ON THE CHEROHALA SKYWAY, sometimes the corners go on for so long, it feels like you're driving up the side of a spiral ham. There are no gas stations, no convenience stores, and no apparent reasons for this 43-mile ribbon of pavement to exist. It connects Tellico Plains, Tennessee, with Robbinsville, North Carolina, two places that their own residents might admit never needed connecting. They weren't until 1996, when the skyway was completed after 34 years of construction that cost about $100 million.
The whole thing actually started with a joke in the late '50s, when a Kiwanis Club organized a wagon train across the mountains. But you know how jokes get out of hand-someone makes an offhand comment, and next thing you know, you're kicking off a three-decade construction project. Or perhaps someone at Hyundai says, "We should make a 286-hp Kona that terrorizes Volkswagen GTIS," and before they can say, "Just kidding," the factory is tooling up for the Kona N, which hits 60 mph in 4.8 seconds, pulls 0.95 g on the skidpad, and has an exhaust that sounds like a stand-up Jet Ski powered by illegal fireworks. It's just the thing for a road that looks like the best sections of Virginia International Raceway on shuffle. For 43 miles.
The Cherohala's remoteness means most of us will face a healthy drive to get there. But it offers a drive that's worth the drive, and the Kona N can rein in its wildness and play the part of reasonable transportation when you just need to get somewhere. Cork up the active exhaust, set the adjustable dampers to their softest setting, tell the transmission and differential to relax, and click off the miles. Then, when you get to where you're going, undo all of that and let the N show its true self.
Denne historien er fra July - August 2022-utgaven av Car and Driver.
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Denne historien er fra July - August 2022-utgaven av Car and Driver.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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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.