More specifically, that answer comes to the 2022 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance via a 5.0-liter V8 engine. It has been around for a while but got some new enhancements to now kick out 472 hp and 395 lb.-ft. of torque. While we’ll get right back to the V8 again in the love/hate list below, we also found a number of other features we loved, and a few we hated, about Lexus’s latest performance sedan. Here’s what we found:

LOVE: NA V-8 Under the Hood

The IS 500 F Sport Performance comes packed with that IS F hand-me-down 5.0-liter V8. All other competitors have gone the way of turbochargers and ditching cylinders while Lexus has opted to give the people what they want –a V8. Not just a V8, but one that breathes air naturally —no turbos or superchargers.

LOVE: Auditory Bliss

Being one of the very few V8-powered Lexus vehicles that isn’t an SUV the engineers made sure the IS 500 sings all the right notes out the quad tailpipes when the skinny pedal is used judiciously. Sure, the Lexus LFA is definitely the best-sounding Lexus of all time, but the IS 500 F Sport Performance is definitely in the top 5 most angry-sounding in the brand’s history —dare I say Top 3?

LOVE: Quality Interior

Telling you that the interior of the 2022 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance is a shining feature probably deserves a “Duh,” but it is a feature we love nonetheless. Front and center it features the digital LFA-inspired 8-inch gauge cluster which has been around for a while, but it is unique and welcome every time we see it. It features F Sport heated/ventilated seats, an F Sport branded steering wheel, a Mark Levinson 17 speaker audio system, and a 10.3-inch infotainment screen with all the Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa integration you’ll ever need.

LOVE: Drive Modes That You Can Actually See & Feel

It is 2022. Every brand has vehicles that have some button or dial that allows you to switch between a normal mode, an eco mode, and maybe if you are lucky a sport mode. The problem with most is, press the button/toggle the dial —and what happened? Nothing? Not with the 2022 IS 500 F Sport Performance.

The vehicle features Eco, Normal, Custom, Sport S, and Sport S+ modes. For most of the drive modes, it is as their name suggests. Eco for a more fuel-efficient drive, normal is the most balanced day to day mode, custom allows you to switch up the features to your liking, but Sport S unlocks the full performance potential of the transmission and engine while Sport S+ also brings in the steering performance and stability of the vehicle alongside the transmission and engine.

Beyond the feeling of the IS 500 F Sport Performance, every drive mode changes the digital gauge cluster a bit from the subtle Eco/Normal modes to the full crisp colorful Sport S or Sport S+ modes.

LOVE: Planted Comfortable Ride

The 2022 IS 500 F Sport Performance is quite a hefty vehicle coming in a smidge under 4,000 lbs (3979). That weight in the right places combined with the Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) provides a surprisingly comfortable ride for when cruising the town or putting the power down.

Remember, ticking that drive model dial into Sport S+ will further tighten up that ride in the performance department.

HATE: Fuel Economy

We really love that V8 under the hood, but we cannot help but tell you about how thirsty it is. The 2022 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance achieves an EPA estimate of 17 city/25 highway for a combined 20 miles per gallon. With a heavy right foot, we of course saw lower than that in real-world testing. That V8 sounds nice but those sweet sweet sounds come at a price at the pump.

HATE: The Dreaded Lexus Touchpad

We aren’t sure we know anyone who has spoken positively about the touchpad in Lexus vehicles, yet here it still is. Luckily, the 10.3-inch infotainment display is a touch screen that will give you the ability to never use the pad in the IS 500.

HATE: It’s Not an IS F

If you cannot tell we really like the 2022 IS 500 F Sport Performance, but if we had to sacrifice it to the car gods for a IS F —we would. Driving the vehicle you can tell it is just pulling at your IS F heartstrings. This thing is probably 80% of what a 2022 IS F could be, we just want the other 20%.

2022 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance: Mostly About the V8, But So Much More

The 2022 IS 500 F Sport Performance is obviously on everyone’s radar due to its large naturally aspirated V8 engine under the hood. It is definitely what pulls you in to give the vehicle a worthy once over, but there is much more to this performance machine once that NA V8 exhaust note tickles your eardrums.

Go check out one of these impressive sports sedans for yourself. You can find your local Lexus dealer and virtually build out your own 2022 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance at Lexus.com.

Halo Warthog: Official Designation, Specs, and Trim

You call it the Warthog; I call it the Warthog; even the in-game AI call it the Warthog, but it does have an actual in-game name. In the Halo universe, the Warthog is officially designated as the AMG Transport Dynamics M12 Force Application Vehicle (M12-FAV), but since all of that sounds like a Star Trek Borg designation, the infinitely cooler Warthog name has stuck.

In-game, the Halo Warthog comes powered by a 12.0L liquid-cooled hydrogen-injected internal combustion engine capable of throwing down 720 hp and 855 lb.-ft. of torque. While those are big power figures, the Warthog is limited to just 78 mph but can achieve that 78 mph no matter the terrain thanks to the vehicle’s four-wheel-drive and all-wheel-steering system.

The Warthog is available in a slew of “trim levels” which are mostly classified by the weaponry or lack of weaponry it features — take your pick from chaingun, gauss cannon, rockets, or additional space for infantry.

According to Halo game designer, Jaime Griesemer,”[T]he Warthog is the real reason Halo became an action game … Halo is the story of the Warthog and the universe we built to drive it around in.”

The Halo Warthog Through the Years

Like many things, the first is often the best, and the original Halo Warthog is no exception. In “Halo: Combat Evolved,” the Warthog was indestructible. The vehicle could not be damaged no matter the number of bullets, rockets, or grenades it encountered, though it was likely to flip. In the first Halo game, the Warthog was only available in one variant with a chaingun mounted in the rear.

In “Halo 2,” the Warthog featured some changes. The biggest one, which followed the Warthog to the most recent game, was that the Warthog could now be destroyed. Along with being able to blow up, you could also honk the horn to invite AI Marines to ride with you and power slide (aka drift) the vehicle.

Like modern vehicles model year updates, the Warthog did receive some visual changes over the years that continued to “Halo 3,” “Halo 3: ODST,” and “Halo: Reach.” Beyond general upgrades in design, the most unique thing about these versions of the Halo Warthog was that if you held the horn down, the horn was disabled after a few seconds.

I don’t know what it is about the horn. Perhaps, gamers were in an uproar as the developers added in the ability to honk it until you annoy yourself in “Halo 4.” Around this time, the Warthog appeared in Forza Motorsport 4 as part of its Forza Vista mode.

From “Halo 4” to “Halo 5,” the biggest functional change to the Warthog was that the chaingun on the back now required a cooldown. The vehicle also got a new sound effects package as well as some additional multiplayer variants or “trim levels.”

Gamers also got the ability to quickly swap from seat to seat without exiting the vehicle, which is more of a driver mod in track day terms. Speaking of track days, around the time of “Halo 5,” the Warthog appeared for the first time as a driveable vehicle in a Forza series in “Forza Horizon 3” and “Forza Horizon 4.”

Now that you know just how the Warthog changed from year to year (clearly the horn was the most important thing), let’s take a look at its latest iteration.

The Halo Infinite Warthog

The time between “Halo 5” and the release of “Halo Infinite” was the longest window of time we have been without a new Halo in the series’ history. It took six years (not counting “Halo Wars 2”) for Microsoft and 343 Industries to create the new, perfect landscapes for you to drive a Warthog in.

Overall, the Halo Infinite Warthog continues the main theme of its predecessors, but in six years there have been a few changes. First off, when hitting jumps, you can control the angle of the vehicle for the short time you are airborne to help stick a landing on off-camber terrain. If you wish, you can also do a barrel roll if you hit a big enough jump.

Perhaps the most welcome change is the chaingun turret cool down that came in “Halo 4” is gone. You can even pop all four tires and keep on trucking. With the new Spartan armor feature Grappleshot, you can shoot yourself into any seat in the vehicle. Finally, what has appeared to be the most important game-to-game change for developers, the horn has changed its tune.

In Halo Infinite, the vehicle can be found out in the wild among the Halo ring landscape or available as needed at Forward Operating Bases once you collect 800 Valor. You can collect Valor by saving Marines, unlocking Forward Operating Bases, and clearing Banished outposts. Once you have the necessary Valor, your resident in-game Uber driver Echo 216 airdrops it right in front of you.

A Real-Life Warthog

The Warthog is potentially the most famous video game vehicle of all time. But have you ever wondered, “What if it was real?” Well, thanks to some creative engineering, it is.

The Halo video game series peaked around 2007 with “Halo 3” and around that time a movie was in the works to be produced by Peter Jackson and directed by Neill Blomkamp. Blomkamp had previously directed some live-action advertisements called “Halo: Landfall.” The movie plans fell through, but there was one great thing produced from the endeavor — a real working Warthog.

The movie car Warthog, created by Weta Workshop out of New Zealand, was based on a Nissan Patrol 4×4 truck and featured a 6-cylinder diesel engine and four-wheel-drive. Sadly, additional details are sparse, but it didn’t seem to check the box for what a Halo Warthog should be capable of.

The Weta Workshop-built Warthog would go on to make its way into other live-action Halo productions and advertisements. Other fan re-creations have been put out in the wild, but none have successfully imitated the video-game capabilities of the Halo Warthog in the real world — until Hoonigan took a stab at creating their version.

Hoonigan is often associated with professional driver and internet sensation Ken Block who is also one of the companies co-founders, but the company is also a media powerhouse, clothing shop, and, more recently, a build shop.

When Hoonigan got the call from Microsoft/343 Industries to try their hand at creating a real-life Halo Infinite Warthog, they succeeded where everyone else —even the big-budget canceled movie — had failed.

Hoonigan’s Warthog was built to resemble the Halo Infinite Warthog. It outdoes the video game version in the horsepower department as it features a whopping 1,000 hp courtesy of its twin-turbo Ford V8 powerplant. The engine sits inside a chopped chassis built for off-road racing like in the King of the Hammers. It features four-wheel steering like its video game counterpart. The 43-inch tires and solid front and rear-axles are some real-world additions that up the Hoonigan Warthog’s off-road game.

The Halo Infinite Warthog Hits Its Mark

With 20 years of history and such a large gap since we last saw a new Warthog, the folks at Microsoft and 343 Industries intend to steal your gamer’s heart and driver’s desires with the newest incarnation of this classic video game vehicle in “Halo Infinite.” And, thanks to Hoonigan, this iconic digital vehicle exists in the real world.

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10 Best: Daniel Craig James Bond Cars

2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport | Multiple Craig-Era Bond Films

The Land Rover Range Rover has found its way into many of Craig’s films. In “Casino Royale,” James Bond is mistakenly identified as a valet driver and tossed the keys of a Range Rover. He drives the Range Rover into a row of cars to cause a distraction to access the hotel’s security room.

Range Rovers also pop up in later Craig-era films. In “Quantum of Solace,” Bond is behind the wheel when his “friend” Rene Mathis is killed during a police stop. In “Skyfall,” Bond is transported in a Range Rover to the new MI6 hideout.

2006 Jaguar XJ8 | Casino Royale

Spoiler alert. In “Casino Royale,” a mysterious Mr. White is the real behind-the-scenes bad guy, but you’re not supposed to know that at first. At the end of the film, once James Bond discovers his identity, Bond catches up with Mr. White — just as he rolls up to a beautiful lakefront estate in a 2006 Jaguar XJ8.

Right after this Bond shoots him in the leg, uttering his famous line: “The name’s Bond … James Bond.”

2011 Jaguar XJ L | Skyfall

In “Skyfall,” James Bond’s boss M (played by Judi Dench) is chauffeured around in a 2011 Jaguar XJ L service car. She is in the car stopped in a traffic jam when she gets a clear view of the terrorist attack on the MI6 office building.

Later in the film Bond “kidnaps” her by commandeering the Jaguar to get a head start on the villain, Raoul Silva.

2008 Alfa Romeo 159 | Quantum of Solace

“Quantum of Solace” opens with an epic car chase. We will get into more details on that chase scene later, but suffice it to say that it involves Bond being chased by some bad guys. In this case, the baddies are behind the wheel of a 2008 Alfa Romeo 159 that they pilot through a quarry at high speed while spraying bullets at Bond.

1948 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith | Spectre

In “Spectre,” James Bond and his love interest, Madeleine Swann, find themselves at a remote desert train station. While waiting at this random station, a 1948 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith emerges from the desert to chauffeur the pair to visit the villainous Ernst Stavro Blofeld (born Franz Oberhauser).

2014 Land Rover Defender | Multiple Craig-Era Bond Films

A Land Rover Defender is the universal bad guy vehicle, Bond film or not. That being said, they pop up in the Daniel Craig James Bond films often, and often in the hands of bad guys. The most off-road ready, rugged version is seen “Spectre.” Luckily, the good guys also sometimes get a turn behind the wheel with Eve Moneypenny picking up Bond in one at the beginning of “Skyfall.”

2014 Jaguar C-X75 | Spectre

Jaguar probably kicked out millions into research and development for their supercar which they then killed off due to the state of the economy. Thankfully, the Jaguar C-X75 at least came to life on the silver screen as one of the more memorable Daniel Craig James Bond cars.

In “Spectre,” one of the villain’s most menacing henchmen, Mr. Hinx, drives the C-X75 for a memorable chase scene through the streets of Rome.

2015 Aston Martin DB10 | Spectre

You could buy a DB9, you could buy a DB11, but what happened to the DB10? That is reserved for James Bond. For “Spectre,” Aston Martin created a special one-off vehicle (with a few backups) for the film.

In the movie, the DB10 was intended for another “00” agent, but Bond steals it from Q to take on the bad guys. Lucky he did, as he ends up taking on the Jaguar C-X75.

2007 Aston Martin DBS V12 | Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace

The best Daniel Craig James Bond cars chase scene is also the best Bond film car chase ever, courtesy of the Aston Martin DBS V12.

Bond originally drove the DBS V12 in “Casino Royale,” but the real fireworks happen at the very beginning of “Quantum of Solace.” In the opening scene, Bond is attempting to evade the bad guys and puts the DBS through hell.

1963-64 Aston Martin DB5 | Multiple Craig-Era Bond Films

There is no more iconic Bond car than the Aston Martin DB5. In the Daniel Craig-era of Bond films, the DB5 makes its debut after 007 wins the car in a card game in “Casino Royale.” It fares less well in “Skyfall.” But, the DB5 always finds a way to return (much like Bond) as it was brought back to life with a little help from Q in “Spectre.”

It will also make an appearance in Craig’s last film “No Time to Die,” a fitting way to cap the era of Daniel Craig James Bond cars.

Daniel Craig James Bond Cars: The Best 007 Cars … So Far

Perhaps it was cheating to feature the iconic Aston Martin DB5 on this list, but even taking that car out of the equation, we still think the Daniel Craig James Bond cars are some of the best cars out of all of the James Bond films.

The being said, who knows what the future will hold for the franchise — at the very least we can expect the next 007 to show up in a head-turning vehicle of some kind.

With the long-anticipated release of “No Time to Die” slated for October, we wanted to honor the latest addition to the franchise with a list of all the James Bond Cars that have stolen the show over the decades. Many were driven by 007 himself, while others were piloted by friends, and foes, of Britain’s top agent.

1995 BMW Z3 | GoldenEye

“GoldenEye” marked the first film in BMW’s three-picture deal to feature the brand’s cars. The 1995 BMW Z3 that debuted in “Goldeneye” was highly marketed and hyped, though the convertible didn’t get much screen time. In the film, Bond gets the rundown from Q on all the spy-worthy Z3 upgrades (Ejector seat? Check. Stinger missiles behind the headlights? Check.) Sadly, none of these fun features get used on screen. Bond briefly drives the Z3 in the Florida Keys where he trades it to his CIA contact, Jack Wade, for a plane to Cuba.

1948 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith | Spectre

In “Spectre,” Bond and Madeleine Swann find themselves at a remote desert train station. A 1948 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith emerges from the desert to escort the pair to visit the villainous Ernst Stavro Blofeld (born Franz Oberhauser). As 007 would attest, if you’re going to be chauffeured to see the head of an evil organization, you might as well travel in style.

2014 Land Rover Defender | Spectre

The Land Rover Defender might be one of the best vehicles to cart around a villain’s henchman. In “Spectre,” 007 is up against a whole boatload of bad guys in the most highly modified, rugged Defenders yet seen in any Bond film. In a snowy escape scene, Bond and Madeleine Swann must evade the clutches of Mr. Hinx — and the Defenders end up a little worse for the encounter.

1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner | Die Another Day

In “Die Another Day,” Bond finds himself in Cuba hot on the trail of terrorist, Zao. True to the economic climate in Cuba at the time, the majority of the cars cruising the streets of Havana are from the 50s. So when Bond asks his spy contact for a fast car, a 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner fits the bill. Though not as technologically advanced as Bond’s more sophisticated rides, the brown and white Fairlane certainly had an unmistakable style — from its chrome bumper to its sleek tailfins.

1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1 | Diamonds Are Forever

It’s hard to forget the bright red Ford Mustang Mach 1 features in “Diamonds Are Forever.” The mustang originally arrives on the scene driven by Bond’s accomplice Tiffany Case, but Bond eventually gets behind the wheel. Fantastic car chase scenes ensue on the streets of Las Vegas along with one of the most iconic stunts in Bond car chase history when Bond balances the Mach I on two wheels to escape down a narrow alley. Don’t try this at home.

1969 Mercury Cougar XR-7 | On Her Majesty’s Secret Service

George Lazenby boasts the shortest stint of all Bond actors as he only appeared as 007 in a single film — “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.” And though Lazenby’s Bond doesn’t get to drive the car, the film features a 1969 Mercury Cougar XR-7 driven by Bond’s accomplice — Tracy di Vicenzo. She drives this American muscle car through snow and ice, even knocking some competitors out of an ice race while evading the bad guys.

2014 Jaguar C-X75 | Spectre

If you dump millions into research and development into a supercar then, due to the global economy, decide to abandon selling the vehicle, what is the next best thing? Turn it into a James Bond car, of course. And that is just what Jaguar did with their Jaguar C-X75 prototype. In “Spectre,” one of the villain’s henchmen, Mr. Hinx, drives the C-X75 for a glorious chase scene through the streets of Rome. We leave it to you to decide if the C-X75 steals the show from Bond’s Aston Martin DB10.

1995 Ferrari F355 GTS | GoldenEye

Trust James Bond to get in a street race while being evaluated by an MI6 employee. In “Goldeneye,” Bond takes to the streets behind the wheel of an Aston Martin DB5 only to get in a showdown with a woman in a bright red Ferrari F355. The woman is the villainess, Xenia Onatopp, as viewers learn later in the film. During the spirited drive, the pair nearly crash a few times, barely miss a few dozen cyclists, and the Ferrari even does a few dramatic 360s before regaining control.

1967 Toyota 2000GT Convertible | You Only Live Twice

Sean Connery’s Jame Bond doesn’t drive the 1967 Toyota 2000GT Convertible in “You Only Live Twice.” Bond instead gets driven to safety by his accomplice, Japanese agent Akiko Wakabayashi. Aki and the 2000GT help Bond escape the bad guys several times, and we dare say the sleek white roadster with its pop-up headlights played a suitably suave supporting role.

1999 BMW Z8 | The World Is Not Enough

The BMW Z8 was showcased as the third and final BMW to be featured in a Bond film as part of the brand’s three-picture deal. In “The World Is Not Enough,” Bond picks up his car from Q and his new assistant “R.” The car could be remote controlled via the key fob and had a unique targeting display integrated into the steering wheel to fire surface-to-air missiles which launch from the side vents. It met its demise rather dramatically during the film, getting chopped in half.

2002 Aston Martin Vanquish “Vanish” | Die Another Day

Pierce Brosnan’s fourth film brought Bond back in the driver’s seat of an Aston Martin. “Aston Martin call it the Vanquish, we call it the Vanish,” says the new Q. This car’s most unique feature — adaptive camouflage — makes the Aston Martin invisible. This cloaking device comes in handy as 007 is chased across a frozen lake in Iceland by an equally decked-to-the-nines Jaguar XKR. Missiles, machine guns, and ejector seats come into play.

2015 Aston Martin DB10 | Spectre

You know that the relationship between a film series and a car manufacturer is solid when the manufacturer creates a vehicle specifically for your film. Aston Martin sold the DB9 to the public, and after it, the DB11. But what about the DB10? Well, that is a limited Aston belonging to Bond and making its debut in “Spectre.” In the film, the Aston Martin DB10 was intended for another “00” agent, but Bond steals it to proceed with his mission.

1976 Lotus Esprit S1 | The Spy Who Loved Me

In “The Spy Who Loved Me,” Bond dramatically gets away from the villain by driving a Lotus Esprit S1 into the ocean. The fun doesn’t stop there as the spy car converts into a submarine with its own slew of gadgets including surface-to-air missiles, torpedos, and underwater mines, making it one of the most unique James Bond cars in the franchise.

2007 Aston Martin DBS V12 | Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace

As one of the more realistic James Bond cars, without goofy spy gadgets or over-the-top upgrades, the 2007 Aston Martin DBS might be the best real-life Bond car to grace the screen. Featured prominently featured in both “Casino Royale” and “Quantum of Solace” starring Daniel Craig as James Bond, the DBS’s V12 added a thunderous note to the movie’s soundtrack. And the chase scene at the beginning of “Quantum of Solace” might be one of the best cars chases of all time.

1997 BMW 750iL | Tomorrow Never Dies

In the ’90s film “Tomorrow Never Dies,” Bond picks up his executive class 1997 BMW 750iL from Q in dramatic fashion. The 750iL was equipped with a slew of security features including the ability to be remotely controlled via Bond’s cellphone. A safe in the airbag compartment with fingerprint protection, electric shock security door handles, tear gas, missiles embedded in the sunroof, tire-shredding tacks, re-inflatable tires, and a unique cable cutter that pops out of the front BMW emblem all came standard. And even better, Bond uses nearly all of these features in perhaps the longest Bond car scene, to escape capture from the media mogul Elliot Carver’s henchmen.

1963-64 Aston Martin DB5 | Multiple Bond Films

Let’s face it. No other car deserves this spot than the ultimate Bond car— the Aston Martin DB5. First seen in the Sean Connery Bond film “Goldfinger,” the DB5 has popped up as Bond’s show-off car through near every decade of Bond films. It is seen in the Pierce Brosnan film “GoldenEye.” Craig’s Bond wins the Aston in a game of cards in “Casino Royale” and it lives all the way until its demise at the end of “Skyfall” only to be brought back to life in “Spectre.” The DB5 will go back to work in the 25th film “No Time to Die” alongside some other iconic James Bond cars.

James Bond Cars Call to Enthusiasts

While the James Bond cars in the older Bond films were special in their own way, it is clear that with the newer generations of Bond films that picking vehicles worthy of being in a Bond film is of the utmost importance. After all, when 007 gets behind the wheel, exciting things are bound to happen — and audiences are watching to see what cool spy cars are up to the task.

Love: Turbocharged Power

The 2022 Genesis G70 RWD 3.3T Sport Prestige is, as its name would suggest, powered by a 3.3L turbocharged V6 engine. That turbocharged V6 provides you a more-than-apt 365 hp and 376 lb.-ft. of torque. The powerplant is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission which features paddle shifters behind the steering wheel — should you wish to select your own gears and control the power.

Love: Loads of Luxury For a Bargain Price

When compared to any other brand, the luxury value on the interior you get in the 2022 Genesis G70 and, really, most of the Genesis lineup is just a bargain. It features a 10.25-inch navigation screen that includes Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, 12-way adjustable power front driver and passenger seats, and Smart Cruise Control.

My tester vehicle also had the Sport Advanced Package and the Sport Prestige boxes checked which added a 15 speaker Lexicon audio system sprinkled about the cabin, a heads up display, a surround-view monitor with blind-spot view monitor, Nappa leather seating and matching door surfaces, a microfiber suede headliner, ventilated front seats, and a wide sunroof to go with it. All this is available for a smidge over $50,000.

Love: Standard Rear-Wheel-Drive

One of the best things about the 2022 Genesis G70 is the 365 hp and 376 lb.-ft. of torque gets sent exclusively to its rear wheels. While an all-wheel-drive model is optional, I find sending the power to the rear wheels to be more fun. With rear-wheel-drive coming standard, you’ll find this sedan has plenty of punch off the line — and in the corners.

Love: Driver-Centric Design

With the 2022 Genesis G70, you can tell that the aim was to deliver a performance-oriented sedan. And hitting that mark is often missed by many brands. Too many manufacturers load cars up with “performance” packages that, in reality, are nothing more than appearance packages. But beyond the very welcome 350+ hp and RWD, the G70 has a bunch more in the driver department. It even allows you to create your own custom driver-centric setting — a drive mode select feature that comes standard.

The Sport Prestige package adds Brembo brakes at all four corners, a limited-slip differential, and an electronically controlled suspension. And the Sport Advances Package bumps it up a notch with a variable exhaust valve system and power driver seat bolster which in the Sport and Sport+ modes will grab you and hold you in place when you take those turns a bit harder.

Love: Blind Spot Monitor

Every brand has its gimmicks, but gimmicks that are actually functional are special. In the 2022 Genesis G70, when you flick on your turn signal indicator, a camera view showing your rear wheel also appears on the digital screen — Genesis calls it the blind spot monitor. The camera view is helpful if you are close to clipping a curb or if you want to make sure no car is coming up on your blind spot. I imagine most drivers will rarely need this feature, but for the times you do, you will be glad it is there.

I will say that, unlike a few of the Hyundai and Genesis models I have tested with full digital gauge clusters, since the gauge cluster is only half digital, the camera bubble pops up on the right side for both the left and right turn indicator. Whereas if you have a full digital screen, pressing left pops the bubble on the left and right on the right. Below, I get into how I really feel about the half-digital screen.

Hate: Unusable Backseats

There isn’t much to mention on this negative. While the Nappa leather sure looks nice behind your shoulder, no normal-sized human can actually sit in the back. Sure, if you have small children, they can make use of the back seat for a time, but only until their next growth spurt. This poorly thought-out backseat design renders this 5-seater essentially useless if you want to transport more than one other adult in comfort.

Hate: Half Digital Gauge Cluster

A lot of drivers like the old analog-style gauge clusters, while some are looking to the future with full-on digital screens front and center. The 2022 Genesis G70’s gauge cluster, on the other hand, is stuck between worlds, and I feel it hurts its image.

Over on the left, you get an analog-style gauge for the speedometer, while the other gauge clusters are one digital screen. The digital display includes an information display and the tachometer as well as other features like the blind spot monitor camera when you flip on a turn signal. M opinion? Commit to old school or move into the future — being in between isn’t going to age well.

Hate: No Status With the Big Names

The 2022 Genesis G70 RWD 3.3T Sport Prestige is a great luxury/performance sedan, particularly for the price. I will put my name on it (I kind of am by writing this). However, the Genesis name doesn’t carry weight yet especially in the world of luxury sedans, and I feel that definitely hurts the G70. Don’t expect to up your status with this sedan.

2022 Genesis G70: The Perfect Mix of Luxury and Performance

The positives sure outweigh the negatives on this luxury sedan. Sure, there are plenty of vehicles that might post bigger numbers and fly around a track faster, but the 2022 Genesis G70 might be the perfect blend of luxury while allowing you to scratch that performance itch with your right foot. Only you can help it in the status department by buying one. And only time will tell if the G70 can gain some prestige in the world of luxury performance sedans if you do.

Love: The Power and Torque of the Most Muscular M3

The G80 generation of the BMW M3 in the Competition trim is the most powerful M3 that BMW has created … so far. It kicks out 503 hp and 479 lb.-ft. of torque which translates to a lot of smiles per gallon. And if that isn’t something to love, I don’t know what is.

Love: Drive Modes and Complete Customization

When I think of drive modes and driver customization of those modes, I truly believe that the BMW M buttons started it all. What started as a single button on the older generations has since evolved into dual fighter jet, mission launch style M buttons on the F80 M3.

Not only can you fully customize what you want your M1 and M2 buttons to enhance (or tame), but you also have a unique M Mode button on the M3. This toggle allows you to easily switch between Road, Sport, and Track — all at the touch of that M Mode button.

Love: Outstanding Infotainment System

Nowadays anyone can cram a ton of horsepower under the hood and sprinkle high-quality material throughout the cabin, but where many manufacturers drop the ball is the infotainment system. Luckily for the 2021 BMW M3 Competition that is where BMW excels.

The BMW iDrive infotainment system is one of the best found in modern vehicles. I’m not going to point any fingers in this article, but several manufacturers have even copied the system in a few spots, and I truly wish more would. It is easy to use, ergonomic, and just plain works.

Love: BMW Live Cockpit with M-enhancement

The BMW Live Cockpit is one of the crispest and clear gauge clusters on the market right now. It has nearly any data point you could wish to see. Plus, thanks to the fact that it’s an M3, the digital display gets enhanced even further.

Putting the M3 in the Sport or Track modes unlocks a unique and detailed display that showcases things like current rpm as a dual-bar graph. You also get a large, easy-to-read display with your gear position and speed front and center.

Love: That Exhaust Note

I will be the first one to tell you that I miss having a V8 under the hood of the M3, but this high horsepower inline 6 certainly does sound good when it barks out the back. And the 2021 BMW M3 Competition features a nice little exhaust button that you can hit when you want the utmost enjoyment from the M3’s audio symphony.

Love: A Manual Transmission Is (Sort Of) Available

The particular 2021 BMW M3 Competition that I tested featured BMW’s 8-speed M Steptronic transmission, which is basically an 8-speed automatic. The automatic was great, but I know some people really need to scratch the manual itch when hitting the track or to let this thing have the claim to being a “true driver’s car.”

Though you can’t get the M3 Competition with a stick shift, a manual transmission is available if you don’t mind stepping down to the base M3. Sure, we wish the manual was offered for the beefed-up comp package, but to be honest the automatic in its manual modes kept me smiling just fine.

Hate: Controversial Front Grille

Oh, the front grille of this thing. I am not even going to give in to the click bate hatred of the front grille.

Is it the best M3 front grille BMW has made? No. But there are so many other ugly performance cars out there that no one hates on as much as this front grille. I will attest it looks way better and angrier in person than any pictures can do justice.

My hatred stems straight from the fact that if I mention this car someone will comment on the grille without even seeing it. I feel instantly forced to defend the thing. The grille isn’t nearly as bad as the drama that the grille brings in the industry right now.

Hate: Center Console Nearly Ruins the Interior

I personally felt at home in the driver’s seat of the 2021 BMW M3 Competition. All of the features, settings, and, of course, power made me grin from ear to ear, but one choice almost ruined the whole interior experience.

The center console featured cheap, plastic silver scale trim which can also be found in spots on the dashboard. In my opinion, it feels out of place. And after recently driving a competitor vehicle that came with carbon-fiber trim options and cost nearly $30k less, this material choice had me pulling my hair out.

Hate: Costly Brake Package Skimps on the Calipers

This particular complaint happens to be a box that was checked on the particular 2021 BMW M3 Competition tester that I drove. The window sticker confirmed that the vehicle featured the M Carbon Ceramic Brakes package for a big chunk of change — $8,150 to be precise.

And while the front brakes feature a beautiful 6 piston big brake kit caliper, the rear really dropped the ball for the price point. In the back, you get a caliper that is comparable to any consumer car brake kit — simply painted gold. With an “M Carbon Ceramic Brake” package costing north of $8k, I’d at least expect a BBK style caliper in the rear to match the front.

Hate: For a Competition Package, Not Much Comes Standard

Here’s the deal — many of the parts you imagine should be standard on the M3 are actually aftermarket. In the video game world, this is known as the downloadable content problem. For the 2021 BMW M3 Competition, it is an in-house aftermarket problem.

If I were to mention the 2021 BMW M3 Competition and show you all of the available performance parts, you would probably have an idea of what should come standard. But the coolest stuff to outfit the M3 is found after you buy the car. Want cool, grippy carbon fiber paddle shifters? An Alcantara steering wheel, shifters, and emergency brake? Titanium exhaust? M Carbon bucket seats? Those will all be an additional purchase.

Perhaps you dreamed that all these features came standard on the BMW M3 or got added in with the Competition trim. But in actuality, the M3 isn’t going to boast these fun extras unless you drop some additional dollars. Let’s face it, you’re going to buy those parts anyway.

Hate the Grille All You Want, the M3 is Still Top Notch

The 2021 BMW M3 Competition has a bunch of outstanding features and lives up to its legacy thanks to its performance stats and available driver customization. If you can push the drama of the front grille aside, what you get is a well-engineered vehicle that is still the performance benchmark for all sports sedans on the road today.

Love: Interior Loaded with Tech and Luxury

One of the best things about the 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy was all of the tech and luxury you get for the price. My tester featured a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 10.25-inch navigation screen that included Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration, a Harman Kardon audio system sprinkled about the cabin, and smart cruise control as well as a multitude of camera views.s

Love: Impressive Powertrain Combo

The 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy comes standard with a 2.5L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine which kicks out 281 hp and 311 lb.-ft. of torque. That engine is mated to an 8-speed wet dual-clutch transmission. Base models get a naturally aspirated 4-cylinder engine, but I can tell you the power bump from the turbocharged variant was completely welcome. The transmission was one of the smoothest around, and you may never want to put the Sante Fe in manual mode. I thought the combo was one of the most underrated powertrain combos on the market.

Love: Sounds Like It Means Business

For a 4 cylinder SUV, the Santa Fe Calligraphy sounded pretty good — like a muffled Veloster N in a mid-size crossover body. Honestly, it sounded better than half of the performance trim level sedans/coupes out there, and it wasn’t even trying. Though the Sante Fe didn’t win top marks as the best-sounding SUV as there are plenty of more high-powered ones, I would say it was one of the best-sounding 4 cylinder SUVs on the road.

Love: Affordable Good Looks

Let’s face it, the 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy is a smidge over $40,000, but it had the looks of a much more expensive mid-size SUV. For the price, the Sante Fe looked like something that cost near or above $100,000. You can finally have a good-looking crossover that doesn’t cost the equivalent of your mortgage.

Love: Calligraphy Trim Level Enhancements

The Calligraphy is Hyundai’s new cool-sounding, top-level trim. The Calligraphy trim enhances the already great standard luxury bits sprinkled throughout the Sante Fe. Specifically, the Calligraphy trim adds an eco-suede microfiber headliner, Nappa leather seats, a perforated and leather-wrapped steering wheel, expanded interior accent lighting, and a full-color heads-up display (HUD). On the exterior, it features a dark chrome accent front grille, and dark chrome satin door handles.

Hate: Not As Fuel-Efficient As You Would Like

The 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy had many great things going for it, but one thing it could not brag about was its fuel efficiency. The Santa Fe Calligraphy can achieve 21 mpg city and 28 mpg highway, for a combined 24 mpg. One should note that my tester was all-wheel-drive. The front-wheel-drive Santa Fe’s saves 1 mpg on the EPA’s city estimate.

During my four-hour road trip, four days in the beach town of Ocean City, Maryland, then a four-hour drive back home, the Sante Fe managed 27 combined, so I can vouch for the numbers. The numbers aren’t bad per se, but when stacked against all the other options out there, the Santa Fe was behind the fuel efficiency curve.

Hate: Hard Plastics Downplay the Luxury Feel

The first thing I raved about was the interior of the Santa Fe Calligraphy. However, although tons of quality materials were sprinkled throughout the cabin, there were definitely some spots where Hyundai missed the luxury mark. Particularly, the Sante Fe has some hard plastic bits that look and feel cheap.

Hate: No Distinction Between Drive Modes

I am a big fan of drive modes, but I want the change in modes to translate to my fingertips or right foot. The drive mode dial in the Santa Fe takes up significant space on the center console. It features Comfort, Sport, Smart, and Snow modes. But to be honest, the everyday driver isn’t going to feel much difference between the four. One positive in the Sports mode was that the digital instrument cluster changed to a more sporty/red-themed gauge cluster layout. So you might not feel the change, but at least you see it with the Sport mode.

2021 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy: Turn a Blind Eye to Any Flaws for this Bargain

At the end of the day, the positives that the 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy has going for it outweigh any of its detractors. This Hyundai is simply one of the best luxury bargains for the money that you can buy right now.

We could spew specifications all day, but we thought, why not get straight to the point and tell you what wooed us and what left us wanting more. These are the five best things about the 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan SEL Premium R-Line and three things that we just couldn’t let go of.

Love: R-Line Looks

The SEL Premium R-Line is the top trim of the Volkswagen Tiguan line. As with much of the automotive industry, the last bit of its name, the R-Line package, is merely an appearance package but a rather good-looking one.

Officially, it adds an R-Line design grille, badging, intakes, side sills, bumpers, exterior trim, and body-color lower cladding. Unofficially, it made the SUV look like a better Tiguan. Sure, how it looked was subjective, and your eyes may see different than mine did, but the only way to cast your vote is with your wallet.

Love: Drive Modes and Off-Road Modes

Drive modes are cool in any car. They essentially change the vehicle’s characteristics, and, on some level, you can think of it as giving you multiple versions of the same vehicle. Some drive modes provide a more drastic change, and others are more subtle.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan SEL Premium R-Line comes with a few different drive modes, including an Eco, Normal, and Sport mode. It also features a Custom mode that allows you to change each vehicle characteristic to your liking.

Plus, in addition to the standard drive modes, the Tiguan also features a few off-road modes. There is a Snow mode, an Off-Road Auto mode, as well as a customizable Off-Road mode.

I won’t claim these drive modes drastically changed the vehicle’s dynamics for an immediately noticeable change. Still, all of these modes provided a welcome amount of options that made the Tiguan my own.

Love: The To-The-Point Infotainment System

An infotainment system can make or break a vehicle. Manufacturers can get everything else right, but if a potential customer can’t figure out how to change the radio station, they have failed. Though the Tiguan’s infotainment system isn’t going to win any awards for the best infotainment system on the market, it simply worked.

With so many OEMs failing in the infotainment department, a working system that is easy to navigate is sometimes all drivers really want. Other brands that are busy trying to reinvent the wheel with overcomplicated tech should really take a page out of Volkswagen’s book: make it easy to select some tunes.

Love: Steering Wheel Shape

Grabbing the steering wheel should be a comfortable, easy experience. Yet, there are so many vehicles with steering wheels that require you to hold on to them like a Lego person. And, no matter what kind of driver you are, Lego hands don’t make for a good driving experience.

You don’t have to do that with the Tiguan (or really any Volkswagen). I would even go so far as to say that it was the best steering wheel in any car I have tested in 2021. Granted, how the steering wheel fits and feels for you might depend on the size of your hands, but Volkswagen hit on a universal design that worked well for me.

Love: The Volkswagen Digital Cockpit

I am not going to lie. Audi’s digital cockpit still takes top billing as the better option, but Volkswagen’s not-too-flashy digital cockpit would be one of the best if that system didn’t exist. The Audi version surely is the shining star on the latest tech, but the VW version did the job beyond expectations.

Much like the to-the-point infotainment system, the VW Digital Cockpit wasn’t trying to be the most flashy digital gauge cluster on the market. What it did perfectly is that it is with the times. The gauge cluster is fully digital but has a simple interface that ensured I could easily see everything I needed and nothing that I didn’t.

Hate: R-Line Does Not Add Any “R” Value

While we are big fans of the looks of the R-Line, we weren’t thrilled with its diluted nature. When you have a Volkswagen and see that “R” badging, you think of performance. But sadly, all those sporty looks of the R-Line package didn’t come with any added performance to back it up. It was all about appearances, and in this case, that felt like a missed opportunity.

Hate: Sub-200 Horsepower Just Isn’t Enough

The 2021 Tiguan fits nicely in the mid-size SUV segment, and being mid-size, we expected it to carry a bit more power. The turbocharged 2.0L inline-4 engine powerplant puts out 184 hp and 221 lb.-ft. of torque. For the right weight, that power could be enough, but for the Tiguan is just wasn’t.

I felt the lack of get-up-and-go the moment I threw my right foot down. Even though the Tiguan’s “S Mode” — the sportier automatic drive mode — helped chip away at that with better transmission shift points, in the end, it only helped so much.

Hate: Cheap Plastic Interior Materials

The SEL Premium R-Line is the range-topping trim package, but even that does not save the Tiguan from cheap, plastic interior materials. There are definitely some quality bits sprinkled throughout the cabin, but nothing said, “I didn’t buy an Audi” more than touching those interior plastics.

2021 Volkswagen Tiguan SEL Premium R-Line: We’ll Overlook Those Flaws

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan SEL Premium R-Line had many positive things going for it, including executing well on the simple things. Sure, it had some shortcomings (every vehicle does), but for the 2021 Tiguan, the good outweighs the bad.

I have always had my eye on improving my M3’s brakes. The OEM system needed maintenance, but I was also keen on making the car more track-worthy. The opportunity to partake in an upcoming track day at Virginia International Raceway (VIR) nudged me to upgrade. I always have been a fan of StopTech’s big brake kits, so I pulled the trigger and went full in with their top-tier StopTech Trophy Big Brake Kit.

Installing the StopTech Trophy Big Brake Kit

I decided to get the top-of-the-line Trophy kit and get the bigger 6 piston front kit instead of the 4 piston front kit they offer. I picked up the StopTech Trophy ST60 Front 6 Piston Big Brake Kit (355x35mm) 83.160.6D00.F1 and StopTech Trophy ST40 Rear 4 Piston Big Brake Kit (355x32mm) 83.160.0047.F1.

The front and rear kit instructions are extremely detailed. They list out every tool you need to get the job done, from the wrenches and sockets down to the sheet-metal snips and metal files. They even go into detail on how to wash the rotors and the bed-in procedure.

To attack the install, I took use of my personal Craftsman socket and wrench collection I slowly built up. If you have ever done a brake fluid flush on any of your vehicles, you probably have all the tools already in your garage. Make sure you have a torque wrench to tighten everything down to the correct specs. The only items I had to get otherwise were sheet-metal snips and some brake fluid to complete the install – I went with Castrol SRF fluid.

The install went without a hitch. The only thing that kept me on my toes was worrying about any brake fluid leaks that might pop up with replacing so many of the OEM brake lines with the provided StopTech stainless steel lines.

I recommend just take your time and check all the connection points. Get everything nice and clean after you install the kit and after the bed in process let it sit a day and check to see if you have any leak points. Brake fluid is corrosive, so you want to catch and remedy any leaks as soon as possible.

Other Track Day Prep

A few months ago, I told you about the 3 cheapest ways to drive on a racetrack, and I practice what I preach. One of those cheap ways was to drive your own car to an SCCA Track Night in America event, which I did. I signed up for the year’s lone Track Night event at VIR.

Signing up for the track day was just one hurdle. I did significant track day prep to get ready, mainly maintenance items such as changing the oil and flushing the coolant. I also upgraded the seating situation by swapping out the stock seats for a set of Recaro Sportster GT seats and, of course, installed that StopTech Trophy Big Brake Kit front and rear.

VIR is a bit of a road trip for me personally as it is over 5 hours away. So I broke out the AutoWise Track Day Checklist and loaded up the car with everything I need to survive a track day and a road trip too.

StopTech Big Brake Kit Review for E92 BMW M3

I have taken my E92 M3 out to the track with stock brake hardware a few times. Stock calipers, stock pads, stock lines, just some upgraded brake fluid – oddly enough, StopTech Racing STR 600 Brake Fluid.

You can imagine the voice in the back of your head or the little devil on your shoulder that honestly only comes into play at triple-digit speeds. That voice is the one that tells you the point to hit those brakes when going 130+ mph on a main straight of a track. Simply put, that voice keeps you alive. I say that voice pops up a lot farther up your speedometer with this kit.

The StopTech Trophy kit helped all around the track when stabbing the brakes for a quick slow down and turn in, but the main place I could tell how good the brakes were was coming down the longest straight. The main straight on the VIR Full configuration is the longest straight I have driven on a track.

I never take note of the top speed, nor should you. Your top speed might be nice to brag to friends and family after a track visit, but leave recording your top speed for your GoPro footage review. My personal GoPro footage revealed I was hitting 140 miles per hour on many laps. But during one particular lap, I must have stayed in it a second or two longer and got up to a new personal best of 142 miles per hour.

A stock engine E92 M3 with a driver going 7/10ths of his ability (I have to drive it 5-hours home, remember) – and hitting 140+ mph on the main straight at VIR is a pretty solid performance. With these brakes, there was still plenty of room to stay on the gas a bit longer if I wanted to push the limits further. It’s so confidence-inspiring to know that you can get the car slowed down or stopped quickly, even from high speeds. Later braking points mean higher top speeds, but more importantly better lap times.

Lap after lap, even pushing these high speeds, I never experienced any brake fade with this new brake setup. These brakes inspired so much confidence to push harder and harder. On top of the quick initial bite and no fade on track, I also found them to be easy to live with and be smooth for day-to-day street driving.

The combo of fresh pads, fresh fluid, and the fresh new stainless lines (replacing the stock rubber ones) is an impressive combo that provides lots of solid and precise pedal feel. My E92 is that much sharper of a track car now, while still being an easy to live with street car.

Click HERE to find a StopTech Big Brake Kit for your ride.

10 Best Jurrasic Park Vehicles

Some of the most iconic moments of the Jurrasic Park movies involve vehicles. Who can forget the scene in the original “Jurassic Park” film where the T-Rex goes to town on a Ford Explorer or in “The Lost World” when the Fleetwood Southwind Storm gets flipped off a cliff by a pair of T-Rexes? From the original movies to the new trilogy, these ten vehicles play a worthy supporting role amidst Jurassic Park’s dinosaur drama.

2015 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 AMG Coupé | Jurassic World (2015)

The first vehicle on our list is a bit of blatant product placement, but we won’t complain. In “Jurassic World,” we are introduced to Jurassic World’s operations manager, Claire Dearing. Dearing treks around the park in a 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 AMG Coupé. In the movie, she puts the GLE through its off-road paces as she and Owen Grady attempt to track down the Indominus Rex in the jungles of Isla Nublar.

2017 Rolls-Royce Phantom VII | Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)

In the sequel to “Jurassic World,” Dearing pulls a John Hammond and goes from Jurassic World’s operations manager to a dinosaur activist. She wants to save the dinosaurs left on the island from a volcanic eruption. Without giving too much away, when she gets summoned to the estate of a certain someone who has the means to help, she rolls up in style in a 2017 Rolls-Royce Phantom VII.

2014 Mercedes-Benz G 63 AMG 6×6 | Jurassic World (2015)

Hypothetical question: you’ve created a one-off killing machine of a dinosaur and it gets out — what do you do? Send your asset containment unit in their decked-out Mercedes Benz G63 AMG 6×6 to do damage control, of course. In real life, Mercedes-Benz claimed to have manufactured around one hundred of these unique vehicles with a price tag of $400,000, making this one of the most expensive and rare Jurassic Park employee vehicles to grace the silver screen.

2014 Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 4000 | Jurassic World (2015)

If there’s one vehicle that makes repeat appearances throughout the series, it’s the Mercedes Unimog. The Jurassic Park world is filled with them, but we think one Unimog, in particular, deserves its own call-out. In the film “Jurassic World,” Dearing and her nephews on the run from some velociraptors while piloting this monster of a machine.

1969 Pontiac Custom S | The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)

Oddly enough, this Pontiac is the only sports car on the list, perhaps because jungle islands and dinosaur theme parks are noticeably lacking in tarmac. And while a significant portion of “The Lost World: Jurassic Park” occurs on an island, just when the characters are safely on a helicopter and on their way home, the film cuts to a drastically different scene — the streets of San Diego. Dr. Ian Malcolm and Dr. Sarah Harding roll up to the San Diego docks in a 1969 Pontiac Custom S and proceed to speed around town and steal a baby T-Rex in order to bait an escaped mother T-Rex into chasing them.

1992 Hummer w/ Dino Containment Equipment | The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)

In “The Lost World: Jurassic Park,” the main cast thinks they have the whole island to themselves with the exception of the dinosaurs until the In Gen corporation shows up with their fleet of off-road hunting vehicles. Though In Gen’s fleet has several Hummers, this one, in particular, has been modified with some very cool dinosaur containment equipment.

1996 Fleetwood Southwind Storm | The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)

This one is one of the more unique vehicles in the Jurassic Park universe. In “The Lost World: Jurassic Park,” the team embarks on their mission in a 1996 Fleetwood Southwind Storm that has been converted into a science laboratory. It is also intended to provide a safe haven for the group, although the vehicle meets with a memorable demise after a pair of T-Rexes push it off a cliff.

1997 Mercedes-Benz ML 320 | The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)

We talked about a few Mercedes Benz models above, but “The Lost World: Jurassic Park” marked the first official product placement of the brand. At the time of filming, Mercedes gave the movie a few pre-production modes of their then-upcoming SUV — the Mercedes Benz ML 320. The vehicles were modified into an off-road/safari-style build, complete with camo, in order to tackle the park’s terrain.

1992 Ford Explorer | Jurassic Park (1993)

This set of unique liveried Ford Explorers appear in the original “Jurassic Park” when some of the characters go on a tour of the park and end up in an unexpected clash with a T-Rex. In the film, the Ford Explorers are self-driving, following along an electric track through the park. Due to a storm, the two Explorers get stranded outside a dinosaur enclosure where one gets completely destroyed by an escaped T-Rex.

1993 Jeep Wrangler Sahara | Jurassic Park (1993)

This Jeep Wrangler is the most iconic of all the Jurassic Park vehicles. The Jeep Wrangler YJ was heavily featured in the original “Jurassic Park.” It doesn’t have any special upgrades beyond its unique livery, and the park has a whole fleet of Wranglers as indicated by their numbers. The Wrangler makes a cameo when the visitors get their first glimpse of a dinosaur, when a disliked character gets eaten, and during an unforgettable T-Rex chase scene. And keep your eyes open for an old, abandoned one that pops up in the sequel’s first installment, “Jurassic World.”

What Vehicles Are Coming Next to Jurassic Park?

The first film definitely houses the most iconic Jurassic Park vehicles, but there are definitely gems among the rest. You may have noticed that the third film doesn’t get a mention on our list and that some of the more off-road-centric models do show up in a few of the films. Now all eyes are on the next film “Jurassic World: Dominion” scheduled for release in summer 2022, to see what new vehicles may pop up alongside the dinosaurs.