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Editors' Picks September 2021 | Genesis GV70, Grand Cherokee L and more

This month of Editors' Picks saw us award the honor to a few top-notch crossovers and SUVs, plus one luxury sportback. Manufacturers keep rolling out excellent new crossovers, and the Genesis GV70 and Jeep Grand Cherokee L are great examples. Plus, living the good life with our long-term Hyundai Palisade has been evidence enough that it's worthy of an editors' pick. Read on below for the full breakdown and see what made the cut for September. In case you missed our previous Editors' Picks posts, here’s a quick refresher on whatÂ’s going on here. We rate all the new cars we drive with a 1-10 score. Cars that are exemplary in their respective segments get EditorsÂ’ Pick status. Those are the ones weÂ’d recommend to our friends, family and anybody whoÂ’s curious and asks the question. The list that youÂ’ll find below consists of every car we rated in August that earned an EditorsÂ’ Pick. 2022 Genesis GV70 2022 Genesis GV70 at Mt St Helens View 37 Photos Quick take: Genesis' first shot at a compact luxury crossover is a strong one that moves the segment forward and makes for an excellent alternative to one of the many other established options. Score: 8 What it competes with: BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class, Audi Q5, Lexus NX, Acura RDX, Volvo XC60, Lincoln Corsair, Infiniti QX50, Porsche Macan Pros: Gorgeous looks inside and out, forward-looking tech, good ride and handling balance Cons: Nothing budget about it, no true performance option From the editors Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore — "Blending style and power, the GV70 shows Genesis is serious about delivering a strong execution in a critical segment. Props to Genesis for its risk-taking design, which has remade its lineup with confidence. The GV70 is just the latest in a series of wins for Genesis." In-depth analysis: 2022 Genesis GV70 First Drive Review | The real deal   2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L View 35 Photos Quick take: The 2022 Grand Cherokee L is inarguably immense, swank, and much better on-road than the previous SUV. It even keeps up the Jeep tradition of being great off-road while still carrying tons of passengers and gear.

Fastest and most powerful SUVs in America for 2022

Here in the United States, we enjoy power almost as much as we like our SUVs. Thankfully, we’ve got plenty of both. Traditionally, the most powerful SUVs source their massive horsepower and torque from some form of a V8. While thatÂ’s still generally the case, electrification comes into play more and more, whether itÂ’s mild-hybrid tech, a plug-in hybrid powertrain or, as is the case with the two vehicles topping this list, fully electric vehicles. As we enter the 2022 model year, letÂ’s look at the most powerful SUVs available.  Before we dive in, letÂ’s address the elephant that is waiting just outside the door. Due to supply shortages, Mercedes-Benz is shelving most V8 models for the 2022 model year. Some 2021 models can still be found in dealer inventories, but we wonÂ’t include them. With that in mind, letÂ’s dive into the list. 2022 Audi RS Q8 — 591 hp / 190 mph Read our review of the Audi RS Q8 The only Audi on this list is a hot little number, which we characterized as “an uncompromising option in a field of compromised options.” Powered by a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 (which seems to be a popular format in this list), its 591 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque get it scootinÂ’ to 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds, and on to a top speed of 190 mph. It even has the bragging rights of holding the Nurburgring lap record for an SUV.   2022 Rolls-Royce Cullinan Black Badge — 592 hp / 155 mph (limited) Read our review of the Rolls-Royce Cullinan This is one SUV where being a passenger might be more exciting than sitting in the driverÂ’s seat, thanks to over-the-top luxury — what do you expect from a car that costs over $350,000? The driver doesnÂ’t go unrewarded, though, with a turbocharged 6.75-liter V12 at their disposal. Thanks to the Black BadgeÂ’s software upgrade, it makes 592 hp and 664 lb-ft of torque to help get to its electronically limited top speed of 155 mph that much quicker.    2022 BMW Alpina XB7 — 612 hp / 180 mph Read our review of the BMW Alpina XB7 Alpina takes already impressive BMW vehicles and turns them into even more powerful, more luxurious machines. The Alpina XB7 improves upon the BMW X7 with a biturbocharged 4.4-liter V8 offering up 612 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. ThatÂ’s good for a 4.0-second 0-60 sprint and a 180-mph top speed. Alpina also adds its own transmission and drivetrain tuning, upgraded suspension, exhaust and a whole slew of unique appearance touches.

Audi CEO's Dieselgate arrest threatens fragile truce among VW stakeholders

FRANKFURT — The arrest and detention of Audi's chief executive forces Volkswagen Group's competing stakeholders to renegotiate the delicate balance of power that has helped keep Audi CEO Rupert Stadler in office. Volkswagen's directors are discussing how to run Audi, its most profitable division, following the arrest of the brand's long-time boss on Monday as part of Germany's investigations into the carmaker's emissions cheating scandal. The supervisory board of Audi, meanwhile, has suspended Stadler and appointed Dutchman Bram Schot as an interim replacement, a source familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. Schot joined the Volkswagen Group in 2011 after having worked as president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Italia. He has been Audi's board member for sales and marketing since last September. The discussions risk reigniting tensions among VW's controlling Piech and Porsche families, its powerful labor representatives and its home region of Lower Saxony. VW has insisted the development of illegal software, also known as "defeat devices," installed in millions of cars was the work of low-level employees, and that no management board members were involved. U.S. prosecutors have challenged this by indicting VW's former chief executive Martin Winterkorn. Stadler's arrest raises further questions. Audi and VW said on Monday that Stadler was presumed innocent unless proved otherwise. Munich prosecutors detained Stadler to prevent him from obstructing a probe into Audi's emissions cheating, they said on Monday. Stadler is being investigated for suspected fraud and false advertising. Here are the main factors deciding the fate of Audi. Background: Audi's role in Dieselgate Volkswagen Group was plunged into crisis in 2015 after U.S. regulators found Europe's biggest carmaker had equipped cars with software to cheat emissions tests on diesel engines. The technique of using software to detect a pollution test procedure, and to increase the effectiveness of emissions filters to mask pollution levels only during tests, was first developed at Audi. "In designing the defeat device, VW engineers borrowed the original concept of the dual-mode, emissions cycle-beating software from Audi," VW said in its plea agreement with U.S. authorities in January 2017, in which the company agreed to pay a $4.3 billion fine to reach a settlement with U.S. regulators.