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

JOIN US AND SEE IF THE INFINITI QX80 IS A WORTHY FULL-SIZE UTE CONTENDER... PAT GOSS HELPS US KEEP OUR CARS STARTING AND RUNNING SMOOTHLY... LAUREN MORRISON EXPLORES JUST HOW FAR CARS HAVE COME... AND WE'LL SEE WHAT LURKS BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE PORSCHE CAYMAN GT4...

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.

"OH, COME ON..." "HOT, HOT, HOT..." THEY CAN HELP YOU CHOOSE THE RIGHT TIRES FOR YOUR VEHICLE... "JUST A BOTTLE OF WATER."

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.

John: FULL-SIZE TRUCK-STYLE SUVs ARE NO LONGER THE BIG SELLERS THEY WERE ONCE WERE, NOR, AS MANY PREDICTED, HAVE THEY GONE AWAY ENTIRELY.

AND LOWER GAS PRICES HAVE CAUSED THEIR SALES TO TICK UP SO FAR THIS YEAR.

LET'S FACE IT, DESPITE LESS THAN STELLAR FUEL ECONOMY, SOME PEOPLE JUST NEED A REALLY BIG SUV!

SO, IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING, RIGS LIKE THE INFINITI QX80 HAD BETTER BE ABLE TO GET THE JOB DONE.

* John: WHETHER IT'S FOR TOWING BIG TOYS, OR JUST HAULING LOADS OF GEAR TO YOUR FAVORITE GETAWAY LOCATION, FULL-SIZE SUVs LIKE THIS 2016 INFINITI QX80, PERFORM TASKS THAT 3-ROW CROSSOVERS JUST CAN'T GET DONE.

AND THIS BIGGEST OF THE QXs IS A HEAVY THROWBACK BEAST OF AN SUV.

MADE IN JAPAN AND BASED ON THE GLOBAL, FULL FRAME NISSAN PATROL, YOU HAVE TO CLIMB UP AND INTO THE QX80, AND IT REALLY DOES FEELS LIKE YOU'RE DRIVING SOMETHING MASSIVE.

BUT THEN, THAT'S ALSO PART OF ITS APPEAL.

IT'S ALSO VERY LUXURIOUS, AND A VEHICLE CAPABLE OF TAKING YOU JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE AND TOWING JUST ABOUT ANYTHING.

ACTUAL TOWING CAPACITY IS 8,500 POUNDS, ABOUT THE SAME AS THE CHEVROLET TAHOE, AND RIVAL CADILLAC ESCALADE, BUT LESS THAN THE FORD EXPEDITION, AND LINCOLN NAVIGATOR.

[ENGINE STARTS UP] DOING THE PULLING, IS NISSAN'S FAMILIAR 5.6 LITER V8.

HERE, WITH 400 HORSEPOWER AND 413 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

HIT THE GAS AND YOU DO GET A FULL V8, BUT THE FEEL IS NOT AS SOPHISTICATED AS THE RECENTLY UPDATED GM AND FORD FULL-SIZE UTEs.

STILL, POWER IS POWER, AND THERE WAS PLENTY ENOUGH HERE TO GET US TO 60 IN 6.7 SECONDS.

IT'S A BIT OF A SURREAL EXPERIENCE, AS EVEN AT WIDE OPEN THROTTLE, THERE'S ALMOST NO INTRUSIVE ENGINE NOISE.

TRANSMISSION IS A 7-SPEED AUTOMATIC.

SHIFTS ARE BUTTERY SMOOTH, AND YOU CAN TRIGGER THEM YOURSELF; THERE'S EVEN DOWNSHIFT REV MATCHING.

NOT THAT WE WERE DOWNSHIFTING IN THE QUARTER MILE, RATHER KEEPING IT PINNED; GETTING TO THE END IN 15.1 SECONDS AT A GOOD 94 MILES PER HOUR.

IT TRULY HAS MORE OF AN OLD SCHOOL, FLOATY, YET STILL SOLID FEEL THROUGH THE CONES, WITH ACCOMPANYING LIGHT, YET NUMB STEERING.

BUT THERE WAS NOT AS MUCH ROLL AS WE EXPECTED.

WE CONSIDER A 119 FOOT AVERAGE STOPPING DISTANCE FROM 60 QUITE GOOD FOR A BEAST OF THIS STATURE.

STOPS WERE CONSISTENTLY SMOOTH, WITH LITTLE NOSE DIVE, AND ZERO DRAMA.

* DESPITE ITS THROWBACK NATURE, THE QX80 HAS A MODERN LOOK TO IT, EVEN THOUGH IT HASN'T CHANGED MUCH SINCE IT FIRST ARRIVED AS THE QX56 FOR 2011.

THERE'S A VERY TALL FRONT END WITH PROMINENT GRILLE BEFITTING ITS LARGE STANCE.

OPT FOR LIMITED TRIM AND YOU'LL BE RIDING ON 22 INCH WHEELS ATTACHED WITH AN AUTOMATIC SELF-LEVELING SUSPENSION.

RUNNING BOARDS WITH WELCOME LIGHTING ARE ALSO INCLUDED, BUT THEY SEEM TO BE THE TYPE THAT GET IN YOUR WAY MORE THAN AID WITH GETTING IN AND OUT.

* THERE'S PLENTY FOR OLD-SCHOOL SUV BUYERS TO LOVE INSIDE, INCLUDING THE EXTREMELY COMFORTABLE FRONT SEATS.

A THREE PERSON BENCH IS AN OPTION FOR THE 2ND ROW, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY CAPTAIN'S CHAIRS THAT ARE STANDARD HERE, AS IS A 3-PASSENGER 3RD ROW.

CARGO VOLUME GOES FROM 16.6 CUBIC-FEET BEHIND THE 3RD-ROW, TO 49.6 BEHIND THE 2ND-ROW, AND 95.1 WITH ALL SEATS FOLDED.

LIMITED TRIM GIVES MOST OF THE BELLS AND WHISTLES YOU MIGHT WANT.

AND THE FAMILIAR INFINITI/NISSAN LAYOUT MEANS THERE'S A PLETHORA OF CONTROLS ON THE CENTER STACK, AND ALSO A TOUCHSCREEN FOR MORE IN DEPTH CONTROL OF AUDIO AND NAVIGATION.

AND THERE'S EVEN A CENTRAL CONTROLLER AS WELL.

SO YOU HAVE PLENTY OF OPTIONS FOR COMMANDING YOUR VESSEL.

BOTH THE LEATHER AND WOOD TRIM ARE IMPECCABLE.

THE AVAILABLE 4-WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM IS ALSO A TRADITIONAL, WAY OFF-ROAD CAPABLE PART TIME SYSTEM, WITH A HIGH AND LOW RANGE TRANSFER CASE.

IT'S A THIRSTY RIG FOR SURE.

GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS ARE 13-CITY, 19-HIGHWAY, AND 15-COMBINED.

BUT WE AVERAGED A BETTER THAN EXPECTED 18.2 MILES PER GALLON OF PREMIUM.

THAT'S STILL A VERY POOR ENERGY IMPACT SCORE OF 22.0 BARRELS OF ANNUAL OIL CONSUMPTION WITH YEARLY CO2 EMISSIONS OF 9.8 TONS.

PRICING STARTS REASONABLY AT $64,245.

FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE ADDS $3,100, AND YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL WITH LIMITED AT $89,845.

TOO MUCH FOR YOU?

WELL, A NISSAN ARMADA VERSION WILL ARRIVE LATER THIS YEAR.

THIS 2016 INFINITI QX80 IS CERTAINLY BIG AND CAPABLE, BUT IT'S NOT QUITE AS BOLD AND BRASH AS ESCALADE OR NAVIGATOR.

PLUS, WHAT IT LACKS IN MODERN STREET DRIVING HABITS, IT MAKES UP FOR WITH PASSENGER PAMPERING.

STILL, IT EASILY REMINDS US OF THE ROUGH AND READY THROWBACK ON WHICH IT IS BASED.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT IT THE MOST.

OUR SUCCESS STORY THIS WEEK TAKES US TO FAIR OAKS FARMS IN FAIR OAKS, INDIANA, WHERE THINGS RUN ON THE POWER OF "POO."

HERE, COW MANURE ISN'T WASTE, BUT A VALUABLE COMMODITY.

ONCE COLLECTED, IT'S PUT INTO A BIO DIGESTER, WHERE METHANE IS HARNESSED.

THE GAS IS PURIFIED, AND THEN PIPED OVER, AND COMPRESSED AT THIS FILL STATION OWNED BY AMPCNG, A U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY NATIONAL CLEAN FLEETS PARTNER.

MORE THAN ENOUGH RENEWABLE CNG IS PRODUCED AT FAIR OAKS FARMS TO FILL UP A FLEET OF 42 MILK HAULERS, DISPLACING 1.5 MILLION GALLONS OF DIESEL EACH YEAR.

Grant Zimmerman: WE CAN REDUCE NOX, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY SMOG CAUSING POLLUTANTS, BY 90% OR BETTER."

John: THE STATION WAS BUILT WITH HELP FROM THE GREATER INDIANA CLEAN CITIES COALITION.

PROVING THAT COWS CAN CONTRIBUTE MUCH MORE THAN JUST MILK TO THE LONG HAUL.

IF YOU WANT TO SEE JUST HOW FAR THE AUTOMOBILE HAS COME, YOU ONLY NEED TO VISIT THE REVS INSTITUTE FOR AUTOMOTIVE RESEARCH IN NAPLES FLORIDA.

THIS ONE OF A KIND MUSEUM BOASTS SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AND RAREST CARS EVER BUILT.

SO, WE ASKED OUR FYI REPORTER LAUREN MORRISON TO CHECK IT OUT FOR ALL OF US.

Lauren Morrison: WHEN YOU THINK FLORIDA, YOU THINK PALM TREES, YOU THINK BEACHES, BUT IF YOU'RE IN NAPLES, AND YOU LOVE CARS, THE PLACE TO BE IS THE REVS INSTITUTE.

Lee McCaskey: I HAVE NEVER ENCOUNTERED A PERSON THAT WALKED OUT THAT WAS BORED.

IT'S JUST AMAZING WHAT'S HERE.

Lauren: WITH 40,000 SQUARE FEET OF GALLERY SPACE.

THE REVS INSTITUTE HOUSES ABOUT 115 CARS, SPANNING THE LAST CENTURY, WITH AN AMAZING TALE BEHIND EACH ONE.

Lee: THERE'S A 115 ANECDOTES AND STORIES WITH EACH CAR OF THE 115 CARS THAT WE HAVE.

Lauren: THE OLDEST IN THE COLLECTION?

AN 1896 PANHARD & LEVASSOR WAGONETTE, WHICH IS IN STARK CONTRAST TO THE YOUNGEST, A 1995 MCLAREN F1.

Scott George: AND IT REALLY BEGINS TO GIVE SOMEONE THE IDEAS OF REALLY THE EVOLUTION OF THE AUTOMOBILE, AND REALLY HOW IT HAS TRANSFORMED OUR LIVES, AND HOW ITS' EVOLVED THROUGH TIME AS WELL.

Lauren: PART OF THE "COLLIER COLLECTION" AS ITS' KNOWN TODAY, CAME FROM REVS INSTITUTE FOUNDER MILES COLLIER.

HE WAS ALSO ABLE TO ACQUIRE THE COLLECTION OF FAMILY FRIEND, LEGENDARY ROAD RACING BRIGGS SWIFT CUNNINGHAM, Scott: AND SO, THE CULMINATION OF THOSE TWO COLLECTIONS ARE HERE, WITH PRIMARILY MR. COLLIER'S INVOLVEMENT SINCE 1986.

Lauren: CARS ARE SPLIT INTO FOUR CATEGORIES: AUTOMOBILITY, OR THE CARS OF THE ROADWAY, VITESSE, WHICH DEALS WITH THE RACEWAY, PORSCHE, WHICH IS ALL ABOUT THE AUTOMAKER, AND REVS, AN AREA THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE EVOLUTION OF AUTO SPORT.

THESE AREN'T JUST CARS RANDOMLY PLACED INTO A ROOM, THERE'S A STRATEGY BEHIND IT.

IT'S A WAY OF STORYTELLING.

JUST TAKE A LOOK AT THIS ROW OF PORSCHES.

IT'S LIKE A TIMELINE IN HISTORY.

THIS TIMELINE STARTS HERE, WITH THE VERY FIRST PORSCHE 550 COUPE.

Lee: THIS IS THE VERY FIRST PURPOSE BUILT RACING PORSCHE IN EXISTENCE AND BELIEVE ME, PORSCHE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE IT BACK HOME IN THEIR MUSEUM.

Lauren: THIS ISN'T THE ONLY FIRST IN THE MUSEUM... HOW ABOUT THIS 1948 166 SPYDER CORSA...

THE FIRST FERRARI TO ARRIVE IN THE U.S...

IF RIDING IN STYLE IS MORE YOUR TASTE, CHECK OUT THIS DOOZY OF A DUESENBERG.

Lee: THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL CAR, RIGHT OUT THE "GREAT GATSBY" IF YOU WANT TO PUT IT THAT WAY.

Lauren: THIS IS THE SUPER SHORT VERSION OF THE 1935 SSJ DUESENBERG, ONLY TWO WERE MADE.

ACTOR GARY COOPER OWNED THIS ONE...

BUT THE CAR THAT SEEMS TO GET THE MOST "OOOHS" AND "AHHHS" IS THIS ONE, THE GURNEY EAGLE F1.

Peter Noble: THIS IS MY FAVORITE CAR AND ITS' GOT TO BE THE MOST ICONIC AMERICAN CAR THAT THERE IS... John Meyers: WELL, I KNEW THE EAGLE WAS HERE, AND OF COURSE, THAT MADE THE WHOLE TRIP WORTHWHILE FOR ME.

Lauren: THE THING THAT REALLY STANDS OUT ABOUT ALL THESE CARS IS JUST HOW CLOSE YOU CAN GET TO THEM.

THERE'S NO BARRIER BETWEEN YOU AND THE VEHICLE.

WHILE, YOU CAN'T TOUCH, YOU CAN PEER INSIDE, AND GET AN INSIDE LOOK AT ALL THE INTRICATE DETAILS.

Scott: BY ALLOWING THE CARS TO BE SEEN WITHOUT BARRIERS, IT BRINGS A NEW DIMENSION THAT THEY DON'T TYPICALLY GET A CHANCE TO SEE.

Lauren: MOST OF THESE CARS HAVE A FEW MILES UNDER THEIR BELTS, BUT NEARLY EVERYONE IN THE COLLECTION IS IN RUNNING ORDER, AND READY FOR A RIDE.

Scott: IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE ABLE TO BRING THESE CARS TO LIFE FROM TIME, TO TIME, TO LET PEOPLE HEAR THEM, SEE THEM, SMELL THEM, AND SEE THEM GO.

Lauren: THE INSTITUTE ALSO OFFERS A RESEARCH LIBRARY FOR SCHOLARS TO STUDY ANYTHING AUTOMOTIVE.

THE REVS INSTITUTE ALSO HAS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF AUTOMOTIVE IMAGES, WHICH THEY'RE WORKING TO DIGITIZE AND PUT ONLINE, WITH THE HELP OF STANFORD UNIVERSITY.

Scott: IT ALLOWS US TO SHARE ALL OF OUR PHOTOGRAPHIC COLLECTIONS WITH THE WORLD AT LARGE.

AND WE'VE NOW, DIGITIZED OVER 400,000 IMAGES AND WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY ANOTHER 600,000 TO GO.

Lauren: THIS IS A PERFECT DISPLAY OF CARS THAT HAVE MADE HISTORY, OR SHAPED IT, AND THE ONLY THING YOU'LL BE WONDERING WHEN YOU WALK OUT, IS WHEN YOU'LL BE BACK.

John: YOU EXPECT A MODERN CAR TO RUN SMOOTHLY AND CLEANLY WHEN IT'S NEW.

BUT, WHAT ABOUT WHEN IT AGES?

THAT'S WHEN LOTS OF THINGS CAN GO WRONG.

WELL, HERE'S PAT GOSS TO TELL YOU HOW TO AVOID ONE OF THEM.

Pat Goss: WOW, THERE'S A LOT OF CHATTER OUT THERE ABOUT A NEW FORM OF DEPOSITS IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLDS OF CARS.

IT SEEMS THAT A LOT OF TECHNICIANS ARE CALLING THESE "GDI DEPOSITS."

WELL, GDI IS GASOLINE DIRECT INJECTION, AND THEY'RE BLAMING IT ON THE DIRECT INJECTION.

BUT, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

I THINK THAT IT HAS TO DO WITH LOW TENSION, OR LOW FRICTION PISTON RINGS THAT ARE USED ON VIRTUALLY ALL CARS THESE DAYS.

BECAUSE THE PISTON RINGS DON'T EXPAND AND PUSH AGAINST THE CYLINDER WALLS AS HARD AS OLDER ONES DID, THEY'RE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO DEPOSITS FORMING THAT CAUSE THEM TO STICK.

AND WHEN THE PISTON RINGS STICK, YOU GET MORE PRESSURE INSIDE THE CRANKCASE, AND THAT FORCES OIL DEPOSITS BACK THROUGH THE CRANKCASE VENTILATION SYSTEM INTO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD.

WELL, NO MATTER WHAT THEORY YOU BELIEVE, THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, THE DEPOSITS ARE CAUSED BY OIL GETTING INTO THE INTAKE.

AND THE HARDER YOU DRIVE YOUR CAR, WELL, THE WORSE THOSE DEPOSITS ARE GOING TO BE.

NOW, I DID SOMETHING ON THIS CAR THAT SHOULD DO AWAY WITH THOSE PROBLEMS ALL TOGETHER.

YOU SEE, NORMALLY THE CRANKCASE VENTILATION SYSTEM GOES FROM A PORT BACK THERE, UP HERE THROUGH THE INTAKE, RIGHT IN BEHIND THE THROTTLE BODY, AND THAT'S WHERE THE CRANKCASE FUMES GO.

SO, WHAT I DID, I USED WHAT'S CALLED "A CATCH CAN;" IT'S ACTUALLY AN OIL SEPARATOR.

AND INSERTED THAT INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE CRANKCASE BREATHER SYSTEM.

SO, THIS LINE GOES BACK TO THE PORT, FROM THE CRANKCASE, AND IT COMES UP HERE, GOES THROUGH THIS OIL SEPARATOR, THIS CATCH CAN, AND THEN OUT, AND INTO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD.

AND WHAT THIS DOES, IS IT SEPARATES ANY OIL OUT OF THOSE FUMES, SO THE OIL STAYS IN THE CATCH CAN INSTEAD OF GOING BACK INTO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD.

NOW, IF YOU DRIVE VERY GENTLY, CHANCES ARE YOU'D NEVER GET ANY BENEFIT OUT OF THIS.

BUT IF YOU DRIVE YOUR CAR HARD, THIS COULD SAVE A TON OF MONEY, OVER THE LIFE OF THE CAR.

SOMETHING YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER.

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

ROLL FOR RECORD...

SNEAK IN MUSIC...

IN 3-2-1... CLEAR ON 3... * John: UP TO NOW THE CIMARRON HAS NEVER REALLY BEEN ABLE TO ESCAPE ITS OVERSTUFFED J-CAR IMAGE.

BUT MAYBE THOSE FORTUNES WILL CHANGE.

THE V6 MADE A NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE TO THE SHAPE OF THE LATEST CIMARRON.

THEY HAD TO ADD NEARLY 5.0 INCHES TO THE FRONT FENDERS, SO THAT THE ENGINE WOULD FIT IN.

BUT THAT ALLOWS FOR A SMOOTHER FLOW FOR THE HOOD, AND MEANS THE BUMPERS DON'T STICK OUT LIKE COW CATCHERS ANYMORE.

IT ALSO MAKES FOR TERRIFIC THROTTLE RESPONSE.

AND THAT'S THE FIRST IMPROVEMENT WE NOTICED IN STRAIGHT LINE TESTING THE CIMARRON.

0-60 RUNS CAME TO 12 SECONDS.

THAT'S A 12% IMPROVEMENT OVER THE LAST 4-CYLINDER CIMARRON WE DROVE... WE'VE BEEN ALL OVER, GRABBING QUICKSPINS IN TODAY'S LATEST.

SO HERE'S, WHAT WE DROVE, AND WHAT WE THINK!

MOST PEOPLE, AS WELL AS MOST VEHICLES, ARE FEELING THE SOCIAL PRESSURE TO SLIM DOWN THESE DAYS.

AND SOME OF BIGGEST LOSSES ARE COMING FROM UTILITIES; LIKE THE GMC ACADIA CROSSOVER.

IT'S ALL-NEW FOR 2017, AND 700 POUNDS LIGHTER!

MUCH OF THAT LOSS COMES FROM A MAJOR SHIFT IN DIRECTION FOR ACADIA.

IT'S DOWN 7.0 INCHES IN LENGTH, 3.5 INCHES IN WIDTH, AND NEARLY 4.0 INCHES IN HEIGHT.

SO, IT'S NOW AIMED RIGHT AT POPULAR RIVALS HONDA PILOT, TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, AS WELL AS THE NEW MAZDA CX-9.

WITH THAT SLIMMING, MAXIMUM CARGO CAPACITY ALSO DROPS TO A STILL FINE 79 CUBIC FEET.

VISUALLY, THE NEW ACADIA IS STILL FAMILIAR INSIDE AND OUT, YET ALSO NICELY IMPROVED.

Lauren: THE INTERIOR OF THIS GENERATION OF THE ACADIA HAS A SOFTER LOOK TO IT, FROM THE DASHBOARD, TO THE STEERING WHEEL.

EVERYTHING JUST LOOKS AND FEELS SOFTER.

YOU STILL HA THOSE HARD ASPECTS LIKE THE ALUMINUM IN THE CENTER CONSOLE, AND IT STILL HAS THAT GMC LOOK AND FEEL, BUT OVERALL, IT'S JUST...A SOFTER LOOK.

John: ENGINE CHOICES INCLUDE A FIRST TIME 4-CYLINDER; A 2.5 LITER WITH 194 HORSEPOWER.

PLUS, A FAMILIAR 3.6 LITER V6, NOW UPRATED TO 310 HORSEPOWER.

BOTH ATTACH TO A 6-SPEED AUTOMATIC WITH AVAILABLE ALL-WHEEL DRIVE.

THERE IS OF COURSE A HIGH-ZOOT DENALI MODEL, WHICH RETAINS ALL THE MATERIAL QUALITY AND VISUAL CUES IT'S KNOWN FOR.

BUT, NEW FOR THE 2017 ACADIA IS AN ALL-TERRAIN PACKAGE.

IN ADDITION TO ITS OWN UNIQUE VISUAL CUES, THE ACADIA ALL TERRAIN GETS A BEEFED UP ALL-WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM, AND 20 INCH WHEELS.

ON SALE NOW, THE 2017 GMC ACADIA STARTS AROUND $30,000.

WITH THE ENTRY-LEVEL STIGMA OFF ITS SHOULDERS, THE MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS WAS GIVEN SOME ROOM TO REALLY SHOW ITSELF OFF ONCE THE CLA ARRIVED.

NOW, FOLLOWING THE SEDAN'S DEBUT FOR 2015, COMES THE 2017 C-CLASS COUPE.

OUR EARLY DRIVE TIME CAME IN A C300 2-DOOR, FITTED WITH A 241 HORSEPOWER 2.0 LITER TURBO I4.

AND DESPITE A SMALLISH MOTOR, AND THE COUPE ADDING ROUGHLY 200 POUNDS OVER THE SEDAN, IT STILL KEPT THINGS INTERESTING.

Greg Carloss: THE POWER COMING FROM THIS 2.0 LITER TURBO 4 IS GOOD.

IT'S NOT GREAT, BUT IT STILL FEELS EFFORTLESS.

IT FEELS REALLY LIGHT, AND I THINK THAT'S THE KEY POINT... ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I NOTICED ABOUT THIS CAR WHILE DRIVING IT IS THAT IT'S REALLY SOLID FEELING.

IT'S SUPER QUIET INSIDE, THERE'S NO SHAKES, THERE'S NO RATTLES.

EVERYTHING JUST FEELS VERY TIGHT AND COMPACT, LIKE YOU'D EXPECT FROM A GERMAN CAR.

John: STYLING IS DEFINITELY A PLUS FOR THE COUPE.

IT SITS LOWER, AND ADDS A DECKLID SPOILER AND OTHER DETAILS TO FURTHER SET IT APART FROM THE SEDAN.

THERE IS NO QUESTION ABOUT ITS MORE SPORTY APPEAL.

REAR-DRIVE OF COURSE, ALTHOUGH 4MATIC ALL-WHEEL DRIVE IS OPTIONAL.

LIKEWISE, AIRMATIC AIR SUSPENSION IS AVAILABLE, WHICH WE FOUND WENT A LONG WAY IN ADDING TO THE COUPE'S STABLE AND SOLID FEEL.

ON SALE NOW, THE 2017 MERCEDES-BENZ C300 COUPE STARTS AROUND $43,500.

AND WE'LL BE BACK WITH MORE QUICKSPINS, SOON!

WHILE, VERY FEW OF US EVER GET TO ACTUALLY OWN A SUPERCAR, JUST ABOUT EVERYONE CAN APPRECIATE THE OFTEN STRIKING BEAUTY OF THEIR DESIGN.

STUART CODLING CERTAINLY DOES, AND WITH THE HELP OF SOME EXQUISITE PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAMES MANN, HE BRINGS US THE 20 SUPERCAR'S THAT HE THINKS ARE THE FINEST EVER, IN HIS BOOK FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION: THE ART OF THE SUPERCAR.

FROM CLASSICS TO MODERN, THESE CARS ARE WITHOUT A DOUBT SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AUTOMOTIVE MACHINERY TO EVER HIT THE ROAD.

SO, WHETHER IT'S THE FORM OR THE FUNCTION YOU'RE INTO, YOU'LL FIND PLENTY TO LIKE IN THIS MUST READ.

PORSCHE ALWAYS SEEMS TO HAVE A FEW TRICKS UP THEIR SLEEVE.

THE LATEST IS THIS CAYMAN GT4.

NOW, AT FIRST GLANCE IT APPEARS TO SIMPLY BE A CAYMAN WITH THE 911 CARRERA Ss 3.8 LITER 6 CRAMMED INTO ITS MID-SHIP ENGINE BAY.

BUT THERE'S A LOT MORE GOING ON HERE THAN JUST THAT.

SO, LET'S HIT THE TRACK AND FIND OUT JUST HOW MUCH!

* THE 2016 PORSCHE CAYMAN GT4 DOES INDEED GET ITS POWER FROM THE '16, 911 CARRERA S, BUT THEN IT ALSO GETS ALMOST AN ENTIRELY NEW BODY WRAPPED AROUND IT, AS IT IS 1.3 INCHES LONGER THAN A CAYMAN GTS, AND EVEN ADDS ALMOST HALF AN INCH OF WHEELBASE.

MORE DOWNFORCE IS GENERATED BY THE REENGINEERED FRONT FASCIA WITH NEW FRONT SPLITTER, AS WELL AS FROM THE PROMINENT FIXED REAR WING IN BACK.

SIDE INTAKES USE BLADES FOR DIRECTING ADDITIONAL AIR INTO THE ENGINE.

AND WHILE IT MAY BE THE SAME 3.8 LITER BOXER 6 FOUND IN THE CARRERA S, IT HAS SEEN A FEW TWEAKS, AS IT'S A MID-ENGINE PLACEMENT FOR A REAR-DRIVE ENGINE.

BECAUSE OF THAT, AND PERHAPS TO AVOID DAMAGING BIG BROTHER'S EGO, THE OFFICIAL OUTPUT IS SLIGHTLY LESS AT 385 HORSEPOWER AND 309 POUND-FEET OF TORQUE.

THE SPORT EXHAUST SYSTEM EXPELS LEFTOVERS THROUGH TWIN CENTRAL MOUNTED TIPS, AND YES, IT SOUNDS FABULOUS.

AND IN A DEPARTURE FROM THE PATH PORSCHE HAS TROD LATELY, THE GT4 IS FITTED ONLY WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, THOUGH IT'S A BEEFED UP 6-SPEED, NOT THE 911s 7-SPEED.

LAUNCHING WITH IT, IS ABOUT AS SIMPLE AS IT GETS, REV TO 3-GRAND, SLIP THE CLUTCH A TINY BIT AND YOU'RE OFF AND RUNNING, AND THERE'S A LOT OF GRIP FOR A REAR WHEEL DRIVE CAR WITH THIS MUCH STEAM.

BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, YOU'VE HIT 60 IN 4.3 SECONDS.

FIRST AND SECOND GEAR GO BY QUICKLY, BUT THINGS SETTLE DOWN ONCE YOU CLICK IT INTO THIRD.

THE QUARTER MILE IS COMPLETED IN 12.6 SECONDS AT 117 MILES PER HOUR.

AFTER HITTING THE HIGH SPEED CORNERS OF ROEBLING ROAD RACEWAY, COMMENTS FROM OUR DRIVERS RAN THE GAMUT FROM THE USUAL "AMAZING'S" TO "I WOULD DRIVE THIS CAR UNTIL THE WHEELS FELL OFF, AND I BET IT WOULD TAKE A WHILE."

SO NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE'RE ENAMORED.

SO WHAT HAS US GOING ALL FAN-BOY?

WELL, IT STARTS WITH THE IMMENSE GRIP, THE TRACTABLE ENGINE THAT ALWAYS SEEMS TO HAVE PLENTY OF POWER NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE ON THE TRACK, THE WAY IT ROTATES SO BEAUTIFULLY IN CORNERS, AND REALLY JUST THE SHEER COMPETENCY THIS CAR DISPLAYS WITHOUT EVER FEELING LIKE ITS WORKING HARD, OR MAKING YOU DO SO.

IT'S AN INCREDIBLY ENGAGING CAR AS WELL; THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION WORKS WITH SUCH PRECISION IT REQUIRES NO THOUGHT, AND THE ACTIVE REV MATCHING WORKS PERFECTLY.

BRAKES HAVE ENOUGH POWER TO EJECT YOU THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD IF YOU WEREN'T BELTED IN SECURELY AND HUGGED SO WARMLY BY THE SPECTACULAR SPORT SEATS PLUS.

BOTH THOSE BRAKES AND SUSPENSION ARE SLIGHTLY MODIFIED VERSIONS OF THE COMPONENTS FOUND ON THE 911 GT3, AND P-A-S-M NATURALLY GETS RECALIBRATED TO RIGHTFULLY DEAL OUT THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF HELP ONLY WHEN NEEDED.

THE INTERIOR GETS THE LIGHT WEIGHT TREATMENT, BUT NOT AT THE COST OF SACRIFICING COMFORT.

THE MOST NOTICEABLE ELEMENT BEING THE PULL STRAP DOOR HANDLES THAT WORK FINE, AND BECOME AN INSTANT CONVERSATION PIECE FOR EVERY PASSENGER.

GOVERNMENT FUEL ECONOMY RATINGS ARE 18-CITY, 23-HIGHWAY, AND 20-COMBINED.

FOR A JUST BARELY WORSE THAN AVERAGE ENERGY IMPACT SCORE WITH ANNUAL USE OF 16.5 BARRELS OF OIL WITH 7.4 TONS OF CO2 EMISSIONS.

FOR SOME, IT MAY BE HARD TO JUSTIFY THE CAYMAN GT4s $85,595 BASE PRICE WHEN A 911 CAN BE HAD FOR A LITTLE LESS.

IF YOU'RE ONE OF THOSE DIEHARDS, YOU'RE MISSING THE POINT OF THE 2016 PORSCHE CAYMAN GT4, AND PERHAPS OF SPORTS CARS IN GENERAL.

A PURE SPORTS CAR IS NOT ABOUT LOOKING THE COOLEST, COSTING THE MOST, HAVING THE MOST GADGETS, OR EVEN HAVING THE BEST PEDIGREE.

IT'S ABOUT BALANCE, PERFORMANCE, AND GETTING THE MOST YOU CAN OUT OF THE LEAST YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH.

THE GT4 FULLY EMBODIES THIS ETHOS.

WITHOUT A DOUBT, THIS WOULD BE OUR 2-DOOR PORSCHE OF CHOICE!

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 SPLIT OUR DRIVE TIME BETWEEN TWO REGAL ROVERS.

THEN, CARVE UP OUR FAVORITE TRACK IN THE LEXUS GS F. 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.

"OH, COME ON..." "HOT, HOT, HOT..." THEY CAN HELP YOU CHOOSE THE RIGHT TIRES FOR YOUR VEHICLE... "JUST A BOTTLE OF WATER."

TIRERACK.COM.

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