We love making videos, podcasts, and writing fun, informative automotive blogs for you each month because we love cars and we know you do too. Even through all the twists and turns 2020 had in store for us, there were actually quite a few positives to reflect on as we turn another page on the Leith automotive content calendar. So, buckle-up for our LeithCars.com 2020 Automotive Year in Review as we take you along for the ride in some of our fave new vehicles and awesome automotive adventures from the past year. From the return of the all-new Land Rover Defender, the first-ever Porsche Taycan Turbo and Ford Mustang Mach – E, to the garage of the busiest man in NASCAR…driver Timmy Hill, and a storied road course just across the border in southern Virginia, these are just a few of the octane fueled moments that rocked 2020.

 

He Said, She Said – 2021 Acura TLX

One of the original video series found on our LeithCars YouTube channel and under the media tab at LeithCars.com is our “He Said, She Said” new model reviews. This year saw the debut of the highly anticipated, next-generation 2021 Acura TLX luxury performance sedan. The new TLX is brimming in technology, including a revolutionary new airbag system called the “catcher’s mitt” and a turbocharged 2.0-liter VTEC engine pumping out 272 horsepower and 280 pounds-feet of torque.

Episode 13 of our series was shot on location at Koka Booth Amphitheatre, just around the corner from Leith Acura of Cary. Fun fact: Did you know that Leith Acura of Cary is one of the original Acura franchises to open in the United States when the Acura brand debuted in 1986?

 

Zero To 60TV – 2020 BMW M235i vs Classic 1985 BMW 325e

Driving the latest, greatest new cars and highlighting all the cool, new high-tech wizardry found in them is only part of the story sometimes. We also love to go back and take a closer look at modern-day classics, especially if they helped inspire some of the design or engineering attributes in today’s cars. A perfect example is found in episode 31 of our Zero To 60TV series where we review the first-ever 2020 BMW M235i, the new entry-level luxury performance sedan from Bavarian Motor Works that can be found now at Leith BMW. The new M235i is definitely a performance BMW, even posting a faster zero-to-60 time than the iconic 2000 BMW M3.

We also took the opportunity to highlight a local owner’s classic 1985 BMW 3 Series, a car that established BMW in the nineteen-eighties as “The Ultimate Driving Machine” and at that time, was the brand’s entry-level car. The example we feature is what you’d call a “unicorn car” as it’s a rare 325e, the “e” standing for efficiency as this particular car had a less powerful engine than its 325i counterpart but produced more torque and better fuel economy in the United States.

 

2020 Land Rover Defender – Off-Road Adventure at VIR

One of the most hyped new vehicle introductions in 2020 was the return of the all-new Land Rover Defender. The Defender is an off-road legend, having conquered nearly every continent on Earth in previous generations. Our friends at Land Rover Cary took the new 110 model to the Virginia International Raceway Off-Road Course, to demonstrate how down and dirty this amazing new Defender can get. Imagine a vehicle that can take you comfortably over rocks, wade through 35 inches of water, slog around in the mud, traverse sand, and climb grades up to 45 degrees with nothing more than the touch of a button or two?  The 2020 Land Rover Defender is more than up to the task, even impressing our off-road instructor at VIR while proving that it’s a worthy successor to the name. Oh, it even has washers for the front and rear-view cameras when you go sloshing through the mud.  See the new Defender in the metal, now at Land Rover Cary and Land Rover Raleigh.

 

The History of VIR with Peter Krause

You’ve probably realized that we are pretty enthusiastic about cars at Leith, so we love to go to automotive events and meet the movers and shakers of the car world. We especially love all kinds of motorsports too and in 2020, we became even more involved with the historic Virginia International Raceway near Danville.  What better way to introduce you to the iconic road course this summer, than to buckle-up with Peter Krause, one of the top professional private driving coaches in the country. Mr. Krause gave us a behind-the-wheel look at the history of this iconic track which features corners and turns with names like “Snake”, “Spiral”, “Fish Hook”, and “NASCAR Bend” made famous by Richard Petty, David Pearson, and Wendell Scott during a Trans AM race in 1966.

 

Traffic Jamz – 2020 Acura RDX

One-part music video and one-part new vehicle review…with style, that’s the flavor that our Traffic Jamz video series brings to you when we hook-up with rising musical talent from the Triangle area and invite them to perform their original music for you in one of our freshest new rides. In episode 25, Trez Falsetto helps present the all-new 2020 Acura RDX A-Spec from Leith Acura in Raleigh, our newest Acura dealership.  With 3-D Surround Sound, Super Handling All-Wheel Drive, and a 270 horsepower 2.0 liter turbocharged powerplant under its sculpted hood, the new Acura RDX is one of the most in-demand luxury performance SUVs available today.

 

Zero To 60TV – 2020 BMW X3 M, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Mercedes-Benz GLB 250

A favorite annual event for new-car shoppers and automotive enthusiasts in the Raleigh area is the North Carolina Auto Expo at the N.C. State Fairgrounds. In part two of our two-part Zero To 60TV episode in February, we got the scoop on several stunning new rides and in-demand metal on the red carpet at the 2020 show. We highlighted the Mercedes-Benz GTR which features a dazzling paint color named “Green Hell.” Other highlights include the new BMW X3 M (the first M edition offered by BMW in the X3 line), the upcoming electrified performance SUV from Ford, the Mustang Mach – E, the compact luxury Mercedes-Benz GLB SUV, and Audi e-tron with its innovative 36-cell battery system.

 

He Said, She Said – 2020 Porsche Taycan Turbo

Speaking of exciting new electrified driving performance, in episode 10 of He Said, She Said, we took the first-ever 2020 Porsche Taycan Turbo out for a spin. Say it with us now…(Tie-con). This car represents the future for Porsche performance as this new sports tourer is neck snappingly quick! Zero to 60 mph (using launch control) and Sport + mode, arrives in 3.0 seconds in the Taycan Turbo. By the way, the ‘Turbo” designation is merely the name of a trim level on the new Taycan, not a reference to an actual turbocharger like you might find on a conventional internal combustion-powered car. Other performance details include the vertical slits below each headlamp pod designed to send cool air to the brakes and also reduce aerodynamic drag. For an even better look at the new Porsche Taycan, be sure to visit Leith Porsche in Cary, N.C.

 

Zero To 60TV – NASCAR Driver Timmy Hill Returns to the Charlotte Roval

Ever since 2018, LeithCars.com has been a proud sponsor of the MBM Motorsports team and their driver Timmy Hill when they race the Charlotte Roval. Hill, who wheels the number 66 Toyota Supra in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, also owns his own race team, Hill Motorsports in Thomasville, N.C. and he invited our Zero To 60TV crew to his race shop prior to this year’s race at the Roval in October. Timmy Hill made plenty of news in 2020, including becoming the “busiest driver in NASCAR” having driven in each of the top-3 NASCAR race series with more starts than any other driver, plus a virtual e-NASCAR Championship.

 

Now, as we look ahead to a new year, we can begin anticipating some of the fantastic new wheels on the horizon for 2021. How about a real, honest to goodness European sport wagon from Audi, the RS 6 Avant, a new V6 powered supercar from Italy, the Maserati MC20, the return of the Acura Type S, and the iconic off-roader from Ford, the all-new Bronco?

You can bet that we’ll be bringing you more original video, podcast, and blog content as we review some of these revved-up machines here at Leith and take you on more unique automotive-inspired adventures around our state and beyond.

 

Written by Mark Arsen for LeithCars.com.

 

 

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