The world's only matte brown Lamborghini Murciélago LP 670-4 SV

There are literally hundreds of Lamborghini models of all ages and description at Concorso Italiano, so how does one stand out? Surely not with a bright color, as that would just blend in with the crowd. No, you go for a color that no one else has. Like brown.



Now, some will say that such a "boring" color doesn't belong on an exotic car like the the Lamborghini Murciélago LP 670-4 SV. Others will say it's more than acceptable. We think it's awesome.



This car started out with a pearl white paint job, but the owner of the car, Cats Exotics, a dealer specializing in high-end sports cars, wanted it to match one of their other Lamborghinis, a Diablo 6.0 SE finished in brown. A matte brown wrap was created especially for the car, the wheels were changed to a gold finish, with a matching SV logo on the doors.



Check out our photos of the car in the gallery above and let us know what you think of it by leaving your comments.

2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible

Muscle cars have never coped well with having their tops clipped. Losing the roof rarely does a vehicle any favors in the rigidity department, but the high-horsepower, high-torque coupes of the last four decades took fiendish delight in twisting themselves into pretzels after a few enthusiastic throttle plunges. To make matters worse, frumpy, awkward-looking soft tops were never as attractive as the original tin. When it came time to design the fifth-generation Chevrolet Camaro, the engineers at General Motors specifically aimed to avoid those pitfalls by drafting the chassis to field both coupe and convertible duties.



Long before the first test mule ever turned a tire, this coupe was designed to go topless, and the result is one of the more stable convertible platforms out there. With a little help from the minds behind the Chevrolet Corvette soft top, the retractable lid even offers the same sleek profile as the Camaro Coupe. That's not to say all is right in this cruising kingdom, though. Tough top-up visibility, a bulging waistline and an overly extroverted interior all work against the drop head. Even so, this is still a vehicle soaked in summertime. And whatdayaknow? The sun's out.

Part of the appeal of the fifth generation Camaro is the vehicle's concept-car aesthetics. With a low-slung roof line, high hip and plenty of sharp creases, it should be lounging under auto show lights instead of sulking in the Costco parking lot. The designers at Chevrolet managed to retain most of the coupe's presence thanks to the fact that both vehicles wear identical sheetmetal from the window sills down. Up above, a long, arching soft top still holds true to the profile of the coupe when in in place. The piece can be had in black or tan cloth as the buyer sees fit, and for the most part, the design is free of any odd bulges from protruding bows.







Put the top down, and the Camaro Convertible takes on a much more swept look than its fixed-roof kin. The steeply angled windshield becomes more prominent without the burden of anchoring the top and the muscular hips over the rear fender arches define the vehicle's profile. It looks good, even if it is the size of a small river barge. At 190.4 inches long and 75.5 inches wide, the 'vert matches its coupe twin for length and girth, resulting in a vehicle that feels larger than life, even at a glance.



That theme continues on indoors. Thanks to a surprisingly wide cabin and a tall dash, it's hard not to feel like you're 12 years old sitting behind the wheel of your uncle's new car. That high hip line translates into a window sill that isn't made for resting your elbow, at least not without losing blood flow to your arm. Our 2011 tester also came with the highly-stylized but not overly comfortable steering wheel of the 2011 Coupe. General Motors has fixed that issue with a parts-bin piece on 2012 models, however.

The rest of the cabin feels much like the Camaro we know, with the notable exception that the rear seats are now significantly easier to access. With the top down, two adults had no problem sinking into the rear buckets, though the tight seating made for bruised hips on the side of the seatbelt buckle. Though legroom is cramped for rear passengers, there's enough space for young people and flexible adults. Our cabin came awash in some impressively obnoxious orange plastic trim and leather seating surfaces, though we do appreciate the attractive orange contrast stitching on the door panels.



Unlike the Corvette Convertible, which relies on a button tucked well below and to the left of the steering wheel to operate the retractable soft top, the Camaro Convertible leaves its button out in the open and right beside the large center latch. Undo the mechanism, press the button and listen to the whir of electronic and pneumatic wizardry as it pulls the top into the trunk cavity. The whole process takes around 20 seconds, which sounds brief enough until the skies open up on all that orange leather. Once the top is stowed, an optional toneau cover can be folded in place for a clean, finished look, though the piece is an aggravation to install. Check out the Short Cut below for a look at the top in action.

Those who thought rearward visibility of the coupe couldn't get any worse need only to throw the convertible into Reverse with the top up to see just how wrong they were. The infamously lengthy C pillars of the hard top have somehow swollen in the convertible, and while the back glass looks large enough, its angle and height make for a narrow field of view.



GM equipped this particular SS-branded beast with a 6.2-liter LS3 V8 engine with 426 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque mated to a six-speed manual transmission. The duo is the most desirable engine and gearbox combination available and is borrowed straight from the coupe. There are some mechanical differences between the two, however. Engineers added additional bracing in four key areas to give the Convertible as much of the rigid feel of the coupe as possible. A sturdy aluminum strut tower brace, a transmission support reinforcement brace, an underbody tunnel brace and front and rear underbody V braces are all tacked in place to combat torsional flex. The company says that all of the work helps give the Camaro Convertible the same stiffness as the BMW 3 Series convertible.







While we didn't have the pleasure of putting a 335i Convertible through its paces against the big Bow Tie (probably a good thing), we will say that the engineering work paid off. Typically, wrenching the roof off a coupe leads to dreaded cowl and column shake as the chassis contorts over rough road surfaces. The typical engineering response is to soften the springs and dampers to the point that the effects are less pronounced. GM is proud to remind us that the Camaro Convertible uses the exact same spring and damper rates as the hard top, which results in an incredibly similar driving experience. Under most normal circumstances, there's little telling the two apart. Only under some serious thrashing did we notice even a hint of column shake during a deeply-cambered downhill right – a situation that the vast majority of Camaro Convertible buyers will never find themselves in.



While the standard Camaro is no great pantheon of handling, the fact that its large, topless sibling can come close to matching pace is pretty impressive. Unfortunately, the convertible is lugging around a substantially larger curb weight, which colors the driving experience accordingly. According to GM, the Camaro SS Convertible tips the scales at 4,116 pounds in our tester's spec. That's a full 267 pounds heavier than the SS Coupe, with most of that weight lodged over the rear axle. As a result, acceleration feels somewhat dulled even though GM claims that the vehicle can get to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds – two-tenths of a seconds slower than the hard top. The convertible simply feels heavy to drive, with braking, cornering and straight-line grunt all taking a hit.

But the Camaro Convertible does well as a comfortable cruiser and there's no denying how good it looks cruising through town or rolling down a deserted highway at dusk. The optional high-intensity discharge headlights of the RS package on our tester are appropriately threatening with their halo ring and the long, lunging hood is unmistakably Muscle. With an as-tested MSRP of $42,995 including the $850 destination fee, the exterior was covered in a black vinyl stripe package, while the loud orange interior accent package rang up an additional $500, with another $1,200 for the RS package.



GM doesn't seem to be trying to convince anyone that the figure is a small price. In fact, the company calls the BMW 3 Series convertible its chief competitor instead of the Ford Mustang GT Convertible. The latter will cost you $38,310 plus destination for a GT Premium Convertible while the German commands a lofty $46,450 plus destination for the significantly less powerful 328i Convertible.



So where does that put the Camaro SS Convertible? Buyers seeking the near irresistible nostalgia of the coupe combined with the joy of being able to put the top down will find exactly what they're looking for. It easily trades its performance credentials for cruising machismo, and in a machine like this, that's no slight.

2011 Hyundai Elantra Limited

The journey has been arduous and fraught with disappointment, but it appears we've finally reached our destination. Welcome to The Golden Age of Compact Motoring. Gone are the days of mostly cheap and poorly executed C-segment entries. Ye Olde "It's the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and everybody else" mindset is finally history, too. All of a sudden, new car buyers can choose from a bumper crop of smart new motors, including the all-new Civic, the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, the 2012 Ford Focus, the larger and more affordable 2011 Volkswagen Jetta and the always entertaining Mazda3. And that's not all – there's also a new wildcard in the compact segment, the 2011 Hyundai Elantra.

While entries like the Cruze and Focus have garnered lots of attention, the Elantra has quietly established itself as a worthy alternative in this suddenly competitive segment. The redesigned Hyundai caught our attention with its expressive styling, an improved cabin and 40 miles per gallon highway rating. It sounds like a winning game plan to us, but does this revitalized Hyundai live up to its impressive stat sheet? We spent a week with an Elantra Limited to find out for ourselves.

The 2011 Elantra utilizes the same "Fluidic Sculpture" design language of its larger Sonata sibling, with a sleek profile that includes a coupe-like roofline and pronounced crease that spans the side body panels. Up front, the vehicle features a pair of large, stylized headlights and a rounded lower fascia opening framed up by a pair of well-placed fog lamps. The rear looks equally attractive, with an almost hatch-like profile and a pair of taillights that are every bit as imposing as the peepers up front. A range-topping Limited example like our tester is rounded out with 17-inch aluminum wheels mated to Continental P215/45R17 tires.

From the outside, the Elantra couldn't look more different than its milquetoast predecessor, but we're just as impressed with what Hyundai designers have done to transform a formerly bland and nondescript cabin. Climbing into the Elantra is no longer like a trip to Accountant World, where the rides are forgettable and the imagination nonexistent. In place of drab scenery and ho-hum materials, Hyundai designers have added plenty of aesthetic flair, with interesting instrument panel lines that draw the eye towards a well laid-out center stack. Dash materials are cushy and nice to touch, while the leather-wrapped steering wheel falls easily to hand. Admittedly, the leather covering the seats isn't of the highest quality, but these chairs are very comfortable and surprisingly well bolstered. We can live with less than luxury-level leather, especially when considering our loaded tester's reasonable MSRP of $22,110. Besides, the Elantra Limited comes standard with heated seats for front and rear passengers, so our leather-backed bums will be grateful when the weather turns cold.

$22,110 is a very competitive price for a top trim compact these days – a bit less expensive than a comparably equipped Focus ($23,680 for SEL model with moonroof and navigation) or Civic ($25,754 for EX-L model equipped with 17-inch wheels).

Ergonomics in the cabin have been well thought-out, with everything available to the driver without the need to reach very far. We especially liked the HVAC controls – it's nice to heat or cool the cabin without having to take your eyes off the road to hunt for the right button or setting. The Elantra also deserves kudos for a quiet interior that makes holding conversations with rear seat occupants easy. These are the sorts of touches that make a compact sedan feel less like an econobox and more like a luxury rig.

The Elantra Limited we tested also featured Hyundai's optional Technology Package, which stickers for $2,100. The Elantra Limited already comes equipped with Bluetooth connectivity and USB and auxiliary ports for a smartphone or MP3 player, but the Tech Package adds a seven-inch LCD touch screen with navigation, rear-view camera, 360-watt sound system and push button start. That's a lot of kit for a reasonable package price, and we found the technology intuitive to use and easy to understand.



While we generally have few complaints concerning the Elantra's interior, we'd be remiss if we didn't mention the discount switchgear all around. If you park, say, a Focus next to the Elantra Limited and scrutinize the switchgear and power window controls, the Focus clearly features superior equipment. We'd also like a few more inches of legroom for rear seat passengers, as 33.1 inches is less than nearly every major competitor. Finally, we were also a bit turned off by the oddly placed black accents on the doors. They didn't match the gray tone of the dashboard and were hard on the elbows.

Rear legroom was probably the biggest issue we had with the Elantra's cabin, but we remain more interested in what happens from directly behind the steering wheel. The story begins with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder rated at 148 horsepower and 131 pound-feet of torque. Buyers have a choice of a six-speed manual (GLS model only) or the six-speed automatic transmission that comes standard when specifying the Limited trim. The 1.8-liter and automatic combo performs well together, with smooth shifts and plenty of power to spin the front wheels of this 2,877-pound sedan.



If you're thinking that nearly 2,900 pounds is a bit heavy for a compact car, we don't disagree, but the Elantra is actually one of the leaner entries in its class. The good news is that the base $14,995 GLS model is over 200 pounds lighter. And besides, even with the extra tonnage, the Elantra Limited still feels peppy off the line, with an estimated 0-60 time under nine seconds. The figure certainly isn't land-speed record material, but it's more than fine for an inexpensive runabout, and the quiet cabin makes it all seem less harried.

Some compacts have developed a reputation for offering a sporty ride and handling, but while the Elantra certainly looks the part, this Hyundai is in practice more of a comfy cruiser than an expert corner carver. The front suspension consists of MacPherson struts with coil springs, while the rear hardware is comprised of a torsion axle with gas-filled, hydraulic monotube shocks. Sportier rides tend to feature a multi-link setup out back, but going the torsion beam route lets Hyundai keep prices down and still supply a compliant ride.



The Elantra does feel tight enough, though, with little body roll and plenty of grip. While we can live with its less-than-sporty chassis, we can't as easily dismiss its brake or steering feel (or lack thereof). In the case of the latter, we've sampled plenty of electronically controlled setups, but the Elantra's helm seems to lack an actual connection to the road. The wheel does have a bit of heft to it, but the weighting feels artificial.

While there are plenty of new and renewed competitors in this segment, none can boast an EPA rating of 40 miles per gallon across their entire model range. Hyundai is hanging its hat on the fact that competitors must resort to special high-fuel economy models or diesel power to net the big 4-0 on the highway, and they've been positively champing at the bit to remind you that whether you purchase a manual or automatic, every Elantra boasts 29 mpg in city driving and 40 mpg on the highway. That's impressive, but when the rubber met the road, we were only able to average about 31 mpg during our week of mixed driving with the car. That's still rock-solid, but a bit below the EPA's combined estimate of 33 mpg.



To be clear, if you're the type of driver that prioritizes a sporty feel and sharp handling, there are more appropriate places to spend your money in this segment. Hyundai has taken a calculated bet aimed squarely at the fat part of the compact car buying bell curve, prioritizing fuel economy, styling, technology and an attractive price tag over backroad thrills. The Korean automaker may have neglected the enthusiast niche here, but it only takes a passing glance to know that Hyundai is serious about the compact sedan segment. While we're still hoping for an inexpensive drive with a bit more flavor, the new Elantra's off-to-the-races sales figures suggest that Hyundai is definitely on to something.

Nissan's MX-5 Miata rival back in the plans?

Nissan's on-again, off-again MX-5 Miata rival is... on again, at least according to the blokes at Auto Express. What form a potential two-door sporty coupe from Nissan may take – if it happens at all – is still widely debatable; it could be as simple as a cut-down Sentra or as crazy as a sporty take on the all-electric Leaf.

Did that last little tidbit catch you off guard? Remember that Nissan showed off just such a machine in the form of the Esflow Concept at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, though we wouldn't expect any potential production model to share much with that highly conceptual design.

In any case, Auto Express seems to think this sporty 2+2 may ride on a midsize platform sourced from Mercedes-Benz (the two automakers signed a partnership in 2010) that would be shared with whatever replaces the 370Z (along with its Infiniti G Coupe) and even the next-generation GT-R.

Another bit of wackiness? AE says Nissan is considering turning to the experts at Lotus for help in tuning the chassis for added sportiness. We suppose all of this is possible, but for now, we're taking it with the largest grain of salt we can get our hands on.

2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe

If you have read the breathless reviews and overwritten comparos, you would assume that the 2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe is infused with the second coming of Senna. And for BMW to unabashedly draw a line between the M Coupe and the most holy of holies, the 1986-92 E30 M3, smacks of PRified nostalgia stoking. Call me a contrarian, but I refuse to believe the hype.

So as soon as the orange Bimmer landed on my fleet schedule, any and all reading, writing and discussion about the littlest M ceased. I would drive it for a week, live with it as if it were my own and deliver a critical, blatantly unbiased review of Life in the Key of M.

Five minutes into my first drive, I immediately pulled into a turnout, sat there for a second, took a deep breathe and realized – dammit – everyone was right. Brilliance is back in a small package.

Yes, brilliance. Surprising considering the M Coupe is the prototypical parts-bin special. But then again, when your parts bin is made up of some of the best driver-oriented bits in the biz, brilliance isn't expected, it's demanded.



So let's start with the core of any M-badged vehicle, the engine. It's the same twin-turbocharged N54 inline-six fitted to the Z4 sDrive35is and my current favorite non-M 3 Series, the 335is. Three liters of displacement and those duo of turbos put out 335 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 332 pound-feet of torque from 1,500 4,500 rpm through the car's only transmission option: a proper six-speed manual. Peg the throttle to the floor and, if the ECU favors the conditions, an overboost function allows the turbo six to deliver an additional 37 torques, bringing the total up to 369 lb-ft. BMW claims a 0-60 mph run of around 4.7 seconds, but I don't buy it. My ass might not be as highly calibrated as other hot-shoe scribes, but there's no doubt the M Coupe is a solid 4.5-second runner – and instrumented testing both here and abroad bears this out.

Forward momentum in any part of the rev range is immediate and addicting, devoid of lag unless the needle is on the far left side of the tach. And even then, that minute pause is instantaneously consumed by traction-testing torque, a subtle turbo whine and an exhaust note that's more guttural drone than screaming sex six. Then again, this isn't an "M" engine. It's a chip and a massage. But it simply doesn't matter.



What has been pulled from the BMW's motorsports arm are the bits that matter most: everything shoved into the wheel arches and connected to the driver.

The front track has been extended by 2.8 inches and fitted with double pivot struts, while the rear has grown 1.7 inches and equipped with the standard multilink suspension, both of which are comprised entirely of aluminum. The rolling stock is pulled directly from the M3 Competition Package, including 19x9-inch front wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 rubber sized 245/35R19 and 19x10-inch rear rollers with 265/35R19s.

That combination may say "stick" on paper, and it does... until you disengage the traction control. And trust me, you will.

With the system set to Normal, the Axis light on the dash flickers with the insistence of a Christmas tree with an electrical short, pulling power at the faintest hint of wheel spin. The accelerator, well-mannered in most environments, goes from tepid to tenacious with the flex of your foot. But if it's slightly numb in its standard setting, it's a different beast when engaging M Dynamic Mode. All the lil' steering wheel-mounted M button does is recalibrate throttle response, delivering a surge of rubber-ripping acceleration further down the pedal travel. Neither setting is particularly bad, but on-edge confidence suffers as a result.



So when the time comes to dispatch all the electro-nannies, your right foot and two hands had better be ready to respond. Quickly. The amount of traction afforded by those massive meats is almost in direct opposition to the 104.7-inch wheelbase. So the M Coupe goes from grip to gone in an instant. No, this isn't the predictable breakaway we've experienced in the larger, more portly M3 (or any other M, for that matter). That's due to a number of variables, but chief among them is the 1's nearly square dimensions.

But when you hit it right, with the exact amount of power, the right amount of bank and the precise amount of steering, the 1 does what every proper M car should do: hangs out its tail until instructed otherwise.

Much of that sure-footed ease comes at the expense of overall ride quality when ambling about town, but it's nowhere near unbearable, and at speed, and for the 1M's intended audience (Hi Mom!) it's no-nonsense perfect. That same perfection winds its way up through the leather-wrapped wheel thanks to the M3-sourced speed-sensitive steering rack. That ever-so-slight sense of vagueness in the standard 1 Series is gone for good – and it was damned good to begin with. The clutch, while overly springy, has a perfectly defined friction point and the six-speed manual gearbox never ceased to impress and reassure each and every time we grabbed a gear.

The brakes are another matter, but only because of their track-focused brutality. Cross-drilled and sized 14.2-inches in front and 13.8-inches out back, they never faded, never shuddered and never faltered. They also make smooth heel-and-toeing a near impossibility. Just breathing on the middle pedal sheds off velocity in an instant, but when attempting that life-affirming throttle blip, my right calf was stretched to its breaking point. This could just be a product of journo-inflicted wear or a brand new set of pads, but it was enough to stymie an otherwise faultless backroad run.

Other faults? Without getting into fuel economy numbers (estimate: 19/26 mpg, observed: 17.8), the transition from HD to ST on the radio would double-up the audio, and while the Alcantara on the dash trim and shift boot is a nice touch, if you're going to go full-M, why not coat the steering wheel and shift lever – the two most important touch points – with the same delectable material? Yes, it's a dealer option on the base 1 Series, but for $47k and change, you'd assume it would be standard on the 1M.



But these are infantile nits to pick when looking at the M Coupe as a whole. This is a pure driver's machine through-and-through – a true M, or at least the closest we'll get in the 21st century.

Which brings up a larger point. As enthusiasts, we have to come to grips with the fact that no modern automaker can match the involvement and tactility of a vehicle designed before massive feature creep and ever-expanding safety regulations. That time has passed. And while this isn't the E30 M3 successor we might've hoped for, in many ways, it's better. The 1M is more livable, more powerful and surely more reliable. It sticks harder and goes faster, and BMW did its best to remove the buzz-killing insularity that plagues most modern vehicles. The 1M delivers what M-heads value most: driving delight über alles. And it's one of the only times in years that anything with four wheels has lived up to the hype.

Lexus teases 2012 GS 350 ahead of Pebble Beach debut

We've already been behind the wheel of the 2012 Lexus GS sedan, and we've spied it lapping the Nürburgring under layers of camouflage. All that time, though, we've been forced to imagine what the finished product will look like under all those loose-fitting layers of clothing.

The wait is almost over. Lexus will officially unwrap the 2012 GS 350 at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance on Thursday, August 18th at 4:15 PM (PDT). We'll be there, bringing you the goods live, but in the meantime, the Japanese automaker has decided it's high time to start teasing.

We know that the car's styling was foreshadowed by the LF-Gh Concept that was shown off at the 2011 New York Auto Show, and nowhere will that be more evident than in the shape of the car's grille. Lexus tells us that the new design philosophy that will debut with the 2012 GS will eventually spread through the rest of its lineup, so we're keenly interested in seeing how this car looks in the flesh.

Check out a high-resolution version of the teaser by clicking on the image above. We've also taken the liberty of adding a lightened version of the image for you, which may or may not help you pick out some interesting details. Lastly, feel free to check out the official press release after the break.

2011 Dodge Charger Rallye V6

The year was 1966. The muscle car era, which arguably began two years earlier with the introduction of the Pontiac GTO, was in full swing. In order to have a chance at attracting the young, affluent buyers so craved by American automakers of the day, a car needed to offer equal doses of style and horsepower. Dodge, with its brand new Charger fastback, offered plenty of both.

But it wasn't until 1968 that the Dodge Charger truly hit its stride, earning it legendary status in the annals of automotive history. Coke-bottle styling, a full suite of powerful V8 engines – including the 440 Six Pack and 426 Hemi – and plenty of success on the NASCAR circuit meant that the Dodge Boys had a winner on their hands.

Sadly, the heyday of American muscle was nearly over by the time Dodge figured out the formula, and the car was just a shell of its former muscular self by the end of 1974.

The rest of the 1970s were not kind to the Charger, and sales slowly faded away until the model name was canceled altogether after the 1978 model year. We'll gracefully skip over the front-wheel-drive years from 1983 through 1987 and move straight to the nameplate's reintroduction in 2006. The Hemi was back in action, the new car's styling was aggressive and generally well received and sales took off. But by 2010, yet again the reborn Charger was seriously showing its age, having received nothing in the way of significant interior or exterior updates during its five years back on the market and being saddled with a fully uncompetitive line of V6 engines and even an ancient four-speed automatic transmission in base models.

Dodge has finally given the "new" Charger some attention with an update for 2011 that includes new looks, new engines and the complete absence of a four-speed transmission. Does this mean that Dodge is done letting the Charger nameplate wither on the vine? Without spoiling the rest of the review, let's just say we have some good news to share.

Next Range Rover to get Evoquative styling?

As much as we'd like to think that Land Rover is still the same rough-and-rugged off-road brand it always was, truth is, the British automaker is becoming more of a style icon these days. Just look at the new Range Rover Evoque – a sleek little crossover that's been seen posing with Victoria Beckham on more than one occasion. (She was the 'posh' Spice Girl, you know.)

Autocar reports that the next-generation of Land Rover's flagship Range Rover could move away from its signature boxy styling and transform into something a bit more rakish. The British magazine obtained spy photos of an early Range Rover mule that clearly shows a substantially more sloped roofline, pointing towards a dramatic new styling direction.

Speaking to Autocar earlier this year, Land Rover design head, Gerry McGovern, said that "the Evoque will inform the future Range Rover attitude," adding that, "Range Rovers usually have a level window line and the body's side and glass areas are equal. We've got rid of both on the Evoque, but we've still got the signature floating roof."

The next-generation Range Rover will also have a stronger emphasis on rear legroom, ride, handling and – surprise, surprise – fuel economy. Expect the Range Rover to drop a bit of weight in its redesign, too.

2011 AEV Jeep Wrangler Hemi

It's no secret that when it comes to off-road capability, nothing quite tops the Jeep Wrangler. This grizzled mainstay continues to be the first choice for people wanting to get down and dirty with the great outdoors, and its success story is decades old. It's like the Porsche 911 of off-roaders.

Unlike the 911, however, Jeep has long foregone a higher-strength version of the Wrangler straight from the factory. Porsche, for instance, offers the base 911 Carrera alongside more than 20 other variants, all the way up to the hardcore GT2 RS. So where do Jeep enthusiasts go when it comes time to enhance the off-road experience of the Wrangler? The aftermarket. One such company, AEV, has a package that combines superb off-road prowess with all the creature comforts of an everyday driver.

Oh, yeah – and it has a Hemi V8.

We headed to AEV's workshop in Wixom, Michigan, where we were presented with a trio of Wranglers – two fitted with Chrysler's tried-and-true 5.7-liter Hemi V8 and one making do with Jeep's standard 3.8-liter V6. Here, we learned that shoehorning the big V8 under the Wrangler's hood isn't all that difficult – "it's pretty much plug-and-play," said one of the AEV product specialists. The same goes for the five-speed automatic transmission that replaces the four-speed in the V6 Wrangler. From what AEV tells us, it's easy-peasy.

That in mind, it comes as no great surprise to learn that AEV is already working on fitting Chrysler's new 6.4-liter V8 engine into the Wrangler. Based on our day of driving the 5.7-liter, we can only imagine the good things that will come with the 6.4.

We drove the three Wranglers from Wixom up to Harrison, Michigan – about 150 miles of nothing but highway. Our destination was Rocks and Valleys, an off-road park where we'd be putting the AEV Wrangler through its paces, climbing rocks, scaling steep grades and doing our best not to hack the side mirrors off on trees. Before that, though, the Wrangler needed to prove its everyday drivability on the road.

You can go ahead and clear your minds of any stereotypical scenarios starring Jeeps wearing mud tires, bouncing down the highway and struggling just to reach the speed limit. For the drive up, we hopped in the white Hemi Jeep, which had been outfitted with 35-inch BFGoodrich all-terrain tires fitted on 17-inch AEV-designed alloy wheels. While aggressive, these tires don't represent the end-all-be-all footwear for off-roading, but they aren't bad for mucking about. Better still, when it comes to on-road performance, we were shocked by just how smooth and comfortable the ride quality was.

AEV fits its JK Wranglers with a so-called high steer kit that optimizes steering and roll center geometry, allowing for better handling. This system also adds a larger steering damper to keep things steady and solid when turning. Of course, this all blends well with AEV's pièce de résistance, the 3.5-inch premium suspension lift kit. The company tells us this package was designed by former Jeep engineers. Special attention was paid to areas like overall suspension geometry and custom spring and shock tuning, to give the vehicle ride quality that's smooth on flat, paved roads, yet capable for off-road tasks. The whole setup includes – deep breath – frequency-tuned progressive rate springs, custom-tuned shocks, a geometry-corrected rear tower and trackbar, rear stabilizer end link, heavy-duty steering damper and front control arm drop brackets. They all work together to create an on-road driving experience that's unlike any other hardcore off-road vehicle. In our estimation, it's even better than the standard off-the-shelf Wrangler.

The real treat for our 150-mile highway drive, however, was the 5.7-liter V8 under the Wrangler's hood, offering a full 360 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque – increases of 158 hp and 153 lb-ft versus the 3.8-liter Wrangler. In other words, the Hemi is roughly equal in power to the Wrangler's V6 plus the 2.4-liter four-cylinder from the Jeep Compass. Now, don't assume this means the Wrangler is suddenly a speed demon – all of those aftermarket additions add weight, remember – but the extra grunt from the V8 provides more than adequate acceleration for on-ramps and highway passing, and at speed, there's simply much less effort and planning required for passing maneuvers. Our three-Jeep caravan frequently got separated when the red V6-equipped Wrangler simply couldn't keep up when it came time to pass a convoy of semi trucks.

When we arrived at Rocks and Valleys, we corralled in the open dirt parking lot until a little Jeep CJ-5 came barreling out of the forest, doors removed, mud everywhere (including the interior), driven by a small-framed man named 'Gar' who was smoking a cigarette. He was our guide for the adventure at Rocks and Valleys, and almost immediately, Gar skipped the introductions and started to fixate on all of the modifications fitted to the AEV Jeeps. If your mental image is still blurry, Gar and his CJ-5 can be glimpsed in the image below.