We drove the 2018 Audi SQ5; the electric Nio EP9 set a blistering Nürburgring lap time; and a Koenigsegg Agera RS crashed before making it to the customer. It's the Week in Reverse, right here at Motor Authority.
The Audi Q5 is just barely hitting dealers and the 354-horsepower 2018 SQ5 is just about ready as well. We drove it on Vancouver Island and found it to be a great balance of practicality and sportiness, but not too much of either.
An American customer commissioned a new Koenigsegg Agera RS, but it crashed during shakedown testing in Sweden. While that means the patient customer will have to wait longer for his ultra exotic hypercar, it appears that the car he gets will be even better than the one he ordered.
The Nio EP9 is limited-run electric super car that put up a low 7-minute run at the Nürburgring last fall. The Nio team returned to The Green Hell in May and ran a ridiculously quick 6:45.9 time, which is even faster than the 6:52.01 production car record set by the Lamborghini Huracan Performante. Only 16 EP9s will be built, so it is not considered a production car.
We also slid behind the wheel of the new 2018 Acura TLX A-Spec. The A-Spec is a flashier version of the revised TLX, but it doesn't add any go-fast parts or get any more power. Still, it's a well balanced and well rounded alternative to its German and Japanese rivals.
Shelby American has shown a concept for a wide-body version of the sixth-generation Mustang. Called the Shelby Super Snake Wide Body, the car not only gets a wider stance, but also upgraded suspension, massive brakes, wide 20-inch wheels, and a supercharged version of the Mustang's 5.0-liter V-8. This concept looks ready for production, and we certainly hope it comes to fruition.
