Test Driven: Mercedes Benz C180 Blue Efficiancy Estate
Posted: July 19, 2012 Filed under: Sports and Executive, TEST DRIVEN | Tags: 1.8, 2.0, America, Austria, autobahn, Automatic, Benz, Blue, C180, C250, cylinder, Drive, efficiency, engine, Estate, EU, European, four, Germany, limiter, Mercedes, Mind, motor, Over, rear, Rental, review, speed, Trip, turbo, wheel 1 Comment »
Mercedes C180 Bluet Efficiency Estate
My family and I had this Mercedes C180 Estate for two weeks during our recent trip to Germany. Here in America we have the Mercedes C class, but we do not have the wagon version nor the C180 model, so it was cool to try something a bit different. I have driven a few previous generation C classes over the years, however this was my first experience with the current generation, and this car was fitted with many of Mercedes’ newer gizmos and gadgets. So all in all this C180 offered many new things for me as an American driver, including driving in Germany for the first time. Read the rest of this entry »
Test Driven: Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 Track
Posted: July 5, 2012 Filed under: TEST DRIVEN, Used Gems | Tags: 2009, 2010, 2011, 3.8, 6, brakes, Brembo, Car, Coupe, Drive, Genesis, Hyundai, Luxury, manual, Market, Mind, motor, Nick, Over, rear, review, RWD, speed, Test, Track, Used, V6, Walker, wheel 1 Comment »
2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 Track
Ten years ago if someone had told me that Hyundai would soon be making sports and luxury cars I would have laughed in their face. Hyundai was basically the poster child for offensively cheap cars that people would only buy because they couldn’t afford a Honda or Toyota. Over the next decade though, Hyundai would make one hell of an effort toward improvement, becoming one of the best real values on the market. I have been a huge fan of Hyundai in recent years, applauding their innovation and commitment to quality in their drive up market. The Genesis Coupe you see here is one of the cars that helped vastly step their game up, a fast sports car from a company with little racing history. It couldn’t possibly be that good, could it? Read the rest of this entry »
BMW and Saab, a match made in Heaven
Posted: February 27, 2012 Filed under: AUTOMOTIVE INSIGHTS, INDUSTRY TALK | Tags: 1, 9-3, 9-5, 900, all, automotive, bankrupt, BMW, brand, Buying, combi, Coupe, Drive, Europe, front, German, Market, Mazda, Mind, Mini, motor, Niche, Nick, Over, purchase, rear, rebuild, resurge, Saab, series, Subaru, Swedish, turbo, Viggen, Walker, wheel, Z2 1 Comment »
BMW and Saab
Recently it was reported that BMW had expressed interest in purchasing Saab Automobiles. After hearing this news I found myself constantly pondering the possibilities of this acquisition and how BMW could make Saab work in the market where GM had failed. BMW will of course be in contention with numerous other bidders, however after much thought I see BMW as the most perfect match possible for the Saab brand and its resurgence.
Test Driven: Porsche Cayman R
Posted: December 8, 2011 Filed under: High End & Exotic, TEST DRIVEN | Tags: 2800, 3.4L, 330, 6, Beach, CA, California, Car, Cayman, Drive, engine, Fast, Flat, fun, H6, handling, hp, lbs, mid, Mind, Monterey, motor, Over, Pebble, pictures, Porsche, Quail, R, rear, review, RWD, six, specs, Sports, Test, video, wheel Leave a comment »
Porsche Cayman R
The Porsche Cayman has been heralded as one of the best handling cars money can buy. Sure it is the “baby” Porsche, but these days even the little ones have gotten pretty serious. The Cayman R is to the Cayman line as the GT3 is to the 911 series, so solid performance is a given. Porsche was offering test drives of various models during Concours Weekend, but once I saw the Cayman R on the list I knew where to place my priorities (Video after the jump).
Marketing the Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ
Posted: December 6, 2011 Filed under: AUTOMOTIVE INSIGHTS, INDUSTRY TALK | Tags: BRZ, Drive, event, FR-S, GT-86, Idea, info, marketing, Mind, motor, Over, pictures, proposal, rear, release, RWD, Scion, Spec, Subaru, Toyota, wheel 1 Comment »
The Scion FR-S will be the American version of the Toyota GT-86
Now that the US-market Scion FR-S/ Subaru BRZ have been fully revealed, the question of marketing comes to mind. This is especially so considering the fact that these two cars are basically identical to one another. Some differences seem to exist in the various trim levels offered (with the Subaru being slightly upmarket from the Scion), as well as some slight visual aspects, but otherwise there really are no meaningful differences to choose one car over the other. They seem to be counting on brand loyalty to differentiate the sales between the two brands, but this new rear drive sports car is a bit off color for both brands. Read the rest of this entry »
Secondhand Saint: BMW M6 (E63)
Posted: November 30, 2011 Filed under: Secondhand Saints, SHOWCASE | Tags: 200mph, 5.0L, 500hp, Amazing, bargain, BMW, button, buyer, Car, consumer, Coupe, Drive, E63, German, Gran, grand, GT, info, Luxury, M, M6, manual, Mind, motor, Over, owned, paddle, Pre, rear, saint, secondhand, sexy, shift, Showcase, sound, touring, Transmission, Turismo, Used, V10, wheel Leave a comment »
BMW M6
The BMW M6 is a legitimately proper Grand Touring car by all modern standards. There is no compromise, or sense of it being outdated because it was only discontinued in 2010. It also did not change much at all over it’s lifespan so the ones from 2006 are just as good as the ones from 2010. Because of this, M6s did not hold their value well at all, and they are becoming more and more affordable for normal people. Read the rest of this entry »
Something is up with BMW’s power claims
Posted: October 4, 2011 Filed under: INDUSTRY TALK | Tags: 1, 1M, 28, 35, 550i, bhp, BMW, dyno, engine, figures, Horsepower, low, M, Mind, motor, new, numbers, Over, power, rear, results, sDrive28i, series, turbo, underrated, wheel, whp, Z4 Leave a comment »1M vs M3
Recently BMW has made a commitment to turbocharging their entire lineup in the name of efficiency. Many enthusiasts are skeptical that this move will serve to improve the cars, but I think otherwise. I have driven a few 335is and can say that BMW has gotten these boosted cars to deliver their power very smoothly. They are a far cry from the more crude turbocharged cars of old that were plagued by excessive lag and sudden onset power that could unset the car’s balance in a corner. These cars seem to be living up to the BMW reputation quite nicely, and have even shown some surprises that BMW executive wanted to conceal on paper in order to preserve demand for their other cars. Read the rest of this entry »
Test Driven: Maybach 57S, Nick’s Take
Posted: August 25, 2011 Filed under: High End & Exotic, TEST DRIVEN | Tags: 57, 57S, 62, 62S, BiTurbo, Drive, Expensive, Fast, German, Luxury, massage, Maybach, Mercedes, Mind, motor, Over, rear, reclining, rich, S, seats, Test, Torque, turbo, Twin, ultra, V12 1 Comment »
Maybach 57S
A few years back Mercedes Benz, widely considered the automotive standard of the world, decided they were not quite up to tip-top standards anymore. With that realization, the Maybach brand was reborn with the goal of showing those stuck-up Brits a new definition of luxury. Read the rest of this entry »
Secondhand Saint: BMW 335d
Posted: August 12, 2011 Filed under: Secondhand Saints | Tags: 265, 335, 335d, 4, 425, BMW, d', Diesel, Drive, Fast, ft/lbs, fun, German, hp, Luxury, Mind, Mind over motor, motor, Over, rear, saint, secondhand, Sport, Torque, turbo, wheel Leave a comment »
BMW 335d
It would likely seem “too good to be true” if someone told you about a car that can get a hybrid-rivaling 40MPG, while still being able to go 0-60 in about 5 seconds flat. It isn’t though, because the BMW 335d will do just that while giving you everything you would expect from a normal Bimmer. Read the rest of this entry »
Test Driven: 2006 Mazda RX8
Posted: August 4, 2011 Filed under: TEST DRIVEN, Used Gems | Tags: 1.3L, 10000, 13B, 9000, 9500, Car, Coupe, doors, Drive, engine, manual, Mazda, Mind, Mind over motor, motor, oblong, Over, piston, rear, Rotary, rpm, RX8, Sport, suicide, Transmission, wankel, wheel Leave a comment »
Mazda RX8
I have always been a bit hot and cold on the RX8. I always saw it as a downgrade from the FD generation RX7, and I thought it was underpowered, especially when compared to the likes of its competition. I had also heard it had no torque at all and needed to be pushed hard if you wanted to go anywhere at all. Everyone I had ever met who owned one loved it and swore by it as a proper driver’s car, and of course on Top Gear Jeremy Clarkson loved it as well. So, there are a lot of people who like it, but I was left wondering why. I realized the only way I could really finalize my opinion was to go out and drive an RX8, so I did. Read the rest of this entry »
