I’ll sprint to great lengths (or heights) in revealing to my readers the workings of a new automotive model.

Stelvio Pass in the Alps of northern Italy reaches 9,045 feet above sea level; move the zero two digits to the right and 9,450 is the altitude for Bear Lake in the Rocky Mountain National Park in northern Colorado.

With elevation numbers tied so tightly, Bear Lake, of course, was an ideal destination for the new 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio SUV, and I drove it there in a light snow on a cold day in late October.

The climbs and twists of the narrow road to Bear Lake are a decent challenge for the great-handling Stelvio, namesake of the Italian mountain pass.

The 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Ti Sport, with Q4 all-wheel drive, is based on Alfa’s Giulia luxury sport sedan, which I reviewed in July. They’re built at Cassino, a Fiat Chrysler Automobile Group plant in the province of Frosinone, Italy.

Stelvio is the newest midsize SUV on the U.S. market, on a wheelbase of 111 inches, curb weight of 4,050 pounds and suspension of double wishbone with semivirtual steering axle in front and all-aluminum  rear with a vertical rod across.

Introduction of the Alfa Romeo entry followed by a number of months that of the Jaguar F-Pace. The Alfa is a couple inches shorter than the Jag and its cargo space is much smaller; the Stelvio,  though, holds its own in high-country performance against the Jaguar, as well as other competitors Audi Q5, Mercedes-Benz GLC, BMW X3, Volvo XC60, Infiniti QX50 or Land Rover Discovery Sport.

Like most of the others, the Stelvio is driven by a 2.0-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder engine and 8-speed automatic transmission with manual mode. It develops 280 horsepower and 306 lb.-ft. of torque, with plenty of kick to go with its handling and cornering capabilities.

Its drive-mode selector system, instead of the ususal eco/comfort/sport choices, lists them as Advanced Efficiency/Natural/Dynamic. As the driver selects one or the other, the system customizes the shift timing, steering feel and braking response. The driver gets even more involved with paddle shifters, tied to the steering column and long enough (6.5 inches) to hinder quick touches of side stalks.

The Stelvio’s low-end acceleration and cornering highlighted the run up to Bear Lake. The descent on the return drive was a paradise of wildlife viewing, including a stop in the road to give 11 wild turkeys an uninterrupted crossing at a slow pace. Farther down, we joined other cars parked along a side road to see more than 100 elk in a meadow in the Hollowell Park area. Numerous deer were along the way, too.

The earlier highway drive to Denver, Boulder, Lyons and up into the park lifted fuel mileage to 25.5. The Alfa’s EPA estimate is 22/28.

An interior slight, in addition to the cramped cargo area, is the unusually small screen for rearview camera and navigation. Good sound emanates from a Harmon Kardon premium system with 14 speakers. Front seats are narrowly bolstered; the overall chocolate interior is accented by a dual-pane sunroof. Rear seats are short on legroom.

Brake discs are 13 inches in front and 12.5 at the rear; visible through the Y-spoked wheels are red Brembo brake calipers. We got an appreciative demonstration of the Alfa Romeo autonomous emergency braking system on 47^th Avenue in Greeley, when brakes on the car ahead of us were slammed when cut off by another; I would have stopped the Alfa before it hit the car ahead, but not quite as instantly as did the autonomous emergency brakes.

Sticker price on the Alfa Romeo Stelvio was $53,640, slightly lower than most of the competitive luxury makes.

Keys to a 2017 Audi A4 were handed me recently; the performance of that car is a pleasure, and it and others of the Audi line are leaders in the rush toward hands-free driving and autonomous cars.

Out south on Broadway, I pulled in to Audi Denver; I hadn’t been in its huge showroom since the store’s opening three years ago.

“Things are booming with Audi,” said Jason Steele, sales manager. I’m not surprised; to drive the new A4, or the Q7 as I did several months ago, is to realize that Audi’s resurgence has moved it into the heralded level of BMW and Mercedes-Benz, and the makers are now considered the German Big Three.

I accepted the opportunity to drive away in an Audi Denver A4 quattro sedan, finished in manhattan gray metallic exterior and a lighter granite gray interior.

Jan and I drove it to lunch at Mimi’s in Denver West, then nearby to a session with Dr. Thomas Pott, DDS, on up Lookout Mountain, down the mountain to Golden and back to south Broadway.

Preceding the drive, we were given a 15-minute preview of the four-door by Crystal Blinkinsoph, Audi brand technology specialist – everything from “walk up and brush a hand against the outside of the door handle and the doors unlock, touch the inside of the handle and the door opens” to “the push of this button puts the drive system into dynamic mode instead of comfort, this one shuts off the stop/start technology at stoplights.”

The A4 was the S tronic version, equipped with Audi’s new 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (replacing an 8-speed)  to go with its 2.0-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder and all-wheel-drive setup. With use of paddle shifters in a mountain-road descent, the transmission can be locked into a lower gear, even 1^st gear, and remain there to avoid heavy braking. Some other competitive systems remain in the lower gear only until acceleration eases, then shift to a gear higher.

An effective demonstration of Audi’s active lane assist occurred while driving in the middle lane of I-70 west of Denver. I released grip on the steering wheel as the system guided the A4 near-perfectly around a 30-degree curve, then messaged me to “please take control of the steering wheel.” A camera mounted out front of the rearview mirror detects the lane markings to make the lane-assist possible.

The 4-cylinder turbo experiences some lag in low-range kickdowns, then blasts off with power aplenty through the middle range. The dynamic damping stiffens the suspension (five-link independent). The engine is rated at 252 horsepower and 273 lb.-ft. of torque, and its EPA estimate is 24/31 miles per gallon. My averages were 28.4 for the 70-mile drive on Tuesday, and 29.5 for a drive in a similar A4 to Estes Park and back last week.

The Audi’s sticker price of $54,260 includes MMI navigation, head-up display, adaptive cruise control, heated leather seats; an interior highlight is the Bang & Olufsen surround-sound.

This A4, built in Neckarsulm, Germany, is 186 inches in length, riding on a 110-inch wheelbase.

Audi Denver is a McDonald family dealership, a Denver automotive operation for more than 50 years.

So, you thought minivans had pretty well run the course? I thought so, too, from the continued sales surge of SUVs and crossovers.

Yet, surprises continue to roll off the assembly lines of the few manufacturers still producing the kid haulers.

Awaiting us at DIA on a flight back from Phoenix was a 2018 Honda Odyssey – equipped with the first 10-speed automatic transmission in a front-wheel-drive vehicle.

Eighteen months ago, Chrysler invited me to Newport Beach, Calif., to show off its new Pacifica, one with “unparalleled levels of functionality, technology and styling,” the company boasted. It succeeded the long-popular Town & Country minivan in the Chrysler lineup.

It is an apparent attempt to keep pace with the Pacifica that Honda chose the Odyssey to unveil its new 10-speed for the coming year, in an automotive market category which has slumped in sales.

Twenty years ago, annual sales in the U.S. for minivans approached 1.3 million. Ten years ago, the total dropped into the 800,000s, and by last year was around 550,000. Sales for the top four models through nine months of 2017 are 107,592 for the Dodge Grand Caravan, 87,623 for Toyota Sienna, 86,342 for the Chrysler Pacifica and 75,309 for the Honda Odyssey.

The 10-gear setup replaces a 6-speed for Honda, which says the new transmission will change gears 30 percent faster, improve acceleration and increase fuel economy. It is available only in the Odyssey’s two higher trim levels, the Elite which I drove and the Touring. The lesser-priced models – LX, EX amdEX-L perform with a 9-speed automatic.

The review model’s 280-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 engine, tied to the 10-speed, performed with moderate power, and at times, with a kickdown of the accelerator, the transmission will near-instantly drop down three or four gears, say from 9^th to 6^th or 5^th. In cruising on a flat road, the V-6 will deactivate three cylinders for more economical mpg results.

The Odyssey with the 10-speed tranny is estimated to produce fuel mileage of 19 in the city and 28 on the highway. The Odyssey in 411 miles of driving, most of it on the highway back and forth from Denver to Greeley, averaged 24.9 miles per gallon. It rides on Bridgestone Turanza 235/55R19 tires.

A somewhat unconventional vertical row of pushbutton-type controls operate the gears – push P for Park, pull down a lever for Reverse, push N for Neutral, push a larger button for Drive, push it a second time for Sequential mode to accommodate the paddle shifters mounted at the steering wheel.

The Odyssey’s many safety innovations include lane-keeping assist which jiggles the steering wheel as the van wanders near the lane marker, then will barely turn the steering wheel to maintain in-lane position.

It’s an easy step-in to the roomy Odyssey interior, which offers lots of storage compartments, particularly in the front-seat area. The fairly flat front seats are wide and comfortable, leather-covered, heated and ventilated.

“Magic Slide” second-row seats move forward and back, as well as side-to-side. With keys in a pocket, swing a foot beneath the rear bumper and the liftgate opens to a cargo area of 38.6 cubic feet. Tucked away in the driver’s side rear corner of the cargo area is a vacuum cleaner, with a hose that will stretch to the front seat floorboards. Chrysler has copied this feature in its new Pacifica.

With a new turboed 4-cylinder beneath the hood, the 2018 Jaguar F-Pace set a lead pace on a climb to Allenspark amid fairly heavy holiday traffic on a Sunday morning.

The Jaguar-designed gas engine of 247 horsepower/269 lb.-ft. of torque is a turbocharged 2.0-liter; of course it is, that’s what most all luxury makers are embracing to gain the proper mix of response and economy. Audi’s got one, so do BMW, Mercedes, Lincoln and Volvo.

The turbo in the F-Pace is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive; their popularities are expected to continue a sharp sales increase which has boosted Jaguar in these parts by triple digits.

With the F-Pace compact SUV as its leading seller, Jaguar sales in Colorado in the first seven months of this year reached 293, compared with only 59 in the same period a year ago, a jump of almost 400 percent. Nationally, Jaguar sales have shown a 52 percent gain this year.

Jaguar began a modest sales increase four years ago by adding all-wheel drive to its XJ and XF sedans, then last year pushed the “hot-sales” button with introduction of the F-Pace and the XE compact sports sedan.

The model I tested on the run to Allenspark, with stop for lunch at the old, cozy Meadow Mountain Café, to Estes Park and back home is the ’18 F-Pace 25t R-Sport; the 25t designation is confusing, since the engine is 2.0-liter size.

The 4-cylinder turbo is a welcome addition, though, to the F-Pace, which last year operated with two supercharged V-6s and a 4-cylinder diesel-powered engine.

Big Michelin 255/50 tires on 20-inch wheels provided good road-feel feedback from the Jag, and the 4,000-pounder in driving up and down the hills produced an overall fuel mileage of 25.4 (EPA estimate 22/27). Last year, with a 340-hp V-6, an F-Pace averaged 22.2.

Helping to lead the pace on the climbs from Longmont to Allenspark, then on to Estes Park, I employed the paddle shifters in the F-Pace’s dynamic mode, maintaining excellent control in lower gears, with stiffened suspension (double-wishbone front and multilink rear) and tighter steering. A surprise on restarting the Jag crossover was that it performs in whatever mode it was engaged when it was parked; most others revert to normal mode after shutdown.

The Jaguar’s interior, very comfortable, was brightened with red/orange seat inserts and a large sunroof. Front seats can be lengthened from 20 inches to 22 for thigh support over long drives. Window switches are positioned high up on the sill, while seat-settings are down on the armrests where window controls are normally.

Cruise control was a puzzler at times, often requiring numerous pushes of proper button for setting and increasing or decreasing speeds incrementally.

The F-Pace is 186.3 inches in overall length on a wheelbase of 113.1 inches and sizable cargo space of 33.5 cubic feet. Its tailgate can be automatically opened by swinging a foot beneath the rear of the vehicle.

A base price of $54,175 for the F-Pace was raised to $63,585 with optional add-ons, including the R-Sport package of body cladding and interior trims, 10-inch touchscreen, interactive navigation and driver display, Meridian surround sound system, a lane-keeping assist feature, electrically reclining rear seats, cooled front seats and heated rear seats.

Meet the Toyota C-HR, an all-new car on the U.S. market, an ’18 model, quirky as can be, yet it drew all sorts of interest in fun drives all over the area.

It’s considered a subcompact sport utility vehicle, yet offers no all-wheel-drive option, only front-drive.

Toyota says the C-HR naming is for Coupe High-Rider. Coupe? It’s got four doors, even though the handles for the rear doors are hidden up high in the C pillar near the roofline.

Created to be a Scion, the C-HR was still in conceptual stage when Toyota killed its Scion youth division, then directed the new “coupe” to its (Toyota’s) powerful stable. The C-HR is built in a Toyota assembly plant in Sakarya, Turkey.

A bright exterior finish, “iceberg/radiant green with white top,” is an eyecatcher, along with the funky style at the SUV’s rear – where a spoiler overhangs a lightly sloped rear window and bulky looking hatch.

The car’s bright finish and nontraditional styling attracted comments wherever I parked it.

For its style, the Toyota probably competes most closely with the Nissan Juke. Among others in the subcompact field are the Mazda CX-3, Honda HR-V, Jeep Renegade, Mini Countryman, Fiat 500X. To be competitive in Colorado, I would think the Toyota will be forced to add an AWD option, which the others already have.

Wheelbase for the C-HR is 103.9 inches, with overall length of 171.2, width 70.7 and height 61.6. Its track is a narrow 60 inches and ground clearance only 5.9 inches. Curb weight around 3,300 pounds is a couple hundred heavier than most competitive models.

With a 141-horsepower, 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine and continuously variable transmission, acceleration is somewhat slow off the line, then comes on stronger through midrange. The ride is good and handling is impressive, with little body lean. A steering-assist system lightly guides the car back into its lane if it wanders near the striping. Front struts and double wishbone rear make up the suspension. It rides on Dunlop Sport 225/50R 18 tires.

With a 55/45 split of highway/city driving, the C-HR averaged 26.9 miles per gallon. Its EPA estimate is 27/31.

Front seats are supportive and comfortable; the rear seating area offers good headroom, though legroom and footroom are tight. A tablet holder ($99 option) is mounted to the back of the front passenger headrest for use by a rear-seat occupant. Cargo space under the rear hatch is 19 cubic feet, which expands to 36.4 feet with the rear seats folded.

The C-HR XLE carries sticker price of $25,364, which includes hands-free phone capability and music streaming via Bluetooth, dual-zone automatic climate control, rear-window wiper and defogger, electric power-assisted steering, 7-inch touchscreen display for audio. It had no satellite radio.

One of the biggest hits in car country three years ago was introduction of the redesigned Volvo XC90 crossover; thinking today in terms of compacts, I would suggest the guys from Gothenburg have done it again with the 2018 XC60.

The Inscription T6 model, which is both supercharged and turbocharged, delivered Jan and me to Denver International Airport for an early flight to Phoenix and a drive on to Palm Desert, and I winced in handing the keys over to the valet at DIA – the smaller one seems so good and so enjoyable to drive.

The T6 model is the most-advanced level of XC60 with a 316-horsepower, 2.0-liter 4-cylinder, 8-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. The super and turbo combination develops a more flat torque curve, minimizing the lag-thrust moments with many turbocharged engines. Torque rating for the Volvo is 295 lb.-ft., with a strong tow capacity of 5,290 pounds.

The new five-passenger XC60 is 3.5 inches longer in wheelbase and 2 inches longer overall than last year’s model. It is 184.6 inches in overall length, with a wheelbase of 112.8 inches. Curb weight is 4,175 pounds.

Oh, my, that Bowers & Wilkins premium sound might be the best we’ve heard this year. With 15 high-fidelity loudspeakers and 1,100 watts of amplification, you’ll think you’re in the middle of the Gothenburg Concert Hall. The B&W option came at a cost of $3,200.

The XC60 competes with classy competitors in the luxury SUV/crossover segment, including Audi Q5, BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLC, Lexus NX and a couple of newcomers in the Jaguar F-Pace and Land Rover Velar.

The Volvo’s advanced semi-autonomous driver-assistance system is effective, its lane-keeping performed satisfactorily in maintaining position around several curves with my hands off the steering wheel (though ready, if needed).

Four drive modes – comfort, eco, dynamic or offroad – adjust response of steering and throttle, and four-corner air suspension guarantees relatively smooth ride under most road and terrain surfaces.

Fuel usage measured out to 23.2 miles per gallon; its EPA estimate is 21/27.

Swing a foot beneath the rear bumper and the liftgate opens, measuring out to 22.4 cubic feet of space; lower the rear seats and that expands to a spacious 63.3 feet.  It has Nappa leather seats, heated and cooled and perforated, and trims of driftwood decor.

All those high-tech options pushed the XC60’s price from a base of $44,900 to sticker of $63,290, and also included 9-inch touchscreen Sensus navigation, park-assist pilot, electric-folding rear headrests, head-up display and panoramic moonroof.

Pricing for the least-expensive Volvo XC60 Momentum AWD begins at $42,495.

Opening a rear door on the 2017 Chevrolet Suburban, I placed an iPad on the seat, closed the door, then opened and crawled into the driver’s seat. We drove in to Denver, on out south, and upon parking the vehicle, its message center posted this: “Rear seat reminder, Look in rear seat.”

The reminder alert is one of only a few new features on the ’17 Suburban, which even with few updates continues relatively strong in sales. There is not a better ride in a large sport utility vehicle than that of the Suburban; complementing its cushiness is smooth performance from its V-8 engine.

It’s been around forever, it seems. Dating back to 1935, when it was introduced as a Suburban Carry-All, it’s the oldest model name sold in America.

The drive I made with the Suburban was for the grand opening of the Mike Ward Maserati/McLaren/Alfa Romeo/Fiat on Lucent Court in Highlands Ranch.

The Suburban, still of body-on-frame truck-type build, handled well, even on the return along construction-narrowed C470, where two narrow lanes with concrete barriers along the edges kept drivers alert. Zipping along at 65 miles per hour in heavy traffic, the Chevy made no unusual moves.

The Suburban competes with the Ford Expedition, Toyota Sequoia and Nissan Armada, in addition to the Tahoe and Yukon from its own General Motors stable.

It has long boasted the best ride of its class. A direct challenger to the Suburban from the mid-1950s to mid-1970s was the International Travelall, which competed well with the Chevy in toughness, but yielded competitive ground in ride quality and maneuverability.

The launch of the Suburban in 1935 with an all-steel body on a commercial chassis was the answer to a need for a heavy-duty, truck-based wagon. Power came from Chevrolet’s “Stovebolt” inline-6 that produced 60 horsepower for the half-ton chassis. The model, which offered its first V-8 in 1955, has prevailed through more than 80 years of style changes and performance demands.

Next oldest model names, after the Suburban, are the Ford F-series trucks in 1948, Volkswagen Beetle in ’49, Toyota Land Cruiser in ’51, Chevy Corvette in ’53 and Mercedes SL in ’54.

For 2017, a smooth-shifting 6-speed automatic transmission is tied to the Chevy’s 5.3-liter V-8 (355 horsepower, 383 lb.-ft. torque). Cylinder deactivation will cut use to V-4 at times cruising t\he highway, and even occasionally in town. My overall fuel-mileage average was 19.6; the Suburban’s EPA estimate is 15/22.

It rides on Continental P275/55R20 tires; 22-inch wheels are available, but that may bring harshness to the normally soft ride.

Only the extended-length Ford Expedition will out-tow the Suburban, which has max of 8,000 pounds. Same with Suburban’s 39-cubic-feet of cargo space behind the third row of seats; only the Expedition EL exceeds that among competitors. Fold the rear seats and the Suburban’s cargo area expands to 76.7 feet.

Pushing a button inside the power rear liftgate will fold the third row of seats, and a button inside the side doors will flip-fold the second row for ease of entry to the far-back.

From a base price of $58,155, the four-wheel-drive Suburban LT  half-ton climbs to sticker of $66,020 with the addition of numerous options, including color touch with navigation and audio, power sunroof, remote keyless start, power tilt and telescope steering column, heated steering wheel, lane-change alert and side-blind-zone alert.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration are standard in the Suburban, which has five USB ports in the cabin. The rear seat alert is tied to safety as a reminder to check for child occupants before leaving the vehicle.

Cars and trucks flourish with bright colors these days.

Energy green pearl is a new hue, showing up on the 2017 Honda Civic Si Coupe. The spirited Si, removed from the Honda lineup for 2016, returns with stiffened suspension, a horsepower boost and quick-shifting 6-speed manual transmission.

And the extreme green paint.

For the finish of the Civic Si, there are other choices, including silvers, reds, blues, blacks, whites, grays, all of which probably ought to be considered before settling for the energy green.

We had no trouble spotting the Civic when we walked out of Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen (Thornton) into a very crowded parking lot recently with Kurt and Tammy Wells. It’s a standout, and that’s not complimentary to its color scheme.

The sport compact’s exterior style is sharp, with a wide grille, honeycomb mesh air dam and large corner air intakes up front and a high-riding rear-wing spoiler. Inside, there is room for passengers in the rear-seating area, though headroom is very limited.

Performance comes from a 1.5-liter, direct-injection turbocharged 4-cylinder engine of 205 horsepower and 192 lb.-ft. of torque with a low redline of 6,500 rpm.

Noticeable when settling into the Si’s low-slung front seats are a short shifter for its 6-speed tranny and a relatively small steering wheel. Handling is superb, ride often turns somewhat rough. Push the Sport mode button and the suspension firms up and steering is more responsive. The hatchback rides on Goodyear Eagle 235/40R18 tires.

The Si tuner model carries an impressive EPA estimate of 38 miles per gallon on the highway; my overall average was 33.8.

When engaging the right turn signal, the camera lends a view to the right side of the car for added safety in that direction.

As quick and responsive as the Civic Si is, it is overshadowed by the Civic Type R, a 306-hp, turbocharged four-door hatchback. Its pricing begins about $10 grand above that of the Civic Si.

Pricing for the Honda Civic Si Coupe is $24,975, a bargain it seems, especially when measured against competitive makes Subaru WRX, Golf GTI, Focus ST and Mini Cooper S.

Among standard items in that $24k sticker are a power moonroof, Bluetooth hands-free link, CarPlay/Android Auto integration, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front sport seats, sport pedals, cruise control, rearview camera, intermittent wipers, capless fuel filler, center outlet sport exhaust and a rear-wing spoiler.

I’ve this summer driven the best-looking and most-comfortable new luxury sedan sold in the U.S. – the 2017 Lincoln Continental AWD Black Label four-door.

After rolling that name around in your mind, it may be a bit of a stutter to vocalize competitive models, such as the S, 5, A, CT, LS, XJ.

Stutter aside, the alphanumeric crowd welcomes a new model with an old name. The Continental, except for the early ‘50s, was a popular Lincoln almost yearly from 1939 to 2002.

Fifteen years later, it returns as flagship replacement for the Lincoln MKS. Before the Benz and Bimmer supporters begin e-mailing me, note that I didn’t say best-performing sedan.

Inside and out, though, the Lincoln is a standout. Park one of those others beside it and take a look.

The Continental I drove is finished in chroma elite copper hue, and its alpine venetian leather interior is as plush as anything offered in the luxury field.

Caitlyn, at the window in the Starbucks’ drive-through lane in Greeley, exclaimed, “My word, I can smell the Lincoln’s wonderful leather inside here.”

The seats, in Lincoln terminology, are Perfect Position Seats, inspired by private jets and high-end office furniture. The modern design allows the seat to adjust to individual body shapes and weights, and the thigh cushions can be adjusted independently in order that one leg remains at rest as the other engages the pedals.

The high-end Black Label version of the Continental is powered by a twin-turbo, 3.0-liter V-6 engine producing 400 horsepower and 400 lb.-ft. of torque, with impressive midrange performance. Other lesser-priced models are the Premiere, Select and Reserve, and other engines are a 3.7-liter V-6 of 305 horsepower and a 2.7-liter twin-turbo V-6 of 335 hp.

An electronic push-button shifter controls the 6-speed automatic transmission. The buttons, at first glance, might be mistaken for part of the infotainment center; they’re positioned along the left edge of the infotainment display screen.

The luxury sedan probably deserves an 8-speed setup. The use of paddle shifters with the transmission in sport mode, however, gets some quick responses between the gears and firms the suspension.

The paddles were effective in a drive toward Allenspark and, particularly, through the twisting narrow lanes of the Raymond community.

Much of the outstanding ride comes from an improved suspension system, replacing struts/multilinks of the MKS with continuously controlled damping with MacPherson strut and aluminum control arm and stabilizer bar at front and advanced integral-link with coils and stabilizer at the rear.

If the big car wanders near the edge of its driving lane without signaling, its lane-departure warning system will send shudders through the steering wheel. Eventually, the system will even guide the steering wheel back into the lane, though not as quickly or as effectively as several competitive makes.

Ultrasonic sensors at the front and rear of the Continental will assist in finding a parking space, and will guide the car into the space, with the driver operating only the brake and accelerator. The process is aided by a 360-degree camera system.

The new Lincoln, with a 117.9-inch wheelbase and 201.4-inch overall length, has a 5-inch longer wheelbase than the MKS, though is 4 inches shorter overall. The Continental’s curb weight is 4,547 pounds, about 100 heavier than the MKS AWD.

Its EPA estimate is 16/24 miles per gallon; my overall average was 19.9. The Lincoln rode on Pirelli 245/40ZR20 tires.

The amenities and all-wheel drive associated with the Continental Black Label model pushed sticker price to $74,815, including adaptive cruise control, alcantra headliner, heated and cooled seats, remote start and automatic high-beam headlamps.

High-riding exterior door handles, with only a light touch inside the handle, will open the door with no other assist; inside the cabin, a button is pressed (a la the Chevy Corvette) to open the door.

Harking back to the earlier days of the Continental, suicide doors (hinging at the rear, rather than the front) reportedly were considered, but modern tradition prevailed.

Every three or four years, Mercedes-Benz offers to send an SL roadster my direction; I never decline the opportunity to drive one, for it’s long been a favorite of mine.

The 2017 model, finished in cardinal red, is of added interest through its 362-horsepower, 3.0-liter biturbo V-6 engine. Those I’ve reviewed in past years have been of V-8 power.

The new Mercedes SL450 (V-6) showed up with a price tag of $108,385; that’s $20 grand below the sticker on an SL550 (V-8). Pricing tops out at $200,000 for the AMG SL65 (V-12).

After a midweek drive to Denver, I added miles over the weekend with a short drive to the south Friday for the first Taste of Johnstown, then on Saturday to Strasburg for the 6^th birthday party for great-granddaughter Ava Zink.

On our return drive Saturday, heading north on Strasburg Road, heavy rain washed over the roadway and, at one point, the roadster’s message center read, “Radar sensors dirty,” and the Mercedes’ Distronic cruise disengaged on its own.

So, at the intersection of Strasburg Road and E. 144^th Avenue, with only light rain falling, I pulled off the highway, got out and walked to the long-hooded front of the SL. With a handkerchief, I wiped off the two front eye sensors, got back in the car, headed down the road and the cruise worked just fine.

The SL450 and the 550 are equipped with 9-speed automatic transmissions, which can be driven in modes from comfort, to sport, to sport plus, to individual to eco. The 450 can’t match the powerful pace of the 550, though with the V-6 in sport mode and use of paddle shifters, it is quick to respond and fast enough.

The rear-drive roadster, as I’ve written in past SL reviews, corners exceptionally well and is strong in braking from 14.2-inch front rotors and its Brake Assist boost. Lane-keeping assist is in its fifth year of added safety for the SL.

The weekend’s highway drives boosted the Mercedes’ overall fuel mileage to 26.3 miles per gallon. The EPA estimate for the two-door is 20/28.

The distinctive SL look – long hood and short rear deck – is complemented with a new front grille that is a throwback to the SL300 Gullwing coupe of the mid-1950s. The first roadster was added to the SL line in 1957.

The 2017 model’s retractable top can be precisely dropped in 18 seconds, and a power windblocker raises behind the two seats with push of a button. Also at the push of a button, with the top in place, a MagicSky system allows the darkly tinted glass roof to turn clear.

With top down on a cooler day, an AirScarf vent in the headrests will blow hot air onto the necks of driver and passenger.

An interior highlight, in addition to the deep white nappa leather, is the $5,400 Bang and Olufsen BeoSound audio system with two front bass subwoofers raised and lighted at the corners of the dash.

A split infotainment screen can provide navigation mapping for the driver, while entertaining the passenger with a movie.

Last, and probably least, there is a removable ash tray rolling around in the glove compartment; if needed, pull it out and drop it into a cupholder and the cigarette lighter will be found beneath a lid of the center console.