Automotive Trends

So Good It Nearly Makes Us Forget The Cimarron

     After scooping up rave reviews, comparison test victories, and Car of the Year honors for the latest CTS you’d think Cadillac has been in the business of building superb sport sedans for decades, like BMW. Then, of course, you’d recall some previous efforts by the Wreath and Crest division. There was the Opel-based Catera in 1997, which looked and drove more like a Buick than a BMW. Back up even more to the ‘82 Cimarron, Cadillac’s rookie effort at building a small sporty sedan that was so disastrous it almost single-handedly sent the “Standard of the World” brand on a steep decline until the first-generation CTS bowed in 2002. That car was a solid attempt at buttoning down a chassis and livening up the steering like the German competition, but its uninspired styling and muddled, plasticy interior kept it from being a true competitor. Read more…

      Better grab a frosty beverage before you dive into this one. Our editors spent the day cruising down the length of Woodward to bring you this extensive gallery. This may be the town of Detroit Muscle, but everyone across the world has something to show off today.  Try not to drool on the keyboard this time. OK!

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600 Miles Later We Learn What The Evo Isn’t Good At

     I’ve had better and I’ve had worse. Among the worse was a three-hour cross-country van trip through Mexico in a 20-year-old van. A trip like that will make you appreciate things like suspensions, air conditioning and even the Michigan DOT. Recently I embarked on a road trip that didn’t jar loose all the fillings from my teeth but did take a toll on the overall condition of my already weakened body. Read more…

      Once again we visit Kettering University for the annual Firebird’s Car Show. And once again they deliver a fantastic show on a fantastic summer’s day. Click here to see all the cars we crammed into the day!

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     Normally when you drive a car you truly love, it’s like hot chocolate. It warms your soul, and you want to come back for more.
     This car — the Audi R8 — is nothing like that. Read more…

It’s Not Easy Being Green!

     The 2008 Ford Escape is like a breath of fresh air in a Ford lineup that has grown stale and boring. I dare say the Toyota Camry is more exciting than either the identity-crisised Taurus or razor bladed Fusion. Excluding the Mustang and its many special editions the bread and butter of Ford’s lineup is…well…bland. Read more…

The redesigned 2004 Ford F-150 redefines the truck market, again.

      Now that Dye has dazzled you (or baffled you) with his brilliant commentary about this year’s NAIAS, click here for the real treat, the show in full color Muxlow photography!!

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New Pickups, Alternative Fuels and a Real Surprise In The Motor City

     Pickup sales may be slowing, but Ford and Dodge are still smart enough to know that if fuel efficiency can be increased American consumers will still pay up for the biggest and best on the block. Ford’s F-150 forgoes a power increase (probably a bad idea) in favor of several new innovations, including a retracting side step to access the bed without throwing ones back out.  Advancements in the hydroformed frame bump up torsional rigidity by 10% while a completely flat load floor makes for easier cargo carrying in the cabin. The interior designs stick with the same basic look but many details are polished up, including the availability of a next-gen nav system and a whole new flagship luxury model called Platinum. Will it be enough for Ford to retain the best selling pickup title? Read more…

Nissan Puts The Accord Coupe In Its Crosshairs

     Nissan recently launched its revised 2007 Altima sedan complete with the requisite Hybrid model to generally positive reviews. While we haven’t driven the latest iteration of the family hauler we expect it to continue being the slightly sportier, less frumpy alternative to the Camry and Accord that it has always been. But Nissan is no longer content with simply fighting for the family sedan buyer; it wants to offer something for what it calls “typically younger, more performance-oriented coupe buyers.” And after driving it, the Camry Solara and Accord Coupe better hit the gym and get down to fighting weight because the all-new 2008 Altima Coupe offers credible performance in a body almost as sexy as the big brother Infiniti G37. Read more…