If you want a glimpse at the future of automobiles, take a ride in this Lexus.
It’s not a “car of the future” in the sense of GM’s Autorama show of the 1950s, which featured cars with wild styling and out-of-this-world gizmos that never made it into your garage. Read more…
Chevy Finally Gets On The Small Car Radar
It’s news to no one that Chevy’s Cavalier hasn’t been a class leader since, well, never. It’s always been rough, underpowered, uncomfortable and devoid of style. The only way Chevy was able to move so many was to keep its sticker price low and fuel economy high. But times change and now even the most basic new cars offer comfortable seats and decent stereos. Some, like the Mazda3, are even great looking. Bob Lutz and the leadership of Chevrolet knew their next small car had to offer more than the Cavalier ever could if they wanted buyers back in GM showrooms without baiting them with thousands of dollars in incentives. To that end, a new platform, dubbed Delta, was used and lofty goals were set for the Cobalt. We recently spent time in both the sedan and coupe versions and are happy to report that the Cobalt is no Cavalier. Read more…
American Muscle With German Training
Excitement builds as I clamber up the hill to the CTS-V parked on the crest. So docile this Caddy looks, resting on muscular haunches, flanks gleaming in the autumn afternoon sun. My pulse quickens as I stretch out my hand to the driver’s door. Heart racing I slide into the seat and twist the key, the LS6 V8 wakes from its slumber. A deep mellow pulse reverberates from the tailpipes. Buckle up; it’s time to ride! Read more…
Only a few years ago, I hated driving Cadillacs. They were big, quiet and had lots of gadgets in the cabin, but they were about as exciting to drive as a John Deere tractor through a Kansas cornfield.
To put it bluntly, Cadillac designed its cars for rich old ladies. Read more…
When the Jaguar S-Type was introduced a few years ago, it was criticized for being too much like a Ford and too little like a “real” Jag. It looked great on the outside — like every Jaguar should — but showed far too much of its Taurus DNA in the cabin.
Jaguar rectifies some of this Fordness, though thankfully not all of it, with a heavily revised S-Type. It retains its gorgeous body and chic style, but its interior, ride, handling, and horsepower are made more appropriate for a car with such a rich pedigree.
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It was only a few years ago when Nissan teetered on the brink of bankruptcy, nearly committing corporate suicide with a lineup of stale, flavorless sedans and generally unimpressive trucks. It was a sad sight, indeed.
Nissan knew it needed a miracle to stay alive as a company, and that’s what it appears to be getting today. Over the last two years it managed to muster a pair of home runs — no, more like grand slams — with the redesigned Altima and sporty 350Z, both of which are leaving dealer lots faster than a cheetah on steroids.
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In the rarified realm of luxury cars, there are two basic flavors.
One is the traditional road yacht that floats down the highway with grace, style, and gluttonous size. The other is the midsize sports sedan that aims to exhilarate the driver with sharp handling and gobs of power while coddling passengers with a modestly upscale cabin.
Lying somewhere in between is the Lexus GS sedan.
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With all the flashy new cars on Chrysler lots, it’s easy to forget about the company’s more traditional models.
Just drive by a dealership, and you’ll see what I mean. There are stylish 300Cs, sporty PT Cruiser convertibles, gorgeous Crossfires, and fancy Pacificas, all of which scream for attention with gaudy styling and prime placement on nearby billboards. Like the head cheerleader at a school dance, they’re hot and they know it.
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There have been plenty of strange cars in the past 100 years, but this must be one of the most ridiculous.
No, it can’t fly or drive underwater, and it doesn’t even look very weird. It’s fairly mundane at first glance — that is, until you see the badge on the hood.
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In a move that imitates expensive German sports sedans, Infiniti added an all-wheel drive model to its G35 lineup for 2004.
At first glance, it seems odd to add the weight of an AWD system to a performance-oriented sports sedan like the G35, but the system has a couple of major advantages. First, it helps in low-traction situations, like on icy or wet roads. Second, it offers very neutral, predictable handling in corners, something all Andretti wannabes should love.
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