MPU 300x600
MPU 300x600 - 2
2012 Fiat 500 Abarth Review
It’s been a long time since the name “Abarth” meant anything to motorists in North America. Back in the 1960s, Karl Abarth’s tuning firm, which got its start in Italy by modifying Fiats for road racing, also sold high performance exhaust systems for almost every economy and sports car. These exotic looking exhausts were expensive
Read More »2013 Lexus LS 460 F Sport Review
When Toyota introduced the LS model line in September, 1989, the large sedan was a hit with buyers who were overjoyed to own a Mercedes Benz S Class clone for half the cost of the Benz. Although the styling of that first LS was clearly Benz derivative, the Lexus packed a 4 liter, 250hp V8 wallop under the hood that Mercedes
Read More »2013 Toyota Avalon Limited Review
Did you ever notice how automotive reviewers feel compelled to trash a company’s previous offering – one they universally loved just a few years back – whenever they’re given a new version of the same model to drive? This frequently occurs because manufacturers themselves denigrate their prior offering in order to cast a fairer
Read More »2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland
Jeep engineers must have had the mountain bike rider in mind when they designed the new Grand Cherokee. If you flip the rear seats down and pop open the hatchback gate, you’ve created the perfect storage area for a mountain bike. Tailgate lift-over is moderately high, but once you’ve got the hang of sliding your bike in and out
Read More »2013 Scion FR-S Review
The bold new Scion FR-S looks best when painted in Hot Lava, a shocking shade of pearlescent orange that perfectly summarizes the impertinent nature of this sizzling hot hatchback. With the FR-S, Scion engineers have managed to craft the perfect autocross car. Once properly classed by the Competition Board of the SCCA, the FR-S will win many national titles
Read More »2013 Dodge Dart Review
Okay, let’s get the important stuff out of the way upfront. No, it doesn’t have a Slant Six under the hood, a push button automatic on the dash, or Tinker Bell script reading “Dart” on the rear fender. The new Dart is the first offspring of the US government-brokered shotgun marriage between Chrysler and Fiat. Fiat, which owns Alfa Romeo, supplies the Dart with a stretched Alfa Giulietta platform
Read More »2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Convertible Review
To give you some idea of how rare this car will someday be, my test Camaro, finished in Silver Ice Metallic, and built in June of 2012, carried a VIN number whose last 5 digits read 00081. A VIN Number that low borders on prototype/pre-production status. It’s hard to top that for rarity! And better yet, at $65,800, this Camaro is also a stunning bargain.
Read More »2012 Ford Edge 2.0L Review
At $38,910, Ford’s EcoBoost Edge pushes the price envelope for a 4 cylinder SUV with front-wheel-drive. Base price on the Edge is $34,915. But by the time you’ve added the $995 optional 2.0 liter EcoBoost engine, new for 2012 and featuring direct injection, the $485 Vision Package (with blind spot monitoring), the numerical keypad Driver Entry Package
Read More »2013 Ford Mustang V6 Review
Most people think V-8 when they think Ford Mustang. To be sure, the brand’s identity is based on the architecture of the 8 cylinder engine. But with gas nudging the $5 per gallon mark, maybe it’s time to rethink the basic Mustang equation. Back in 1964, when Ford introduced the Mustang, the base model’s inline 6 cylinder engine was a weak-kneed shadow of the optional V8.
Read More »2012 Volkswagen Golf R 4-Door Review
After a hiatus of 4 years, VW has reintroduced the R brand Golf to their model lineup for 2012. Formerly called the R32, the name has been shortened to R because the 3.2 liter V6 which propelled the R32 has been discarded in favor of a turbo 2.0 liter inline 4. The new motor, which the Golf shares with Audi’s TT, produces 256hp and 243 lb.-ft. of torque
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