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

JOIN US AS WE DAY TRIP BIG IN THE ALL-NEW FORD EXPEDITION... PAT GOSS WITH ADVICE ON MAKING A CLEAN BREAK... ZACH MASKELL LOOKS FOR SMALL DETAILS THAT CAN LEAD TO A BIG WIN... AND PORSCHE PUTS MORE OF WHAT WE WANT IN THE 911 GTS...

SO COME DRIVE WITH US, NEXT!

CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION.

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

BROUGHT TO YOU BY... [SOUND OF TIRES SLIDING IN SNOW] TIRE RACK WANTS YOU TO BE SMART WITH YOUR CAR.

THEY CAN HELP YOU CHOOSE THE RIGHT TIRES FOR YOUR VEHICLE FOR EVERY SEASON.

TIRERACK.COM.

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

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

WEATHERTECH DIGITAL FIT FLOOR LINERS ARE DESIGNED TO PROTECT YOUR VEHICLE'S FLOORS, LASER MEASURED THEY OFFER PROTECTION IN THE FRONT, BACK, AND UP THE SIDES.

WEATHERTECH.

MADE IN AMERICA.

STATE FARM IS PROUD TO SUPPORT MOTORWEEK .

John: WITH THE REBORN EXPLORER AND A HOST OF OTHER UNI-BODY CROSSOVERS IN THEIR LINEUP, IT'S EASY TO FORGET THAT FORD STILL MAKE A BIG BODY-ON-FRAME SUV, THE EXPEDITION.

IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR THREE GENERATIONS NOW, AND AN ALL-NEW 4TH GEN EXPEDITION DELIVERS THE BIGGEST CHANGE YET, JOINING THE F150 WITH AN ALL-ALUMINUM BODY.

SO, LET'S SEE IF LIGHTER IS RIGHTER.

♪♪ EVEN IN A UTILITY WORLD GONE CROSSOVER, THERE ARE STILL PLENTY OF PEOPLE THAT NEED A BIG, TRUCK-BASED SUV LIKE THIS 2018 FORD EXPEDITION.

BUT, WE'VE COVERED ALL OF THAT BEFORE.

SO, WHAT IMPROVEMENTS DOES THIS ALL-NEW EXPEDITION OFFER THE POWER-HUNGRY, TRAILER-TOWING, FAMILY-HAULING UTILITY BUYER?

WELL FOR STARTERS, NOT ONLY IS STYLING MORE MODERN; BUT LIKE THE F150 IT SHARES ITS BASIC FULL FRAME DESIGN WITH, BODY PANELS ARE NOW MADE OF ALUMINUM.

THAT HELPS TO SHAVE OFF ABOUT 300 POUNDS OF WEIGHT.

BUT RATHER THAN WITH THE F-150, THE FACE OF THE FULL-SIZE EXPEDITION IS MORE AKIN TO THE MID-SIZE EXPLORER; WHILE BODY SIDES ARE NOT QUITE AS ROUNDED AS BEFORE, WITH A LESS OBVIOUS GREENHOUSE.

INDEED, FROM A DISTANCE, IT APPEARS VERY SIMILAR TO ITS BIGGEST COMPETITOR, THE SEGMENT DOMINATING CHEVROLET TAHOE.

EXPEDITION WHEELBASE IS 122.5 INCHES, ABOUT 3.5 MORE THAN BEFORE.

AND YES, A LONGER WHEELBASE SUBURBAN FIGHTER IS AVAILABLE AS WELL, AT 131.6 INCHES, NOW KNOWN AS THE EXPEDITION MAX.

CARGO CAPACITY IS UP; NOW 20.9 CUBIC-FEET BEHIND THE STANDARD 3RD ROW, 63.6 BEHIND THE 2ND, AND 104.6 WITH ALL SEATS FOLDED.

PERFECT FOR LATE NIGHT WALMART RUNS.

SEVEN OR EIGHT PASSENGER SEATING IS AVAILABLE, WITH SECOND ROW GETTING A NEW TIP-AND-SLIDE FUNCTION.

THANKS TO THE LONGER WHEELBASE, SPACE IS MORE PLENTIFUL ALL AROUND, BEATING TAHOE IN SECOND ROW LEGROOM BY OVER 2.5 INCHES.

THERE ARE AMPLE OPTIONS FOR PLUGGING IN TO, AND YOU CAN EVEN LIVE STREAM SATELLITE OR CABLE TV TO THE ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM.

PLATINUM TRIM IS TOPS FOR NOW, WITH MATERIALS FITTING THE NAME.

BUT THE BULK OF VOLUME WILL BE MADE UP BY MID-LEVEL LIMITED, WHICH INCLUDES A POWER FOLDING 3RD ROW, HEATED SEATS FOR FIRST AND SECOND ROWS, AS WELL AS A HEATED STEERING WHEEL.

GAUGES ARE VERY SIMILAR TO THE F150s WITH A MIX OF ANALOG WITH VIRTUAL GAUGES, ALONG WITH A WIDE, CONFIGURABLE TFT DISPLAY.

[ENGINE STARTS UP] EXPEDITION POWER STILL COMES FROM A 3.5 LITER V6 ECOBOOST TWIN-TURBO.

BUT, IT'S THE F150s LATEST VARIANTS.

STANDARD OUTPUT IS 375 HORSEPOWER, A GAIN OF 10, WITH 470 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

OUR PLATINUM TRIMMED BEAST HOWEVER GAINS 35 HORSES TO 400 EVEN, WITH TORQUE AT 480.

ATTACHED, IS FORD AND GM'S JOINT VENTURE 10-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, WHICH ALLOWS FOR BETTER POWER AT LAUNCH, AS WELL AS LOWER CRUISING RPM ON THE HIGH END, FOR IMPROVED EFFICIENCY.

IT'S ONE OF THE BEST MODERN AUTOMATICS WE'VE SAMPLED; FINDING THE RIGHT GEAR QUICKLY WITHOUT SEARCHING AROUND LIKE MOST RIVAL'S 9-SPEEDS WE'VE DRIVEN.

MAXIMUM TOWING CAPACITY IS 9,300 POUNDS, SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN THE TAHOE'S 8,600; AND BY FAR BEST-IN-CLASS.

THE F150s PRO TRAILER BACKUP ASSIST IS AVAILABLE AS WELL.

THE OPTIONAL 4-WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM COMES WITH AN UPDATED VERSION OF FORD'S TERRAIN MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WITH UP TO SEVEN DIFFERENT DRIVE MODES, FOR HELPING YOU THROUGH JUST ABOUT ANY SITUATION YOU MAY FIND YOURSELF IN.

THERE'S ALSO AN AVAILABLE FX4 OFF-ROAD PACKAGE.

AND WHILE IT ISN'T QUITE RAPTOR-SPEC, YOU DO GET AN AUTOMATIC LIMITED-SLIP REAR, OFF ROAD SHOCKS, 7-SKID PLATES, AND 18-INCH WHEELS WITH A/Ts, FOR WHEN YOU LEAVE THE TRAILER BEHIND, AND VENTURE FURTHER OFF THE BEATEN PATH.

THE INDEPENDENT FRONT SUSPENSION IS VIRTUALLY IDENTICAL TO THE F150s, WHILE IN BACK THERE'S AN UPDATED VERSION OF THE OUTGOING EXPEDITION'S MULTI-LINK SETUP RATHER THAN A SOLID AXLE.

FORD HAS GONE TO GREAT LENGTHS TO QUIET THE INTERIOR DOWN, AND IT IS INDEED VERY CALM INSIDE, AND WITHOUT A DOUBT, ROAD MANNERS HAVE IMPROVED GREATLY, THANKS TO CONTINUOUSLY CONTROLLED DAMPING.

BUT DESPITE THE WEIGHT LOSS AND MYRIAD OF UPDATES, IT'S STILL HARD TO DISGUISE THE FACT THAT THIS IS A VERY BIG TRUCK-LIKE VEHICLE, AND CONTINUES TO RIDE, AND DRIVE LIKE A ONE.

AND WHILE THERE ARE CERTAINLY, A FEW PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT PREFER THAT IN THEIR UTILITY; THE FACT THAT VERY FEW BODY-ON-FRAME SUVs REMAIN, WHILE CROSSOVERS HAVE TAKEN OVER THE SEGMENT, WOULD SUGGEST THAT THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE DON'T.

THANKS TO THAT 10-SPEED AUTOMATIC, GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS FOR A 4X4 EXPEDITION ARE 17-CITY, 22-HIGHWAY, AND 19-COMBINED; THAT'S UP FROM 17-COMBINED LAST YEAR.

IT STILL HAS A POOR ENERGY IMPACT SCORE THOUGH, AT 17.3 BARRELS OF ANNUAL OIL CONSUMPTION WITH CO2 EMISSIONS OF 7.7 TONS.

THERE'S NO WAY AROUND IT, YOU'VE GOT TO PAY TO PLAY IN THIS SEGMENT.

PRICING STARTS AT $52,890.

ADDING 4-WHEEL DRIVE VARIES WITH TRIM LEVEL, BUT ADDS ABOUT $3,000 MORE.

SO, YOU'RE LOOKING AT AROUND $75,000 FOR TOP PLATINUM TRIM, EVEN MORE IF YOU OPT FOR THE LINCOLN NAVIGATOR VARIANTS.

SO FOR 2018, THE HIGHLY EVOLVED FORD EXPEDITION IMPROVES IN EVERY POSSIBLE WAY; WHETHER YOU'RE TALKING CAPABILITY, INTERIOR SPACE, FUEL ECONOMY, AND CERTAINLY STYLE.

FORD FANS WILL LOVE WHAT THEY SEE, AND NO DOUBT THIS EXPEDITION WILL CREATE A FEW MORE FANATICS FOR THE BRAND AS WELL.

♪♪ JUST FOLLOW THE AMERICAN FLAGS AND THE BURNOUT MARKS, AND LIKE OUR OVER THE EDGE GUY ZACH MASKELL, YOU'LL WIND UP AT THE WORLD'S BIGGEST ALL CORVETTE SHOW.

SO, LET'S TAG ALONE WITH ZACH AS HE POPS HOODS ON BOTH THE CARS AND THE JUDGE'S HEADS, TO GET AN INSIDE LOOK, AT WHAT IT TAKES TO DRIVE AWAY WITH A TROPHY FOR BEST "PLASTIC FANTASTIC."

♪♪ Zach Maskell: FROM THIS 1953 CORVETTE CUTAWAY, TO THE MINTY FRESH, REVIVED STINGRAY'S OF TODAY.

THE 35TH ANNIVERSARY OF THIS 4-DAY SHOW, INCLUDES BURNOUT COMPETITIONS, PART INSTALLS, AND SPECIAL GUESTS, LIKE REEVES CALLAWAY.

AROUND 60,000 FANS FROM AROUND THE WORLD GATHER HERE AT CARLISLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

THERE'S OVER 5,000 CORVETTE'S WITH EVERY YEAR AND MODEL BEING REPRESENTED.

[ENGINE STARTS UP] Mike Garland: PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

THEY COME FROM AUSTRALIA.

THEY COME FROM NEW ZEALAND.

THEY COME FROM EUROPE AND THEY COME LOCALLY FROM THE MID-ATLANTIC AND POINTS WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI.

AND THEY ALL WANT TO COME TO CELEBRATE AMERICA'S SPORT CAR.

Zach: ALTHOUGH, ONE MILLION VETTE'S HAVE BEEN MADE, THE HOLY GRAIL HAS NOT BEEN LOST.

IN 1967, GM WANTED TO BUILD A PURE DRAG AND ROAD RACING CAR TO COMPETE AGAINST PORSCHE AND FERRARI.

THEY CAME UP WITH THIS, THE L88; 20 WERE MADE THAT YEAR, 16 ARE KNOWN TO STILL EXIST, AND 8 ARE RIGHT HERE.

AND I FOUND A COMMON THEME AROUND THE CARLISLE FAIRGROUNDS, NO ONE WOULD EVEN CONSIDER SELLING ME THEIR CAR.

Kevin Mackay: AS LONG AS I GOT MY HEALTH IT'S GOING TO STAY WITH ME FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.

BECAUSE I'M JUST BLESSED TO HAVE A PIECE OF HISTORY LIKE THIS.

Zach: WITH THESE FEW WORTH AROUND $30 MILLION COLLECTIVELY?

EVEN IF I HAD THE DOUGH, I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY.

Judge: "RAGS DOWN!

RAGS DOWN MEANS, "STOP CLEANING YOUR CAR OR YOU WILL BE DISQUALIFIED."

Zach: WE'RE WALKING AROUND THE BEST OF THE BEST...

Judges Luke & Jeff: LOOKING FOR FIT AND FINISH.

FIT AND FINISH, DIRT, DUST, JUDGE FOR CLEANLINESS.

Zach: ...TASKED WITH DETERMINING THE WINNER OF EACH CLASS.

PRESERVED ORIGINALS, FULL RESTORATIONS, AND THIS MODIFIED CAR.

Luke Simpson: AGAIN, WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO TOUCH THE CAR.

WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO TOUCH THE GROUND OR KNEEL.

SO WE CAN ONLY SEE WHAT WE CAN SEE FROM LEANING OVER.

Jeff Walker: GLASS LOOKS GOOD, NO CRACKS, AND NO SCRATCHES.

Zach: THIS OWNER BOUGHT HER COUPE BRAND NEW, THEN REGRETTABLY SOLD IT.

Sally Bistline: MY SON FOUND IT IN A LOCAL NEWSPAPER.

AND HE SAID, CALL THIS NUMBER.

SO, I CALLED THE NUMBER AND BOUGHT IT BACK.

SO, I PAID SALES TAX ON IT TWICE.

[LAUGHS] SO, THE GOVERNOR LOVES ME.

Zach: ALRIGHT...SO, WE HAVE A 2016 STINGRAY HERE.

WHAT'RE WE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT AND WHAT CLASS IS THIS IN?

Jeff Walker: THIS CLASS IS WASH AND SHOW H. WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR ON THE OUTSIDE HERE IS BASIC CLEANLINESS.

Ashley Spangler: I BROUGHT TWO TODAY.

I HAVE A TOTAL OF SIX CORVETTES.

THREE OLDER ONES AND THREE OF THE NEWER BODY STYLES.

Jeff: A LITTLE BIT OF WATER SPOTTING HERE, OTHER THAN THAT IT LOOKS PRETTY GOOD.

Zach: I'VE GOT TO SAY, [LAUGHS] YOU HAVE A REALLY GOOD EYE FOR THIS STUFF BECAUSE I'M NOT EVEN SEEING HALF OF THIS.

ITS JUST, SO EASY TO OVERLOOK IT BECAUSE I JUST FEEL LIKE YOU ARE SO USE TO SEEING IT IN DAILY CARS.

Jeff: YEAH!

OH, YEAH.

YEAH, YOU GET A SENSE OF WHERE TO LOOK AND WHAT TO LOOK FOR ONCE YOU'VE DONE THIS A COUPLE TIMES, SO, IT COMES SECOND NATURE ANYMORE.

Zach: WE DID HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF DIRT UNDER THERE.

Jeff: WE DID HAVE A LITTLE BIT, SEE YOU'RE GETTING INTO IT.

YOU REALLY...IT DOESN'T TAKE LONG.

Zach: IN MANY OF THESE CLASSES, PARTS SHOULDN'T BE MISSING OR DAMAGED AND PIECES THAT WERE ORIGINALLY, LET'S SAY, PAINTED SHOULDN'T BE CHROME.

Luke & Jeff: HALF A POINT, BECAUSE THAT'S THE MINIMUM WE CAN TAKE OFF.

RIGHT, HALF A POINT OFF THE LITTLE DIRT THERE IN THE GAS CAP AREA.

VERY CLEAN CAR.

Zach: MY BIGGEST TAKEAWAY FROM THE JUDGES?

MAKE SURE YOUR PARTS ARE RIGHT, AND ESPECIALLY WITH SO MANY SIMILAR CARS LIKE CORVETTES AT CARLISLE, PAY ATTENTION TO THE SMALLEST DETAILS, AND YOU TOO MAY JUST DRIVE HOME A WINNER.

John: IT TAKES CUTTING EDGE TOOLS TO KEEP A CAR ON THE ROAD.

HERE'S PAT GOSS WITH SOME YOU SHOULD HAVE HANDY.

Pat Goss: I OFTEN GET CUSTOMERS IN THE SHOP THAT ASK ME HOW WE DO CERTAIN THINGS.

AND ONE THING THAT THEY'RE ALWAYS AMAZED AT IS HOW WE MANAGE TO CUT VARIOUS THINGS AND KEEP IT SO NEAT.

WELL, THE FIRST THING WE DON'T DO IS WE TYPICALLY DON'T USE A HACKSAW.

YOU SEE, WE USE HACKSAWS FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO STUFF LIKE EXHAUST SYSTEMS AND SO ON, BRAKE LINES, AIR CONDITIONS LINES, SPOT WELDS, ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT THINGS, WE HAVE SPECIALIZED TOOLS THAT WE USE TO DO IT.

EXHAUST SYSTEMS, WE USE ONE OF THESE CHAIN CUTTERS.

THE ADVANTAGE TO THIS OVER OTHERS METHODS IS THAT YOU HAVE SEVERAL OF THESE CUTTING WHEELS ON IT, YOU WRAP IT AROUND THE PIPE, AND BECAUSE YOU CAN'T CUT ALL THE WAY AROUND THE PIPE, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T SWING THE TOOL, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GO BACK AND FORTH.

AND BECAUSE YOU HAVE CUTTERS ALL THE WAY AROUND THE PIPE, IT CUTS THE WHOLE THINGS OFF, JUST AS SLICK AS ANYTHING YOU WOULD EVER WANT TO SEE.

THAT'S HOW WE DO THAT.

BRAKE LINES, FUEL LINES, AC LINES, AND SO ON.

NORMALLY, YOU'D USE A TUBING CUTTER.

BUT IN MANY CASES YOU WON'T HAVE ENOUGH SPACE TO USE THE TYPICAL TUBING CUTTER.

SO, WE USE THESE SPECIALIZED ONES.

THESE HAVE RATCHETS IN THEM.

AND WHAT YOU DO, YOU TIGHTEN IT DOWN ON TO THE TUBING.

AND THEN, YOU CAN MOVE THIS LIKE SO.

IF I WAS TRYING TO CUT THIS, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS THAT THE CENTER WOULD RATCHET AROUND THE PIPE LIKE THAT.

AND IT CUTS IT OFF, YOU DON'T NEED A LOT OF SPACE TO DO IT.

THEY COME IN DIFFERENT SIZES.

THE RED ONE WOULD BE FOR BRAKE AND FUEL LINES, THE BLUE ONE PROBABLY FOR AIR CONDITIONING LINES, AND IT'S GREAT AROUND THE HOUSE.

AND ANOTHER THING OF COURSE IS SPOT WELDS.

HOW IN THE WORLD DO WE BRAKE SPOT WELDS WITHOUT TEARING UP THE METAL AROUND THEM.

WELL, WE USE ONE OF THESE, SOME PEOPLE REFER TO THEM AS FLY CUTTERS.

THEY'RE OFTEN REFERRED TO AS SPOT WELD CUTTERS.

THEY HAVE SHARP TEETH ON THESE CUTTER HEADS.

WHAT WE DO IS WE TAKE A CENTER PUNCH, AND WE MAKE A CENTER PUNCH RIGHT WHERE WE WANT TO HAVE THE CUT MADE.

RIGHT IN THE CENTER OF IT.

THEN, THE POINTER ON THIS TOOL FITS INTO THE DIMPLE THAT WE JUST MADE AND IT COMPRESSES.

IT PUSHES IN.

WE PUSH THE DRILL DOWN, THE CUTTER CUTS A NICE CIRCLE RIGHT AROUND THE SPOT WELD, AND YOU HAVEN'T DAMAGED ANY OF THE METAL OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

IT DOES A GREAT JOB.

SO THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE SPECIALIZED TOOLS THAT WE USE IN THE SHOP TO HAVE CLEAN, EFFICIENT CUTTING OF VARIOUS THINGS.

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

♪♪ John: OUR TIME AND MILEAGE IS NEARLY AT THE END FOR THIS 2017 SUBARU CROSSTREK.

AND IT'S NOT JUST ITS YEAR-LONG STAY WITH US THAT WILL SOON WRAP UP, BUT THIS GENERATION AS A WHOLE, AS AN ALL-NEW 2018 CROSSTREK IS ALREADY ON THE STREETS.

AFTER 10-MONTHS AND 17,700 MILES OF WHAT MOST WOULD SAY IS "HEAVY USE," COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN RELATIVELY FEW.

BUT WE ARE IN THE UNIQUE SITUATION OF SEEING OUR GRIPES ADDRESSED RIGHT BEFORE OUR EYES IN THE 2018 VERSION.

FOR THE POWER-HUNGRY IN OUR CREW THAT LONG FOR MORE, THE '18 SQUEEZES FOUR ADDITIONAL HORSES OUT OF THE PANCAKE 2.0 LITER.

MILEAGE CONTINUES TO FALL RIGHT AROUND WHERE IT SHOULD, WITH OUR AVERAGE AT 28.9 MILES PER GALLON.

THOSE THAT HAVE FOUND THE RADIO KNOBS TOO SMALL AND HARD TO USE, WELL THE '18 HAS MUCH BIGGER KNOBS FOR GRIPPING.

SO, IT LOOKS LIKE SUBARU IS ON A MISSION TO ELIMINATE ALL OF OUR GRIPING, AS WELL AS KEEP SELLING A WHOLE BUNCH OF CROSSTREK'S.

WE HAVE A NEW MID-SIZE SEDAN JOINING OUR LONG-TERM FLEET, THIS 2018 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT R-LINE.

WE'LL INTRODUCE YOU MORE FULLY TO IT, AS WELL AS UPDATE OUR CHRYSLER PACIFICA'S PROGRESS, ON THE NEXT MOTORWEEK LONG-TERM ROAD TEST UPDATE!

THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW IN THE CAR BUSINESS.

SO, HERE'S YOLANDA VAZQUEZ WITH THIS WEEK'S MOTORNEWS.

Yolanda Vazquez: THE INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY HAS A LONG TRACK RECORD OF SELECTING THE SAFEST CARS ON THE ROAD.

AND FOR 2018, ONLY 15 VEHICLES EARNED THEIR TOP SAFETY PICK PLUS AWARD.

THAT STATUS IS NOW TOUGHER THAN EVER TO ACHIEVE.

FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE IIHS HAS ADDED FRONT PASSENGER-SIDE CRASH RATINGS TO THE CRITERIA.

TOP RATING ALSO, REQUIRES A "GOOD" HEADLIGHT RATING TO MAKE THE PRESTIGIOUS LIST.

HYUNDAI AND SUBARU HAD THE MOST VEHICLES RECOGNIZED ACROSS THE CATEGORIES.

HOWEVER, RESEARCHERS POINT OUT AMONG ALL THE BRANDS, IN MOST CASES IT WAS "OPTIONAL" EQUIPMENT THAT GAVE WINNERS THE EDGE.

FORTY-SEVEN OTHER VEHICLES QUALIFIED FOR TOP SAFETY PICK STATUS.

MEANWHILE, A SWEDISH MANUFACTURER, IS FUELING THE PURSUIT OF ELECTRIC POWERED PERFORMANCE THROUGH ITS NEW POLESTAR BRAND.

FOR TWO DECADES VOLVO'S IN-HOUSE TUNER PARTNER, POLESTAR, WILL NOW FOCUS SOLELY ON HIGH PERFORMANCE ELECTRIFIED MODELS.

A NEW POLESTAR PLANT IS BEING BUILT IN CHINA THAT WILL INCLUDE A CUSTOMER TEST TRACK.

THEIR FIRST MODEL, THE POLESTAR 1 IS A 4-SEAT GRAND TOURING COUPÉ WITH A COMBINED 600 HORSEPOWER ELECTRIC PERFORMANCE HYBRID POWERTRAIN.

A VOLVO DRIVE-E 2.0 LITER 4-CYLINDER GAS ENGINE WILL POWER THE FRONT WHEELS, WHILE TWO ELECTRIC MOTORS PROPEL THE REAR WHEELS.

THE ELECTRIC ONLY RANGE IS EXPECTED TO EXCEED 90 MILES, MORE THAN ANY OTHER PLUG-IN HYBRID TO DATE.

POLESTAR SAYS ALL THEIR FUTURE CARS, AMONG THEM A MID-SIZE SEDAN AND SUV, WILL BE FULLY ELECTRIC POWERED, GOING HEAD TO HEAD WITH TESLA.

PRODUCTION OF THE POLESTAR 1 WILL START IN 2019.

MEANWHILE...CLOSER TO HOME, VOLVO EXPECTS TO SELL THOUSANDS OF SUV'S TO RIDE SHARING COMPANY UBER.

THE DEAL INVOLVES VOLVO'S SOON-TO-BE AMERICAN MADE XC90 CROSSOVER.

UBER WILL ADD ITS OWN SELF-DRIVING TECHNOLOGY.

AT THE SAME TIME, VOLVO WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THEIR OWN AUTONOMOUS CAR SYSTEM, WITH A PRODUCTION MODEL ON THE ROAD IN 2021.

AND THAT'S THE LATEST FOR THIS WEEK'S MOTORNEWS.

John: THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT PORSCHE'S RELENTLESS REFINEMENT HAS BEEN A MAJOR KEY TO THEIR SUCCESS OVER THE YEARS.

ANOTHER IS GIVING PEOPLE EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT.

ENTRY LEVEL 911 CARRERA, THEY'VE GOT THAT; NEED A LITTLE MORE, THERE'S THE S, MORE STILL...WELL, THAT'S WHERE THE GTS COMES INTO PLAY.

♪♪ YOU COULD THINK OF THE 2017 PORSCHE 911 CARRERA GTS AS A BETTER VERSION OF SOMETHING THAT WAS ALREADY AWESOME, OR YOU COULD ALSO THINK OF IT AS A CAR THAT FILLS THE GAP BETWEEN THE CARRERA S AND 911 TURBO.

YOU'D BE RIGHT ON BOTH COUNTS.

AS WITH MOST PORSCHE UPGRADES, THERE'S A SLIGHT BUMP IN POWER, WITH THE 911s 3.0 LITER FLAT-6 GETTING BIGGER TURBO'S.

HORSEPOWER IS UP 30 OVER A CARRERA S, TO 450; TORQUE GAIN IS EVEN MORE PALPABLE, CLIMBING 37 POUND-FEET TO 405.

THE RESULTS ARE NOT A HUGE DIFFERENCE, BUT ENOUGH TO BE NOTICED WHEN YOU LAY INTO THE THROTTLE.

TRANSMISSION CHOICES REMAIN THE STANDARD 7-SPEED MANUAL OR OPTIONAL 7-SPEED PDK.

WE WERE THRILLED TO HAVE OUR TEST CAR SPORTING THE MANUAL, EVEN THOUGH, WE ARE WELL AWARE THAT CARS EQUIPPED WITH PDK ARE A TAD QUICKER.

[ENGINE REVS / TIRES SCREECHING] PORSCHE CLAIMS 3.4 SECONDS TO 60 FOR THAT ONE; SO A 3.9 SECOND RUN TO 60 IN THIS MANUAL REAR-DRIVE COUPE IS NOT THAT BAD AT ALL.

THE CAR DOES PROVIDE SOME ASSISTANCE, BY HOLDING THE REVS AT 4-GRAND FOR YOU; YOU JUST CAN'T LAUNCH AS HARD AS YOU CAN IN THE PDK.

BUT FROM THERE, THE CAR TEARS DOWN THE TRACK LIKE IT'S ON A MISSION.

AS GREAT AS THE SHIFTER FEELS WHEN TOOLING AROUND TOWN, HERE AT THE TRACK, WITH SO MANY GEARS PACKED INTO SUCH A SMALL SPACE, WORKING THE SHIFTER REQUIRES A TOUCH OF PATIENCE; AS IT'S EASY HIT 5TH WHEN YOU'RE AIMING FOR 3RD.

DO EVERYTHING JUST RIGHT AND YOU CAN CLEAR THE QUARTER MILE IN 12.2 SECONDS AT 118 MILES PER HOUR.

BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT THE KIND OF TRACKS THAT PORSCHES TAKE TO THE MOST ARE ONES WITH LOTS OF CURVES IN THEM.

SO, IT'S OFF TO SUMMIT POINT MOTORSPORTS PARK FOR A FEW LAPS AROUND THEIR SHENANDOAH CIRCUIT.

THROUGH ITS MIX OF HIGH SPEED SWEEPERS AND TIGHT CORNERS, THIS GTS STAYED VERY FLAT.

AND IF YOU CAN AVOID THE SLIGHT TURBO-LAG, IT FLIES OUT OF CORNERS WITH A TON OF TORQUE.

REAR-AXLE STEERING IS NOT STANDARD, BUT IT WAS ADDED TO OUR TEST CAR, AND REALLY HELPS THE CAR ROTATE EAGERLY AROUND CORNERS; THOUGH YOU CAN STILL FIND SOME MID-CORNER UNDERSTEER IN TIGHT BENDS.

AS ALWAYS, PORSCHE'S STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM WORKS ALMOST SEAMLESSLY BEHIND THE SCENES, MAKING YOU FEEL LIKE A REAL HERO WITHOUT EVER BEING HEAVY-HANDED WITH THE CORRECTIONS.

NO UPGRADES TO THE BRAKES, AND THEY WORKED JUST FINE; THOUGH THE PEDAL DID GET A LITTLE SOFT AFTER A FULL DAY OF TRACK WORK.

AWAY FROM THE TRACK, THE GTS BEHAVES EXACTLY LIKE YOU THINK A 911 SHOULD; VERY FIRM AND RESPONSIVE WITH A GREAT ENGINE GROWL.

VISUALLY, THE GTS IS NOT IN YOUR FACE WITH ITS ENHANCED CREDENTIALS.

IT STARTS WITH THE CARRERA 4s WIDE BODY SHEET-METAL AND ADDS A SPORT DESIGN FRONT FASCIA, TINTED TAIL LIGHTS, BLACKED OUT LOGOS AND TRIM, A REAR SPOILER THAT EXTENDS A LITTLE HIGHER THAN THE CARRERA S, AND CENTER-LOCK WHEELS.

INDEED, ALL-WHEEL DRIVE IS AVAILABLE, AS ARE COUPE, CONVERTIBLE, AND TARGA BODIES.

WE'RE PARTICULARLY FOND OF THE TARGA; AND IT'S A GOOD CALL ON PORSCHE'S PART TO REPLACE THE SILVER ROOF PILLARS WITH BLACK ONES.

THERE'S NO SACRIFICE IN COMFORT WITH THE ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCE, THOUGH, THINGS INSIDE HAVE TAKEN A BIT MORE OF A BUSINESS-FIRST APPROACH WITH LESS LUXURY THAN WE'VE SEEN IN SOME RECENT 911s.

THE USUAL AMOUNTS OF ALCANTARA TRIM ARE SCATTERED ABOUT AND PORSCHE ACTUALLY TOOK OUT SOME SOUND DEADENING SO YOU CAN HEAR THE SPORT EXHAUST SYSTEM A LITTLE MORE CLEARLY.

GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS ARE 18-CITY, 26-HIGHWAY, AND 21-COMBINED.

OUR AVERAGE WAS ON THE LOW END, AT 18.4 MILES PER GALLON OF PREMIUM.

THAT'S ONLY SLIGHTLY BELOW AVERAGE FOR THE ENERGY IMPACT SCORE, BURNING 15.7 BARRELS OF OIL YEARLY, WHILE EMITTING 6.9 TONS OF CO2.

GTS PRICING IS ABOUT 15K OVER A CARRERA S, PUTTING IT AT $120,050 TO START.

PERHAPS NO ONE STRADDLES THE TRADITION/CONTINUED REFINEMENT FENCE BETTER THAN PORSCHE.

THIS 2017, 911 CARRERA GTS, WITH ITS ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCE DELIVERED WITH OLD STYLE FEEL, ENCAPSULATES THAT ETHOS FULLY.

SURE THERE ARE FASTER PORSCHES, AND OF COURSE, CHEAPER ONES AS WELL.

YOU COULD MAKE AN ARGUMENT THAT THE GTS IS THE BEST OVERALL 911 PACKAGE.

AND YOU'D GET NO ARGUMENT FROM US.

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

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

AND I HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US NEXT TIME...

WHEN KIA INTRODUCES WHAT COULD BE A GAME CHANGER, THE STINGER.

AND WE PUT SEVEN SMALL UTEs TO THE TEST.

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

Announcer: TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MOTORWEEK , TELEVISION'S ORIGINAL AUTOMOTIVE MAGAZINE, VISIT MOTORWEEK HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO YOU BY... [SOUND OF TIRES SLIDING IN SNOW] TIRE RACK WANTS YOU TO BE SMART WITH YOUR CAR.

THEY CAN HELP YOU CHOOSE THE RIGHT TIRES FOR YOUR VEHICLE FOR EVERY SEASON.

TIRERACK.COM.

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

WEATHERTECH.

MADE IN AMERICA.

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

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[SOUND OF CAR ENGINE REVVING] ♪♪