Lady Gaga's vintage Alfa Romeo convertible is up for auction online - tour the listing before it's gone

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container no-rightrail"><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/578fae384321f171088b97ae-1200/alfa-romeo-4c-spider-26.jpg" alt="Alfa Romeo 4C Spider 26" width="1200" /><p class="source"><span>Hollis Johnson</span></p></div><p></p></div>After a two decades away from the US market, Alfa Romeo returned in 2014 with the 4C sports car. A year later, the company followed up with the 4C Spider. The return of Alfa Romeo is a key component in Fiat Chrysler's strategy to incorporate its European holdings in its US offerings. Although Alfa Romeo is a brand steeped in history with a reputation for building stylish sports cars, it's probably best- know for its appearance in the 1967 film "The Graduate." The decision to pair Dustin Hoffman's character up with an Alfa Spider instantly propelled the car and the company into pop-culture-icon status.</p><p>The car sits in an odd place in the market. It's a small, stripped down, turbocharged, carbon-fiber two-seater priced below $100,000. About the only thing you can compare it to is a Ferrari - except that a mid-engine 488 GTB will set you back $300,000. Coincidentally, the Alfa 4C is built in Ferrari's hometown of Modena, Italy. </p><p>Recently, Alfa dropped off a red 4C Spider for Business Insider to check out. The open-top 4C starts at $64,000, but our option-laden test car left the showroom with a $74,000 price tag.</p><p><em>Photos by Hollis Johnson.</em></p>

Alfa Romeo 4C Spider is a mini-Ferrari for a fraction of the price

<img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/578fae384321f171088b97ae-2250/alfa romeo 4c spider-26.jpg" alt="Alfa Romeo 4C Spider 26" /><p class="source"><span>Hollis Johnson</span></p>After two decades away from the US market, Alfa Romeo returned in 2014 with the 4C sports car. A year later, the company followed up with the 4C Spider, and in 2017, it's selling the Giulia sedan and launching the Stelvio SUV. The return of Alfa Romeo is a key component in Fiat Chrysler's strategy to incorporate its European holdings in its US offerings.<p>Although Alfa Romeo is a brand steeped in history with a reputation for building stylish sports cars, it's probably best known for its appearance in the 1967 film "The Graduate." The decision to pair Dustin Hoffman's character up with an Alfa Spider instantly propelled the car and the company into pop-culture-icon status.</p><p>The car sits in an odd place in the market. It's a small, stripped down, turbocharged, carbon-fiber two-seater priced below $100,000. About the only thing you can compare it to is a Ferrari - except that a mid-engine 488 GTB will set you back $300,000. Coincidentally, the Alfa 4C is built in Ferrari's hometown of Modena, Italy. </p><p>A little while back, Alfa dropped off a red 4C Spider for Business Insider to check out. The open-top 4C starts at $64,000, but our option-laden test car left the showroom with a $74,000 price tag.</p><p><em>Photos by Hollis Johnson.</em></p>

The Alfa Romeo 4C Spider is one of the oddest and most memorable cars we've ever driven

We drove a $90,000 Porsche 718 Boxster S and a $74,000 Alfa Romeo 4C Spider to see which is the better sports car - here's the verdict

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/579245c388e4a70f018ba1a4-1945/alfa romeo 4c spider thumb-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Alfa Romeo 4C Spider Thumb 1" data-mce-source="Hollis Johnson" /><p class="source"><span>Hollis Johnson</span></p><p class="caption">The Alfa Romeo 4C Spider</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul><li><strong>The <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/porsche" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Porsche</a> 718 Boxster S and the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/alfa-romeo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alfa Romeo</a> 4C Spider are two of the best <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/sports-cars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sports cars</a> to ever emerge from Europe.</strong></li><li><strong>Both the Porsche and the Alfa are powered by turbocharged, inline-four-cylinder engines located behind the driver.</strong></li><li><strong>The Alfa Romeo 4C Spider costs about $74,000 while our Porsche 718 Boxster S carried a price tag of just under $90,000.</strong></li><li><strong>The Alfa Romeo delivered a more raw and evocative driving experience than the Porsche. </strong></li><li><strong>But, we found the Porsche to be an all-around better car. </strong></li></ul><hr /><p>There are few things as evocative in western society as the convertible sports car. With the top down, it's the automotive embodiment of fun, freedom, and the open road. Pretty much all the good parts of driving. Cliche? Absolutely. But get behind the wheel of a great sports car and you'll find out very quickly that there is a whole lot truth to the cliche. </p><p>Two of the best to come out of Europe is the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/porsche-718-boxster-s-review-2017-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Porsche 718 Boxster</a> and the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/alfa-romeo-4c-spider-review-mini-ferrari-2017-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alfa Romeo 4C Spider</a>. </p><p>The Porsche 718 is the latest in the company's highly successful Boxster line of mid-engine sports cars. For years, it was seen as the 911's adorable little brother. But lately, Porsche has loosened the reigns on its entry-level sports car with the addition of turbocharging and a host of performance goodies. </p><p>The Alfa Romeo 4C paved the way for the brand's return to the US market back in 2014. Now, Alfa Romeo is powering forward with a lineup led by its stunning Guilia sports sedan and Stelvio crossover SUV. The 4C is a bit of an odd-duck. There's really nothing else like it in the world. It's part pint-sized Ferrari, part Italian Lotus. And it's 100% fun.</p><p>So the question must be asked? Which one is better? The raucous Italian or Stuttgart's finest? </p>

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/558afc7becad04080657802a-5000-3200/hp 1.jpg" alt="Alfa Romeo Giulia" data-mce-source="Alfa Romeo" /><p class="source"><span>Alfa Romeo</span></p><p class="caption">The new Alfa Romeo Giulia.</p></div><p></p></div></div>British motoring website Auto Express <a href="http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/alfa-romeo/86302/alfa-romeo-suv-2016">is reporting</a> that production of the new, highly-anticipated Gulia sedan will begin on March 14. </p><p><span>Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne reportedly told workers at one of the conglomerate's Italian factories that work would finally commence.</span></p><p>Already, Alfa Romeo has delayed production six months.</p><p>The first version of the Guilia to become available in the United States will be a 505-horsepower version sure to challenge the best German offerings from BMW, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz.</p><p>It certainly has its looks going for it.</p><p>The Giulia will join the 4C and 4C Spider in Alfa's North American lineup. Marchionne apparently also confirmed the name of their new SUV: the Stelvio.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56c6269c2e5265b8008b80ce-8883-4442/hp2.jpg" alt="Alfa Romeo Giulia" data-mce-source="Alfa Romeo" /><p class="source"><span>Alfa Romeo</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p> </p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/hersheys-carrot-cake-kisses-video-2016-2">Hershey's Kisses just released a bizarre new flavor and people don't know how to feel</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="J5NmgyMTE6fy9epV4MeCwXI91Aju0olN" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'J5NmgyMTE6fy9epV4MeCwXI91Aju0olN',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

Alfa Romeo's Giulia sedan is finally going into production

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56994b93c08a809e2f8b76d7-3000-1500/ar016_020fc8fhv8n1n52j62pamlmahegji7d.jpg" alt="Alfa Romeo 4C" data-mce-source="Courtesy of Alfa Romeo" /><p class="source"><span>Courtesy of Alfa Romeo</span></p><p class="caption">The 2016 Alfa Romeo Spider</p></div><p></p></div></div>Alfa Romeo just announced a long list of new options available on the Italian make's 4C and 4C spider models, which may be a good omen for the brand as it returns to the US.</p><p>While carbon-fiber trim and new upholstery may not be particularly exciting news, they do signal Alfa's desire to sink more money into making the its sports car.</p><p>Options complicate production, which can lead to spiraling costs. It's a well-known rule in the car manufacturing business.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_left"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56994b87c08a8081028ba00c-3000-1500/ar017_007guljtklif7pbqm5dcki08mfu6vpf.jpg" alt="Alfa Romeo Giulia" data-mce-source="Courtesy of Alfa Romeo" /><p class="source"><span>Courtesy of Alfa Romeo</span></p><p class="caption">Alfa's new Giulia luxury sedan is a looker.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Ask Henry Ford, who famously said that his costumers "<span>can have a car painted any color that he wants; so long as it is black."</span></p><p><span>Then again, luxury buyers are used to getting what they want. So if you hope to play at this level, you have to satisfy their needs, and that means keeping pace with other cas makers' options lists.</span></p><p><span>Alfa's conservatism was understandable as it took the large risk of reintroducing itself to the American market after a 20-year hiatus. </span></p><p><span>But now, having sold out the previous year's allotment of 4Cs and the introduction of the Giulia sedan - a new entry into the extremely competitive luxury sedan market - it may be time for Alfa Romeo get more aggressive.</span></p><p><span>Alfa's booth at the Detroit Auto Show last week was spectacularly stylish, and  the cars were very pretty. They even brought with them one of their most beautiful classics, an exquisite 1968 33 Stradale, as if to remind us all that the Italians have always been best at making a car lover's heart go pitter-pat.</span></p><p><span>The new Giulia, a 505-horsepower stunner that will stab at well-known offerings from BMW, Audi, and Mercedes, will have some convincing to do to obtain a foothold in the States, but the car's looks certainly work in its favor.</span></p><p>Sadly, there's one new option the release failed to mention: it remains unlikely that a manual transmission will appear in the 4C anytime soon - a disappointment to many driving purists.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56994ee5c08a80492c8b85bc-3000-1500/ar015_431fctcofejhlrdrg6rhvl88gkr31nu.jpg" alt="Alfa Romeo 4C Spider" data-mce-source="Courtesy of Alfa Romeo" /><p class="source"><span>Courtesy of Alfa Romeo</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/volvo-xc90-best-car-of-the-year-2015-12">The best car of the year - the Volvo XC90 </a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="I5cWZseTqid0oDzWA5ccHhkOjjj8S6da" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'I5cWZseTqid0oDzWA5ccHhkOjjj8S6da',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

Why new leather seats could be a very good sign from Alfa Romeo

<div id="ooyalaplayer" style="width: 800px; height: 450px;"></div><div style="display:none;" id="kalturavideoplaceholder">kalturavideoplaceholder</div><div><div><script src="https://apis.google.com/js/platform.js"></script><div class="g-ytsubscribe" data-channel="BusinessInsider" data-layout="full" data-count="default"></div></div></div><p class="embed-spacer"></p><p>At $74,000, this Alfa Romeo Spider is no Ferrari. That being said it&#xa0;<em>does</em> kind of look and drive like one. Although the car is far from perfect, we found it to be an extremely fun drive.&#xa0;</p><p><strong>Follow BI Video: </strong><a href="https://twitter.com/BI_Video" target="_blank">On Twitter</a></p><p>&#xa0;</p>

 We took a $74,000 Alfa Romeo 4C for a spin - and it drives like a mini-Ferrari

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="6358169" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Lady-GaGa">Lady Gaga</keyword>'s former Brooklyn apartment is up for rent for $2,000 a month.</li><li>The modest one-bed, one-bathroom property is dominated by an open kitchen.</li><li>Gaga lived there when she wrote some of her first hits.</li></ul><p>An apartment that Lady Gaga used to live in <a href="https://www.compass.com/listing/176-stanton-street-unit-4a-manhattan-ny-10002/676720306836212457/">has hit the rental market</a>.</p><p>The <keyword id="6369186" type="LOCATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="manhattan">Manhattan</keyword> apartment, in the heart of Lower East Side, costs $2,000 a month.</p><div type="image" title="Lady Gaga house" height="538" width="718" msid="81483143" hostid="261"></div><p>The modest property has three rooms in total: a bedroom, a bathroom, and an open kitchen. It's located in a "well-maintained" 18-unit Stanton Street apartment block, which was built in 1900, according to Alex Livshiz, who is managing the listing for <a href="https://www.compass.com/listing/176-stanton-street-unit-4a-manhattan-ny-10002/676720306836212457/">Compass</a>.</p><p>The property is flooded with natural light from its kitchen skylight and north and west-facing windows, and has 10-foot ceilings throughout.</p><div type="image" title="Lady Gaga house" height="749" width="999" msid="81483144" hostid="261"></div><p>Livshiz described the property's condition as "excellent."</p><p>Gaga stayed in the property while writing her 2008 debut album "The Fame," <a href="https://nypost.com/2021/03/03/lady-gagas-old-nyc-apartment-is-available-to-rent-for-2k/">The New York Post</a> reported. She allegedly paid just <a href="https://ny.curbed.com/2011/11/18/10423614/rent-lady-gagas-fame-making-les-apartment-for-1850-mo">$1,100 a month in rent</a> while living there.</p><p>Her homes since have cost her much more. She currently lives in a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-lady-gaga-spends-her-money-2017-9#in-2014-she-bought-a-23-million-malibu-mansion-complete-with-a-bowling-alley-a-massive-wine-cellar-and-a-beautiful-view-of-the-pacific-she-also-dropped-525-million-on-frank-zappas-former-hollywood-hills-abode-in-2016-6">$22.5 million Malibu mansion</a> she bought in 2014, complete with a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wildest-features-celebrities-homes#lady-gagas-malibu-house-has-a-bowling-alley-in-the-basement-14">two-lane bowling alley, a massive wine cellar, and a beautiful view of the Pacific</a> - and spent a further $$60,000 on Koi fish imported from Japan for the gardens. She also dropped <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-lady-gaga-spends-her-money-2017-9#in-2014-she-bought-a-23-million-malibu-mansion-complete-with-a-bowling-alley-a-massive-wine-cellar-and-a-beautiful-view-of-the-pacific-she-also-dropped-525-million-on-frank-zappas-former-hollywood-hills-abode-in-2016-6">$5.25 million on Frank Zappa's former Hollywood Hills abode</a> in 2016.</p><div type="image" title="Lady Gaga house" height="537" width="717" msid="81483145" hostid="261"></div><p>Gaga fans are keen to buy her former possessions or merchandise associated with the star. A <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lady-gaga-alfa-romeo-1986-spider-graduate-convertible-bring-trailer-2021-2#you-can-bid-for-this-1986-alfa-romeo-spider-graduate-that-was-once-owned-by-lady-gaga-and-ex-formula-one-driver-eddie-irvine-on-bring-a-trailer-1">red 1986 Alfa Romeo Spider Graduate formerly owned by Gaga</a> was auctioned off for <a href="https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1986-alfa-romeo-spider-67/">more than $14,000</a> in February. As well as her <a href="https://www.insider.com/lady-gaga-haus-laboratories-stupid-love-palette-review">makeup line</a>, in January she also started selling a <a href="https://www.insider.com/lady-gaga-chromatica-oreos-taste-test-review-2021-1">limited-edition Oreo cookie</a> to accompany the launch of her "Chromatica" album.</p><p>Fans can also dine at the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-lady-gaga-spends-her-money-2017-9#-but-in-2012-she-did-open-a-restaurant-with-her-father-joanne-trattoria-the-new-york-city-spot-specializes-in-cuisine-from-the-south-of-italy-gaga-can-sometimes-be-seen-hanging-out-at-the-restaurant-10">New York City restaurant, "Joanne Trattoria,"</a> which she set up with her father in 2012.</p>

You can rent Lady Gaga's former Manhattan apartment for $2,000 a month

<ul class="summary-list"><li>More than two dozen 2020 vehicles won't be back for the 2021 model year. </li><li>As consumer demand shifts, many automakers are eliminating sedans, wagons, and hatchbacks. </li><li>Only one crossover won't make it to 2021: the Dodge Journey. </li></ul><p>The <keyword id="34478" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="auto-industry">auto industry</keyword> is in the midst of a crossover boom - and for every new compact crossover automakers bring to market, some sorry sedan or hatchback heads to the automotive graveyard.</p><p>The list of models that won't live to see the 2021 model year includes some iconic and long-running nameplates like the Lincoln Continental, Chevy Impala, and Dodge Grand Caravan, along with some short-lived models that just didn't manage to catch on, like Jaguar's high-performance station wagon and Alfa Romeo's inexpensive mid-engine sports car. </p><p>And although the models that won't live to see the 2021 model year span makes and price points, the one thing that unites nearly all of them is that they're not crossovers. In fact, after the 2020 model year, multiple brands - Cadillac, Lincoln, Buick, and Ford among them - will have transitioned to lineups that don't include a single sedan. </p><p>Check out 25 cars automakers killed off for 2021 below: </p><h2><strong>Acura RLX</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="2020_Acura_RLX_Sport_Hybrid_034 source" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79978917" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>The RLX luxury sedan is out of Acura's 2021 lineup after selling <a href="https://hondanews.com/en-US/releases/release-807c080220275f828905387c4f002e91-record-light-truck-sales-lift-ahm-and-honda-brand-to-sales-increases-in-2019">just over 1,000 units</a> in 2019. Acura sold roughly 50 times that amount of its MDX crossover, and around 60 times more RDX crossovers. </p><p>It has unusual features like rear-wheel steering and a sporty hybrid option with a claimed 377 horsepower, but that wasn't enough to keep buyers interested.</p><h2><strong>Alfa Romeo 4C Spider</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="Alfa Romeo 4C Spider 3" height="1502" width="2250" msid="79978918" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>Alfa Romeo killed off the hardtop version of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/alfa-romeo-4c-spider-review-mini-ferrari-2016-7">4C</a> a few years back, and the roadster follows in its footsteps for 2021. Starting at under $70,000, the 4C is one of the most affordable mid-engined sports cars on the market - but alas, it <a href="https://www.goodcarbadcar.net/alfa-romeo-4c-sales-figures-usa-canada/">barely broke triple-digit sales</a> in 2019 and so it's gone for good. </p><p>But other inexpensive mid-engine options like the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chevrolet-corvette-mid-engine-review-c8-horsepower-price-specs-chevy-2020-10">Chevy Corvette</a>, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/porsche-718-boxster-s-and-alfa-romeo-4c-spider-comparison-2018-5">Porsche Boxster</a>, and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/porsche-cayman-s-review-photos-details-2018-3">Porsche Cayman</a> are still kicking. </p><h2><strong>BMW i8</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="bmw i8 hero" height="2000" width="3000" msid="79978919" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>After six years on the market, it's the end of the line for the plug-in hybrid i8. Despite its somewhat confused combination of exotic looks and a tiny three-cylinder engine (aided by electric motors), the i8 managed to sell more than 20,000 units in its run, making it <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/a-look-back-at-the-futuristic-bmw-i8-which-ends-production-in-april-2020-3">the best-selling car of its kind</a>, according to BMW. </p><p><a href="https://www.bmwblog.com/2020/08/26/bmw-i8-successor/">Rumors have circulated</a> around a possible i8 successor based on the Vision M Next concept car, but there's no official word yet on when or if that will happen. </p><h2><strong>BMW M8 Coupe and Convertible</strong></h2><div type="image" title="P90348795_highRes_the all new bmw m8 c" height="1571" width="2095" msid="79978920" hostid="261"></div><p>BMW is trimming the options available for its halo M8 due to COVID-19-related supply issues, <a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a34252647/2021-bmw-m8-coupe-convertible-phased-out/">Car and Driver</a> reported in October. The coupe and convertible won't be available for 2021, but the four-door Gran Coupe version is still on the table if you have a spare $130,000 laying around.</p><h2><strong>Buick Regal</strong></h2><div type="image" title="2019 Buick Regal GS 021 (1)" height="1398" width="1865" msid="79978923" hostid="261"></div><p>After nearly 50 years on the market, GM has canceled the Buick Regal as part of its shift away from passenger cars. The move means the Buick brand will have an all-SUV lineup going into the 2021 model year.</p><h2><strong>Cadillac CT6</strong></h2><div type="image" title="2020 Cadillac CT6 V US Product 013" height="2377" width="3169" msid="79978929" hostid="261"></div><p>Cadillac made a name for itself building gigantic land yachts, but it's pared back its sedan lineup in recent years. Its biggest sedan won't make it to 2021, despite being one of Caddy's technological leaders and the only vehicle to get its twin-turbocharged, 4.2-liter, 550-horsepower <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cadillacs-new-blackwing-cars-here-to-take-on-bmw-mercedes-2020-4#-2">Blackwing V8</a>. </p><h2><strong>Chevrolet Impala</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="2018 Chevrolet Impala." height="2000" width="3000" msid="79978931" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>The iconic Impala nameplate bites the dust this year, but it's not the first time GM has discontinued the model. It's been on the market in spurts since the late 1950s - so there's still hope it returns once the nostalgia sets in. </p><h2><strong>Chevrolet Sonic</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Sonic 006" height="1395" width="2500" msid="79978933" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>The demise of the small car claims another victim in the Chevy Sonic. Sales of the inexpensive hatchback and sedan peaked in 2014, when Chevy sold <a href="https://carsalesbase.com/us-chevrolet-sonic/">nearly 94,000 of them</a>, but plummeted <a href="https://media.gm.com/media/us/en/gm/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2020/jan/0103-gmsales.html">below 14,000 in 2019</a>. </p><p>It started its life outside the US as the Aveo, and, like lots of compact cars that don't find success stateside, it will live on in other markets. </p><h2><strong>Dodge Grand Caravan</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="2020 Dodge Grand Caravan." height="1667" width="2500" msid="79978934" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>The Dodge Grand Caravan arguably <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/history-rise-fall-of-the-minivan-led-by-dodge-caravan-2020-4">birthed the minivan segment</a> when it came on the scene in 1984 along with its upmarket sibling, the Plymouth Voyager. Now, as crossovers and full-size SUVs have superseded minivans as America's family hauler of choice, the minivan that started it all is no more. </p><p>But Fiat Chrysler isn't out of the minivan game altogether - it still sells the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chrysler-pacifica-hybrid-minivan-review-features-2019-4">Chrysler Pacifica</a>, which got a facelift for 2021. </p><h2><strong>Dodge Journey</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="DG020_003JNf41s27dlha2vt5b61j75a7jmp2" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79978935" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>The Dodge Journey is the only crossover to kick the bucket for 2021, which speaks volumes of its consumer appeal - or lack thereof. As of May, nearly half of 2019 Journeys sat unsold on dealer lots, according to car search engine <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/20-car-models-with-most-2019-surplus-inventory-2020-5">iSeeCars</a>.</p><h2><strong>Ford Fusion</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="2020 ford fusion titanium white platinum metallic" height="1292" width="2000" msid="79978936" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>Ford announced plans to discontinue all of its sedans <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/innovations/wp/2018/04/26/ford-has-been-synonymous-with-cars-for-more-than-a-century-thats-about-to-change/">back in 2018</a>, and it's achieved that with the demise of the Fusion. The Focus, Fiesta, and Taurus have all left the scene as well, leaving the Ecosport compact crossover as Ford's entry-level offering. </p><h2><strong>Ford Mustang Shelby GT350</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R Heritage Edition_6.JPG" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79978990" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>The V8-powered, manual-transmission-only <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ford-mustang-shelby-gt350-gt350r-stopping-production-this-fall-2020-10">Mustang Shelby GT350 and GT350R</a> pay homage to the famed Shelby GT350 of the 1960s, which kicked off the Mustang's high-performance reputation. But that rich history wasn't enough for the Blue Oval to keep it around. </p><p>For buyers who desire no less than an absurdly powerful sports car bearing the Shelby name, the 760-horsepower Shelby GT500 is still on the market. </p><h2><strong>Honda Civic Coupe and Civic Si</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="1608" width="3000" msid="79978991" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>Honda is launching a new, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/2022-honda-civic-debut-photos-sleek-styling-2020-11">11th generation of the Civic</a> for 2021, and some changes are coming to the popular model's lineup. The two-door Civic Coupe variant bites the dust after the 2020 model year, while the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/honda-civic-si-review-specs-sedan-manual-price-horsepower-sport-2020-8">sporty Si</a> will take a hiatus for 2021 and return for the following model year. </p><h2><strong>Honda Fit</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="Honda Fit" height="800" width="1200" msid="79978992" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>Carmakers are getting rid of small hatchbacks left and right, and Honda is no exception. It's axing the Fit, despite the little guy being widely regarded as <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/one-of-the-best-affordable-cars-you-can-buy-just-got-an-update-2017-7">one of the best compact economy cars</a> money can buy. </p><p>It's an understandable move, given that Fit sales have declined as appetite for the brand's crossovers grows. Now the cheapest vehicle in Honda's lineup is the $21,000 HR-V, which <a href="https://hondanews.com/en-US/releases/release-807c080220275f828905387c4f002e91-record-light-truck-sales-lift-ahm-and-honda-brand-to-sales-increases-in-2019">outsold the Fit three-to-one</a> in 2019. </p><h2><strong>Hyundai Elantra GT</strong></h2><div type="image" title="2020 Elantra GT " height="995" width="1326" msid="79978994" hostid="261"></div><p>The hatchback version of the Hyundai Elantra heads to the great junkyard in the sky after the 2020 model year, along with its sporty sibling, the GT N Line. <a href="https://www.hyundainews.com/en-us/releases/3101">Hyundai said</a> the hatchback was displaced by the compact Venue and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hyundai-kona-review-photos-styling-2020-12">Kona</a> crossovers.</p><p>But the Veloster and Veloster N carry over to 2021. </p><h2><strong>Jaguar XE</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="Jaguar XE" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79978995" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>Jaguar is eliminating its entry-level sport sedan, the XE, from its US lineup after selling only <a href="https://www.goodcarbadcar.net/jaguar-xe-sales-figures-usa-canada/">3,551 of them</a> in 2019. By comparison, BMW regularly sells well <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200103005391/en/BMW-of-North-America-Reports-December-2019-and-Year-End-U.S.-Sales.">over 40,000</a> 3-Series sedans annually, while Mercedes-Benz moved some <a href="https://carsalesbase.com/us-mercedes-benz-c-class/">50,000 C-Class sedans</a> in 2019. </p><p>For 2021, the XF sedan assumes the entry-level spot and gets a significant price cut to match.</p><h2><strong>Jaguar XF Sportbrake</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="Jaguar XF S" height="1200" width="1800" msid="79978996" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>Wagons are also going by the wayside as crossovers take over, and Jaguar is pulling its one and only long-roof model, the XF Sportbrake, from the American market after only three model years. In that time, Jaguar sold fewer than 250 of the wagons, according to <a href="https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a34285524/jaguar-xe-xf-sportbrake-cancelled/">Road &amp; Track</a>.</p><p>Buyers in the market for a luxury wagon will need to look to offerings like the Volvo V90, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/audi-a4-allroad-wagon-crossover-review-2017-6">Audi</a> A6 Avant, or <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/porsche-panamera-gts-sport-turismo-review-photos-features-verdict-2020-2">Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo</a> come 2021. </p><h2><strong>Kia Optima</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="Kia Optima" height="1326" width="2000" msid="79978997" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>The Kia Optima is on its way out after two decades in production. But the South Korean carmaker isn't abandoning sedans like some of its US counterparts - the Optima is succeeded by a sleek new mid-sized model called the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/2021-kia-k5-specs-features-photos-release-date">K5</a>. </p><h2><strong>Lexus GS</strong></h2><div type="image" title="LEX GSG MY20 0010 LEAD IMAGE scaled" height="1298" width="1731" msid="79978999" hostid="261"></div><p>The Lexus GS hit the scene in the early 1990s and has endured through four generations. This particular rear-wheel-drive sedan may be going away after 2020, but Lexus-sedan stans will still be able to choose the ES, LS, and IS. </p><h2><strong>Lincoln Continental</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="Lincoln Continental" height="942" width="2000" msid="79979001" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>Lincoln has used the Continental name on and off for some 80 years, and this latest version of the car is dead for 2021. But given the nameplate's deep history, there's a good shot it will come back someday - perhaps on some future electric luxury sedan. </p><h2><strong>Lincoln MKZ</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="Lincoln MKZ" height="2000" width="3000" msid="79979002" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>With the MKZ and Continental gone for 2021, Lincoln is <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lincoln-continental-mkz-sedan-dead-suv-crossover-lineup-american-luxury-2020-7">left with an all-SUV lineup</a> of the Nautilus, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/2020-lincoln-aviator-review-hybrid-specs-three-row-suv-luxury-2020-7">Aviator</a>, Corsair, and the flagship Navigator. </p><p>And the numbers back up Lincoln's move. In 2019, the brand sold some <a href="https://media.ford.com/content/dam/fordmedia/North%20America/US/2020/01/06/sales-4q2019.pdf">88,000 SUVs</a> and fewer than 25,000 sedans - and that's with only a partial year of Aviator sales. </p><p>Following this year's lineup shakeups at Ford and Lincoln, the Mustang is the Blue Oval's only car left standing. </p><h2><strong>Mercedes-Benz SLC</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="_F8A6477 1200x800" height="800" width="1200" msid="79979005" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>The Mercedes-Benz SLC is has been officially discontinued with no successor planned, following more than two decades of continuous production. For the model's last hurrah, Mercedes added a yellow <a href="https://media.mbusa.com/releases/the-slc-final-edition">2020 SLC Final Edition</a> to its lineup. </p><h2><strong>Toyota Yaris</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="Yaris " height="1166" width="1555" msid="79979006" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>The death of the Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit, Chevy Sonic, and Hyundai Elantra GT this year - along with the end of the Ford Fiesta and Mazda2 previously - leave a scant few options for fans of subcompacts here in the US. </p><p>Despite the Yaris being a favorite among lovers of small cars, it <a href="https://pressroom.toyota.com/toyota-motor-north-america-reports-december-2019-year-end-sales/">hasn't sold well</a> in the US as of late. Fewer than 22,000 of them rolled off of dealer lots in 2019, as compared with 304,850 Corollas, 336,978 Camrys, and 448,071 Rav4 crossovers. </p>

25 cars discontinued in 2021 that will disappear from US dealerships, from Ford's last sedan to fan-favorite small hatchbacks

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Youtube/Top Gear" title_caption="" Top="" Gear="" hosts="" Richard="" Hammond="" short="" and="" Jeremy="" Clarkson="" tall.="" class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54514d4feab8eafb1f51605f-960/top-gear-epic-road-trip.png"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54514d4feab8eafb1f51605f-937-702/top-gear-epic-road-trip.png" border="0" alt="Top Gear Epic Road Trip" /></a><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4iygYSNE2o">Youtube/Top Gear</a></span></p><p class="caption">"Top Gear" hosts Richard Hammond (short) and Jeremy Clarkson (tall).</p></div><p></p></div></div>The BBC's smash hit car show "Top Gear" just released the trailer for its annual Holiday DVD, and it's as epic as expected.</p>
<p>The DVD - "Top Gear Perfect Road Trip 2" - captures the show's hosts, Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond, as they take an epic journey through southern Europe.</p>
<p>The DVD will not only be a follow-up to last year's "Top Gear Perfect Road Trip," installment 1 - it will also serve as somewhat of a do-over for the first sojourn, which did not end in an ideal manner. </p>
<p>The first "Road Trip" concluded with Clarkson and Hammond on side of a damp French highway being accosted by police as the duo were issued driving bans for speeding.</p>
<p>As for this year's road trip, Clarkson and Hammond will once again hit the Riviera in search of fast cars and fun times.</p>
<p>From the looks of the trailer, they seem to have found them. </p>
<p>The dynamic duo take to the streets in everything from a million-dollar McLaren P1 to a classic Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider to '80s-chic Ford Capris. </p>
<p>The all-conquering Corvette Stingray also takes on Alfa Romeo's pint-sized 4C supercar, in a contest on the track.</p>
<p>A<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">s with all "Top Gear" undertakings, comedy is must. Not only does Richard Hammond take a spill in a $100,000 Jaguar F-Type Coupe on what looks to be Italy's Mugello race track - he also fails to successfully order spaghetti bolognese in a restaurant!</span></p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Youtube/Top Gear" title_caption="'Vette VS. Alfa!" class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54515faceab8ea7b674beeda-960/screen shot 2014-10-29 at 5.42.24 pm.png"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54515faceab8ea7b674beeda-840-462/screen shot 2014-10-29 at 5.42.24 pm.png" border="0" alt="Top Gear Perfect Road Trip 2" style="color: #000000;" /></a><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4iygYSNE2o">Youtube/Top Gear</a></span></p><p class="caption">'Vette VS. Alfa!</p></div><p></p></div></div></p>
<p>Missing from all of this high-speed drama is the third member of the "Top Gear" team. So where was James May while Clarkson and Hammond were road-tripping?</p>
<p>That mystery may be revealed later.</p>
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<p class="embed-spacer"></p>

Top Gear Is Going On The Ultimate Road Trip Again - And The Trailer Looks Amazing!

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The <keyword id="9741456" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="2020-chevrolet-corvette">2020 Chevrolet Corvette</keyword> is the first mid-engine <keyword id="240486" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Corvette">Corvette</keyword> ever.</li><li>It has a naturally aspirated V8 between its axles that makes nearly 500 horsepower.</li><li>Starting MSRP for the mid-engine Corvette is $58,900. But after options, my loaner came out to $80,315.</li></ul><p>The person walking their dog pumped a fist triumphantly into the air upon seeing my Rapid Blue 2020 Corvette loaner drive by. So did a driver in <em>their</em> brand-new Corvette, going the opposite way on I-80. Another driver in an oncoming red Ferrari 488 flashed their lights in greeting.</p><p>Wherever you go in the new Corvette, that'll be the standard reaction - for a while, at least, until everyone calms down about the car a bit.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Corvette_KL_46" height="3750" width="2500" msid="78701477" hostid="261"></div>That's because the new Corvette <em>is</em> exciting, and it's a seismic shift from any other Corvette in history. <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/18/americas-sports-car-the-corvette-almost-didnt-survive-the-great-recession.html">America's Sports Car</a> has finally landed in the form of the mid-engine supercar - an idea that's been in the works since the late 1950s, but never actually came to be. <p>That is, until now. </p><p>The mid-engine Corvette is no longer <a href="https://jalopnik.com/how-the-mid-engine-chevrolet-corvette-became-the-automo-1834958901">a myth, no longer a tall tale</a>. This is the real thing, designed to go toe-to-toe against the other midship sports cars and supercars that command much, much higher price tags.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Corvette_KL_37" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78701481" hostid="261"></div>Unlike some of the mid-engine options from Italy or Britain, however, the mid-engine Corvette isn't merely a noisy, one-trick track pony. It calms down into everyday civility, broadening the number of places you can actually use it. <h2><strong>The 2020 Corvette: Folklore no more </strong></h2><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/corvette-history-chevy-chevrolet-1953-debut-mid-engine-supercar-2020-5#on-january-17-1953-the-chevrolet-c1-corvette-was-displayed-as-a-dream-car-at-the-general-motors-motorama-exposition-at-the-waldorf-astoria-hotel-in-new-york-city-1">Since 1953</a>, the Corvette has been <keyword id="55200" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Chevrolet">Chevrolet</keyword>'s two-door, two-seater sports car. For the first seven generations, it used a traditional front-engine setup, where the engine was located in front of the driver.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Corvette_KL_47" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78701486" hostid="261"></div>For the current and eighth generation, also known as the "<keyword id="8954824" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="C8">C8</keyword>," the Corvette finally went mid-engine, tucking its power source behind the driver and between the front and rear axles. Rumors of the Corvette going mid-engine have been swirling for decades. With the C8, they finally became true. <p>Mid-engine setups are generally seen as the more naturally performance-oriented ones. Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, and McLaren choose not to use the tired, old front-engine setup seen in both your Ford Fusion and the Corvettes of years past. Mid-engine cars are praised for their balance and handling, since most of their weight isn't located at one extreme end. </p><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Corvette_KL_26" height="3750" width="2500" msid="78701491" hostid="261"></div>For lifelong Corvette fans and enthusiasts, the move to midship is a controversial one - added to the fact that the <keyword id="7572445" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="c8-corvette">C8 Corvette</keyword> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/corvette-history-chevy-chevrolet-1953-debut-mid-engine-supercar-2020-5#unfortunately-none-of-the-c8-corvettes-will-be-offered-with-a-manual-transmission-78">will not offer a manual transmission</a>. Primarily, the reason for dropping the stick had to do with demand. <p>When the C7 Corvette launched as a 2014 model, about half of its customers optioned it with a manual transmission. By the end of the C7's production run, however, the number had shrunk to only 20%. That, according to <a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a28531606/2020-chevy-corvette-manual-transmission/">Car and Driver</a>, was enough to convince General Motors' money team to axe the manual option on the C8 altogether.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Corvette_KL_7" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78701497" hostid="261"></div>You've only got yourselves to blame for this. <h2><strong>Details and safety ratings: An all-American V8 </strong></h2><p>Cheer up, though. The C8 has plenty of other good stuff, like its naturally aspirated V8. Most automakers don't offer that anymore! </p><p>Packed between the base C8's axles is Chevrolet's LT2 engine: a 6.2-liter V8 that produces <a href="https://media.chevrolet.com/media/us/en/chevrolet/vehicles/CorvetteGS/2020.tab1.html">a claimed</a> 495 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. All of that is sent to the rear wheels via an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. The automaker quotes a sub-three-second time to get from 0 to 60 mph when the base car has the $5,000 Z51 Performance Package.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 214" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78701502" hostid="261"></div>Overall, the C8 measures 15.2 feet long, 6.3 feet wide, and four feet tall. Its dry weight - meaning its weight without onboard consumables such as cargo or people - comes to 3,366 pounds. <p>Because the engine is now no longer in the nose, the C8 has two trunks: one in the front and one in the back. The front trunk will fit a pretty average-sized carry-on suitcase, while the rear trunk is much longer and will fit a set of golf clubs, according to Chevrolet. Why this is a unit of measurement is beyond me. </p><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 061" height="1227" width="2500" msid="78701504" hostid="261"></div>Anyway, Chevrolet quotes the C8 to have 12.6 total cubic feet of cargo volume. This is slightly less than the Porsche 718 Cayman, which is also mid-engined and has a combined cargo volume of 14.9 cubic feet from its two trunks, according to <a href="https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/porsche/cayman/interior">US News</a>.<p>The Environmental Protection Agency estimates the C8 to return 15 mpg in the city, 27 mpg on the highway, and 19 mpg combined. Corvettes, like many sports cars, generally aren't rated for their crashworthiness. </p><h2><strong>What stands out: The steering, suspension, and transmission are your friends </strong></h2><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Corvette_KL_33" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78701505" hostid="261"></div>The new Corvette's steering is wonderful. You only need about five seconds with the car to realize this. Tight, beautifully weighted, and acute, the C8's steering fills you with confidence. It builds trust, relaying gobs information up through your fingers and obeying even the smallest inputs. <p>This particular loaner came with the $5,000 Z51 Performance Package, which adds performance brakes, suspension, and exhaust, as well as a special rear spoiler. There was also the $1,895 Magnetic Ride Control option: GM's highly adaptive suspension system that uses magnetically controlled shock absorbers.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Corvette_KL_30" height="3750" width="2500" msid="78701507" hostid="261"></div>Combined, these options give the C8 a solid and stiff-feeling ride, certainly less bouncy than the Z51-less C8 <a href="https://jalopnik.com/the-2020-chevrolet-corvette-doesnt-drive-like-other-mid-1841799213">I tried out in 2020</a>. It's not a ride that will shake your spine to pieces like it has something to prove, but rather one that clearly articulates the road surface and how the car is responding to it. There's no body roll - or lean - to speak of.<p>The road feedback doesn't mean the C8 is murderous on your bones over long distances, though. It cruises comfortably, its <a href="https://www.topspeed.com/cars/car-news/the-2020-chevy-c8-corvette-mixes-two-technologies-no-other-car-in-the-segment-has-ar186066.html#:~:text=Cylinder%20deactivation%20improves%20fuel%20economy&amp;text=When%20all%20cylinders%20are%20active,%2D7%2D6%2D4.2D4.">cylinder deactivation system</a> keeping four of the eight cylinders inactive in order to save fuel. </p><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 060" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78701510" hostid="261"></div>When that happens, the Corvette putters along quietly, its dual-clutch transmission keeping the engine's revs low in eighth gear. That dual-clutch, despite being a sore spot for many purists, is in fact quite good. <p>It's relentlessly fast on upshifts and snappy on the way back down. DCTs, as I've experienced them elsewhere, typically don't handle stop-and-go traffic very well. They shudder all the way down, jerking to match the right gear with the steadily decreasing speed of the car. </p><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Engine 100" height="2000" width="2500" msid="78701512" hostid="261"></div>The C8's DCT is comparatively slick, shudder-free in traffic, and smooth as glass. So smooth, in fact, that you can barely feel it working in the car's comfort mode. Under harder driving I sort of wish the transmission made its presence a bit more known, but during around-town cruising, it was ideal.<p>The removable roof is nice, too. It unclips easily and you can store it in the trunk, though you sacrifice rear trunk space if you do.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 059" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78701513" hostid="261"></div><h2><strong>What falls short: An all-consuming interior </strong></h2><p>When Chevrolet set out to build the new C8, it really seems like the intent was to remake the whole thing. The engine got moved. The base version is slightly more powerful. There's no more manual transmission. <a href="https://jalopnik.com/in-desperate-attempt-to-alienate-buyers-above-retiremen-1836909441">No more chrome wheels</a>.</p><p>And the interior went from this, which was just fine and serviceable:</p><div type="image" title="2018 Chevrolet CorvetteConv 045" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78701663" hostid="261"></div><p>To this:</p><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 223" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78701670" hostid="261"></div><p>As you can see, the big change was moving all the climate buttons to the giant, driver-oriented ridge thingy that sweeps down the center console like a spine and cleaves the cabin in two. </p><p>Here's a closer look at it.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 219" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78701673" hostid="261"></div><p>In the Corvette, the interior was one place that needed no revamping. It was just fine in the previous-generation C7.</p><p>The very best thing I can say about the new one is it looks like Star Trek cosplay. The worst I can say is that it's claustrophobic. From the driver's seat, I felt consumed, swallowed up by the tallness of the center console, the high window line and the narrow, steeply raked windshield. </p><p>Outward visibility is not great, which did not help to alleviate the overwhelming sense of <em>mass</em> that came from sitting in the new Corvette. The car is and feels big to drive. Intellectually, I knew I could fit it on the tight, twisting roads of Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Emotionally, I'd still cringe a bit when there was an oncoming car. </p><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 218" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78701676" hostid="261"></div>As a passenger, you feel quite isolated from the driver - cut off completely - and your own climate control buttons aren't even facing you. It's a good interior for two people who are having a fight, I guess.<p>The C8 also could have used more nighttime testing, if the final product is anything to go by. When driving at night, light from the center infotainment screen reflects off of the partition behind the cabin, which then reflects directly into the rearview mirror. This was also slightly annoying to deal with.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 216" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78701680" hostid="261"></div><h2><strong>How the C8 Corvette compares to its competitors: The most car for the least amount of money</strong></h2><p>With a starting price of under $60,000, it's tough to find a better bargain out there than the C8 Corvette. You get a 500-horsepower, mid-engined supercar for <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-bmw-m3-m4-first-look-price-info-pics-stats-2020-9">less than the price of the new BMW M3</a>, and none of the pretentiousness of a Porsche or Ferrari. This is America's Sports Car, after all. The car with home-team advantage. If you don't like it, you're a dirty Commie. </p><p>Besides the Corvette, other mid-engine cars for sale today include the Acura NSX, Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, Audi R8, Bugatti Chiron, Ferrari 488, Ferrari F8, Ford GT, Lamborghini Aventador, Lamborghini Huracán, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/2020-lotus-evora-gt-review-price-specs-horsepower-sports-car-2020-9">Lotus Evora GT</a>, all McLaren models, and Porsche 718 Boxster and Cayman, according to this <a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/features/g27343417/mid-engined-cars/">helpful Car and Driver list</a>.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Corvette_KL_45" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78701687" hostid="261"></div><p>Unfortunately, all of these cars also either start at well over $100,000, are down on power, are less daily usable, or some combination of all three.</p><p>Among its competitors, the C8 shines. It offers the most mid-engine car for the dollar.</p><p>Good luck finding a sub-$60,000 C8 Corvette anytime soon, though. <a href="https://jalopnik.com/the-59-995-c8-corvettes-are-virtually-non-existent-at-1842394471">As of March</a>, base-model cars were "virtually non-existent." My loaner certainly wasn't cheap, either. </p><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Corvette_KL_11" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78701691" hostid="261"></div><p>Sure, the base price was $58,900, but it also had the: 2LT equipment package ($7,300) that included a premium sound system, head-up display, heated and ventilated seats, a heated steering wheel, wireless charging, and navigation; Magnetic Ride Control ($1,895); Z51 pack ($5,000); GT2 bucket seats ($1,495); a <a href="https://jalopnik.com/see-the-2020-c8-corvettes-nose-lift-in-action-1836907887">front-nose lift system</a> ($1,495); staggered 19-inch front wheels and 20-inch rear wheels ($995); and Rapid Blue paint ($500). </p><p>In all, the car had $20,320 in options, bringing the total MSRP to $80,315. Still <a href="https://www.porsche.com/usa/models/911/">less than a 911</a>, however!</p><p>Here's the window sticker, if you're curious.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Corvette window sticker." height="1403" width="2171" msid="78701695" hostid="261"></div><h2><strong>Our impressions: The true everyday supercar</strong></h2><p>Head-on, the C8 is a visual punch to the face. Low, pointy, and wide, it captures the wild essence of great supercar design. Everyone will wave at you. Everyone will be stoked to see it. Smiles all around, and you'll feel just a little bit famous.</p><p>In profile and from the rear, the design flattens out and becomes rather disjointed - a gripe overshadowed by the stunning front end.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Corvette_KL_13" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78701698" hostid="261"></div><p>But as striking as its face is, the C8 is docile. Driving it, you'll forget the car is mid-engined at all. It handles beautifully as a cruiser, agreeable and quiet, kind on your body over bumps but also not erasing the sensation of road imperfections altogether. It strikes a nice balance.</p><p>That tame mood also extends to when you want to push the car a little bit. Oh, there's power, no doubt about that, and it'll do the fast stuff just fine - but the C8 doesn't feel innately hyped-up and ready to go like other sports cars do.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Corvette_KL_40" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78701705" hostid="261"></div><p>Somehow, what a naturally aspirated V8 packed in behind you is supposed to offer just doesn't translate to a kick in the back of the head (the good kind) when you really put your foot down. Rather, it feels a little sluggish at low revs. </p><p>As a base model, though, it's clear that Chevrolet left room for what's coming next. It's the only explanation for all the tameness. The upcoming performance versions will build on what the C8 already offers, and will likely surpass what they were in the C7 generation when they put down <a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/chevrolet/corvette-z06-2019">650 horsepower</a> and <a href="https://www.motortrend.com/cars/chevrolet/corvette/2019/2019-chevrolet-corvette-zr1-first-test-review/">755 horsepower</a>.</p><p>I'm speculating, but I wouldn't be surprised if in two or three years we find ourselves with a 1,000-horsepower, hybrid, mid-engined Corvette for the C8 generation.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Corvette_KL_17" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78701708" hostid="261"></div><p>But for now, we have the base C8. Even calling it a base model feels disingenuous because the car is so capable. The C8 is easily the most exciting thing this side of $100,000, and as something to live your normal, everyday life with, it's pretty tough to beat. </p><p>Just hope you like attention.</p><p style="text-align: center;">♦♦♦</p><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Corvette_KL_3" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78701712" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Corvette_KL_32" height="3750" width="2500" msid="78701716" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Corvette_KL_39" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78701717" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Corvette_KL_48" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78701720" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Corvette_KL_44" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78701722" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Corvette_KL_6" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78701724" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Corvette_KL_15" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78701729" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Corvette_KL_31" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78701733" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Corvette_KL_28" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78701736" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Corvette_KL_29" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78701738" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Corvette_KL_18" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78701746" hostid="261"></div>

REVIEW: The $80,000 mid-engine Corvette is the best bargain supercar, yet it's unexpectedly tame to drive

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56fac929910584155c8b945c-2400/img6493.jpg" alt="Fiat 124 Spider Elaborazione Abarth" data-mce-source="William Fierman" /><p class="source"><span>William Fierman</span></p><p class="caption">The Fiat 124 Spider Elaborazione Abarth.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>When Jerry Phillips bought his business in 2009, the imports that sustained his sales mostly came from Europe.</p><p>As a dealer in parts for vintage Alfa Romeo and Fiat automobiles, most of the parts sold by Phillips' company in Fort Worth, Texas, were going into cars from Italy.</p><p>Phillips found, however, the parts didn't necessarily have the same origins as the cars they were paired with.</p><p>"I discovered when I purchased the business that all the parts that we were buying from Europe, lo and behold, they were sourcing from overseas themselves, from Asia, so we began to source from Asia as well," Phillips told Business Insider.</p><p>"We import parts from around the world, and we ship parts out every day around the world," he said. "We buy from the EU. We buy from Turkey. We buy from South America. We buy from China. We buy from a couple of other Asian nations. We buy from around the world."</p><p>Phillips' company, which employs only five people, is one of many American small businesses - that is, wholesale or <keyword id="6354851" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Retail">retail</keyword> trade firms with 250 or fewer employees - that relies heavily on imports. More than 95% of US importers are firms of that size, according to Census data <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/small-businesses-uneasy-over-border-adjustment-tax-plan-1485712646" target="_blank">cited</a> by The Wall Street Journal.</p><p>The Trump administration has floated <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sean-spicer-trump-considering-20-tax-on-mexican-imports-2017-1" target="_blank">a 20% tax</a> on imports as one possible way to pay for the wall the president wants to build on the US-Mexico border, estimated to cost $12 billion to $15 billion. (Trump's embrace of the border adjustment tax would appear to be <a href="http://www.npr.org/2017/01/26/511861462/trumps-suggested-import-tax-would-mean-americans-pay-for-that-wall" target="_blank">a reversal</a> of his stance on it from earlier in January.)</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5894e5bb6e09a8aa238b4db1-2000" alt="trump business council" data-mce-source="Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images" data-mce-caption="President Donald Trump meets with, from left, PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman, and GM CEO Mary Barra at the first meeting of his Strategic and Policy Forum on Feb. 3, 2017." /><p class="source"><span>Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images</span></p><p class="caption">President Donald Trump meets with, from left, PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman, and GM CEO Mary Barra at the first meeting of his Strategic and Policy Forum on February 3, 2017.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>While Trump's team first mentioned the 20% tax in relation to Mexican imports, Republican leadership <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2017-01-26/trump-may-fund-border-wall-with-20-percent-tax-on-mexico-imports" target="_blank">has said</a> it aligned with their boarder tax-reform plans, specifically the implementation of a border adjustment tax that would apply to all countries.</p><p>Such a tax would only apply to goods imported to and sold in the US, and companies would only be able to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/small-businesses-uneasy-over-border-adjustment-tax-plan-1485712646" target="_blank">deduct their local costs</a>. Revenue generated by the new tax scheme would supposedly fund <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jan/26/trump-mexico-border-tax-trial-balloon-republican-reaction?utm_source=dlvr.it&amp;utm_medium=twitter" target="_blank">a reduction</a> in the corporate tax rate, from 35% to 20%.</p><p>Such a tax would have pronounced effects on Texas, which has a trade surplus with Mexico and through which flows 33% of Mexico's imports to the US.</p><p><span>"Texas' number one trading partner by far is Mexico, and imposing a 20% tax on Mexican imports to fund a border wall would hurt the Texas economy," Texas Association of Business President </span><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/01/26/lawmakers-trump-mexico-tax-plan-would-hurt-texas/97120400/?utm_source=feedblitz&amp;utm_medium=FeedBlitzRss&amp;utm_campaign=usatoday-newstopstories" target="_blank">Chris Wallace</a><span><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/01/26/lawmakers-trump-mexico-tax-plan-would-hurt-texas/97120400/?utm_source=feedblitz&amp;utm_medium=FeedBlitzRss&amp;utm_campaign=usatoday-newstopstories" target="_blank"> said</a> at the end of January. "This proposal could mean a loss of jobs and a hit to state tax revenues."</span></p><p><span>"Mexico doesn't pay for the wall," Jared Bernstein, senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2017-01-26/trump-may-fund-border-wall-with-20-percent-tax-on-mexico-imports" target="_blank">told Bloomberg</a> in late January. "American consumers who shop at places that import, like Wal-mart and Target, pay for the wall ..."</span></p><p><span><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/518befd7eab8ea457000000b-2400" alt="cars mexico border" data-mce-source="David McNew/Getty Images" /><p class="source"><span>David McNew/Getty Images</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></span></p><p>"I can easily see that businesses like ours would need to raise prices anywhere from 20% to 30% to cover these changes in the rules," Phillips told Business Insider, saying his company had a major presence in what he admitted was a "teeny, tiny market."</p><p>"And my customers are very price conscious," he added. "It would be very difficult for us to continue to sell at the volume we are with a 20% to 30% price increase." With customers less willing to buy his goods, Phillips said, businesses down the line, like repair shops, would in turn see less business and employ fewer people.</p><p>Concerns about barriers to imports are not limited to Texas businesses or to imports from Mexico.</p><p>While large retailers like Walmart have more leverage to negotiate deals or to shop around for suppliers, smaller US companies would be hamstrung, unable to maintain current prices while selling higher-priced imports and unable to afford domestically manufactured goods.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/585bf85bf10a9acc1c8b4a57-2400" alt="trump carrier factory" data-mce-source="Mike Segar/Reuters" /><p class="source"><span>Mike Segar/Reuters</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Richard Woldenberg, chief executive of Learning Resources, a Illinois-based company with about 150 workers selling plastic educational toys sourced mostly from China, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/small-businesses-uneasy-over-border-adjustment-tax-plan-1485712646" target="_blank">told The Journal</a> that even with a lower corporate tax rate, the border adjustment tax would drive his tax bill up by four or five times, which would require him to hike prices and then see sales shrink.</p><p>Jennifer Arenson, whose business, Global Sourcing Connection, employs 26 people and supplies uniforms and promotional items to Fortune 1000 companies, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/small-businesses-uneasy-over-border-adjustment-tax-plan-1485712646" target="_blank">told The Journal</a> that for a company the size of hers, running its own manufacturing operation "absolutely is not a realistic option."</p><p>Arguments <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/small-businesses-uneasy-over-border-adjustment-tax-plan-1485712646" target="_blank">in favor of the tax</a> are that it would benefit firms that are exporters or those that don't import goods. Some small businesses may in fact become more competitive in this scenario. The conservative Tax Foundation estimates that it would generate <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2017-01-26/trump-may-fund-border-wall-with-20-percent-tax-on-mexico-imports" target="_blank">$1.1 trillion in revenue</a> over 10 years, and, among other things, it would disincentivize offshoring of profits and jobs.</p><p>Other advocates <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/small-businesses-uneasy-over-border-adjustment-tax-plan-1485712646" target="_blank">have said</a> the dollar would rise in value, offsetting the impact of the tax on US businesses. If that adjustment doesn't come to fruition, companies big and small would be hit with higher prices for imports.</p><p>"We keep our pricing stable, even when we, say, have to pay a little more for a product because of a fluctuation in the exchange rate that's not in our favor," Phillips said. "But, if we go to an import tax, that's going to be seen as a permanent change, not a fluctuation."</p><p>"If it's permanent, we're going to move prices upward," he added. "There's just no question."</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/57ac8816ce38f233008b6169-1024" alt="Shoppers waiting in line to pay" data-mce-source="David Ramos/Getty Images" /><p class="source"><span>David Ramos/Getty Images</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>More broadly, the negative impact of a tax on imports may outstrip the benefits reaped.</p><p><span>"From a macro perspective, from a broad tax perspective, the amount of revenue you're going to get is very low, the amount of distortions you're going to create is very high, the amount of trouble you're going to create for the US and the world economy is very large, and the distributional effects are not trivial," Adam Posen, a former policymaker at the Bank of England and the president of Peterson Institute for <keyword id="6356001" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="international">International</keyword> Economics, <a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/the-problem-with-trumps-border-tax-plan-2017-2-1001723115?utm_content=buffer4e728&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter.com&amp;utm_campaign=buffer" target="_blank">said at a conference</a> this month.</span></p><p><span>The cost would be "actually very harmful," Posen added.</span></p><p><span><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/588ba9ff4757521a008b50d0-1720/ap061110037076.jpg" alt="Texas El Paso Mexico Ciudad Juarez shopping shoppers mall" data-mce-source="(AP Photo/Victor Calzada)" data-mce-caption="Shoppers make their way down El Paso Street, November 10, 2006, in downtown El Paso, Texas. The street is lined with stores that are crowded with shoppers from both Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, and El Paso." /><p class="source"><span>(AP Photo/Victor Calzada)</span></p><p class="caption">Shoppers from Mexico and the US make their way down El Paso Street, November 10, 2006, in downtown El Paso, Texas.</p></div><p></p></div></div></span></p><p><span>The possible <a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/the-problem-with-trumps-border-tax-plan-2017-2-1001723115?utm_content=buffer4e728&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter.com&amp;utm_campaign=buffer" target="_blank">broader international blowback</a> from such an import policy - disturbed relations with major trading partners like China and Mexico, potential action against US exporters by the World Trade Organization, and <a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/economy-budget/312900-trumps-import-taxes-could-devastate-us-economy" target="_blank">retaliatory tariffs</a> - would redound on the US economy as well.</span></p><p><span>Moreover, Phillips told Business Insider, with a global supply chain, good business relations are about more than just economics.</span></p><p>"There are some parts I'll be buying from Turkey in the next couple of weeks, and it's a pretty big purchase for my small company," he said.</p><p>"Turkey is a Muslim country, and we've instituted these travel restrictions ... on a number of Muslim countries, and the folks in Turkey may not be too happy about that."</p><p>"I need to have a good rapport with my Turkish supplier. They need to trust me, and I need to trust them," Phillips added, chuckling. "What the president says I have money riding on."</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/roger-stone-president-donald-trump-never-change-2017-2">ROGER STONE: Trump is 'never going to change'</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="91cXdiOTE6fslu1SMC0dzH_ROaNly60p" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', '91cXdiOTE6fslu1SMC0dzH_ROaNly60p',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

'What the president says I have money riding on': The ripple effects of Trump's import-tax plan

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider" title_caption="Our 2017 Porsche 718 Boxster S test car." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/58d98cff9cdcd3c5078b45e9-960/undefined"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/58d98cff9cdcd3c5078b45e9-1862/undefined" alt="Porsche 718 Boxster S" data-mce-source="Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider" /></a><p class="source"><span>Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider</span></p><p class="caption">Our 2017 Porsche 718 Boxster S test car.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>The Porsche Boxster is one of the most successful and controversial sports cars to hit the market recently.</p><p>Upon its debut in 1996, many Porsche purists saw its water-cooled engine and mid-engine layout as an affront to brand's iconic rear-engine, then-air-cooled 911 flagship.</p><p>At the same time, the car's supporters praised the first-generation 986 Boxster for its superb driving dynamics and effervescent personality.</p><p>The Boxster is now in its third generation. For 2017, Porsche gave the roadster and its sister model, the Cayman Coupe, new names. The duo are known as the 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman in reference to the four-cylinder 718 race cars that Porsche campaigned in the 1950s and '60s.</p><p>I was excited to find the latest version of the sports car waiting for me at the airport on a recent trip to Atlanta - home of Porsche Cars North America.</p><p>And what a sight to behold! A 2017 718 Boxster S in agate grey metallic livery with a red retractable convertible top.</p><h2>But first some Porsche history</h2><p>Today, Porsche is a financial juggernaut, and the company's profit margins are the envy of the car industry. In 2016, the German automaker sold more than 237,000 cars around the world while generating $24 billion in revenue.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/58dace128af57828048b45ad-2000/studyofboxster1993porscheag.jpg" alt="Porsche Boxster concept 1993" data-mce-source="Porsche"><p class="source"><span>Porsche</span></p><p class="caption">The original Porsche Boxster Concept from 1993.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Two decades ago, things were very different at Porsche. A recession, coupled with an uncompetitive lineup of aging products, led to dwindling sales that pushed the company to the brink of financial ruin.</p><p>The trouble arrived swiftly. In 1986, Porsche was flying high, having sold more than 30,000 cars in the US and Canada that year. But by 1993, sales had withered to just 3,700 cars. Enter the Boxster. In 1996, the Boxster's first production year, Porsche sold 7,500 cars in the US and Canada. By 1997, that number had nearly doubled, to almost 14,000 cars. Last year, that number topped 54,000.</p><p>The financial windfall from the worldwide release of the Boxster allowed Porsche to make the changes that put the company on the path to long-term success, including the development of a water-cooled engine for the iconic 911 as well as laying the groundwork for the Cayenne SUV and Panamera sedan.</p><h2>Less engine, more speed</h2><p>In addition to a new name, Porsche gave its mid-engine sports car a new heart. Gone is the brand's trademark horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine. In its place is a brand-new turbocharged flat four cylinder.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/58dace5e8af57859008b463a-1721/fullsizerender 3.jpg" alt="Porsche 718 Boxster S" data-mce-source="Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider"><p class="source"><span>Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider</span></p><p class="caption">The 718.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>That's right! It finally happened.</p><p>For many years, fans of the car have asked Porsche to unleash the beast and introduce a Boxster Turbo. Porsche refrained from doing so for a variety of reasons, ranging from protecting the iconic 911's performance supremacy to the challenges of cooling a turbocharged flat-six inside the Boxster's compact engine compartment.</p><p>The new turbo-four, developed at the greatest expense by Porsche, especially for the 718, comes in two flavors. The base 718 gets a 2.0-liter version with 300 horsepower, while the S variant gets a 2.5-liter unit with 350 ponies.</p><p>Both turbo fours come standard with an old-fashioned six-speed manual; the seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) manumatic transmission is available as an option.</p><h2><strong>The drive</strong></h2><p>We opted for the always engaging stick shift.</p><p>Thank goodness we did, too, because the new four-banger in our Boxster S proved to be an absolute joy. Even though the engine doesn't unleash all 350 of its horsepower until relatively high in the rev range, drivers can tap into its 309 pound-feet of torque at just 1,900 rpms.</p><p>The result is acceleration - lots of it, and with little to no turbo lag. In addition, the engine's relatively broad power band means the driver doesn't have to be overly precise in his or her rev matching to get the most out of the 718.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/58dade7777bb701b008b471c-2000/highporsche718boxster2016porscheag.jpg" alt="Porsche 718 Boxster" data-mce-source="Porsche"><p class="source"><span>Porsche</span></p><p class="caption">What lies beneath.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>According to Porsche, the manual-transmission Boxster S can hit 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds while cars equipped with PDK and launch control can make the sprint in 4 seconds flat. All Boxster S vehicles have a manufacturer-claimed top speed of 177 mph.</p><p>(The base Boxster with the manual does 60 mph in 4.9 seconds, while the PDK and launch-control-equipped version can make the sprint in 4.5 seconds, according to Porsche. The 718 Boxster has a top speed of 170 mph.)</p><p>At the same time, the 350 horsepower four-cylinder engine delivers solid miles per gallon - 20 city/26 highway/22 combined. With PDK, those numbers improve to 21/28/24.</p><p>On the twisty mountain roads of North Georgia, the 718 earned its keep and then some, attacking each bend with poise and purpose. The adjustable PASM sport suspension and torque-vectoring system teamed up to help the Porsche power through the corners.</p><p>Even in the rain, the rear-wheel-drive sports car never lost its cool or led you to distrust its ability to stay on the straight and narrow. In fact, the deftly tuned suspension and intricately balanced chassis help make the Boxster one of finest-driving road cars in the world - on par even the gold standard of sports cars: Porsche's own 911.</p><p>At the same time, our Boxster S felt perfectly at peace cruising around with the top down at a leisurely pace on a sunny Saturday afternoon. With the 718, Porsche's chassis and suspension tuning has truly reached new levels of excellence.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/58dadeca77bb701a008b46e4-2000/fullsizerender 4.jpg" alt="Porsche 718 Boxster S" data-mce-source="Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider"><p class="source"><span>Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider</span></p><p class="caption">Frunk, trunk, and roof.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>But it's the personality of the Boxster that separates it from the 911. Whereas the critically acclaimed older brother is a serious world-class athlete living with pressure of winning at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the little brother has no such burden. Instead, the Boxster is all about having fun. And behind the wheel, it's a point that the Porsche makes abundantly clear.</p><h2>Beauty and comfort</h2><p>Overall, the Boxster's looks are, well, unmistakably Boxster.</p><p>For 2017, Porsche refreshed the aesthetics of the third-generation Boxster with some tweaks. Updates to the front and rear fascia - including new LED headlights, redesigned vertical front intakes, and modified rear deck lid - are subtle but tasteful alterations to an already attractive design.</p><p>Inside the cozy cockpit the driver is treated to a fine blend of style, luxury, and utility. Our tester came covered in a lush Bordeaux-red leather - a $2,950 option - tastefully off set by metallic accents. The Boxster's well-bolstered vented seats offer solid support in the corners while proving themselves to be remarkably comfortable on longer drives.</p><p>The new 718 is fitted with the latest generation of the company's PCM infotainment system, running through a seven-inch touchscreen display. The new PCM system's user interface, functionality, and responsiveness are significant improvements over the outgoing version. With that said, it's still not quite as good as the best systems from GM, Ford, and Porsche's corporate sibling, Audi.</p><p>Fortunately, PCM now features full Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration - a feature of which I made abundant use.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/58dbc1848af57801018b48e7-2000/fullsizerender 2.jpg" alt="Porsche 718 Boxster S interior" data-mce-source="Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider"><p class="source"><span>Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider</span></p><p class="caption">The cockpit.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Our test car's infotainment system came equipped with Porsche Connect Plus - a $1,300 option - which upgrades the car's navigation system to include real-time traffic information along with Google Earth and Google Street View mapping services.</p><p>Even though the 718 Boxster S tips the scale at the lithe 2,944 pounds, it's a small package that offers a surprising level of utility. With the engine mounted low and behind the driver, the car features both a frunk (front trunk) and a traditional rear trunk. The deep 5.3-cubic-foot frunk made easy work of my full-size suitcase, while the shallow 4.4-cubic-foot trunk took care of my backpack and smaller pieces of luggage.</p><h2>Not quite perfect</h2><p>The 718 Boxster S is not without faults.</p><p>First, as amazing as the four-cylinder may be, it doesn't provide the same ear-pleasing exhaust acoustics as the six-cylinder it replaces. Even with the upgraded sport pipes, the 718 sounds like a Subaru. That makes sense, because they are really the only other cars on the road with this type of engine. But that's simply not good enough, especially when you consider the car's price of entry. (More on that later.) Porsche's sports cars are known for emitting a very distinctive timbre, and it's part of the experience that is lacking here.</p><p>In addition, the 718 is pricey - especially once you pack on the options. The base 718 Boxster starts at about $57,000, while the Boxster S starts at over $68,000. Our option-laden S-variant test car left the showroom at $89,690. Yikes!</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/58dbc1bb8af57875038b4864-1503/718boxster718rs60spyder1960berlin2016porscheag.jpg" alt="Porsche 718 Boxster" data-mce-source="Porsche"><p class="source"><span>Porsche</span></p><p class="caption">The new 718 with its namesake.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>That puts the Boxster S squarely in the crosshairs of more powerful V8-powered sports cars, such as the 460-horsepower Corvette Grand Sport and the 550-horsepower Jaguar F-Type R. In addition, our Boxster S came out to be roughly $15,000 more expensive than the as-tested price of the more exotic carbon-fiber Alfa Romeo 4C Spider.</p><h2>Conclusion</h2><p>Sure, it's not perfect, but it's pretty darn close. The new four-cylinder lacks the soulful exhaust note of its predecessor, and its price tag can be a bit scary for the pocketbook. But these faults are far outweighed by the astonishing performance of the engine, the confidence-inspiring nature of the chassis, and enjoyability of the overall experience. As for the price, no one ever said Porsche excellence was cheap.</p><p>It's fun, it's capable, and it's surprisingly easy to live with. When it's all said and done, you can't help love the Porsche 718 Boxster S.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/pi-day-math-important-eugenia-cheng-2017-3">A mathematician gave us the easiest explanation of pi and why it's so important</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="14MTE5YTE6yqfB7_UQsAX4n3jhtVfsXL" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', '14MTE5YTE6yqfB7_UQsAX4n3jhtVfsXL',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

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