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Living Life Large: Driving $2 million worth of cars in one week

Monterey Car Week has quickly become one of my favorite events of the year. There's something for everyone – classic car shows, modern concepts and new vehicle debuts, auctions, racing, and so much more. From a media perspective, there's also a chance to drive a ton of cars. Many automakers bring their latest wares out to Monterey for us to test during our limited free time, and it's a great opportunity to experience fantastic metal against a gorgeous backdrop. That's exactly what I did this year. Instead of flying into Monterey and being driven around, my journey started in Los Angeles and ended in Napa, and I managed to get behind the wheel of some $2 million worth of new cars. Some were old favorites, and many were new experiences. But looking back, this was one of the best weeks of driving I've had in years. Rather than try to come up with some common arc to tie these cars together, here are my notes on all the cars I tested in California earlier this month, presented in the order in which they were driven. 2016 Mazda CX-3 The CX-3 pictured here isn't the exact one I drove in California, but it's close. The only difference was color – my delivered-to-LAX tester wore Mazda's awesome new Ceramic hue (pictured below on the MX-5 Miata). I used the CX-3 to slum through crummy Los Angeles traffic for two hours on the way out to Santa Barbara, with a quick stop at In-N-Out Burger on the way for good measure. A lot nicer inside than I remember. Everyone praises Mazda for its excellence in engineering and design, but there's a lot to be said for the improvements in overall interior refinement. Quiet, comfortable, and well-equipped; the CX-3 made sitting on the 405 freeway a lot more pleasant. Not all that functional. I had a hard time fitting a week's worth of luggage for two people inside. The cargo area and rear passenger compartment were filled, with only enough room on top to see out the back window. A Honda HR-V would've swallowed all that luggage with plenty of room for more. So good to drive. Not surprising, since this wasn't my first time in the CX-3. I knew this CUV would be good on twisty roads, but on the highway it's really exceptional. Road and wind noise are minimal and the overall ride quality is a comfortable sort of sporty. This is definitely something I could drive every day – it's enjoyable during commuting and entertaining on more interesting roads.

Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Squadra Corse isn't mellow, comes in yellow

Normally, this is the part where we remind you that the Lamborghini Gallardo is about to be replaced, and that this LP570-4 Squadra Corse is the swan song for the model range. That first part may be true, but at this point, we'd be shocked if yet another special edition Gallardo didn't debut before the car's successor is unveiled. Gotta make that money, honey.
But back to the Squadra Corse. This latest Lambo shares the majority of its components with the Gallardo Super Trofeo, which itself is based on the Superleggera, meaning that car's 570-horsepower V10 carries over, as does the carbon fiber rear wing and removable engine hood. Massive weight-saving methods have been employed here with the Squadra Corse, and thus, the big coupe tips the scales at just 2,954 pounds - that's less than a Volkswagen Golf.
Of course, with that little weight and that much power, performance is pretty staggering. Hitting 60 miles per hour takes 3.4 seconds and the car will rocket to 124 mph in 10.4 clicks. Top speed: 199 mph. Just couldn't muster up that additional mph, we guess.

Lamborghini Urus Evo spied playing in the snow

The Lamborghini Urus appears to be due for a well-deserved mid-cycle refresh. If we use Lamborghini’s most recent naming conventions, itÂ’s likely that the Urus will gain the name “Urus Evo” with the update. These spy shots give us a relatively clear picture of what we should expect from the updated Urus from a design perspective. The changes are mild at best, as Lamborghini is keeping whatÂ’s worked so well for the past few years. In case you missed it, the Urus is far and away LamborghiniÂ’s best-selling model now, and itÂ’s to thank for the Italian companyÂ’s record-setting 2021 sales figures. WeÂ’ll note that this winter weather Urus tester is wearing a slightly massaged front bumper with added vents. The adding of vents continues on the revised hood design that features a pair of vents unseen previously. Other notable updates come toward the rear of the Urus. We spy a new rear bumper design that takes a different approach on the integration of the rear fender vents. Those vents near the wheel arch are now far bigger and more noticeable than they are in the current Urus. And thatÂ’s about it for what we can see on the exterior of this Urus. We bet that the most important updates will come in the form of an interior updated with newer tech. Plus, thereÂ’s the chance that we get more power out of a Urus Evo. We donÂ’t suspect itÂ’ll be a massive gain in output, but any movement in the positive direction will be welcome. A massively more powerful Urus with a hybrid powertrain that borrows from PorscheÂ’s PHEV tech should follow at a later date. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Lamborghini Urus Inside and Out