Yahoo Autos The 10 Best Components of 2023
From the January 2024 issue of Car and Driver.
The perfect vehicle doesn't exist, a single car that's the best in every way. Instead, after reflecting on the hundreds of vehicles we've driven, tested, hot lapped, and compared over the past year, we've assembled a list of components that make the great ones truly great, things like the best engine, steering, or seats. Here's our list of 10 favorite subsystems for 2023.
Engines: Ferrari F140 V-12, Corvette Z06 LT6 V-8, Ford High Output Power Stroke diesel V-8
We’re going to say yes to naturally aspirated, 8000-plus-rpm screamers as long as we can. But if you need to tow more than just yourself (up to 40,000 pounds), go with Ford's beefy Power Stroke diesel with 1200 pound-feet of torque.
Charging: Hyundai Motor Group’s E-GMP 800-volt architecture
There are plenty of more expensive EVs, but the 800-volt platform that underpins the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and 6, the Kia EV6, and the Genesis GV60 beats everything when it comes to DC fast-charging speeds.
Steering: McLaren
Supercar maker McLaren sticks with electrohydraulic power steering to maximize feedback and feel. Then again, the best electrically assisted racks, such as those in the Porsche 911 GT3 RS and Cayman GT4 RS or the Subaru BRZ/Toyota GR86, are getting pretty darn close.
Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 and 2 R
The proof is in the results: Cars wearing the highest-end Michelin rubber, either Pilot Sport Cup 2s or the latest Cup 2 Rs, litter the top of our all-time Lightning Lap leaderboard.
Dampers: Multimatic
Whether they’re under the Ford GT supercar, Chevy’s ZR2 pickups, or the Ferrari Purosangue SUV, Multimatic’s spool-valve dampers are the best in the business, be they the passive DSSV, the adaptive ASV, or the fully active TASV units.
Seats: Honda Civic Type R, Volvo 60-/90-series
For trackworthy support without instant fatigue on the street, the Civic Type R’s buckets strike the best balance. But for pure comfort, the firm and perfectly sculpted chairs from Volvo’s 60- or 90-series vehicles will cause your cheeks to rejoice.
Electric Motor: Lucid
The EV startup’s clever and compact design for its integrated motor/inverter/reduction gear is incredibly power dense at about 160 pounds. In the Air Sapphire, three of them combine for a battery-limited—limited!—1234 horsepower.
Infotainment: Anything with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto
We’re perfectly happy to carry around our infotainment in our pocket. Just give us a touchscreen and phone mirroring to control it in the car.
Transmissions: ZF (almost all of them)
ZF manufactures our favorite six-speed manual, the one exclusive to Porsche's GT cars, as well as the best automatics (dual-clutch or conventional), which have incredible bandwidth between luxury-car smoothness and shockingly aggressive shifting. The supplier's nine-speed transaxle is a rare miss.
Interior Materials: Rolls-Royce
There are no piles deeper nor hides richer than those in a Roller’s breathtaking interior.
You Might Also Like
