2014 Porsche 911 Turbo S

2014 Porsche 911 Turbo S

Episode 3324 , Episode 3341
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

2014 marks the 50th anniversary of the porsche 911. and despite being a pentagenarian, the 911 is showing no signs of slowing down.  in fact, now that a turbo 991 has arrived it’s moving along quicker than ever. so come along as we hit our favorite road course, savannah’s roebling road raceway, to find out just how much faster and better this all-new 911 turbo really is!

While we are always pumped to drive a new Porsche, just as a race team begins thinking about their next race as soon as the checkered flag drops, we begin dreaming about the next Porsche we get to drive as soon as we hop out of one. So, no sooner did we pull our 911 C4S into pit lane at Roebling Road Raceway last year, we began thinking about this car, the 2014 Porsche 911 Turbo S. 

The 911 Turbo and this 2-mile road course are made for each other. Unlike previous gens of Turbo, with the 991-series, both Turbo and Turbo S models are available right away, with the S adding more standard equipment and more power from the 3.8-liter twin-turbo flat-6. 

Turbo numbers are 520-horsepower and 487 lb-ft. of torque. The Turbo S hikes those to 560 and 516, with up to 553 lb-ft. of torque available at full throttle, with overboost as part of the Sport Chrono package. 

If there’s one constant in our society, no matter how much you give, people always seem to want more, and the new Turbo delivers. How much more? Well, the Turbo S is the quickest road going production Porsche ever. On Roebling’s front straight, we managed to hit 60 in 2.9-seconds, with the ¼-mile pass taking 10.8 at 129 miles-per-hour. 

And as great as that is, the real reason you should want a Turbo is for the handling. It’s all-wheel-drive of course, and the current system is a evolution of the torque vectoring setup with an added Electro-hydraulic control for the multi-plate coupling that enables more power to be delivered to the front axle faster.

In addition, the Turbo gains rear wheel steer. With an electromechanical actuator for each back wheel, the system provides varying degrees of steering to both tighten turns and increase high speed stability. 

But even with electronics managing just about every aspect of the chassis, the drive experience is about as intuitive and easy as it can be. Amazingly enough, Porsche has succeeded in not entirely dialing out all of the driving enjoyment. But if you’re looking for hairball, rear end out kicks, you might have to wait a few more months for the GT3. This car has phenomenal grip. The harder you push it through corners, the more it eggs you on.

Active roll compensation keeps things flat no matter the speed, and the stability and overall manner through high speed sweepers is incredible. Roebling also has a few tight corners and when coming off of them, depending on how much throttle you were able to maintain, you will experience some turbo lag going full off to full on. 

We like big brakes and we cannot lie, the Turbo’s standard ceramic brakes are eye popping effective. As for transmission, the Turbo is PDK only, and while purists will surely cry for a manual, we’re beyond that. The PDK’s shifts are incredibly quick, and it makes street driving in every day traffic that much more livable. 

Who would have thought you’d need to artificially pump exhaust sound into the 911 to get the full experience, more so, who would have thought we’d enjoy it so much!

Visually, all the usual Turbo clues are here, wider hips, enlarged air intakes, and serious 20-inch wheels. While new active air elements like an extending front spoiler and a slotted rear wing take down force to new levels. Full LED headlights provide bright-as- day nighttime illumination on the Turbo S. 

There’s plenty for the tactile senses to enjoy inside as well, from the 2-tone leather treatment throughout to the Turbo specific gauge package. 

Government Fuel Economy Ratings are also improved to 17-City, 24-Highway, and 20-Combined. That also improves the Energy Impact Score to 16.5-barrels of oil and 7.4 tons of CO2 emitted annually. 

As for pricing, does it really matter? While every red-blooded driver should want a Turbo, you either can afford one or you can’t. Sticker shock starts at $149,250; Turbo S at $181,950.

It is truly insane that Porsche has taken the rear engine platform to this level. The 2014 Porsche 911 Turbo simply exceeds all rational expectations. Can you have too much of a good thing? As far as we’re concerned, never. And you can be assured that Porsche engineers are already working on delivering even more for the next one. And yes, we are already thinking about driving it!

Specifications

  • Engine: 3.8-liter
  • Horsepower: 560
  • Torque: 516 lb-ft.
  • 0-60 mph: 2.9-seconds
  • 1/4 mile: 10.8 seconds @ 129 mph
  • EPA: 17 mpg city/ 24 mpg highway
  • Energy Impact: 16.5 barrels of oil/yr
  • CO2 Emissions: 7.4 tons/yr
2024 Lexus TX 2

2024 Lexus TX

Built To Please Luxury-Minded American Families On The Move

Episode 4328
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

Lexus sells SUVs in just about every shape and size, but until now has never had a true large three-row family-style crossover in their lineup. Well, the new TX is just that. So, let’s find out if the seventh SUV to enter the Lexus brand is also able to usher in a new era of big-family luxury.

Lexus has been in the SUV game longer than most luxury brands, but the all-new 2024 Lexus TX is their first purpose-built, large three-row crossover utility. Looking equal parts enormous and luxurious outside, it’s a big jump up from the no longer available RX350L, as far as space inside front to back, but especially in the third row when it comes to legroom, but also in flexibility and ease of use compared to their other current three-row offering, the truck-based LX600.

The TX’s 20.2 cubic-feet of space behind that third row is a real bonus too. That space expands to 57.4 cubic-feet when you fold the second-row seatbacks, with a 97.0 cubic-foot max with all seats stored and folded. And of course, there are charging ports just about everywhere you look inside, ensuring families are as connected as they are comfortable. And it is a very comfortable family hauler with seating arrangements for either six or seven passengers.

2024 Lexus TX 3/4 Front
2024 Lexus TX Dead Front
2024 Lexus TX Profile
2024 Lexus TX Taillight
2024 Lexus TX Dead Rear
2024 Lexus TX Grille
2024 Lexus TX Wheel
2024 Lexus TX Gas Engine
2024 Lexus TX 3/4 Front2024 Lexus TX Dead Front2024 Lexus TX Profile2024 Lexus TX Taillight2024 Lexus TX Dead Rear2024 Lexus TX Grille2024 Lexus TX Wheel2024 Lexus TX Gas Engine

It’s easy to make things bigger inside, much more difficult if you’re Lexus to make them vastly better. And while the TX interior is very nice, it’s not as big of an upgrade from platform mate Toyota Grand Highlander as we expected. Though considering our Premium trim tester is just one step up from base, there’s lots of standard content, but also a lot going on when it comes to controls and touch-sensitive surfaces. It did take some getting used to, with many dash controls looking very similar, and the steering wheel controls being somewhat temperamental.

There are plenty of choices when it comes to the powertrain. Standard is this 2.4-liter I4 turbo in the TX350 rated at 275 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque. It works with an eight-speed automatic transmission and comes in front- or all-wheel drive. An available 500h adds hybrid assistance to that 2.4-liter, and at the top of the lineup is Lexus’ first-ever V6-based plug-in hybrid, the 550h+, which packs 301-total horsepower and delivers 33-miles of EV range. Both hybrids are all-wheel drive, and all TXs are rated to tow 5,000-lbs.

There are charging ports just about everywhere you look inside, ensuring families are as connected as they are comfortable.

Our all-wheel drive 350 had a nice little jolt of power for getting a nice little jump off the line at our Mason Dixon test track, and then after a slight pause, power began pouring on in full force, ushering us to 60 in 7.5 seconds. The engine was plenty willing to keep dealing out the power, but the ultra-smooth automatic shifts were a tad sluggish, creating a noticeable drop-off in momentum as we worked our way down the track. Still, a 15.6-second 92 miles-per-hour quarter-mile is quite acceptable for a family hauler.

The TX is almost 17-feet long, but it sure doesn’t feel that big when you’re driving it around, and it scooted thorough our slalom course with the ease of a vehicle half that size. Its predictable nature allowed us to easily manage its luxury-minded steering feel and carry quite a bit of speed through the cones. While the TX shares the same basic suspension design as the Grand Highlander, tuning is unique.

2024 Lexus TX Dashboard
2024 Lexus TX Shifter
2024 Lexus TX Front Seats
2024 Lexus TX Second Row Seats
2024 Lexus TX Third Row Seats
2024 Lexus TX Cargo Area Behind Third Row
2024 Lexus TX Full Cargo
2024 Lexus TX Door Handle
2024 Lexus TX Sunroof
2024 Lexus TX Dashboard2024 Lexus TX Shifter2024 Lexus TX Front Seats2024 Lexus TX Second Row Seats2024 Lexus TX Third Row Seats2024 Lexus TX Cargo Area Behind Third Row2024 Lexus TX Full Cargo2024 Lexus TX Door Handle2024 Lexus TX Sunroof

Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 20-City, 26-Highway and 23-Combined; we averaged a great 25.3 miles-per-gallon of Premium, and it only goes up from there with either of the two available hybrids.

Pricing starts reasonably for a luxury SUV with the TX350 beginning at $55,050 and all-wheel drive a $1,600 option, but things can escalate quickly from there.

While not their first three-row utility, the 2024 Lexus TX is their first dedicated three-row platform aimed squarely at the heart of the American market. Clearly, they’ve hit a bullseye, as it makes us want to pack up the family and hit the road. But this is also the first Lexus to be built in Indiana.

While most of the car business seems to revolve around novelty, wow-factor, and gadgetry these days, Lexus continues to deliver quality, calm, and comfort, all while keeping the luxury experience remarkably attainable.

Specifications

As Tested

  • Engine: 2.4-liter I4 turbo
  • Horsepower: 275
  • 0-60 mph: 7.5 seconds
  • EPA: 20 City | 26 Highway | 23 Combined
  • Transmission: 8-speed automatic
  • Torque: 317 lb-ft
  • 1/4 Mile: 15.6 seconds at 92 mph
  • MW Fuel Economy: 25.3 mpg (Premium)