If there was a common theme at the North American International Auto Show, it was that automakers are no longer shy about introducing a convertible in brisk January. MINI joined both Mercedes-Benz and Porsche in unveiling an open air vehicle with a vehicle they have simply named the MINI Roadster. Read more…
With Every Birthday Mazda’s Best-Selling Roadster Redefines Perfection
Those of us in this business have now been trying to explain the Miata’s magic for 20 years. We use poetic superlatives and proclamations like “thrilling!” and “unbeatable!” and even with a heaping helping of exclamation points we can’t always convey its awesomeness. You must simply experience the pure driving pleasure Mazda’s minimalist roadster continues to provide two decades after its debut to understand its enthralling charm. Our real job, then, is to keep you up to date on the little changes Mazda makes every few years to keep the MX-5 on top of its game. For 2009 Mazda made just enough tweaks to make a revisit worthwhile for the AT staff. Who are we kidding, a smile occupies our faces every time Mazda sends one our way. Here then is what’s new in the land of Miata. Read more…
GM’s Sexy Twins Get Some Spunk
The Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky are gorgeous vehicles, and if you don’t agree you must work for Mazda. So, considering their perfect proportions and confident handling, producing a follow-up to the uber-successful roadsters can mean only one thing: more power. And GM was happy to provide lots of it. Read more…
Anti-Sticker Shock
Either way you slice it, the Sky is drop dead gorgeous. Those are just about the last words I ever expected to utter about a Saturn. But then again, the Sky isn’t exactly my girlfriend’s Saturn. Though I wouldn’t mind if it was.
I had my doubts when GM announced that it was going to develop this bargain priced roadster platform dubbed Kappa. I believe stunning was one of the words used to describe the concept, but we all had our doubts. Especially when they announced that Saturn would be getting a version of said platform. And while they tried to prepare us our stubbornness held until the moment that cover came off and our jaws hit the pavement. How do you change the image of a dwindling unexciting car company? One fantastic car at a time! Read more…
Better Than Expected
Driving a Mazda MX-5 Miata with an automatic is like dating a cross-eyed supermodel. As long as she keeps her lids latched you’ll be the envy of bachelors everywhere, but the moment her pupils start peeking her seemingly perfect package is forever flawed. The same scenario will haunt owners of the slush-box Miata. When your car buddies see you pull up in the poster car for roadster perfection they’ll stand ready to congratulate your wise purchase. As soon as they see the automatic shifter they’ll slap you silly—Jerry Springer style. And as enthusiasts, clear cut condemnation of any Miata with an automatic seems warranted. With a computer making the decisions that elemental “oneness” between man and machine is lost. Read more…
Maybe We Could Have Picked A Warmer Weekend?
The plan drawn up at AT headquarters was deceptively simply: Gather the hot new Mazda MX-5 and the sexy Pontiac Solstice, drop their respective tops, and chase the horizon for a day of fantastic fall fun. It’s the stuff dreams are made of—or at least our tire smoking, fuel-injected dreams. This plan, however, would require two things. First, that we could get our anxious little paws on the keys to the two hottest cars for 2006 during the same week. And second, that the weather in Michigan in late fall wouldn’t resemble something from The Day After Tomorrow. Read more…
1.) Lower The Top
2.) Put On Sunglasses
3.) Bask In The Glare Of Jealous Drivers
Oh, the attention you can garner driving one of these. It isn’t so much that the Crossfire is an exotic looking car as it is just plain different. A fresh design idea you could call it. Whatever it is, it grabbed our attention, and that of several members of the greater Detroit area. I personally would like to think of it as one of the classiest roadsters to come from an American automaker yet—or at least a formerly American automaker. Though by the time you read this (for the northern half of the country that is) it will more than likely be snowing and well past the season for wind in your hair driving! 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…
They say money can’t buy happiness. Well, “they” never drove the ragtop Z. Read more…
