Quick Spin

Sedans are cool, but wagons are always more interesting. If for no other reason than their relative rarity to their sedan counterpart. Audi’s latest hopped-up wagon is no exception. The Audi RS6 is a supremely capable sedan, but it comes alive in its Avant form as one of the coolest wagons you can buy today. Powered by a 4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V8, this ultra-stylish wagon sends 591 hp to its all-wheel-drive system. Managing the power in between the engine and the all-wheel-drive system is an eight-speed automatic transmission. This powertrain can rocket this wagon to 60 mph in only 3.1-seconds, which should be good enough to quickly get the kids from soccer practice.

On this episode of Quick Spin, Natalie Neff and Patrick Carone both share their experiences with this special Audi. Neff walks you around the RS6 Avant and highlights some of the major features of this cool wagon. Later, Neff takes you along for a ride while she reviews the RS6 Avant. In between those recordings, Neff shares her experience with Carone and host Wesley Wren. Wrapping the show, the group breaks down what makes the Audi RS6 Avant special.

It seems like this crossover trend is far from over, and Mazda is looking to capitalize. The Mazda CX-30 splits the difference between the tiny Mazda CX-3 and the larger CX-5, which makes it about the same size as Mazda’s beloved Mazda 3. With declining small car sales, and surging demand for compact crossovers, the 2021 CX-30 seems expertly placed to grab the consumer that is looking at a hatchback but also wants that higher seating position. For 2021 Mazda adds its 250 hp, 2.5-liter turbocharged I4 into the mix. With a declining presence of hatchbacks in the US, this could be the formula for companies that want to still grab the hot hatchback buyer … without the hatch.

On this episode of Quick Spin, Wesley Wren takes the reins of the 2021 Mazda CX-30 with the 2.5-liter turbocharged engine. Wren walks you around the car showing off its features and highlights before taking you along on a real-time drive review. Between those segments, Wren talks with Jake Lingeman about the CX-30 and expands on the segments. Wrapping the show, Lingeman and Wren breakdown the 2.5-liter turbocharged engine’s importance in the CX-30.

The Ford Mustang Mach-E made waves when it was teased at the Detroit auto show. Those waves only grew as it finally saw daylight with its official debut. This all-electric crossover spins off Ford’s beloved Mustang nameplate and pushes the brand into a new direction. Powered by either a single or a pair of electric motors, it puts a respective 290 hp or 346 hp to the pavement in Premium trim. Entry-level Select trim cars only manage to throw 266 ponies to the road. The Mustang Mach-E also highlights Ford’s latest in infotainment, the Sync 4 system. With a massive screen, a potent all-electric powertrain, and interesting styling, will people fall in love with the electric Mustang?

On this episode of Quick Spin, Patrick Carone takes you along while reviewing the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-e. He highlights the features of the car, explains the Ford Pass app, and takes you along for a drive review. Between Carone’s segments, he talks with host Wesley Wren about his experiences with the car and elaborates on the recordings. The pair also dive into the hot-button issue about this EV’s name and talk about what makes the Mach-E special.

In the growing battery-electric sports car world, it was only a matter of time for Porsche to jump into the game with its Taycan. Porsche launched the Taycan with its base all-wheel-drive model and a pair of Turbo-badged performance models. Well, Porsche is adding a new entry point into the Taycan portfolio that ditches all-wheel drive and drops the price. This rear-drive Taycan does drop the power, as you’d expect with a reduction in motors, and only throws 320 hp to the wheels with the standard battery. However, the dip in performance is offset by shedding 210 pounds over the standard all-wheel-drive Taycan with the elimination of all of the front powertrain.

On this episode of Quick Spin, Autoweek’s Mark Vaughn puts the latest Porsche Taycan through its paces and brings you along for the ride. Vaughn hops behind the wheel and reviews the rear-wheel-drive Taycan around the California canyons. Vaughn also personally walks you around the Taycan and sheds insight into Porsche’s EV. Between those segments, Vaughn elaborates on his pre-recorded comments with host Wesley Wren and sheds insight into where the Taycan sits in the market.

The Ford Bronco might be the most exciting new SUV to enter the off-roading fray. With Ford immediately spinning the revived Bronco name off onto a smaller crossover dubbed the Ford Bronco Sport, it might be easy to assume that it’s just a rehashed compact crossover without any chops. Fortunately, that isn’t the case. The Ford Bronco Sport features a drive select system similar to the Bronco dubbed G.O.A.T mode. These seven modes affect how the car responds to your input to better control adverse terrain.

On this episode of Quick Spin, Autoweek’s Joe Brown hops behind the wheel of the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport to put it through its paces. Brown brings you along while he reviews the Bronco Sport. Brown also guides you through the Bronco Sport’s features during a pre-recorded vehicle walk around. Before diving into the essence of the Bronco Sport, Brown elaborates on his thoughts with host Wesley Wren.

The 993-generation Porsche 911 was effectively the end of the road for Porsche’s beloved air-cooled boxer engine, which has turned it into an icon of modern Porsche cars. With a limelight already on a popular Porsche, it only makes sense for custom builders to jump onto the 993 911 with both feet. Enter, the Gunther Werks worked over Porsche. Built to your wants and needs, Gunther Werks will make your Porsche 911 into basically whatever you want, be that a luxe-track machine or a cars and coffee stunner. With lots of carbon fiber and other high end components, Gunther Werks takes the Porsche to a high level.

On this episode of Quick Spin, Autoweek’s Mark Vaughn who gives you a quick explainer of what goes into these Gunther Werks remastered cars during a walk around of the car. This particular Gunther Werks remastered Porsche leans more towards to track-focused variety. The 400+ hp naturally-aspirated flat-six feeds power to a Getrag G50 transaxle. Power, of course, travels exclusively to the rear wheels. Vaughn also takes you along for a ride while he actively reviews the car. Between those segments, Vaughn talks about this 911 with host Wesley Wren.

The latest generation Mercedes-Benz G-Class ditches some beloved off-road clout with the removal of its solid front axle. However, the more road-friendly independent front suspension makes the G-Wagen friendlier on highways and city streets. This 2020 G550 sports a 4.0-liter turbocharged V8 power making 416 hp, which is more than enough to get you down Rodeo Drive. Managing that power is a nine-speed automatic transmission that then feeds the power to the all-wheel-drive system before hitting the pavement. Of course, as you’d expect with a G-Class, the 2020 G550’s specs are overshadowed by the opulent interior and host of high-tech features.

On this episode of Quick Spin, Patrick Carone puts the new G-Class to the test on a road trip to Upstate New York. Carone takes you along on the journey with some recorded segments that bring you along in the car during his test. He also walks you around the car and highlights some features that make the G-Wagen interesting. Between those segments, Carone elaborates on those segments with host Wesley Wren. The two also work to get to what makes the G-Class stand out in a sea of other special cars.

The luxury off-shoot from Hyundai started out with a fleet of well-appointed and well-priced sedans that helped establish its name. Though with SUV and crossover sales only on the incline, it was only a matter of time before Genesis would launch a lifted, luxury family hauler. The GV80 is just that and fills the empty spot in the Genesis lineup with distinctive styling and an opulent interior.

Though, what’s it like to live with? Well, Patrick Carone spent time with the latest from Genesis and put it through its paces: bringing you along for the ride. Carone shows you some interesting features of the GV80 and talks about the overall quality of the car. Carone also records a quick drive review of the GV80. Between those segments, Carone elaborates on his thoughts with host Wesley Wren.

For 2021, Lexus tacks the F-Sport badge onto all of the IS350 sedans and gives prospective buyers plenty of options to deck out their new sedan. The Lexus IS sedan is available with three different engine options, and two-drive systems, there’s plenty of combinations to choose from. In rear-drive trim, the IS350 gets an eight-speed automatic transmission. However, all-wheel-drive models receive only six­-speed transmissions. Add to those choices, there are also plenty of options to push your Lexus in any direction you want to go.

In this episode of Quick Spin, Robin Warner puts the 2021 Lexus IS350 F-Sport rear-wheel drive through its paces, and brings you along for the ride. Warner gives you a real-time walk around of this Lexus to highlight its styling and features and then throws you in the car with him while he records a drive review. In between those segments, Warner gives more context about this Lexus with host Wesley Wren.

For 2021, Rolls-Royce looked at the future for its Ghost model and stuffed it with plenty of high-tech wizardry. Rolling on a new platform, the Ghost rides on a sophisticated suspension that uses cameras to help predict road conditions and make adjustments to keep folks in the cabin from feeling any bumps in their travels. A 6.75-liter V12 powers the Ghost, which only further establishes its overt opulence.

On this episode of Quick Spin, Autoweek’s Mark Vaughn puts the latest Ghost through its paces and brings you along for the ride. Vaughn walks you around the new Rolls, giving insight into its features and then brings you into the car with him while he does a drive review. In between those recordings, Vaughn talks about his thoughts with host Wesley Wren.