Automotive Trends

American Rice

    Hold up on the Teriyaki sauce, this one looks to be red hot already! And by that we mean more than just the color of the rice burner that GM sent us. The Cobalt SS does not play by the muscle car rules of engagement, save one. Lots of power! My apologies up front, as Rice Rockets and the like are not generally welcomed with the kind of open armed, warm and fuzzy feelings that we reserve for cars with, well let’s just say, a few more cubes. Nonetheless, me and my little chilly pepper got along just fine. Read more…

     I love the magic of convertibles.
     When you drop the top and start the engine, they delightfully make you forget about things like mortgage payments, jerks at work, leaky faucets, and the IRS. Convertibles are designed for fun — nothing more, nothing less. Read more…

A Touring Sedan Fit For Seville

    Well, I can say this for certain, that is GM has managed to move light-years ahead with the new STS over the previous generation model. No longer is the STS’s sole boasting point a sweet engine. Accompanying the now longitudinally-mounted Northstar is a new performance oriented tranny, chassis, and rear-wheel drive to boot. Finally, the company that once called itself the standard of the world is willing to step back up to the plate with a serious ballplayer for the major league. Read more…

     Who says money can’t buy happiness?
     When you’re behind the wheel of a Porsche Boxster, happiness costs about two bucks a gallon. Read more…

    You’d have to look far and wide to find something that has changed as drastically as in-car electronics in just ten years. OK, any number of Hollywood has-beens might fit the bill, but limit the context to cars and it’s the myriad entertainment, navigation, comfort, climate, and luxury features that have evolved at an astonishing pace. Read more…

Crusin’ In The King Of Cool

    For some people, making an entrance is what it’s all about. After all, you only have one chance to make a first impression and how you arrive on the scene says a lot about you. Underwhelming the audience is not an option. Perhaps that is why so many people rely on the Cadillac Escalade’s confidently exaggerated design to announce their arrival. With a chrome grille the size of a Miata and Cadillac badges visible at 200 yards, it’s near impossible to miss someone exiting a ‘Sclade. Add in the newly optional 20” chrome wheels and there’s a money-back guarantee you’ll be hippest thing in the parking lot. Not even Bermuda shorts and flip-flops could damage your street cred. Read more…

When A6 Is Enough

    On your personal list of vehicles most in need of a redesign, the 2004 Audi A6 was probably not in the top five, or even the top ten—actually, it likely wasn’t on the list at all. That’s because despite being introduced for the 1998 model year, the last generation A6 remains as elegant as ever. But Audi is in the process of revising the entire lineup from top to bottom and, as such, the A6 is all new for 2005. Read more…

    Ever since Infiniti introduced the G35 a few years ago, the luxury brand has been on the rebound.
     The midsize G35 has not only been a hot seller thanks to its stellar performance and stunning body, but it also served as a statement to the world that Infiniti wasn’t willing to play backup quarterback while Lexus got the starting job. In essence, it moved Infiniti from JV to varsity. Read more…

Do The A&W Waitresses Still Roller-Skate To Your Car?

     Ford was on to something when they introduced the T-bird concept back in 2000. Then they waited until 2002 to release it. Orders came quick and the early ‘Birds were gobbled up by graying Baby Boomers. Then the lust disappeared. All those who remembered the classic T-bird had theirs already and Ford just couldn’t bribe the young’uns into taking one. So this latest model has sailed along smoothly, the winds of time, unfortunately, not in the ‘Bird’s favor. The reign of the Thunderbird ends this year—again. The flight was to be a short one and lack of sales has not spurred a model year extension. So we found it necessary to take one last cruise before this bird joined the Dodo. Read more…