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Queen Elizabeth II was a longtime automotive enthusiast

Since driver's licenses, license plates, and passports were issued in her own name, Queen Elizabeth II didn't need them to drive and travel. She started combining the two just before she turned 19, joining the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) transport division in 1945 for vehicle mechanic training. She wanted to help the British effort during World War II and would drive an ambulance — one that, theoretically, she could also fix if it broke down. The war ended before she graduated as an Honorary Junior Commander, the other ATS members dubbing her Princess Auto Mechanic. We donÂ’t know if she got under the hoods of the many official state vehicles and the far more numerous unofficial fleet in the royal garages, but she was still driving herself around England as late as this year. Here is a tiny selection of royal conveyances used during her 70-year reign. Gold State Coach (1762) True, she never drove this one, but a tour of every royal garage should start with the coach. King George III commissioned Samuel Butler to build it in 1760. Butler spent two years on the gilded carriage 24 feet long and more than 12 feet high. The quarters are suspended from the frame by leather straps, so occupants get tossed about even during a slow stroll, which is as fast as the eight Windsor Gray horses can pull it. It wasnÂ’t until the 1900s that King George VI rubberized the wooden wheels. Word is the queen didnÂ’t like it.   1953 Land Rover Series 1 Land Rover gave Queen ElizabethÂ’s father, King George VI, the 100th example of the 80 Series off the line in 1948. She picked up the Landie habit for herself five years later, when a 1953 Series 1 with a custom 86-inch wheelbase was part of the fleet used for her six-month tour of the Commonwealth in 1953 and 1954. That Land Rover became Ceremonial Vehicle State IV. The models above were built in Australia in 1958 as near copies of the Commonwealth tour vehicle, when Australia decided it wanted six identical versions for royal service. ItÂ’s thought the royal family went through around 30 Land Rover Series cars and Defenders since then, and many of the most common photos of her have her posing in or near one, especially the 2002 Defender built just for her. The royal family isnÂ’t finished with them, either: A current Defender 110 served as a luggage hauler for family members headed to Balmoral Castle during the queenÂ’s final days.

Lister Stealth debuts as a reworked Jaguar F-Pace SVR with 195-mph top speed

The Lister Jaguar F-Pace is here, and according to Lister, it’s “BritainÂ’s fastest and most powerful SUV.” Top speed is 195 mph. Bentley might like a word about this claim, as it considers the Bentayga Speed to be the fastest SUV in the world. However, the Bentley only tops out at 190 mph. ThereÂ’s the question of whether or not the Lister should count, too. At its core, the Lister Stealth (this vehicleÂ’s proper name) is a heavily reworked Jaguar F-Pace SVR.  None of the above will really matter unless you find yourself on the autobahn or an airstrip. Practically speaking, the StealthÂ’s 0-60 mph time of 3.6 seconds will be far more useful. ThatÂ’s a half second quicker than the F-Pace SVRÂ’s 4.1-second 0-60 mph time. It comes courtesy of Lister upping power from the 5.0-liter supercharged V8 to 666 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque. Lister gets more power and better cooling via upgraded dual supercharger pulleys, a custom-built intercooler and a new high performance air filtration system. It then applies a custom tune to the powertrain software to make it as smooth and easy to drive as the regular F-Pace SVR. Cooling is enhanced further via a new carbon fiber front bumper that has two massive air intakes for added airflow. In addition to the bumper, Lister fits a new front splitter and larger rear diffuser for better aerodynamics. Larger side skirts and wider wheel arches enhance the stance of the vehicle, while 23-inch wheels make it stand out even more. A custom stainless steel exhaust pokes out through the carbon fiber diffuser, and uprated brakes hide behind those big wheels. Lister gives folks a ton of customization options for the interior. You can choose between 36 different color choices of the fancy Bridge of Weir Nappa leather. There are up to 90 different stitching options available, too.  We have a feeling there wonÂ’t be a single one exactly like another, because Lister is only building 100 Stealths. Pricing starts at GBP109,950 and goes up from there. At todayÂ’s exchange rates, itÂ’s equal to about $145,000. ThatÂ’s $63,250 more than a base F-Pace SVR. But hey, maybe that extra 19 mph on the top end is worth it to you. Related video: Featured Gallery Lister Stealth View 17 Photos Aftermarket Jaguar Crossover SUV Luxury Performance

Consumer Reports no longer recommends Honda Civic

Consumer Reports annual Car Reliability Survey is out, and yes, there are some big surprises. First and foremost? The venerable publication no longer recommends the Honda Civic. In fact, aside from the walking-dead CR-Z and limited-release Clarity fuel-cell car, the Civic is the only Honda to miss out on CR's prestigious nod. At the opposite end there's a surprise as well – Toyota and Lexus remain the most reliable brands on the market, but Buick cracked the top three. That's up from seventh last year, and the first time for an American brand to stand on the Consumer Reports podium. Mazda's entire lineup earned Recommended checks as well. Consumer Reports dinged the Civic for its "infuriating" touch-screen radio, lack of driver lumbar adjustability, the limited selection of cars on dealer lots fitted with Honda's popular Sensing system, and the company's decision to offer LaneWatch instead of a full-tilt blind-spot monitoring system. Its score? A lowly 58. The Civic isn't the only surprise drop from CR's Recommended ranks. The Audi A3, Ford F-150, Subaru WRX/STI, and Volkswagen Jetta, GTI, and Passat all lost the Consumer Reports' checkmark. On the flipside, a number of popular vehicles graduated to the Recommended ranks, including the BMW X5, Chevrolet Camaro, Corvette, and Cruze, Hyundai Santa Fe, Porsche Macan, and Tesla Model S. Perhaps the biggest surprise is the hilariously recall-prone Ford Escape getting a Recommended check – considering the popularity of Ford's small crossover, this is likely a coup for the brand, as it puts the Escape on a level playing field with the Recommended Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Nissan Rogue. While Ford is probably happy to see CR promote the Escape, the list wasn't as kind for every brand. For example, of the entire Fiat Chrysler Automobiles catalog, the ancient Chrysler 300 was the only car to score a check – there wasn't a single Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati, or Ram on the list. That hurts. FCA isn't alone at the low end, either. GMC, Jaguar Land Rover, Mini, and Mitsubishi don't have a vehicle on CR's list between them, while brands like Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Nissan, Lincoln, Infiniti, and Cadillac only have a few models each. You can check out Consumer Reports entire reliability roundup, even without a subscription, here.