Best of Car Spotting 2022 Part 1

 We have reached that time of year again. The 2022 calendar year is coming to a close, and it is time to wrap up 2022 with some of the best vehicles I have photographed this year. As always, I will start with the best vehicles I have spotted on the streets and in parking lots. Best of Car Spotting 2022 will be a two-part series, with Part 1 covering the best and most unusual cars I have spotted during the first half of the 2022 calendar year from January to June. As in years past, I have divided this series into two parts because I feel like it would be too lengthy to fit an entire year's worth of the best vehicles I have spotted into one post. 

Without further ado, presenting Best of Car Spotting 2022 Part 1. Stay tuned for Part 2 of this series and the rest of the Best of 2022 series, all of which are coming soon. 

Ferrari 488 Spider

Rolls-Royce Dawn

Cadillac CTS-V Wagon

Audi RS6 Avant

Lamborghini Urus

Ferrari 458 Italia

Mercedes-AMG E63 S sedan

Audi R8 Spyder (2nd-gen)

Aston Martin Rapide S

Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series

Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet (991)

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Ford Bronco (2021-)

 

Ford revived the Bronco for the 2021 model year, and it has been one of the most trending and in-demand vehicles ever since its initial release. Its retro design was inspired by that of the first-gen Bronco from the 60s and much of the 70s. Powering the new Bronco is a standard 2.3-liter turbo-four with 300 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque or an optional 2.7-liter turbo-six with 330 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque. It is offered in either rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive and paired to a standard ten-speed automatic or an optional seven-speed manual. The latter gearbox is only available with the standard turbo-four engine. It launches from zero to 60 mph in 7.1 seconds with the turbo-four and 6.2 seconds with the turbo-six. The new Bronco is offered in either two-door or four-door configurations, soft or hard top, and a variety of trim levels, including Big Bend, Black Diamond, Outer Banks, Badlands, Wildtrak, and Everglades. It shouldn't come as a shocker that most new Broncos sold and on the street are four-door models. Ford added the beefier, better-performing, and more capable Raptor to the Bronco lineup for the 2022 model year and the 60s-inspired Heritage and Heritage Limited Editions for 2023.

Notable features on the new Bronco include an independent front suspension, available 35-inch mud-terrain tires, beadlock-compatible wheels, electronic locking front and rear differentials, removable doors and top, and a sway-bar-disconnect option. Inside, the interior is typical of those of off-road SUVs, which is rather spartan. It also contains a rack on top of the dashboard where phones and cameras can be mounted and either an 8- or 12-inch touchscreen housing Ford's latest Sync 4 infotainment system. Upper trim levels of the Bronco have the option of leather seats as well. The back of the two-door Bronco has enough space to comfortably seat two adult passengers, while the four-door Bronco comes with a third middle seat in the second row and additional cargo space over the two-door model. Pricing starts at $33,890 for the base two-door Bronco, but that will escalate quickly up to the $60,000-70,000 range with options, trim level, and dealer markup. In addition, I have seen way more new Ford Broncos out and about than the six examples featured here that I have photographed. Overall, the new Ford Bronco is a great off-road SUV. It is also cooler and better than its chief competitor, the Jeep Wrangler. I'm glad Ford brought back the Bronco to satisfy the ever-increasing demand for off-road SUVs in recent years.

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Lamborghini LM002

 

Lamborghini is best known for supercars, but the LM002 was its first attempt at an SUV. This was especially before every other premium automaker decided to add at least one SUV to their portfolio as well. It was produced from 1986 to 1993, based on a military vehicle prototype, and originally intended for military use. Powering the LM002 is a front-engine 5.2-liter V12 with 455 horsepower and 368 lb-ft of torque, sending power to its four-wheel drive system via a five-speed manual gearbox. It launches from zero to 60 mph in 7.7 seconds and is capable of a top speed of 118 mph. It also offered a 7.2-liter marine V12 for those who wanted more power from the original Lambo truck. The LM002 is nicknamed the "Rambo Lambo" due to its huge, rugged presence and durability. Its interior is quite luxurious for an off-roader, adorned in plush leather and wood paneling. The basis of the LM002 consists of a tubular steel frame with riveted aluminum body panels.

A total of 328 examples of the LM002 were ever built, with values currently ranging from $250,000 to north of $400,000. The example featured here was on display at Exotics on Broadway in Monterey back in August and contains an aftermarket kit highlighted by a matte orange and carbon fiber finish and a camping tent on top. This is also the only LM002 I ever remember seeing in person. Overall, the Lamborghini LM002 is absolutely incredible and one of the coolest off-road trucks of all time. 

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Ford F-150 Lightning (2022-)

 

The Ford F-150 Lightning has returned for 2022 in the form of the first mass-produced electric pickup for everyday purposes. It offers the following trim levels: Pro, XLT, Lariat, and Platinum, with the example featured here being a mid-level Lariat trim. Range extenders are standard or available on every trim level for the electric F-150 except for the base Pro trim, which is nothing more than a typical work truck. All F-150 Lightning models are powered by two electric motors and send power to all four wheels. It makes 452 horsepower in the standard-range models and 580 horsepower in the extended-range models. Both standard and extended range versions produce 775 lb-ft of torque. The electric F-150 Lightning launches from zero to 60 mph in four seconds and has a top speed limited to 110 mph. The standard-range F-150 Lightning goes up to 230 miles on a single charge, while the extended-range F-150 goes up to 320 miles on a single charge. Notable differences between the F-150 Lightning and its gas-powered component include a restyled front end, an LED light bar integrated across the tailgate, different sets of wheels, a large front trunk, and an independent rear suspension. In addition, the F-150 Lightning is only offered as a crew cab with a 5.5-foot bed and contains a larger center touchscreen interface than its gas-powered component. 

Ford also engineered the F-150 Lightning as a backup generator, allowing a fully-charged truck to provide an average household up to three days of electricity in the event of a power outage. It can tow up to 10,000 pounds and carry up to 2,000 pounds of cargo, but the more it tows and hauls, the more of a hit the truck's range will take. According to Ford, the new F-150 Lightning can charge from 15 percent to 80 percent in 44 minutes. Pricing for the electric Ford F-150 Lightning starts at around $50,000 for the basic Pro and up to nearly $100,000 for the luxurious Platinum. Overall, it may not be as amazing as other electric pickups, namely the Rivian R1T and GMC Hummer EV, or replace the Raptor and Raptor R as my favorite versions of the F-150, but the new F-150 Lightning is a great and fascinating truck. It is also just as capable as its internal-combustion counterpart and an important vehicle in making electric trucks more mainstream.

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1971 Nissan Skyline 2000 GT-R

 

Nicknamed the Hakosuka, or "boxy Skyline" in Japanese, the Nissan Skyline GT-R from 1969 to 1972 is the earliest generation of one of Japan's most iconic sports cars. The example featured here is a 1971 model year and is powered by a 2.0-liter, three-carburetor S20 inline-six producing 160 horsepower and 130 lb-ft of torque paired to a five-speed manual transmission. It launches from zero to 60 mph in about nine seconds and can hit a top speed of 124 mph. Its interior has a classic and traditional feel to it and is adorned in leather and wood trim. Since it was sold exclusively in Japan, every example of the Hakosuka Skyline GT-R is right-hand drive. A total of 1,115 examples were built of the sporty two-door Hakosuka Skyline GT-R, with around a handful of those examples imported to the U.S., including the one featured here. It is currently worth well into the $200,000s on the secondhand market. I'm not a huge fan of Nissan in general, but I've always been fascinated with classic Skylines, especially their GT-R variants. The Hakosuka may not be my favorite Skyline model, but the modern GT-R's grandfather is one of the coolest and most impressive classic JDM vehicles ever made.

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Hummer H1 Alpha

 

The H1 Alpha is the best and coolest vehicle the standalone Hummer brand ever had to offer. The Alpha version of the H1 was only offered for the 2006 model year and is powered by a 6.6-liter Duramax turbodiesel V8 used in GM's heavy duty trucks producing 300 horsepower and 520 lb-ft of torque mated to an Allison 5-speed automatic gearbox. Enhancements were made to the chassis, steering, exhaust, and electrical systems on the Alpha compared to earlier versions of the H1. Like other H1s, the H1 Alpha was offered in either pickup or wagon form, with the latter having room for two additional passengers. It is quite spacious inside, with a large center console stretching roughly four feet between the driver's seat and front passenger seat. One big reason for such a huge center divider is due to many key internal components of the car brought up to give the vehicle more ground clearance. It also contains leather seats and other leather trim in the cabin, along with a stereo and Bluetooth compatibility, making it more luxurious than the military vehicle that it's based on. Another aspect as to why the H1's cabin is so spacious is due to the vehicle's thin, 90-degree-angled doors. 

As for this specific H1 Alpha, is has been outfitted in a Predator Stage One performance kit, which adds a two-inch lift, 40-inch tires, a front winch, a 9-foot expedition roof rack, step rails, a brush guard, an upgraded exhaust, and LED light bars on the front and back of the vehicle. A total of 729 Hummer H1 Alphas were built between 2005 and 2006 before the H1 was discontinued altogether. I saw this particular H1 Alpha over three months ago at the same Ford dealer that I saw the Saleen S7 that I posted on this site recently. Like that specific Saleen S7, this Hummer H1 Alpha is still currently for sale, but at a more reasonable $260,000. Overall, the H1 Alpha remains the pinnacle of Hummers and the coolest and greatest vehicle ever produced when Hummer was still a standalone brand under GM. In addition, the Predator aftermarket kit on the H1 Alpha makes it even cooler, better, and more capable than it already is.

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