New rides shine like (Cullinan) diamonds

Automotive News Canada’s Take Five is a look at five new or upgraded vehicles that are destined for or have recently entered the Canadian market.

1. ROLLS-ROYCE CULLINAN

There is likely no pricier production utility vehicle on the market (around $400,000 in Canada), and few, if any, that are bigger: It’s 17.5 feet long and six feet tall, and it’s named after the 3,106-carat Cullinan Diamond, the largest diamond ever found. The Cullinan — Rolls-Royce’s first utility vehicle — has a 571-horsepower twin-turbocharged V-12 engine, the same as the one in the Rolls-Royce Phantom sedan.

2. MERCEDES AMG GT S ROADSTER

News of a sleek and fast twoseat convertible is refreshing in an age of utility vehicles and pickups. The 2019 AMG GT S Roadster has a turbocharged 4.0-litre V-8 with 515 horsepower. The car hits 100 km/h from rest in about 3.8 seconds, according to Mercedes-Benz Canada. The standard AMG GT Roadster does it in 4.0. Top speed for the GT S is 308 km/h. The car will reach dealers in Canada in the fall.

3. SUBARU ASCENT

This summer will be a big one for Subaru as it launches the Ascent, a new utility vehicle that comes with a thirdrow seat. The idea is to retain customers who drive, say, a Subaru Outback wagon, if they find themselves with a growing family and the need for a larger utility vehicle. Subaru fans will find 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque, and a continuously variable transmission.

4. DODGE CHARGER SRT HELLCAT

Dodge in May released a teaser image for the 2019 Charger SRT Hellcat. It shows only that the Charger will get a new grille, one that Fiat Chrysler said would extend “the sinister-looking front end to accentuate visual width.” There are no other details, but it’s safe to say that fans of the 707-horsepower muscle machine are eagerly awaiting them — as were workers at FCA’s Brampton, Ont., assembly plant, where the Charger is built.

5. CHEVROLET SILVERADO

GM made waves when it said a new turbocharged 2.7-litre inline four-cylinder engine would be offered in the 2019 Silverado pickup, the only such powertrain offering in the full-size pickup segment.

The engine will be standard in the Silverado LT and RST trims, GM Canada said, adding that the engine is designed with the truck in mind and was “subjected to the same rigorous durability standards” as the V-8 engines.