SPORTING RIDES

Roll into summer with four very different vehicles that can handle all of your equipment…
 
By Casey Williams
 
If you play sports, you must have the right equipment—and the right auto. Whether your dream weekend involves fast tracks, watersports, off-roading or “glamping,” we have the vehicle for you.
 
Glamping: Bentley Bentayga (Above: Top row, left)
If Her Majesty went camping, she’d take this. The Bentayga is distinguished by Bentley’s trademark mesh grille and sculpted rear haunches. Diamond-quilted leather, hand-matched veneers and available gold Tourbillon clock by Breitling dress the cabin—as do night vision, Wi-Fi autonomous parking system and Naim for Bentley audio. All that is propelled by a 6.0-litre 12-cylinder engine, delivering 447 kW/600 horsepower. Deploy the rear “event seating,” pull the champagne from the fridge, and bust open the Linley cutlery and crystal. Base price: $266,090
 
Off-roading: Jeep Renegade (Above: Top row, right)
The Wrangler is legendary, but the smaller Renegade crossover holds its own on the Rubicon Trail and is a better urban partner. It flaunts the funky styling of Jeep’s grater grille flanked by round headlamps, but steps up with removable roof panels. Though architecture is shared with the Fiat 500X, Renegade offers Trail Rated capability and four-wheel drive with crawl ratio. It can even ford up to 19 inches of water. Get it with a 134 kW/180 horsepower 2.4-litre four-cylinder or 119 kW/160 horsepower 1.4-litre turbo-four. Base price: $21,495
 
Track Days: Subaru BRZ (Above: Bottom row, left)
A high-revving engine, sharp moves and an LGBT-friendly automaker make the BRZ a track-day athlete. Rev the 149 kW/200 horsepower 2.0-litre “Boxer” four-cylinder engine connected to a paddle-shift or short-throw manual six-speed transmission. A rear suspension from the WRX STi and Sport mode enhance handling. Inside, a centre tachometer, thickly bolstered seats and simple controls keep it real. Think of it as a bargain Porsche Cayman. Base price: $27,395
 
Watersports: GMC Sierra Denali (Above: Bottom row, right)
This one is ideal for pulling a boat or Jet Ski in luxury. Flashy chrome, 20-inch alloys and LED lighting complement an interior with burnished aluminum and heated/cooled leather seats. The Corvette-derived Magnetic Ride Control keeps it smooth, while Forward Collision Alert, Lane Keep Assist and Safety Alert Seat keep you safe. Wireless smartphone charging, Apple CarPlay and 4G Wi-Fi add convenience. Choose the 313k W/420 horsepower 6.2-litre V8 to pull almost anything. Base price: $64,725
 
–
 
CASEY WILLIAMS is a contributing writer for Gaywheels.com. He contributes to the New York-based LGBT magazine Metrosource and the Chicago Tribune. He and his husband live in Indianapolis, where Williams contributes videos and reviews to wfyi.org, the area’s PBS/NPR station.