Still Insane But Better

A Lamborghini used to have three driving modes to chose from. Strada, for the street; Sport, for when you want to have fun on the street; and Corsa for track driving. The new Lamborghini Aventador S adds another mode: Ego. Yes, it's really called that. It's an almost hilariously appropriate mode for a Lamborghini, the sort of car that caters to those who crave attention. In reality, Ego mode just means you can individually set the transmission, steering and suspension behavior to suit your individual tastes. Maybe you want a softer ride but tighter steering. Aside from that, the new Aventador S is much more than just another way to get people to look at you with that special Lamborghini-inspired mixture of envy and disdain. 420,000, has a number of improvements over the "regular," Lamborghini Aventador that it's replacing. Four-wheel-steering allows the car to feel smaller and even more agile. When driving slowly, as the front wheels turn toward one side, the back wheels will turn slightly toward the other, creating a teeny tiny turning circle.

At higher speeds, the front and back wheels will turn together for silky smooth lane changes. There is also an improved, variable four-wheel-drive system. It allows more power to go to the back wheels in the sport and track modes than in the normal street-driving mode. That lets a skilled driver deliberately slide the back end of the car around. It also gives the driver a better feel for the road, and what the car is doing on it, through the steering wheel. Another big improvement is to the transmission. It's still the single-clutch automatic transmission, as before. Mechanically, it works very much like a manual transmission except that it can shift gears on its own. Engineers have made some changes to the transmission's mechanical bits as well as to the software programming that runs it. The transmission had been a deal-killer issue for me in the old version. It worked great when you wanted to drive like you'd sworn not be taken alive.

When driven in a more sane fashion, it heaved and bucked with slow and awkwardly timed gearshifts. The retuned version in the Aventador retains the Lamborghini's aggressive character. In Strada, or street, mode getting going requires a forceful stab at the gas pedal which, after a pause, elicits a lurch forward. From then on, it's fairly smooth going. Even so, on public roads, I never kept this car in Strada mode for long. Sport mode uses more gas, but it's where this car feels most natural. And where its V12 engine sounds the best, belting out great, ripping internal combustion arias. With a zero-to-60 acceleration under three seconds, it is of course blisteringly quick and it feels nice going through a curve, too. It's still a beast but it now has a tamer side. It's a careful balancing act. Lamborghini, part of the Volkswagen Group (VLKPF), is working to make the brand somewhat more accessible with its upcoming Urus crossover SUV.

The revisions to Audi鈥檚 TT coupe are simple but effective. It鈥檚 been an icon for the brand since it arrived in 1998, and changed perceptions of the firm with its tech and driving dynamics. The third-generation model was the most advanced yet, and with this mid-life update Audi has tweaked the TT in key areas. And since the TT was launched, a new competitor has joined the fray; the Alpine A110 in Pure trim is a back-to-basics model that puts driving fun at the forefront of the experience. But as you鈥檒l see, its price is closely matched to the Audi鈥檚, so which is the better sporting coupe for keen drivers? There is a third alternative, too. Now that the 718 Cayman is the entry point to Porsche鈥檚 sports car line-up, you can pick up a manual version for similar money. While it might not be quite as fast with this gearbox, it promises to involve you even more. The Audi TTS was always an impressive all-weather, affordable performance coupe, and this mid-life update won鈥檛 have changed things.