I am in the final self-reflection and spousal-counsel stage that precedes awesome life moves, which in this case means getting a Legend race car. I figure that when I'm on my deathbed, my final thought is unlikely to be "I wish I didn't get that cool Legend Car." Unless that is, I'm having that thought from the driver's seat of a Legend Car. Then maybe I'll wish I'd taken up golf instead. But there are risks there too. I mean, an alligator has never attacked a Legend driver during competition.
Legend Cars, compact spec racers that look like a nitromethane Shriner fever dream, have been around since 1992. In 2018, U.S. Legend Cars International introduced a rowdy new engine from the Yamaha FZ09. It's a fuel-injected 847-cc three-cylinder tuned to make 136 horsepower and rev to 12,000 rpm. That buzz bomb drives the locked rear end through a six-speed sequential transmission. The car weighs about 1100 pounds without the driver. If all of that sounds to you like a recipe for good times, I'd agree.
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Esta historia es de la edición October 2022 de Car and Driver.
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Fleeting Thoughts
Updates and hot takes on the vehicles fortunate enough to spend 40,000 miles with C/D's editors.
Swedish Bliss
The new Volvo EX90 channels the brand's characteristic approach to wellness and serenity into an electric SUV sized for the whole family.
Tick, Tick, Boom
Tesla Model 3 Performance HIGHS: Nauseatingly quick, airy cabin with great visibility, genuine value. LOWS: Off-putting user interface, inescapable clinical feeling, austere interior design.
Black Ops
The new Precision package for the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing hones one of our favorite sports sedans.
Pay to Play
Porsche Panamera HIGHS: Ample motivation, fun in every corner, surprising fuel economy. LOWS: Grip levels drop slightly, big price tag, dumb touchscreen vent controls. VERDICT: The bottom rung, but you'd never know it.
Man-o'-War
Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Manthey Racing HIGHS: A clinic on proper steering response, 9000 rpm of sonic glory, more grip is good. LOWS: A mirror full of wing, upgrades useful only on track, quiet only when it's off.
Low-Pro Hero
Honda Civic Hybrid HIGHS: Fuel efficiency of a hybrid, Si-beating acceleration, as comfortable to ride in as it is engaging to drive. LOWS: No adjustable lumbar support, low-limit tires, quicker at the track than in the real world.
Back in Tune
CarBahn CB3 M4 HIGHS: A monster inline-six with an available warranty, massive grip and lateral stability, a better-looking face. LOWS: The exhaust needs an off switch, suspension links clatter, steering is still mute.
Hurricane Force
Ram 1500 HIGHS: Quicker than the old V-8 Ram, powerful and smooth turbo six, class-leading luxury. LOWS: Detectable turbo lag, slow-to-react touchscreen, hands-free mode zaps confidence.
Good Vibrations
No one has to guess what's under the hood of the Ferrari 12Cilindri.