Article Melinda Burris Willms | Photography Mercedes-Benz USA

Embrace summer by taking to the road in a convertible E-Class Cabriolet. Aerodynamically designed, the AMG line is specifically contoured to boldly cling to the road. With its flared side sills securing the wheel arches, the E-Class Cabriolet also features a rear valance that perfectly frames the chrome-accented central diffuser and tailpipes.  

Power at Your Fingertips

The E-Class Cabriolet comes fully equipped with a powerful 362-horsepower bi-turbo V6 engine that will take you to 60 mph in just 5.1 seconds. The Superior 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission delivers nine speeds with multiple modes, allowing for enhanced flexibility in range, enabling a more definitive driving response. Shift paddles enable the driver to take charge with the mere touch of a hand.

A Convertible for All Seasons

The E 450 4MATIC Cabriolet comes equipped with permanent all-wheel drive, ensuring safety and agility year-round. You can also choose the AIR BODY CONTROL option, a self-leveling, multimode feature that adds to your comfort as you control the road.

Other Select Features

“Car-to-X” technology is available that enables your E-Class Cabriolet to receive and report driving condition updates with a central communications hub. This valuable information allows you to plan for conditions not yet in view and avoid traffic jams before you encounter them.

The DYNAMIC SELECT option offers two choices of performance, easily adaptable with the simple touch of a button on your console: the sharp throttle shifting Sport mode or the more relaxed ECO mode. You even have the option of customizing your own personalized mode.

Available in your choice of 12 elegant exterior colors, nine upholstery design combinations and five trim styles, the Mercedes-Benz E-450 Cabriolet is truly customizable.

THE SPECS

Model

E-450 Cabriolet

Engine

3.0L V6 bi-turbo

Acceleration

5.1 seconds

Miles per gallon

20/city 27/highway

Article Emily Shea

It’s time for an upgrade–an upgrade to one of the most technologically advanced, eco-conscious and luxury vehicles on the market. It’s time you don’t have to give up style and class for eco-friendly features. It’s time to start looking at the Volvo XC90 T8 eAWD Plug-In Hybrid SUV. 

What It Has 

1. T8 eAWD Twin Engine Plug-In Hybrid. The engine drives the front wheels, and the electric motor powers the rear wheels, giving instant acceleration and on-demand all-wheel drive. When in pure electric mode, the engine prioritizes electric drive with a zero-emission driving range up to 31 mph, ideal for daily commuting. In the Hybrid mode, both the electric motor and the gas engine are utilized to optimize performance, fuel consumption and comfort, while the Power mode uses all available power to maximize performance. The eAWD mode activates full-time all-wheel drive for improved traction in slippery conditions and to facilitate driving on less optimal roads at speeds below 31 mph.

2. Start/Stop Technology. This function helps reduce fuel consumption and exhaust emissions in the city. Whether you’re stopping at a traffic light or or in a traffic queue, the engine temporarily shuts off to eliminate idling and instantly restarts when you resume driving.

3. Eight-speed Geartronic Automatic Transmission – AWD. The automatic transmission system in the Volvo XC90 fosters optimal engine response and the highest fuel efficiency. It ensures you’re always in the right gear while giving you the option to switch to manual mode. 

4. Drive Mode Settings. Choose among the Comfort, Eco, Dynamic, Off-Road (some models) and Individual drive modes for optimal engine and transmission function depending on the type of driving you’re doing. For example, Comfort mode offers soft shock absorption and smooth body movements while the Eco mode works to obtain maximum fuel efficiency. 

5. Power Driver Seat with Memory. Power adjustment for the driver’s seat and door mirrors to attain your perfect position. Your Volvo then saves the settings. Every time you use your remote control for the central locking, the seat and door mirrors will automatically adjust to your preferences. You can save up to three different seat and door mirror settings by using the buttons on the seat.

Living the Jeep Life with Chris Leddy

Photography Destiny Lara Photography

Me + My Jeep

2009 Jeep Wrangler X

Chris Leddy

28

Indian Land

Managing Attorney at Heritage Law Firm

When Florida native Chris Leddy moved to the Carolinas, he found his wife, Macy, lots of land to rove his Jeep, and a foundation for his practice, Heritage Law Firm.

“I chose Estate Planning/Administration and Elder Law because these areas of the law provide me the opportunity to make a positive difference for people,” Leddy expalins. “Everyone has an estate plan: you either get to decide how your assets are disposed (by either a will or trust) or the state gets to decide how your assets are disposed (through probate and intestacy).”

Off the job, it’s his Jeep that calls to Leddy. “When I was a kid, my parents bought me a toy red Jeep. My first Jeep was coincidentally a red 2006 Jeep Wrangler X,” he says. When his family grew (he recently welcomed a daughter), so did his Jeep. “It’s big enough for my entire family (three dogs included) and that I can take it anywhere. I’ve driven my Jeep on the beach, taken her out to Uwharrie, and I have no issue driving when the weather conditions aren’t easy.”

LEDDY’S TIRE TIPS

1. Upgrade the stock tires (That’s actually my next project—sorry, Macy!).
2. You don’t need anything too over-the-top: I’m planning on 35″ tires.
3. Make sure you get all five and do a five-tire rotation every time.

There’s a trend on the rise in the car industry; gone are the bulky SUVs of yore, replaced with sleek, mid-sized crossovers with hardworking and innovative storage and drive. Leading the pack in 2018 is Chevrolet’s Traverse Premier. 

The stylish Premier offers a handsome profile on the street and the dirt road with chrome accents, 20-inch Argent Metallic machine-faced aluminum wheels, and body-color accents like side mirrors and lower moldings.  

As with most things, it’s what’s on the inside that counts, and that is so very true of the Traverse Premier. The roomy SUV offers best-in-class maximum cargo space of 98.2 cubic feet and two rows of folding seats. There’s room for the whole family—or just yourself and your outdoor gear. 

The luxury and convenience of the Traverse Premier are unparalleled. The 9-inch diagonal Chevrolet MyLink display (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, and an available OnStar 4G LTE Wi-Fi connection) slides upward, revealing a hidden storage compartment for valuables and a USB port. The hands-free gesture liftgate opens the back of the crossover with the wiggle of your toes, and the rearview mirror doubles as a video screen for a full view of what’s behind you while surround vision gives you a bird’s-eye view of the vehicle. 

Even the drive is modern as could be, with adaptive cruise control that maintains a safe distance from the car in front of you and headlamps that automatically switch between high and low beams based on conditions. The standard 3.6L V6 engine is light on its feet but impressive in its power with smooth shifting and fuel economy. You can adjust the vehicle’s performance to the conditions at hand with the simple twist of a knob. 

For families on the go, passionate hobbyists and weekend warriors on the go, the Traverse Premier can adapt to your unique lifestyle and all that comes with it. 

The 2018 Chevy Traverse Premier is available at Steve Moore Chevrolet.

9325 South Blvd, Charlotte |  704.551.6400 | SteveMooreChevrolet.com

Our daily commute involves a dreaded routine: we wait in a line of exhaust to glug overpriced gasoline into our cars, barraged by attendant small talk and the honk of rush hour traffic behind us. But what if you could zip your car to and from the office without ever stopping to fill ‘er up?

With the T8 family of Volvo cars, you can.

“T8 Volvos are capable of going up to 15 miles on purely electric power, so owners with short commutes have the option of using no gas at all,” says Greg Simons, General Sales Manager of Volvo Cars Charlotte. These fuel-efficient and electric-powered SUVs, including the  XC60 and XC90, have all the dynamism of an SUV in an environmentally-friendly package.

“All of Volvo’s US offerings are powered by versions of the 2.0 Drive-E and offer the high fuel economy expected of a smaller displacement 4-cylinder combined with excellent, real-world performance,” explains Simons. “The T8 versions of the XC60, XC90, and S90 use an electric motor powering the rear wheels, in addition to the turbocharged and supercharged gas engine powering the front wheels, for a total of 400 horsepower. In normal driving, the electric motor complements the gas engine, providing increased performance and fuel economy.”

The XC90, Volvo’s midsize SUV, has long been popular among daily drivers and enthusiasts alike, prompting the company to redesign their compact SUV, the XC60, to mirror its bigger brother. Sleek design and eco-friendly elements combine in this family of fuel-efficient SUVs.

VolvoCharlotte.com | 704.563.1000

7040 East Indepenence Blvd.

Article Wesley Brown

If adventure awaits, we suggest you find it with the new V90 Cross Country.

This cousin of the classic Volvo wagon was meticulously engineered for off-road, breakneck adventure. With 8.2 inches of clearance—2.36 inches more than that aforementioned cousin—the V90 Cross Country is ready for rough roads and big bumps. Add to that higher clearance new tires—softer and rounder for a comfortable ride on dirt roads—bigger wheels and fine-tuning of the electronic chassis system, and you’ve got a veritable adventure-mobile. The electric power steering, all-wheel drive system (which comes standard) and stability control were also tweaked in this model for optimum exploring.

The V90CC also features Volvo’s award-winning Drive-E powertrain, delivering high performance at all speeds and all terrains. The supercharger and turbocharger work together to balance the powerful acceleration with a smooth, seamless ride.

Though it’s built for rough terrain, Volvo certainly didn’t compromise style or elegance in their construction of these mid-sized SUVs. Volvo’s senior vice president of design, Thomas Ingenlath, and his team have intentionally designed a line of new Volvos dedicated to a classic Swedish aesthetic and craftsmanship, and the V90CC is no different. Simple and elegant lines form the crossover’s exterior that’s simultaneously delicate and hardy.

The sleek interior boasts the same touchscreen infotainment system as Volvo’s other wagons, as well as a sophisticated Bowers & Wilkins soundsystem. The design itself is gorgeous but comfortable, a mix of supple leathers and polished wood trim.

Whether you plan to hit the city streets or the dirt roads, the V90 Cross Country is ready for everything you throw under those new wheels.

Want to test drive the V90CC? Volvo Cars Charlotte has been a family-run business for decades and offers unparalleled expertise in all the Volvo models.

VolvoCharlotte.com | (704) 563-1000 | 7040 E. Independence Blvd.

Summer is meant to be enjoyed in a convertible. With the top back and the wind whipping, the outdoors flies by in a beautiful blur of color. Slow down, and everything—from the hot blacktop to the faded blue sky—comes into sharp focus. There’s no vehicle in which you can enjoy the sights of the great outdoors like a convertible, and there’s no convertible like a Corvette.

64 years ago, Chevrolet released a new kind of car in the form of the Corvette. 300 were released, and they left a permanent mark on the face of the American car industry.

The 2017 Corvette Grand Sport pays tribute to its storied heritage. The distinctive design package is a subtle nod to its earliest roots and the racing years that followed. With a lightweight architecture, track-honed aerodynamics, customizable Michelin tires and a naturally aspirated engine, this is a race car made for the road. The speedster can jump from 0 to 60 in 3.6 seconds, so the wind will be whipping through your hair in no time.

“We didn’t hold back with the new Grand Sport,” says Tadge Juechter, Corvette chief engineer. “For the first time, buyers can equip the Grand Sport with a Z07 performance package—which adds carbon-ceramic brakes, Michelin Sport Cup 2 summer tires, and carbon-fiber aero package that delivers true downforce.”

Performance ability is priority, but you want to look good, too—and this car certainly does. The Corvette Grand Sport features specific front fender inserts, a Z06-style grille and wider rear fenders that embody that track-ready sass we associate with a Corvette.

Of course the Corvette Grand Sport also offers all the luxurious features we’ve come to expect from a such a sophisticated vehicle, and then some. A modern display features Chevrolet MyLink with an 8-inch-diagonal color touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the five-position Drive Mode Selector adjusts the driver’s experience to suit their environment. You’re covered on the safety side, too, with standard rear-view cameras and electronic stability control.

Roll the top back, don your sunglasses, and hit the road. Nature awaits.