNDAI'S NEW SUV STYLING DIRECTION, WHILE ALSO BORROWING IDEAS FROM OTHERS.

WE CAN SEE ELEMENTS OF BOTH THE ILL-FATED PONTIAC AZTEK AND CURRENT GEN JEEP CHEROKEES HERE.

THE KONA RIDES THE WAVES ON AN ALL-NEW PLATFORM, SPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR THIS CUTE-UTE, AND NOT YET SHARED WITH ANY KIA.

BASE MODELS FIT A 147 HORSEPOWER 2.0 LITER I4 WITH A 6-SPEED AUTOMATIC; OUTPUT COMPARABLE TO OTHER ENTRY LEVEL SMALL UTEs.

BUT FOR A BIG SURGE, WE CHOSE THE 175 HORSEPOWER GAMMA 1.6 LITER TURBOCHARGED I4 WITH THE QUICK SHIFTING 7-SPEED DUAL-CLUTCH AUTOMATIC.

Garick Zikan: SO HERE, WE ARE IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT OF THE HYUNDAI KONA.

UP THERE, THE TURBOCHARGED ENGINE IS DOING THE WORK, AND ACCELERATION IS QUICK.

THE STEERING HAS A GOOD AMOUNT OF WEIGHT AND THE KONA IS VERY NIMBLE.

ALL OF THESE CHARACTERISTICS COME TOGETHER TO CREATE A SPORTY DRIVING EXPERIENCE WHEN YOU'RE SITTING HERE.

John: FRONT-WHEEL DRIVE IS STANDARD, ALL-WHEEL DRIVE IS AN OPTION WITH EITHER ENGINE.

WHERE ALL-FOUR WHEELS HAVE POWER, THERE'S NOT ONLY BETTER CONTACT WITH THE ROAD, BUT THE REAR TORSION BEAM IS REPLACED WITH A MULTI-LINK INDEPENDENT SUSPENSION.

THAT KEPT THE RIDE COMFORTABLE, AND CORNERING BETTER UNDER CONTROL.

THE EURO INSPIRED FLOATING TOUCH SCREEN IS STANDARD, SO ARE APPLE CARPLAY AND ANDROID AUTO.

THE FIELD OF SUB-COMPACT CROSSOVERS IS ALREADY VERY COMPETITIVE.

THE 2018 HYUNDAI KONA TAKES A LIVELY LOOK AND A SPIRITED APPROACH TO PADDLE PAST THE BRO'S AND HANG TEN.

DEALERS HAVE THEM NOW, STARTING AT UNDER $20,000.

AND WE'LL HAVE MORE QUICKSPIN'S SOON.

WE TESTED THE ORIGINAL BMW X3 SPORTS ACTIVITY VEHICLE BACK IN 2003.

WE MARVELED AT HOW THE BRAND'S SECOND UTILITY MANAGED TO ADD BOAT-LOADS OF EVERYDAY COMFORT AND VERSATILITY WHILE MAINTAINING SO MUCH OF ITS NAMESAKE 3-SERIES SPORT SEDAN'S CONCISE DRIVING CHARACTER.

WELL...NOW, AS THE 3RD GENERATION X3 HAS ARRIVED, IT'S TIME TO TAKE STOCK OF BMW'S COMPACT UTE ONCE AGAIN, AND SEE JUST HOW IT'S EVOLVED.

* BMW JUMPED INTO THE PREMIUM UTILITY MARKET BEFORE MOST.

THEY WERE A TRUE EARLY ADOPTER IN EMBRACING THE NEW "UTILITARIAN" NORM FOR LUXURY CAR MAKERS.

BUT, THE 2018 X3 DRIVES INTO A MUCH MORE CROWED AUTOMOTIVE LANDSCAPE THAN THE ORIGINAL DID, WITH RIVAL LUXURY UTEs AT EVERY TURN.

STILL, BMW DIDN'T WANT TO MESS TOO MUCH WITH SUCCESS.

SO, THEY KEPT THE NEW X3s EXTERIOR DIMENSIONS ALMOST THE SAME AS THE OUTGOING MODEL.

YET, THEY STRETCHED THE WHEELBASE BY OVER TWO INCHES FOR ADDITIONAL INTERIOR SPACE.

THAT'S BECAUSE ITS LESSER SIBLING THE X1, WHICH HAS THE ADVANTAGE OF BEING FRONT-WHEEL DRIVE BASED, HAD ALMOST THE SAME AMOUNT OF ROOM INSIDE AS THE OUT-GOING REAR-DRIVE BASED X3.

BUT BEHIND THE WHEEL, THERE'S NO COMPARISON.

WHILE, THE X1 IS INDEED VERY FUN TO DRIVE, IT'S MORE LIKE A LIGHTWEIGHT, NIMBLE PLAYTHING, WHEREAS...THE X3 FEELS SOLID AND NAILED DOWN; YES...STILL VERY MUCH LIKE A 3-SERIES SEDAN.

AND, SINCE BMW DOES PLACE SUCH A HIGH PRIORITY ON THAT DRIVING EXPERIENCE, IT'S NOTABLE THAT AN M PERFORMANCE MODEL IS NEWLY AVAILABLE IN THE X3.

* THE M40I, WHICH REPLACES THE XDRIVE35I, FEATURES BMW'S 3.0 LITER TURBO INLINE-6, OUTPUTTING 355 HORSEPOWER AND 369 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE, AN 8-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, AND MORE REAR-BIAS FOR THE STANDARD XDRIVE ALL-WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM.

IT DOES INDEED FEEL POWERFUL, BUT LIKE ANY PERFORMANCE MACHINE, THINGS CAN BE LOUD AND A BIT ABRASIVE AT TIMES.

M40Is GET SPORTIER-LOOKING TRIM INSIDE TOO, AS WELL AS AN AERO KIT FOR THE EXTERIOR; WHERE YOU'LL ALSO NOTICE BLACK CHROME TIPS FOR THE PERFORMANCE EXHAUST SYSTEM, M SPORT BRAKES, AND 19...20...OR 21-INCH WHEELS.

BUT, WE ALSO SPENT TIME IN THE MUCH HIGHER VOLUME XDRIVE30I, WHICH REPLACES THE XDRIVE28I BASE MODEL.

[ENGINE STARTS UP] UNDER ITS HOOD, IS A SLIGHTLY UPDATED 2.0 LITER I4 TURBO; NOW...WITH 248 HORSEPOWER, 8-MORE THAN BEFORE, AND 258 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

IT RAMPED UP TO 60 IN 6.5 SECONDS.

REALLY GOOD FOR ANY "BASE MODEL" UTILITY.

THE M40I DOES THE SAME DEED ABOUT TWO SECONDS QUICKER.

ALL-WHEEL DRIVE GRIP, AND EASY TO USE LAUNCH CONTROL, GET YOU OFF THE LINE EFFICIENTLY; WHILE THE 8-SPEED AUTOMATIC THAT COMES WITH ALL X3s, SNAPS OFF SHIFTS WITH AN ALMOST BRUTAL IMMEDIACY THAT KEEPS THE TURBO-4 IN ITS SWEET SPOT FOR THE WHOLE QUARTER MILE TRIP, WHICH TAKES 15.0 SECONDS AT 90 MILES PER HOUR.

IT MAY NOT BE THE ABSOLUTE FASTEST SUV OUT THERE, BUT IT FEELS LIKE IT.

WEIGHT IS ALSO, VIRTUALLY THE SAME AS LAST YEAR, BUT IT HAS BEEN SHIFTED AROUND, WITH A LITTLE MORE NOW SUPPORTED BY THE REAR WHEELS FOR IMPROVED HANDLING.

EVEN MORE SO HERE IN THE 30I WHERE TURN-INS ARE DEADLY QUICK, AND BODY ROLL COMFORTABLY MINIMAL.

YOU DO HAVE TO KEEP INPUTS SMOOTH HOWEVER, AS STABILITY CONTROL IS QUICK TO TRIGGER.

WITH X1, NOW TAKING UP ENTRY-LEVEL SAV DUTIES, EVEN THE BASE X3 GETS MUCH NICER MATERIALS THROUGHOUT THE CABIN, PART OF A PLEASANT OVERALL EVOLUTION TO THE FAMILIAR LAYOUT INSIDE.

THE DASH-TOP TOUCHSCREEN NOW STRETCHES OVER 10-INCHES, AND THE AVAILABLE HEAD UP DISPLAY IS 75% LARGER THAN BEFORE.

VERY MINOR CHANGES TO CARGO CAPACITY, WITH REAR SPACE UP SLIGHTLY TO 28.7 CUBIC-FEET, WHILE...OVERALL VOLUME WITH REAR SEATS FOLDED, FALLS JUST A TAD TO 62.7 CUBIC-FEET.

GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS FOR THE 30I ARE 22-CITY, 29-HIGHWAY, AND 25-COMBINED; OUR AVERAGE WAS A DISAPPOINTING 23.3 MILES PER GALLON OF PREMIUM.

X3 PRICING STARTS ABOUT THE SAME AS BEFORE, WITH AN XDRIVE30I AT $43,645.

M40Is BEGIN AT $55,495.

KEEPING PERFORMANCE HIGH ON THE PRIORITY LIST, WHILE BRINGING MORE UTILITY AND LUXURY ALONG FOR THE THRILL RIDE, WILL SURELY KEEP THE 2018 BMW X3, A POPULAR CHOICE, ESPECIALLY FOR THE BMW FAITHFUL.

BUT AS TO IT MANY LUXURY CROSSOVERS RIVALS, WE ALSO THINK THAT THE X3 HAS EVOLVED ENOUGH FOR MANY OF THEM TO CONTINUE TO LOOK ON WITH ENVY.

WELL, THAT'S OUR SHOW, I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT.

NOW, FOR MORE MOTORWEEK ; INCLUDING DAILY NEWS UPDATES, PODCASTS, AND EVEN COMPLETE EPISODES CRUISE ON OVER TO PBS.ORG/MOTORWEEK.

AND I HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US NEXT TIME, WHEN THE REVAMPED MAZDA 6 ADDS REFINEMENT INSIDE AND OUT.

AND IT'S THE SUPERCAR FROM DEARBORN, THE REBORN FORD GT.

UNTIL THEN, I'M JOHN DAVIS, WE'LL SEE YOU RIGHT HERE ON MOTORWEEK .

Announcer: TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MOTORWEEK , TELEVISION'S ORIGINAL AUTOMOTIVE MAGAZINE, VISIT MOTORWEEK HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO YOU BY... Announcer: YOU'RE SHOPPING FOR TIRES ONLINE AND YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.

Man 1: I DO.

Announcer: WE'RE TIRERACK.COM, AND WE HAVE ANSWERS AND TOOLS TO HELP.

Man 2: LIKE OUR TIRE DECISION GUIDE.

IT'S A...TAKE A LOOK.

Man 1: OH.

FIND...DELIVER...INSTALL...

WEATHERTECH DIGITAL FIT FLOOR LINERS AND CARGO LINERS OFFER LASER MEASURED, DIGITAL FIT PROTECTION FOR YOUR VEHICLE'S FLOORS.

WEATHERTECH.

MADE IN AMERICA.

HUM IS THE CONNECTED CAR SYSTEM THAT ASSISTS AND EMPOWERS DRIVERS TO HELP THEM BE PREPARED FOR THE ROAD AHEAD, SO THEY CAN GET WHERE THEY'RE GOING.

ROCKAUTO HAS AUTO PARTS FROM HUNDREDS OF MANUFACTURERS, OFFERING A VARIETY OF BRANDS, PRICES AND SPECIFICATIONS.

ROCKAUTO.COM, ALL THE PARTS YOUR CAR WILL EVER NEED.

STATE FARM IS PROUD TO SUPPORT MOTORWEEK .

* Announcer: THIS PROGRAM WAS PRODUCED BY MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION, WHICH IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CONTENT.

[SOUND OF CAR ENGINE REVVING] *