Automotive perfection is hard to define. Is it the latest technological wizardry, a smooth ride and a quiet cabin? Is it breathtaking performance? Is it a style that makes your friends and neighbors envious every time they see you drive by?
Or, as Audi contends, is it the synthesis of all these things?
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After dominating the North American market for family sedans only to see Japan steal it like a masked bandit, General Motors is trying to recover from lackluster sales in America thanks to a string of bland products.
I know, I know. You’ve heard it before — probably more times than you care to count — but it looks like an American company finally found the right formula for beating the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. It’s just the new Chevrolet Malibu, but listen up. This could be a sign of big things to come. Read more…
When you think of a luxury car, what comes to mind?
Most people would envision a huge Cadillac, Lincoln, or Mercedes-Benz that floats down the road like an ocean liner, its geriatric driver pointing his nose at the sky. This stereotypical luxury car is probably something quiet and smooth with snooty styling and a mushy suspension that makes the road feel like polished glass.
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If you’re looking for a midsize sedan with a hint of luxury, good luck. You’ll need it with the glut of choices available.
Today’s highways are packed with comfortable, good-looking sedans under $35,000. On the low end there are Camrys, Accords and Maximas with leather seats, navigation systems, and lots of fancy doo-dads. American cars like the Chrysler 300C and Ford Five Hundred offer a little more space for the money — not to mention more attention-getting styling — but they lack the appeal of a luxury brand. For that, there are plenty of solid cars from Infiniti, Lexus, Lincoln, Cadillac and Acura. Read more…
Everybody knows the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry reign atop the family-sedan hill. They’re the cream of the crop, the best of the best, and a thousand other overused clichés. Read more…
For decades, Cadillac called itself “The Standard of the World,” and it wasn’t an exaggeration. Technical innovations, elegant styling and sophisticated refinement made it the best car company on the planet — hands down — in the early part of the 20th century. Nothing else came close. Read more…
For The Boy Racer In All 60 Year Olds
The side of our brain that is based in reality tells us there is probably no need for a hot-rod version of a car whose buyers are all well over the hill and don’t drive much faster than 45 mph. But on the other side of our brain, the one that has been completely consumed by horsepower and speed, we think maybe there are enough buyers to create a big-wheeled, high-horsepower full-size domestic sedan. After all, Chevrolet did it in the mid 1990s and found a loyal group of buyers who fell in love with the Corvette powered Impala SS. It’s unfortunate, but the SS isn’t around today, though Mercury thinks it can make enthusiasts lust after its 2003 Marauder the same way they did for Chevy’s long gone Super Sport. Read more…
Jaguar’s X-Type Proves That Good Things Can Come In Small Packages
When it comes down to it, the auto business is actually quite simple. Develop a product that can be sold for a profit and then sell as much of that product as you can for the largest possible profit. It only gets complicated when a company hits a “glass ceiling” of sorts. Like in biology, the automotive market has a carrying capacity. In other words, there are only so many consumers who can afford to drop at least $50,000 on their vehicles. And during the late 90’s Jaguar showrooms offered few choices, and none of them even close to the magic $30k mark. Jaguar decided to try something it had never done before. Combine all of the style, elegance, comfort, and prestige that make a Jaguar desirable in a package that could be sold for under 30 grand. The X-Type is that product and though its success in the sales department is not the subject of this article, its success as an entry-level luxury car is. Read more…
Mix two quarts of chrome with a cup of luxury and a pinch of performance, and what do you get? The Buick Park Avenue Ultra. Read more…
