TORONTO: Cars push the limits on the racetrack, but how a car accelerates, handles and, yes, even sounds matters on the street too.
Beyond the supercars and hypercars that are quite simply out of reach for the average car enthusiast, the showroom floors at the 50th anniversary Canadian International AutoShow showcased several cars that revved it up at a more reasonable price tag.
Many of the AutoShow’s prestigious automobile manufacturer partners brought a solid lineup of performance sports cars to the 2023 AutoShow, a blend of muscle, sleek design and straight up power to tear up the streets.
• Toyota GR86 — Channeling the spirit of the famed Toyota AE86, the GR86 is an authentic 2+2 rear-wheel drive sports car with a 2.4L Flat-4 with D-4S engine driving 228 horsepower.
• Toyota GR Supra — The 2023 Supra is more dynamic than ever, with elevated levels of ride and handling, with a choice between a 2.0L (automatic only) or 3.0L powerplant and newly available six-speed intelligent manual transmission.
• Toyota GR Corolla — Engineered by the Toyota racing team and track tested, GR Corolla is powered by a revolutionary three-cylinder turbo engine, boasts the innovative GR-FOUR front-to-rear adjustable all-wheel drive system and features a driver’s cockpit that truly puts the driver in command and control.
• Cadillac V-Series Blackwing — The CT4-V and CT5-V Blackwing bring exhilarating power to a sedan. The CT4-V has a 3.6L Twin Turbocharged V6 delivering 472 horsepower, reaching 96 km/h in 3.9 seconds and a top track speed of 304 km/h. The CT5-V boasts a hand-built 6.2L turbocharged V8 with 668 horsepower. It hits 96 km/h in 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 321 km/h on a racetrack.
• Chevrolet Camaro — The convertible 3LT is available with a 3.6L V6 that puts out 335 horsepower and will reach 96 kilometres in 5.2 seconds. The ZL1 1LE has a supercharged 6.2L V8 engine under the hood, with 650 horsepower.
• Chevrolet Corvette — A mid-engine masterpiece, the 6.2L LT2 V8 makes this the most powerful Corvette Stingray in the brand’s 70-year history. With 495 horsepower, it does the quarter mile in just 11.2 seconds. The Corvette Z06 places a hand-built LT6 5.5L V8 racing engine in the car, purpose built to dominate the track.
• Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio — Billed as the ultimate sports sedan, it has graceful lines and best-in-class 505 horsepower, 443 pounds of torque and top track speed of 307 km/h.
• Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat — With the soul of a classic American muscle car, the Hellcat is spacious and furiously fast, powered by a supercharged 6.2L HEMI that offers up to 797 horsepower. With an extra wide body, it is as intimidating as it is iconic.
• Hyundai Elantra N — Winner of the Automotive Journalists Association of Canada Best Sports Performance Car in Canada for 2023, the Elantra N is a high-performance sedan with a racing heritage. It’s driven by a 2.0L turbocharged flat power GDI engine pushing 276 horsepower with a standard six-speed manual transmission with rev matching.
• Hyundai Kona N — Inspired by motorsport, the Kona N is designed to hug curves and exceed expectations. It is powered by a 2.0L turbocharged flat-power GDI engine that produces 276 horsepower.
• Kia Stinger — Where performance and style meet, the Stinger delivers an elevated driving experience with a 3.3L twin turbocharged V6 engine and all-wheel drive.
• Kia EV6 GT — A performance electric vehicle, the EV6 GT is Kia’s most powerful production car ever, generating 576 horsepower and rocketing to 100 km/h in 3.5 seconds with a top speed of 260 km/h.
• Nissan Z — The 400-horsepower twin turbo V6 is the most powerful engine Nissan has ever put in a Z. The 2023 Z also introduces launch control, eliminating wheel spin and hop and modulating power to fast, consistent acceleration.
• Subaru BRZ — An iconic sportscar design — muscular, purposeful and aerodynamic — engineered for driving fun — low centre of gravity, near perfect weight distribution and a driver-focused cabin that is infused with technology.
• Subaru WRX — The “uncommon everyday sportscar,” the WRX has a twin-scroll turbocharged direct-injection 2.0L Subaru Boxer engine that pushes 271 horsepower.
• Lexus LC — A naturally aspirated 5.0L V8 pushes 471 horsepower in a car touted as the perfect cross between luxury and sports.
• Lexus RC F — The “F” team at Lexus is dedicated to ultra-performance and extreme driver engagement. A 5.0L V8 delivers 472 horsepower and 395 lbs. ft. of torque.
• Lexus IS 500 — Driving 472 horsepower from a naturally aspirated 5.0L engine, the IS 500 F Sport was pushed to the limit on the Shimoyama Test Track, a 5.3-kilometre bed of curves, corners and multiple surfaces.
