Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk (2018)
Imagine taking a traditional SUV, put in the now famous Hellcat 6.2 liter 707 HP motor, upgraded Brembo brakes, gorgeous 20” wheels shod with high performance, low profile tires and what do you get? A mix of Nirvana and Insanity! I simply kept mumbling the word Insanity! Over and over. I hope the guys in the white coats did not overhear me. Read more
Alfa Romeo Stelvio (2018)
Mention the phrase “I am driving an Italian car” and the words Dramatic… Troublesome… Stylish… Unreliable… Sporty and I would add, Fun could come to mind. Alfa has had a spotty history in the United States and one could argue that is now going to change with the all new Stelvio SUV. Read more
Genesis G80 5.0 Ultimate (2018)
The all new G80 mid-sized sedan is without a doubt, the best effort yet Hyundai has made to seriously play with the luxury big boys from Japan, Germany and even the United States. This didn’t come over night, as Hyundai has previously had several luxury sedans with their 1st and 2nd generation Genesis as well as the Equus and the new G80 and G90 are the latest offerings from Hyundai’s high-end line which became a stand-alone brand in 2016. Think Lexus and Toyota. Read more
Lexus LC500h Coupe (2018)
It’s rare that a concept car makes it into production without many changes and the LC500 coupe is one of those cars that skipped the bean counter cubicle and went directly to production. Well, not quite but you get the idea. Read more
Chrysler Pacifica Plug in Hybrid Platinum (2017)When Chrysler introduced the Pacifica, I thought it was one of the best, if not the best-looking minivans in production. Well it’s not only the best looking, it’s also the best minivan, period. Read more
I admit, I have not driven a Honda in several years, so when I was offered the chance to drive their all-new for 2018 Honda Civic Si coupe, I said sure!
The press car that I drove was bathed in sexy bright red paint that Honda calls Rallye Red, together with the boy-racer-like rear wing, which I admit to really like, plus the blacked out 18” wheels, makes for a dramatic statement in a car. The surprises kept on coming, as I learned that it is only offered with a manual, six-speed transmission. I smiled. Read more
Lincoln MKZ Reserve 2.0 AWD (2017)
Lincoln. For some, it means quality, style and elegance, for others, it could mean a Ford with a different name. For me, after spending time and a fair number of miles driving the MKZ, I can say Lincoln is making great strides in creating a competitive American luxury car, again. Read more
Volkswagen Atlas V6, SEL Premium (2018)
I must hand it to the designers of the all-new 2018 VW Atlas: It’s beautiful!
VW had a glaring, gaping hole in its lineup and it has been filled quite nicely by the Atlas, thank you very much. The timing for VW could not have been better, as VW Dealers are itching for new product to sell and car buyers in the US are not really buying sedans! They are buying crossovers and SUV’s at an increasing rate and the Atlas checks all the boxes that the US buyer typically wants. This SUV will, without a doubt, become a high-volume seller for VW. Read more
Fiat 124 Spider Abarth (2017)
Fiat and Mazda seem like a match made in heaven (budget-minded thrills, heaven). Fiat has had a long history of beautiful “everyman” 2-seater roadsters, the kind of car you could afford to have as a second car on a working-persons’ salary and still look like an Italian movie director cruising to his summer house on the Mediterranean coast. However, over the years, Fiats went from the trusted Italian workhorse to, something less than reliable, giving birth to the acronym “Fix It Again Tony” (Fiat). Regrettably, this, plus the increased complexity of US automobile regulations, lead to the death of the Italian roadster in the 80s. This left a market segment mostly alone and ignored for many years. Read more
There was a time when you imagined a grand coupe, a myriad of euro cars would come to mind. From the sporty aggressiveness of the BMW 850CSi, the imposing Mercedes S600 to the decadence of the Bentley Azure, yes there used to be plenty of choices, including one coupe that continually has stood apart since the 70’s and can only be described as pure “Britishness.” It’s none other than the Jaguar XJ coupe. Read more
