VicariousSpring 2024的目錄

TO UNDERSTAND WHERE HYUNDAI is at today (not to mention its Genesis and Kia cousins) requires – well, maybe not requires, but it sure helps – an understanding of the country it calls home: South Korea. More specifically, an understanding of two cities that define the country: Ulsan and of course the capital of Seoul, home to 10 million residents, or about half of the country’s population. Put simply, Hyundai is everywhere, here. There are the cars, of course, some of which you know well: the Sonata sedan and Santa Fe SUV, for example. Or the Genesis G80 and G90 sedans, which happen to be the highest-selling vehicles in the country. It all combines – along with Kia -- to make up 80 per cent of vehicle sales in South Korea.…

VICARIOUS has partnered with The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto to bring you some of their favourite recipes with each issue. Try these for yourself and enjoy the pleasure of fine dining in the cozy confines of your own home or home on the road. ABOUT SPA MYBLEND AT THE RITZ-CARLTON, TORONTO Indulge in the epitome of luxury and rejuvenation at Spa myBlend, North America’s exclusive spa haven nestled on the 5th floor of The Ritz-Carlton. Spanning 23,000 sq. ft., Spa myBlend is a luminous retreat offering 16 treatment rooms, including two exclusive Cloud 9 Executive Couples’ Suites and 14 Tranquil Treatment Rooms. Discover serenity in our Co-Ed Urban Sanctuary, adorned with floor-to-ceiling windows that bathe the space in natural light. For ultimate relaxation, immerse yourself in our Private Ladies’ and Gentlemen’s Wet…

THE “ULTIMATE DRIVING MACHINE” is a moniker that BMW has owned for the past four decades. Some may doubt that slogan holds up to as much scrutiny as in the past, but that would be a shortsighted response to the fact the world of automobiles has changed dramatically from when that slogan was first published in print and projected itself on TV screens across North America. As a young man at the time, my heart skipped a beat. This was the car brand that instantly rose to the top, quickly becoming the benchmark by which all other sports cars were judged. The 2024 BMW M8 Competition Coupé is proof the Munich-based automaker is still intent on delivering a driving experience that is sure to put a smile on any driver’s face…

AMONG THE MOST IMPRESSIVE vehicles on display at this year’s Canadian International Auto Show were NOT trucks, nor electrics. They were a pair of Cadillac sedans, which appear to border on spectacular. I had the opportunity to interview Alex MacDonald, Cadillac’s Global Chief Engineer for its compact sports sedans, CT4 and CT5. I have had on-track and on-road experience with some of these cars’ antecedents. They were amazing. These new ones can’t help but be even better. The latest addition to this lineup is the CT5-V Blackwing which had its “global auto show debut” at Toronto. We’ll focus on that car here because it has 668 horsepower and 659 pound-feet of torque from its 6.2 litre supercharged V8 engine. The term “Power Brokers” may never have been more appropriate. It…

THOSE WITH A FINGER ON motorcycling’s pulse know that the middleweight ADV segment is pumping, and more manufacturers are syncing to the market’s beat. That means potent competition, hence why Triumph is revisiting its feature-rich Tiger 900 platform four short years after its debut. Catering to riders across the ADV spectrum, the three-bike lineup returns with a 13 per cent increase in power from its spicy T-Plane inline-triple, a new TFT dash borrowed from the Tiger 1200 range, and tweaked electronics. Annually refreshing a range isn’t uncommon in the two and four-wheeled spaces, but where does one go when your Tigers are leaders in the pack? Looking past the technical updates, the Brits have also honed the Tiger 900 family to its most salient offerings. The GT and GT Pro…

2024 MARKS SIXTY YEARS since the “Night of the Long Knives”, one of the final stages of the famous Monte Carlo rally where Patrick “Paddy” Hopkirk’s Mini Cooper S defied the odds against its larger and more powerful competition. The Col de Turini, the famous mountain pass in the French Maritime Alps packs 34 hairpins in just 24 km. Snow and ice make the roads more challenging but the conditions favour the diminutive front-wheel drive Mini. Paddy ends up finishing just 17 seconds behind Bo Ljungfeldt driving a much more powerful Ford Falcon, but he was declared overall winner with the lead in the rankings. 277 cars entered the rally that year but the Mini prevailed. It was a real underdog story and a big win for Britain. The Beatles…

“The Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades.”– Timbuk3 AS I SIT DOWN TO WRITE this letter it is currently sunny and fifteen-degrees Celsius. A gorgeous day by any standard. Birds are gathered around the feeders, making a cacophony of noise and commotion that has my cat peering, flat-eared, through an open window. Did I mention that it’s February 9th? And that home is very much in Ontario? I’m sure I’m not the only one from this neck of the woods that was both enthused and confused by that state of affairs – you don’t need to be a meteorologist to sense that something ain’t right. NASA had already reported that July 2023 was the hottest month ever recorded. Scarier still, January 2024 marked the eighth consecutive “hottest” month on…

IMAGINE GAZING OUT at the vast expanse of the ocean, with breathtaking views that stretch as far as the eye can see. Picture yourself lounging by an infinity pool, sipping on a delicious cocktail after a hot day out exploring the open road. Welcome to Panama, a hidden gem that beckons travellers, automobile enthusiasts, and motorcycle lovers with its irresistible charm and diverse offerings of adventure and relaxation. Whether you choose a resort in the cosmopolitan capital Panama City, or a beachfront oasis on the Pacific or Caribbean coast, you'll be treated to unforgettable views that will leave you in awe. Venture along, either in your own vehicle or on an organized tour and get your camera ready for picturesque vistas and architectural delights. From city skyscrapers to UNESCO World Heritage…

TO ANYONE WHO APPRECIATES the finer points of taking corners at speed on a race track, the word ‘Corkscrew’ means only one thing; turns 7, 8 and 8a at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. It’s iconic. Get it right and you will be smiling for a least the next 1:25.44 seconds as your work your way back for another go around should you happen to be driving a Czinger 21C Hypercar, the current record holder. Of course, there is an equally compelling use of the word corkscrew that evokes a sense of surprise and delight as you anticipate the simple joy found in a fine glass of wine or spirits. While it may be a different pleasure than deftly making it through the famous set of turns located just east of…

“VISIT ICELAND IN JULY,” they said. “It’ll be great weather with stunning vistas,” they said. Little did we know Iceland had other plans for us in 2019 when my husband Andy and I visited the land of fire and ice in July for the first time. We spent nine cold and miserable days tent camping, living out of a 2019 Suzuki Jimny 4x4 (the new body style), the forbidden fruit of North America. We slept in our Gore-Tex and huddled in our MSR tent as the midnight sun kept us awake. Driving rain pelted our shelter like there was no tomorrow. Our rain-soaked stupor became the norm as we trudged through fog—to catch a glimpse of—anything. However, our second time visiting Iceland in early August 2023 was very different. This…

WHEN ENGINEERING A modern high-performance vehicle, it’s important to keep a certain role model in mind—the go-kart. By go-kart, I don’t mean the dog-slow, beat-up rental karts at your local amusement park. No, I mean the racing karts with the power-to-weight ratio of the average Formula One car. These things have acres of grip, near-telepathic handling and, of course, blistering straightline acceleration. The further away a high-performance vehicle is from a racing kart, the more you risk alienating the hardcore track enthusiasts out there. The engineering team at Jaguar Land Rover understands this all too well. Like their colleagues working at other luxury manufacturers, they have to contend with producing new vehicles that are stronger, safer, quieter, more spacious, more efficient and more capable than the immediate predecessors. Case in…

FOLLOWING SOME RECENT business in Los Angeles, I’d planned to finally check off a bucket list item and drive California’s Route 1 between San Francisco and La-La land. I’d earmarked a few days, arranged to borrow a car and set out. As it happened, things didn’t unfold exactly as hoped which may have been partly due to my woefully little effort put into planning the route, the accommodations, or most of the things to see and do along the way. Such is the arrogance of a well-seasoned traveller. On the trip’s inaugural morning, my body gave up its fight against a virus that preyed on the previous days of airline travel, poor dietary choices and minimal sleep. Many folks believe the Bubonic Plague is largely extinct, but my aching everything…

Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod Peak Design spent four years redesigning their tripod, and it packs down to 39.1 by 7.9 cm, the diameter of a water bottle. Peak Design’s Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod weighs only 1.29 kg but holds nearly nine times its own weight (up to 9.1 kg). Once expanded, its maximum center-mounted post height is 152.4 cm and most compact mode compresses to 14 cm in height. Though the tripod holds a variety of camera equipment, it’s optimized for full-frame DSLR cameras and telephoto combos like my Canon 5D Mark IV body and EF 70-200mm 1:2.8 L IS II USM lens. During testing, I used a variety of lenses with it without issue. In case of uneven ground, the Peak Design Travel Tripod features an integrated load-hanging hook…

ROADSIDE CHIC is all about finding those hidden gems, the places that provide a perfect balance of comfort, luxury, exceptional service and the opportunity to do as much or as little as you want. As thoughts of winter recede in the rearview mirror and spring is in the air, here are two of our favourite places to stay in Canada and the United States at any time of year. Mayfair House Hotel & Garden Miami, Florida is on everyone’s list of must see destinations if you are at all serious about travel. It offers something for everyone. From spectacular beaches to boulevard cruising, extraordinary dining, night clubs, the NBA, NFL and, of course, the latest addition to the ocean scene, Formula One racing in a venue unlike anything on the…

TRUE CONFESSION TIME: This driver has a soft spot for most vehicles bearing the legendary trident and for the Maserati GranTurismo in particular. While picking style over substance is never a safe bet when it comes to high-performance vehicles, the GranTurismo has been an absolutely stunning grand touring coupe from the very beginning. The very beginning began way back in 2007 with the release of the first-generation model. That model was in production from that point until 2019 and it didn’t change much over that period. The reason, probably? It didn’t need to change much. The original design, penned by Jason Castriota when he was with Pininfarina, is/was both timeless and beautiful, the very definition of a collectible GT. To bring more than a measure of substance into the discussion,…

THE SHARP AUTUMN AIR in Manali serves as a reminder that winter is only a couple of calendar pages away. Soon, the lush valley will have a hearty snow dusting, and this quaint resort town in India’s northernmost Himachal Pradesh state will begin a chilly transformation. By the time my bags hit the ground, the sun hung low, and the Himalayan Mountains soaking up the horizon were bathed in warm, pastel hues. Adventure brings many people here. For us, it’s in the form of the all-new 2024 Royal Enfield Himalayan. Certain places transcend borders and national identity, existing unto themselves. The Himalayan Mountain range is undoubtedly such an esteemed locale, with its reach extending across the dividing lines of five sovereign nations, providing a home to nine out of ten…

WHEN YOU FIRST GLANCE at the newest version of Lexus’ mid-size body-on-frame SUV, it’s hard to believe it’s related to the brand in any way. Past the famed “L” badge and hourglass grille, there is very little here to remind you of Toyota’s luxury brand. The squared-off fenders, blocky bumpers, tall greenhouse – even the LED headlights are a new frontier for Lexus. Which is fine because put simply, it looks spectacular. You could make the argument that it borrows some cues from the Ford Bronco or Land Rover Defender – mainly in terms of its profile – but there’s enough here that it needn’t be accused of simply following a current market trend. That’s especially the case when you consider the Overtrail model, a trim that’s slated to be…

"It was a natural fit for me to drive one of company’s latest iterations for the challenging off-road event: a rugged bone-stock 2024 Honda Pilot TrailSport." AS SOMEONE WHO SAYS YES to challenges more often than not, I find myself in interesting and unique situations on a fairly regular basis. Last fall, I was approached by Honda to be their first journalist driver on record to compete in the 2023 Rebelle Rally, an off-road competition that pits teams of two women against harsh desert conditions to find their way to the finish line eight days and 2,400 km (1,500 miles) later using topographic maps, a compass, and their sense of direction. Teams consist of a driver and navigator. Collectively, they must find hidden checkpoints scattered throughout the Nevada and California…

If you are reading this, you understand the concept of “the one that got away”—probably many times over. My top losses to date: an ’86 BMW 635 CSi in red (its front-heavy weight balance made fishtailing in the Northeast’s snow and ice a dangerous sport, but otherwise as handsome as they come). A 1967 Jaguar E-Type coupe that I bought from the original owner 30 years later, who deleted the side mirrors and radio for purity when he ordered it in 1966. And my most recent lost love: a 2014 Mercedes AMG E63 S-Model wagon, which I recently sold on Doug Demuro’s excellent, newish auction site, Cars & Bids. I will never own a more majestic, powerful, and useful car than the wagon. Ever. My silver sled was stealth personified—any…