I know you guys are chomping at the bit to get the next comparison in your hands. While you wait, why not another new review? This is my first contribution to the team.
2015 AMW Grizzly
The large luxury car market, though not having numerous competitors, has a very broad range of interpretation. The “modest” end of the spectrum includes cars such as the Audi A8 and Jaguar XJ, automobiles that could be considered kings in their own right. If they are regents, then the Emperors of the land must come in the form of such creations as the Bentley Mulsanne and the Maybach S600.
Where, then, does AMW’s new creation slot into this scheme?
With its bulging, broad hood it seems to want to be an emperor. Yet the sleek treatment on the rear hints at something else. Here’s our impression after a thorough test of the 9.0L twin turbo Grizzly.
Performance (4 stars)
So, a 2.7 second 0-62 time sounds good, right? How about a top speed of 210 MPH, give or take a smidge? This may sound like an exotic supercar, but it’s not. This feat is achieved by a full-size luxury sedan. It’s a scary prospect on paper. Even more so in person. But the rush that comes from throwing down the hammer is unbelievable.
This may also make it sound like the AMW should receive a 5-star rating. Sadly it falls short, and there are a couple somewhat nitpicky reasons why.
First, the engine is electronically limited to a 5000 RPM red line. We get why; it’s not a full on supercar. But you can tell when it reaches its shift point that the engine is not done pulling.
Second, the motor isn’t exactly silky smooth. We’re not expecting total calm from a motor that produces brain-splattering torque, but sometimes it’s a bit much, and causes an odd vibration or two.
Our final gripe is our biggest one. An 8-speed sequential gearbox seems to be a very bizarre choice for a luxury sedan; a more traditional tiptronic or paddle-shifted automatic would have made a lot more sense. It would have detracted from the sheer insane acceleration and top speed that the Grizzly has, but the tradeoff we believe would have been minimal. Also, the gearing for the final gear is far too long for highway cruising. Not a huge issue since you can easily cruise in 6th or even 7th. However, if you accidentally go too far, the RPMs drop too much, and the engine can lug pretty badly.
Ride Comfort (3 stars)Outside of the transmission, this is the most disappointing part of the Grizzly. That’s not to say it’s bad. The amount of engineering that AMW put into the suspension is evidenced by how most road imperfections are soaked up with minimal transmission to the cabin. But deep potholes can be felt pretty harshly thanks to low-profile tires, and high speed lane-changes on a rutted highway can cause a moment of panic for someone not familiar with the car, because when a bump does come through, there’s an odd secondary bounce. Also, the view of the road is not as commanding as we were expecting. This may have to do with its unusually low stance.
Handling (5 stars)AMW clearly didn’t want the Grizzly to ever have the label of “sedate”. In the end there was a little bit of controversy over this particular category, but it was just too magnificent to give only 4 stars. Despite the Grizzly’s raw power, throwing it into corners and being able to pull out (going the correct direction) is not actually as scary as it sounds. A whole host of driver assists help keep the nose pointed where it should, and body lean is quite low for a car that weighs more than two tons. And once the Grizzly is through said turn, it’s quite ready to tear up the straights.
Refinement (5 stars)Yet another aspect that makes the AMW Grizzly look like a wolf in sheep’s clothing. A carefully tuned exhaust system keeps the 9.0 liter motor’s note sedated (and that will be the only time in history that word is used to describe this car). While other competitors may have more insulation under the floors and in the doors, what AMW has placed inside is enough to keep out all but the absolute loudest, most intrusive noises.
Equipment (5 stars)Anyone looking for gadgetry in their car will want for nothing if they choose the Grizzly. The full gamut of driver assists is standard equipment, and it feels like AMW devoted significant resources just to tuning the sensors involved in driver dynamics. We lost count somewhere around 10 air bags. Lane departure warning, collision avoidance, adaptive cruise control, and THX-certified audio are all standards as well. Bluetooth application integration for smartphones is absolutely seamless, and the proprietary voice control system is sublime.
Quality (5 stars)There are no disappointments in this category. The Grizzly is a very fine product, well thought out as far as ergonomics and construction. Seating surfaces (and there are 5 of them) are all very comfortable, and legroom is generous throughout. Heating and cooling is provided for all seats as well. Other nice touches are present throughout the cabin, and fit and finish are top notch.
Reliability (5 stars)Once again this contender ekes out 5 stars where it might have otherwise had only four. While the sheer number of toys on a car like this means more, fun ways to break it, this is offset by an absolutely magnificently engineered drivetrain. Based on what we’ve seen of long-term testing of this engine series, we expect them to be running long after the rest of the car has rotted away. Which, given its carbon fiber construction, may be never.
Running Costs (3 stars)Were it not for best-in-class fuel economy, the Grizzly could easily have received an embarrassing 2 or even 1 star in this category. There is a downside to all of the high-end electronics and marvelous, precisely engineered parts on this car. And that is maintenance cost. Outside of dealerships, there are very few mechanics that have the diagnostics, tools, and training to properly service the Grizzly. As such it costs quite a fair amount to keep one running. Then again, if you have enough scratch to buy one, this probably isn’t on your list of concerns.
Safety (5 stars)No one is kidding anyone here. When you’re looking for the best luxury car on the market, safety is going to be a priority, if not number one or two on the list. The Grizzly does not disappoint in this regard. Its full carbon fiber construction coupled with every safety feature known to man gives it top marks in every test that could be thrown at it. But that doesn’t take the edge off of the “pee your pants” kind of fun offered by its maniacal performance ability.
Overall (5 stars)It’s hard to place the AMW Grizzly in such a broad pack. Its performance is distinctly above and beyond its nearest competitors, but it doesn’t quite fit either niche. It’s pricey and has all the bleeding edge gadgets like the higher end sedans, but its interior isn't quite in the same category as competitors like the Maybach. On the other hand, it is built and tuned far beyond the “mundane” Audi at the other end of the spectrum. And for that, we can only place the Grizzly as a class of its own. A wonderful tire shredding, opera-blasting, road-hugging class.
Pros:- Amazing performance
- Top-pick safety ratings
- Abundance of comfort features
Cons:- Poorly matched transmission
- Harsh ride
- Expensive maintenance
Sun Feb 15, 2015 1:26 pm 
