As a traditional Cadillac enthusiast, I have felt Cadillac’s lineup has been somewhat incomplete since the departure of the magnificent Fleetwood at the end of 1996. While that car shared its powertrain entirely with the top-line offerings from Chevrolet and Buick, it was a car that was unmistakably a Cadillac. It was the ultimate car for being pampered and its sheer size made it the most imposing car on the road at the time. In its absence the smaller front-wheel-drive Deville had to hold its own against the likes of the Lincoln Town Car – a job it did well. In the decade and a half since Cadillac’s last body-on frame rear wheel drive sedan was built, the top end luxury market has erupted in an all-out war between the Audi A8, Lexus LS-variants, and the Mercedes-Benz S-class. While the Town Car is still in production, Ford threatens to discontinue it on nearly a yearly basis and does little to promote or improve it. Now Lincoln calls the Mercury-like MKS the flagship of its line. Yet another Taurus-based Lincoln, it is as if Ford has thrown in the towel as being a true competitor in the luxury class. Read more…
For 2011 Chrysler wisely decided not to let it’s Jeep Grand Cherokee, the flagship of its legendary off-road brand, get stale. This marks the fourth generation of the model, which took over the place of the ancient Grand Wagoneer after its departure in 1991. Read more…
It’s Official: Buick Is On A Winning Streak
At the end of our first day with the LaCrosse we were relieved to discover something: the Enclave wasn’t a fluke. It turns out that Buick designers can transfer their big crossover’s flowing curves, spot-on proportions and upscale detailing to a midsize sedan with stunning effect. Of course it takes more than a pretty face to make us go weak in the knees and type up a love letter to Buick. Fortunately, like the Enclave, the LaCrosse’s beauty is more than skin deep. Read more…
The new Buick LaCrosse is such a fresh departure from the w-car based model that introduced the nameplate that we felt a Design Critique was in order. That car looked old from the beginning, and worse, bore a large resemblance to the then-current Ford Taurus from nearly any angle. Read more…
Bringing Value To Big Crossovers
We’ve already reported that the General struck close to the bulls-eye with its first two big crossovers out of the gate, (GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook) and we’re willing to go on record saying the Buick Enclave is currently the best looking crossover in production. Since the Chevrolet brand is far and away the volume leader it should have surprised nobody when the Traverse debuted with design cues from the successful Malibu and displayed a window sticker with an impressive spec list and a very reasonable number at the bottom. The good news for GM: that’s a recipe for success. Read more…
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…
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…
Stiff Competition Makes Life Difficult For The Improved XL7
Here’s a good example of just how competitive the auto industry is in 2007. Let’s be honest, Suzuki’s XL7 has been rubbish since it debuted. But when the details on the new generation started to leak out there was a lot of reason for hope. The whole thing was going to be based on a stretched version of GM’s Theta architecture, which works fine in the Chevy Equinox, and even better news was Suzuki’s decision to drop their old, underpowered engine in favor of GM’s 3.6-liter V6 and smooth shifting 5-speed automatic. Read more…
This Is The Ford Edge You Really Want
You’d never believe it after driving the two vehicles, but the Ford Edge and the Mazda CX-9 share an engine and a good chunk of their architecture. We say that because the Edge, like too many of Ford’s recent products, is ho-hum and the CX-9 is a serious contender for the large crossover crown. Both CUVs are handsome, but the Mazda is far better to drive and its interior offers superior materials, three rows and something we like to call design. But this isn’t a comparison test; we’ll get to that some day. This is a review of the biggest vehicle Mazda has ever built, and somehow still managed to inject with a little soul. Read more…
The Ultimate Plebianmobile
Sometimes you just have to get out of the office for a few days and take a trip, change the scenery, and breathe some fresh air. But as an auto scribe you could hardly say I leave my work behind me. Oh I was on leave, but not on vacation. The good folks from Kia had a Sportage 4×4 ready and waiting for my critique as soon as my plane hit the tarmac at the Atlanta, Georgia airport. Read more…
