Gilbert Auto Repair

The new LC coupe isn’t concerned with performance numbers, and you shouldn’t be either. Despite some flaws, the LC 500/500h provide a luxury experience nobody else currently does. I recently posted a video of the 2018 Lexus LC 500 circling Motor Trend’s figure-eight course during our routine testing. One of the comments referred to the roar of the LC 500 hurtling past the camera and laying into the throttle: “I don’t think anyone [who] saw the car in photos/print expected it to sound like that. Expectations: Exceeded!” But that’s not the point of the 2018 Lexus LC 500. Indeed, the quad-cam 5.0-liter V-8 (internally, the 2UR-GSE engine) churns 471 horsepower at a glorious 7,100 rpm and sounds glorious doing so through its multimode exhaust. It’s heartening to know th ... read more

Hennessey Performance Engineering had one goal when it announced the arrival of the Exorcist Camaro ZL1: Cast out the demon. The 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, that is. On paper, it sure looks like it has enough to answer the Dodge Demon’s call. HPE revealed the Exorcist Camaro ZL1 would make 1,000 horsepower at the crankshaft and 996 pound-feet of torque. Those big power numbers come from a multitude of improvements, but a big portion is thanks to a larger supercharger producing 14 psi of boost pressure. All of that means nothing if the power can’t be delivered to the wheels, and thankfully, it is in the Exorcist Camaro ZL1’s case. Video from HPE itself shows the Exorcist Camaro ZL1 strapped in for some dyno runs that reveal how much of the power makes its way to the ground. When the pulls are complete, it’s clear this Camaro is an unholy beast. The dyno shows 959 horsepower and a max torque output of 756 lb-ft, all to the rear wheels! In comparison, the Dod ... read more

Having previously experienced less-than-stellar results with the sadly misunderstood Pontiac GTO and later the Pontiac G8 sedan, two recent Australian-American V-8–powered products that failed to build much excitement at the cash register, GM knew to temper the plan with a dose of consumer reality. While GM initially had high production hopes for multiple times the initial capacity, its estimates were drastically revised once production began. Sales turned out to be consistent if not earth shattering: GM sold 2479 units in 2014, 2895 in 2015, and 3013 in 2016. Ultimately, it was the company’s decision to shutter Holden production altogether, not weak sales, that sealed the SS’s fate. Ordering for the SS concluded at the end of February, with Chevrolet dealers now selling off any remaining stock. Interestingly, Chevy sold 1529 SSs in the first ... read more