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

JOIN US AS WE PLUG INTO AN ENERGIZING BMW, THE X5 XDRIVE40E... PAT GOSS HAS A FLOOD OF NEW TIPS DOWN IN GOSS' GARAGE... ZACH MASKELL GOES OVER THE EDGE WITH SOME WELL-SEASONED WAR VETS... AND WE'LL HIT A HIGHER GEAR IN THE AUDI R8...

SO COME DRIVE WITH US, NEXT.

CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION.

* Announcer: THIRTY-FIVE YEARS OF MOTORWEEK , TELEVISION'S ORIGINAL AUTOMOTIVE MAGAZINE.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY... TIRERACK WANTS YOU TO BE SMART WITH YOUR CAR.

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John: WHILE, BMW HAS MADE A FEW DIESELS AVAILABLE HERE STATESIDE, THEY'VE MOSTLY RESISTED THAT IMPULSE.

INSTEAD, THEY'RE LOOKING FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD WITH HYBRIDS AND PLUG-INS.

AND NOW, THAT THEY'VE BROUGHT THAT STRATEGY TO THE POPULAR X5 UTILITY, IT'S TIME FOR US TO PLUG-IN AND CHECK OUT ITS ADVANCED FUNCTIONALITY.

* BMW, LIKE MANY BRANDS, HAS BEEN A BIT SCHIZOPHRENIC LATELY, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR EFFICIENTDYNAMICS FUEL SAVING STRATEGIES; SHOT GUNNING THE FIELD WITH BOTH DIESEL AND HYBRID TECHNOLOGIES.

BUT THIS 2016 BMW X5 XDRIVE40E IS THEIR FIRST PLUG-IN HYBRID SUV.

THERE'S NOTHING REALLY EXOTIC ABOUT THE HARDWARE, JUST ALL THE HYBRID BASICS INCLUDING, A 9.2 KWH LITHIUM-ION BATTERY, ONBOARD CHARGER, AND REGENERATIVE BRAKING; ALONG WITH STANDARD ALL-WHEEL DRIVE, AND AN 8-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.

OF COURSE, THEY ARE ALL TIED TO A GASOLINE-FED ENGINE, IN THIS CASE BMW'S TWINPOWER TURBO 2.0 LITER I4; OUTPUTTING 240 HORSEPOWER, AND 260 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE ON ITS OWN.

ADD IN ELECTRIC BOOST, AND SYSTEM TOTAL IS 308 HORSEPOWER.

PURE EV RANGE IS 14 MILES, AND WHILE THAT'S CERTAINLY NOT MUCH, EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS.

AND EVEN AFTER THE GAS ENGINE KICKS ON, THE VEHICLE STILL OPERATES AS A TRUE HYBRID WITH AN OVERALL RANGE OF 540 MILES.

WE APPRECIATE THE XDRIVE40Es LOW KEY NATURE, THOUGH SOME WILL SURELY WISH TO BROADCAST THEIR "ECODENTIALS" A LITTLE MORE PROMINENTLY.

NO ONE WOULD CALL IT GORGEOUS, BUT THE PROPORTIONS ARE GOOD, AND IT'S NOT A BAD LOOKING SUV AT ALL.

IT UNDOUBTEDLY HAS A UNIQUE FEEL BEHIND THE WHEEL.

THE POWERTRAIN ITSELF, IMPRESSED US WITH ITS SILKINESS AND NOTICEABLE ADDED OOMPH; BUT THE REGEN BRAKING IS NOT THE SMOOTHEST, AND THERE'S AN OVERALL WEIRD FEEL TO IT THAT'S HARD TO DESCRIBE.

THAT'S NOT HELPED BY THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING THAT HAS VIRTUALLY NO FEEL.

AND WHILE, WE KNOW THAT NO EPS HAS THE SELF-CENTERING FEEL OF A HYDRAULIC SYSTEM, THIS ONE BEHAVES PARTICULARLY POORLY; UP TO THE POINT OF BEING TWITCHY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.

EVEN WITH DARK COLORS, THE INTERIOR IS BRIGHT AND AIRY.

IT IS ALSO, LESS COMPLICATED THAN IT COULD BE, AND CERTAINLY MORE LUXURIOUS THAN IT PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE, YET, NOT QUITE ON PAR WITH AUDI.

CONSIDERING ALL OF THE TOUCH-PANEL SYSTEMS WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH NOW, WE'RE ACTUALLY FOND OF IDRIVE THESE DAYS, BUT THE SAME CAN'T BE SAID FOR THE OVERLY COMPLICATED E-SHIFTER.

SOME OF OUR CREW ALSO HAD A HARD TIME FINDING, A COMFORTABLE FRONT SEAT DRIVING POSITION.

THOUGH, REAR SEATS WERE BOTH ROOMIER AND MORE COMFORTABLE THAN THE TYPICAL EURO-UTE SETUP.

OF COURSE, GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS ARE VERY IMPORTANT, AND THE XDRIVE40E EARNS A COMBINED MPGE RATING OF 56.

OUR LOOP AVERAGE; 32.0 MILES PER GALLON OF PREMIUM; OBVIOUSLY, THE SHORTER YOUR TRIPS AND THE MORE TIME YOU SPEND WITHOUT THE GAS ENGINE RUNNING, THE BETTER YOU'LL DO.

SO, THE ENERGY IMPACT SCORE IS GREAT FOR AN SUV, BURNING 9.2 BARRELS OF OIL YEARLY WITH CO2 EMISSIONS OF JUST 4.1 TONS.

BY COMPARISON, THE STILL AVAILABLE X5 DIESEL RATES 26-COMBINED.

AT OUR TEST TRACK, THE XDRIVE40E LEAPT OFF THE LINE WITH ZERO WHEEL SPIN.

THE ENGINE REVS QUICKLY, WITH A NOTICEABLE ADDED PUNCH FROM THE ELECTRIC MOTORS.

WE HIT 60 IN 6.5 SECONDS.

THAT'S A SOLID 7/10THS FASTER THAN THE LAST 6-CYLINDER X5 WE TESTED.

WE LOVED THE TRUE 8-SPEED AUTOMATIC TOO, AS GEARS CLICKED THROUGH QUICKLY ON OUR WAY TO A 14.8 SECOND QUARTER MILE AT 95 MILES PER HOUR.

THE BOTHERSOME STEERING WAS EVEN MORE NOTICEABLE THAN EVER THROUGH THE CONES, AND WE WERE UNABLE TO DEFEAT STABILITY CONTROL.

SO, THE TRACTION POLICE WERE SHUTTING DOWN THE PARTY BEFORE THE INVITES WERE EVEN MAILED.

NOT QUITE THE BMW EXPERIENCE WE HOPED FOR.

BEING A GERMAN LUXURY SUV, SOME STICKER SHOCK IS EXPECTED, BUT HERE IT'S OF A DIFFERENT SORT.

IT'S NOT THAT $63,095 IS THAT INEXPENSIVE, BUT WE WERE EXPECTING AN EVEN HIGHER PRICE TAG.

THE LAST 3-SERIES SEDAN WE DROVE WENT FOR OVER 59 GRAND.

SO, IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE'VE DRIVEN A BIG BMW THIS REASONABLY PRICED.

BOTH THE XDRIVE35D DIESEL AND 6-CYLINDER GAS XDRIVE35I ARE CHEAPER STILL, BUT THE HYBRID IS STILL WAY LESS THAN THE V8.

DEPENDING ON YOUR DRIVING STYLE AND PERCEPTION OF PLUG-INS AND HYBRIDS IN GENERAL, WILL SIGNIFY WHETHER THE 2016 BMW XDRIVE40E IS FOR YOU OR NOT.

IF LONG DISTANCE TOURING IS YOUR THING AND YOU LOOK AT HYBRIDS AS MERELY STOPGAP MEASURES ON THE WAY TO TRUE EV MOTORING, YOU MIGHT BE BETTER OFF WITH A DIESEL.

BUT, IF YOU WANT THE LATEST IN DRIVETRAIN TECHNOLOGY, AND MORE OFTEN TAKE SHORTER TRIPS, THAN A PHEV LIKE THIS MAY BE FOR YOU.

BOTTOM LINE, BMW GIVES YOU THE CHOICE.

STILL, WE THINK MORE AND MORE PEOPLE WILL SOON BE PLUGGING IN, AND FOR MANY, THIS PLUG-IN X5 WILL BE A GREAT WAY TO START.

OUR SUCCESS STORY THIS WEEK PAYS A VISIT TO CLEVELAND, OHIO WHERE A LOCAL CAR DEALERSHIP IS STRIVING FOR A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.

FROM NEW LED LIGHTING, TO RECLAIMING WATER AT THEIR CAR WASH, TO ADDING TWO ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS, MOTORCARS HONDA IS GOING THE EXTRA MILE TO CONSERVE ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES.

THEIR NEW SOLAR LOT CANOPY, WITH 1,240 SOLAR PANELS, USES BEAMS MADE FROM RECYCLED CARS.

THE PANELS GENERATE 60-70% OF THE DEALERSHIP'S PEAK ELECTRICITY NEEDS.

Andrew Chiarelli: CAR DEALERSHIPS HAVE A LOT OF SPACE, AND TO COVER THEIR CARS, AND KEEP THEIR INVENTORY SAFE, AND PRODUCE ENERGY, IT'S A WIN/WIN SITUATION.

THEY HOPE TO ADD A SOLAR CANOPY AT THEIR TOYOTA FRANCHISE, TOO, WHERE 50% OF THE LOANER FLEET ARE HYBRIDS.

WORKING WITH THE NORTHEAST OHIO CLEAN CITIES COALITION, THIS FORWARD-THINKING DEALER GROUP IS MAKING A RESPONSIBLE MARK IN NORTHEAST OHIO.

* THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE VIETNAM WAR IS BEING COMMEMORATED BY NUMEROUS EVENTS ACROSS THE LAND.

AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST MILITARY RALLIES IS HIGHLIGHTING VEHICLES FROM THAT ERA THAT MOST AMERICANS WILL STILL RECOGNIZE.

SO, LET'S HEAD BACK IN TIME WITH ZACH MASKELL AS HE GOES OVER THE EDGE, WITH SOME OF OUR NATION'S BRAVEST.

Zach Maskell: OH, I LIKE THIS ALREADY.

BESIDES THE MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM, THESE CAMO MACHINES WERE VITAL TO THE ENTIRE VIETNAM OPERATION.

THIS MARYLAND GATHERING GIVES YOU A FEEL FOR THE IMPORTANCE THEY SERVED.

WE ARE AT THE 43RD ANNUAL EAST COAST MILITARY RALLY, NOT FAR FROM ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND.

AND SOME OF THE VEHICLES THAT ARE HERE ARE SO RARE, THAT ONLY A HANDFUL EXIST.

ANDY HERE WON LAST YEAR'S BEST IN SHOW.

THAT'S WHY HIS 4X4 MADE IT ON LAST YEAR'S SHIRTS.

NOT ONLY IS THIS A PLACE TO SHOW OFF YOUR PRIDE AND JOY, BUT IT'S ALSO A SELLOUT FLEA MARKET.

Andy Tally: IT'S A GOOD PLACE TO FIND PARTS FOR YOUR VEHICLE THAT YOU CAN'T FIND ANYWHERE ELSE.

SOMETIMES YOU FIND SOMETHING YOU'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR, FOR YEARS.

ESPECIALLY, IF YOU'RE WORKING ON SOME ODDBALL VEHICLE LIKE SOME OF MY OTHER ONES ARE WHERE THEY ONLY MADE 50 OF THEM.

Zach: ONE YOU'LL RECOGNIZE, THEY MADE THOUSANDS OF.

THIS IS A 1969 FORD M-151-A1 AND THESE WERE NOTORIOUS FOR TIPPING OVER ON TURNS.

IT WAS THE SUCCESSOR TO THE WILLY'S.

AND IT DROVE MUCH BETTER.

I COULD FEEL THE DIFFERENCE, IMMEDIATELY.

A-ARM COIL SPRINGS WERE ADDED TO THE M-151-A2, AND IT CORRECTED THE ROLL OVER PROBLEM.

THESE ARE MOTOR POOL VEHICLES.

THEY ARE NOT STRAIGHT OUT OF THE FACTORY.

WHAT THE JUDGES ARE LOOKING FOR ON HERE IS ADDITIONS THAT THE SOLDIERS WOULD'VE DONE OUT IN THE FIELD.

WHAT TYPE OF CLIMATE ARE THEY DEALING WITH, WHAT TYPE OF TERRAIN?

ON AND ON.

SO, FOR INSTANCE THIS ANTENNA WOULD'VE BEEN INSTALLED IN THE FIELD.

ALONG WITH RADIOS, YOU KNOW, SEAT COVERS, AND A BUNCH OF OTHER STUFF THAT YOU SEE ON HERE.

JUDGES ARE NOT ONLY MAKING SURE EVERYTHING WORKS, BUT MOTOR POOL VEHICLES MUST APPEAR LIKE THEY JUST LEFT THE BATTLEFIELD.

Ralph Bennett: THIS IS CALLED A "CONTACT MAINTENANCE TRUCK."

IT'S BASICALLY A MECHANICS SERVICE TRUCK.

IT'S SORT OF LIKE A AAA TRUCK FOR THE ARMY.

Zach: RALPH HAD A TRUCK IDENTICAL TO THIS IN HIS UNIT.

HIS IS 100% FULLY FUNCTIONAL, WITH A GENERATOR, WELDER, AND ANY TOOLS HE'D NEED IN THE FIELD.

USING IT IN CONJUNCTION TO HIS AIRCRAFT RECOVERY JOB, HE'D OFTEN BE FLYING IN A HELICOPTER.

Ralph: NEXT THING I KNEW, I WAS HANGING UNDER THE HUEY AT 800 FEET.

Zach: THIS TIME, THE MACHINE GUN BROKE OFF ITS MOUNT, WHICH RALPH WAS HOLDING ON TO, AND HE FELL OUT WITH IT.

LUCKILY, HIS GUNNER HAD STRAPPED HIM INTO THE AIRCRAFT.

Ralph: THE OLD SAYING ABOUT CHANGING YOUR UNDIES, IT'S TRUE.

[LAUGHS] Zach: NOT ONLY DID HE ENJOY SHARING SOME HILARIOUS STORIES, BUT WE QUICKLY FOUND HIS ENJOYMENT OF THE TRUCK REACHES DEEPER THAN WE IMAGINED.

INSIDE HIS TOOL BOXES, ARE SIGNATURES OF LIVING VETS.

Ralph: LAST YEAR AT THE SHOW, A GUY AFTER TALKING TO ME FOR AWHILE, SIGNED THE TRUCK.

HIS WIFE WAS STANDING BEHIND HIM.

SHE STARTED CRYING.

I SAID, "WHAT'S THE MATTER?"

[RALPH TEARS UP] "THAT'S THE FIRST TIME HE ADMITTED THAT HE WAS IN VIETNAM, IN 50 YEARS."

SHE THANKED ME BECAUSE NOW, MAYBE HE CAN OPEN UP AND START LIVING AGAIN, YOU KNOW.

IT'S KIND OF BEEN MY WAY TO ENJOY LIFE NOW.

ESPECIALLY, TALKING TO PEOPLE, AND TELLING THEM ABOUT THE TRUCK, AND WHAT WE DID OVER IN 'NAM, AND THE GOOD PARTS TO IT.

Zach: KIDS LOVE ASKING RALPH ABOUT HIS TRUCK.

AND HE SAYS, "THEY HAVE GOOD QUESTIONS TOO."

BUT HE'LL AGREE WITH AN EVENT OFFICER, THAT THE ATTENDANCE IS SHRINKING.

Scott Johnson: SOME OF THE OLDER MEMBERS ARE DYING OFF AND WERE NOT REPLACING THE PEOPLE WITH THE YOUNGER GENERATION.

WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM BUT THE INTEREST ISN'T THERE.

Zach: THE NEXT TIME THERE'S A SHOW LIKE THIS NEAR YOU, GO CHECK OUT HOW THINGS USED TO BE, AND LIVE THROUGH THE MEN, AND WOMEN WHO RISKED THEIR LIVES SO YOU COULD BE HERE TODAY.

ROLL FOR RECORD...

SNEAK IN MUSIC...

IN 3-2-1... CLEAR ON 3... * John: POWER IS SO ABUNDANT THAT THE PROPER PLACE TO UNLEASH IT WAS ON A RACING CIRCUIT SPECIFICALLY GEORGIA'S ROEBLING ROAD RACEWAY WERE THE 850 CSI DIDN'T DISAPPOINT.

A MARVELOUS FABULOUS CAR TO DRIVE WITH GUSTO RAVED ONE OUR TEST DRIVERS.

WHETHER, BLASTING DOWN A STRAIGHT AWAY, OR NEGOTIATING A HAIRPIN TURN, OR EXITING A SWEEPING CORNER AT TRIPLE DIGIT SPEEDS, THIS BADDEST OF ALL BIMMER'S DID IT WITH EASE.

THE 4-WHEEL INDEPENDENT SUSPENSION IS SUPERBLY TUNED, AND LOWERED, AND DID A SUPERB JOB OF MASKING THE 4200 POUND BULK OF THIS CAR.

PAT GOSS KNOWS WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR, AND THIS WEEK HE HAS A FLOOD OF TIPS FOR US.

Pat Goss: OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS IT'S SEEMS LIKE THERE'S BEEN ONE INTENSE STORM AFTER ANOTHER.

AND THAT MEANS THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF FLOOD CARS.

AND HERE TO GIVE US SOME POINTERS, WE HAVE CHRIS BASSO FROM CARFAX.

CHRIS, WELCOME TO GOSS' GARAGE.

Chris Basso: THANK YOU, PAT.

Pat: ALRIGHT, NOW WHAT KIND OF NUMBERS ARE WE LOOKING AT, AS FAR AS FLOOD CARS ARE CONCERNED.

Chris: WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A QUARTER OF A MILLION CARS FROM PREVIOUS STORMS THAT ARE BACK ON THE ROAD.

AND THOSE ARE SPREAD OUT ACROSS EVERY STATE IN THE COUNTRY.

SO, THERE IS NO PLACE THAT IS IMMUNE TO THESE FLOOD CARS ENDING UP.

AND FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT BUYING A USED CAR, FLOOD DAMAGE IS A BIG CONCERN.

SO THERE'S TWO PLACES THAT YOU WANT TO LOOK TO SPOT A FLOODED CAR: THAT'S A CARFAX REPORT, AND ON THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE.

Pat: ALRIGHT, NOW WHAT'RE YOU LOOKING AT ON THE INSIDE OF THE CAR?

Chris: SPECIFICALLY, THE METAL THAT'S ON THE INSIDE OF THE CAR.

THE SEAT RAILS, NUTS AND BOLTS, THE SEATBELTS.

WATER GETS IN THERE, THOSE METAL PARTS CAN RUST PREMATURELY, WHICH COULD BE A SIGN THAT, THAT CAR WAS ONCE UNDER WATER IN A FLOOD.

SECOND PLACE IS UNDERNEATH THE DASHBOARD.

THE WIRES UNDER THERE, WHEN THEY GET WET, AND DRY OUT, CAN GET BRITTLE AND CRACK.

AND IF YOU SEE THAT HAPPENING TO THE WIRES, ANOTHER SIGN THAT, THAT CAR COULD HAVE BEEN UNDER WATER IN A FLOOD.

Pat: ALRIGHT, NOW AS A FAILSAFE, ONE OF THE THING'S I WOULD THINK WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA IS TO TAKE IT TO A PRO, AND HAVE IT THOROUGHLY CHECKED UP ON A LIFT.

Chris: YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO CONSULT THE EXPERTS LIKE CARFAX AND A MECHANIC BEFORE YOU BUY ANY USED CAR.

ESPECIALLY, IF YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT FLOOD DAMAGE.

A CARFAX REPORT CONTAINS INFORMATION ABOUT FLOOD DAMAGE REPORTED BY STATE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES, AND THE TRAINED EYE OF A MECHANIC CAN SPOT THOSE HIDDEN SIGNS OF DAMAGE THAT... MAY NOT HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO ANYBODY.

Pat: YEAH, BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE FIGURE OUT WAYS TO CIRCUMVENT THINGS.

IT'S CROOKED, BUT THEY DO IT.

Chris: YEAH, AND THESE FLOODED CARS CAN BE EASILY CLEANED UP, COSMETICALLY, TO LOOK LIKE ANY USED CAR THAT'S ON THE ROAD.

AND IT'S INEVITABLE THAT SOME PEOPLE WILL GET DUPED INTO BUYING A FLOODED CAR, WITH SO MANY FLOOD CARS THAT ARE BACK ON THE ROAD.

Pat: OKAY.

CHRIS, THANK YOU.

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

John: THESE LAST FEW WEEKS HAVE BEEN BUSY ONES FOR OUR LONG-TERM 2016 TOYOTA TACOMA; HITTING JUST ABOUT EVERY POINT ON THE COMPASS AND RACKING UP 5,000 MILES SINCE OUR LAST REPORT.

AND WITH ALL OF THOSE MILES BEHIND US, WE'VE COME TO THE REALIZATION THAT DESPITE ITS ALL-NEW DESIGN, IT'S NOT REALLY ALL THAT DIFFERENT FROM WHAT IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN; A ROUGH-AND-READY, HIGHLY CAPABLE 4X4 PICKUP.

THERE'S A LOT TO LIKE ABOUT IT; IT HANDLES WELL, IT'S ENJOYABLE TO DRIVE, AND DESPITE SLIPPING A LITTLE THIS REPORT, WE FEEL 20.5 MILES PER GALLON IS QUITE GOOD.

AS FOR THE NEGATIVE SIDE OF THE COIN, WE STILL FIND INTERIOR COMFORT JUST SATISFACTORY, AND RADIO RECEPTION, WHETHER AM, FM, OR SATELLITE IS POOR.

IT APPEARS OUR EARLY ENGINE IMPRESSIONS WERE WARRANTED, AS PEAK TORQUE DELIVERY IN THIS NEW 3.5 LITER V6 DOES INDEED COME 600 RPM LATER THAN BEFORE.

AND WHILE, AT 265 POUND-FEET; IT'S ONLY ONE POUND-FEET LESS THAN THE PREVIOUS 4.0 LITER, IT SURE FEELS LIKE IT'S EVEN LOWER.

OF COURSE, THE ECO-MINDED 6-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PLAYS A PART IN THAT AS WELL; AS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, HEADING UP EVEN MINOR HILLS REQUIRES A DOWNSHIFT OF TWO TO MAINTAIN PACE.

IT IS A FAIRLY HIGH CLIMB UP INTO THE CABIN, BUT THE SPACE ITSELF IS PACKED FULL OF JUST ABOUT EVERY AMENITY A FAMILY COULD WANT, SO WE CAN EASILY SEE THE TACOMA CONVERTING A FEW SUV PEOPLE INTO TRUCK PEOPLE.

THE CONTROL LAYOUT IS GOOD, AS IS THE TECH INTERFACE, AND WE ALL APPRECIATE HAVING VOLUME AND TUNE KNOBS FOR THE RADIO, JUST BE CAREFUL YOU DON'T TRIGGER THE TOUCHSCREEN AS YOU'RE CRANKING THE VOLUME.

WE WONDER HOW MANY WILL MAKE USE OF THE STANDARD GOPRO CAMERA MOUNT.

STILL, THE TACOMA HAS ALWAYS BEEN DESIGNED MORE FOR THE YOUTHFUL BUYER, OR AT LEAST THOSE THAT WANT TO PORTRAY THAT IMAGE.

IT'S THE HONDA PILOT AND KIA OPTIMA ON OUR NEXT MOTORWEEK LONG-TERM ROAD TEST UPDATE!

LET'S HEAD INSIDE NOW TO YOLANDA VAZQUEZ, AND ALL THE LATEST MOTORNEWS!

Yolanda Vazquez: WHILE, FALLING GAS PRICES IS GOOD NEWS TO MOST OF US, FOR THE MAKERS OF ONE OF THE MOST FUEL EFFICIENT CARS ON THE MARKET, THE TOYOTA PRIUS, THE NEWS IS NOT SO GOOD, AS SALES OF THE PRIUS HAVE BEEN IN A DECLINE SINCE 2012.

AND JUST WHEN THINGS WERE STARTING TO LOOK A LITTLE BETTER WITH THE RECENT LAUNCH OF THE 4TH GENERATION PRIUS, WE GET WORD THAT IT'S HIGHLY ANTICIPATED PLUG-IN VARIANT THAT WAS SET TO GO ON SALE THIS FALL, WILL BE DELAYED A FEW EXTRA MONTHS, POSSIBLY INTO NEXT YEAR.

THE PHEV PRIUS PRIME, FEATURES A LARGER BATTERY TO EXTEND FULL EV DRIVING UP TO 22 MILES, AND IS EXPECTED TO EARN A 120 MPGE RATING.

THANKS TO THE CHEVY VOLT AND OTHERS, PLUG-IN HYBRIDS ARE NO LONGER A RARITY.

SO, THE PRIUS PRIME WILL STILL FACE STIFF COMPETITION WHEN IT FINALLY ARRIVES.

WE'VE ALL SEEN THEM ON THE ROAD; THOSE NOT QUITE A CAR/ NOT QUITE A MOTORCYCLE, 3-WHEELERS, YOU KNOW THE ONES WITH 2-WHEELS IN THE FRONT AND ONE IN THE BACK.

WELL, UP TO THIS POINT, REGULATIONS FOR THESE GO-KART LIKE MACHINES HAVE BEEN INCONSISTENT AT BEST, WITH MOST STATES CLASSIFYING THEM AS MOTORCYCLES.

THAT MEANS YOU HAVE TO GET A MOTORCYCLE LICENSE AND IN MANY STATES, WEAR A MOTORCYCLE HELMET AS WELL.

NOW, REGULATIONS ARE SLOWLY CHANGING, AS STATES HAVE BEGUN TO CLASSIFY THEM AS AUTOCYCLES.

AND PROVIDED IT HAS A PROPER STEERING WHEEL AND A ROOF, HELMETS AREN'T REQUIRED.

AUTOCYCLE OFFERINGS RANGE FROM THE PERFORMANCE-MINDED CAMPAGNA T-REX AND POLARIS SLINGSHOT, TO THE MORE ECO-MINDED FULLY ELECTRIC 3-WHEELERS OF ELIO AND ELECTRA MECCANICA.

WHILE, MAKERS OF 3-WHEELERS HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET RID OF MOTORCYCLE CLASSIFICATIONS FOR YEARS, THEY SHOULD BE CAREFUL WHAT THEY WISH FOR, AS MOTORCYCLES DO NOT REQUIRE CRASH TESTING.

AND IT'S LIKELY, THAT RELAXED REGULATIONS IN ONE AREA WILL REQUIRE MORE SCRUTINY IN OTHERS.

FROM PLUG-INS TO AUTOCYCLES, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT CHANGES CONSUMERS WILL FACE IN AN EVER CHANGING AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY.

AND THAT'S IT FOR THIS WEEK'S MOTORNEWS.

John: THE AUDI R8, SINCE ITS INCEPTION FOR 2008, HAS BEEN CONSIDERED BY MOST AUTOMOTIVE REVIEWERS, INCLUDING US, AS THE MOST DRIVABLE OF ALL SUPERCARS.

OR AT LEAST IT USED TO BE, UNTIL EVERYONE ELSE STARTED MAKING THEIR SUPERCARS DAILY DRIVER FRIENDLY AS WELL.

SO, WHAT'S THE NEXT TRICK FOR THE SECOND GEN R8?

WELL, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ABOUT TO FIND OUT.

* THE 2017 AUDI R8 HAS MORE THAN A FEW TRICKS UP ITS SLEEVE, BUT BY FAR OUR FAVORITE, IS THE AWESOME MID-MOUNTED V10 ENGINE, THAT FOR STARTERS LOOKS FANTASTIC UNDER THE GLASS REAR HATCH.

[ENGINE STARTS UP] WAY BEYOND LOOKS IS THE 610 HORSEPOWER THIS 5.2 LITER NATURALLY-ASPIRATED V10-PLUS DELIVERS, ALONG WITH 413 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

SO OF COURSE, IT'S THE MOST POWERFUL PRODUCTION AUDI TO THIS POINT; 60 MORE HORSEPOWER THAN PREVIOUS, BUT IT FEELS LIKE EVEN MORE.

A DE-TUNED 540 HORSEPOWER VERSION IS ALSO AVAILABLE.

THE 7-SPEED S TRONIC TRANSMISSION WORKS JUST AS FINE AS EVER; IT'S EASILY ONE OF THE BEST AROUND, WITH FAST, SHARP, YET SMOOTH SHIFTS REGARDLESS OF DRIVE MODE OR DRIVING STYLE.

THE SHIFTER IS ALSO IMPROVED, JUST DON'T FORGET TO PUSH THE PARK BUTTON WHEN YOU DO.

STILL REAR-BIASED QUATTRO ALL-WHEEL DRIVE OF COURSE, BUT FULL POWER CAN ACTUALLY BE SENT TO THE FRONT AS WELL, SHOULD THERE EVER BE AN OCCASION WHEN THE COMPUTER FEELS IT'S WISE TO DO SO.

THE LOOK IS SO FAMILIAR, YOU MIGHT NOT EVEN RECOGNIZE IT AS ALL-NEW, WHICH IS NOT ENTIRELY A BAD THING, AS ITS PURPOSEFUL DESIGN HAS AGED AMAZINGLY WELL.

IT APPEARS MOST EVOLUTIONARY UP FRONT WITH A TALLER NOSE.

THE SIDE IS PERHAPS A LITTLE SLICKER WITH MORE PRONOUNCED SIDE SCOOPS.

AND IT STILL LOOKS TOUGH AS NAILS FROM THE REAR.

BEHIND THE WHEEL, IT MAINTAINS THE ABILITY TO FEEL LIKE A GARDEN VARIETY SPORT SEDAN WHEN TOOLING AROUND.

THERE'S PERHAPS A LITTLE MORE ITALIAN INFLUENCE TO THE INTERIOR NOW, WITH LOTS OF CONTROLS ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND A TFT PANEL, SIMILAR TO THE HURACAN'S, BEHIND IT.

WE LOVE THE LOOK, AND ALL OF THE DATA THAT IT PROVIDES RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE.

THE REST OF THE CABIN, WITH ITS MINIMAL CONTROLS, REMINDS US MORE OF THE TT; REACHING A NEW LEVEL OF DRIVER CENTRIC, AS WITH EVERYTHING IN FRONT OF DRIVER, NOT MUCH IS LEFT FOR THE PASSENGER TO DO OTHER THAN HOLD ON FOR DEAR LIFE.

* OF MUCH MORE IMPORTANCE IS ON-TRACK PERFORMANCE, AND HERE IT STILL FEELS LIKE ONE OF THE EASIEST CARS YOU'VE EVER DRIVEN FAST, YET THERE'S A SERIOUS NASTY STREAK LURKING NOT TOO FAR ABOVE THE TRACK SURFACE.

IT STAYS BILLIARD TABLE FLAT THROUGH CORNERS, AND MOSTLY NEUTRAL.

THERE'S INSTANTANEOUS POWER FOR PULLING OUT OF THEM, WITH ONLY THROTTLE-ON OVERSTEER TO DEAL WITH, NONE OF THE HURACAN'S UNDERSTEER SEEMS TO BE PRESENT.

THE V10-PLUS IS EVERYTHING IT PROMISES, AND THE EXHAUST SOUNDS AMAZING NO MATTER WHAT MODE YOU'RE IN.

AROUND SUMMIT POINT MOTORSPORTS PARK'S SHENANDOAH CIRCUIT, WE FOUND THE GEARING WAS SPOT ON, AND MANUAL SHIFTS CAME CRAZY FAST.

BUT WITH THE PADDLES ON THE WHEEL ITSELF, THEY ARE EASY TO LOSE TRACK OF WHEN SHUFFLING THE WHEEL.

NO SUCH PROBLEM WHEN YOU KEEP THE WHEEL STRAIGHT, THE THROTTLE PINNED, AND TRANS IN AUTO.

NO TURBO'S TO WAIT FOR, NO E-MOTORS, JUST IMMEDIATE LAUNCHING WITH NO WHEEL SPIN, NO LAG; HITTING 60 ON THIS DAY IN 3.0 SECONDS FLAT.

THE QUARTER MILE THRILL RIDE ENDS 11.0 SECONDS LATER AT 128 MILES PER HOUR.

IF THERE'S ANY BAD NEWS, IT'S THAT THE R8 IS NO LONGER THE BARGAIN THAT THE ORIGINAL V8 POWERED R8 WAS, STARTING AT $165,450; THE V10-PLUS AT $192,450.

CERTAINLY NOT CHEAP, BUT FOR A SUPERCAR, IT'S WORTH EVERY PENNY.

PERHAPS THE BEST NEWS OF ALL WITH THIS 2017 AUDI R8, IS THAT NOTHING CHANGES TO THE ORIGINAL R8 FORMULA; EXOTIC LEVEL PERFORMANCE, WRAPPED IN COUTURE SHEET METAL, WITH A DAILY DRIVER NATURE.

IT MAY NOT BE AT THE TOP OF EVERYONE'S ULTIMATE PERFORMANCE CAR WISH LIST, BUT NO SANE PERSON WILL EVER BE DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS PIECE OF GERMAN ENGINEERING AT ITS FINEST.

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

NOW, FOR MORE MOTORWEEK WHY NOT CHECK OUT OUR PODCAST AS WELL AS COMPLETE EPISODES AT PBS.ORG/MOTORWEEK.

AND I HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US NEXT TIME, AS WE KICK OFF OUR 36TH SEASON IN STYLE WITH AN AWESOME DUET THE ALL-NEW PORSCHE 911 TURBO AND THE CLASSIC PORSCHE 959.

THEN WE'LL RALLY THE TROOPS AROUND A NEW NISSAN ARMADA.

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

Announcer: TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MOTORWEEK , TELEVISION'S ORIGINAL AUTOMOTIVE MAGAZINE, VISIT PBS.ORG/MOTORWEEK.

MOTORWEEK HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO YOU BY... TIRERACK WANTS YOU TO BE SMART WITH YOUR CAR.

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

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

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