Test Driven: 2013 BMW 328i Modern Line, Al’s Take
Posted: November 16, 2012 Filed under: Sports and Executive, TEST DRIVEN | Tags: BMW, Compact, F30, German, Luxury, Mind over motor, Modern Line, new, RWD, Sedan, Silver, Sports Sedan, Test Driven, turbo Leave a comment »
BMW has always been one to beat for sports sedans. They pretty much invented the segment back in the late 1970s when the first E21 3-Series rolled off the production line. Since then, the lineup has expanded to include more body styles, more engines (including diesels and now the first-ever hybrid model), and along with that, more features and a higher price. Competitors have stepped up their game, including Lexus, Infiniti, and Cadillac, all of whom tried to unseat the E46 and E90 series 3er’s, but never really succeeded. This year, the 3-series got a big makeover, and I decided this spring, not long after they hit the streets of NJ, to try one out for myself.
Test Driven: 2004 Pontiac GTO
Posted: May 18, 2012 Filed under: TEST DRIVEN, Used Gems | Tags: 5.7, Australia, Coupe, General Motors. Muscle Car Era, Gran Turismo Omologato, GTO, Holden, LS1, Mind over motor, Monaro, Personal Coupe, Pontiac, review, RWD, Silver, Test Driven, V8 Leave a comment »
The three letters “G-T-O” are legendary in automotive culture. They stand for “Gran Turismo Omologato”, an Italian phrase which means “Grand Touring Homologation”. Ferrari is the most famous manufacturer to use this phrase, as the famous 250GTO entered history as one of the most famous and sought-after Ferraris ever built. The other manufacturer to use this acronym heavily was General Motors during the same time period. From 1964 to 1974, Pontiac built its GTO, at first just an option package on the midsize Tempest, then later on a fully-fledged model. The GTO kicked off the muscle-car era, an era that went down as one of the most famous in American automotive history, but died in 1974 as a flabby memory of its former self, downgraded to an option on the Ventura (Pontiac’s Chevy Nova clone). But, in 2004, GM decided to bring back the name, 30 years later. They took the Holden Monaro, slapped a new front and rear end on it, moved the steering wheel, and gave it a few Pontiac badges. I took this used 2004 model to the streets to see if it was any good.
Test Driven: 1997 BMW 840Ci
Posted: October 4, 2011 Filed under: TEST DRIVEN, Used Gems | Tags: 840Ci, big, BMW, Coupe, E31, Flip-up Headlights, fun, M62B44, Mind over motor, NJ, Silver, Test Driven, V8 3 Comments »
It’s a shark with wheels. I always loved how this car looked when I was little.
It isn’t every day that you find a car in your area that’s one of only 801 like it in the country. Yet, that is exactly what happened to me, when I was surfing the Internet, an opportunity landed in my lap faster than a hot bowl of soup. Just around the bend was a 1997 BMW 840Ci—with less than 90K miles under its belt, I decided it deserved a drive. Read the rest of this entry »
Test Driven: 2006 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT Limited
Posted: July 7, 2011 Filed under: TEST DRIVEN, Used Gems | Tags: 2.5GT, 2.5GT Limited, AWD, Bug Shield, Car, driving, EJ25, fun, Legacy, LGT, Limited, Midzise Cars, Mind over motor, NJ, Opportunity, Sedan, Silver, Subaru, Test Driven, Turbocharged 2 Comments »
Subaru Legacy 2.5GT Limited (front)
Last month, I intended to test drive a Buick Regal Turbo, but after a walk around the used-car lot, I discovered this little gem on the used car lot. It’s a 2006 Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT Limited, and I’ve been seriously considering one for after I graduate next spring. Faced with the opportunity, I decided to postpone driving the Buick and take this LGT for a drive instead. Read the rest of this entry »
Spotted! BMW Z8, Morristown, NJ
Posted: June 9, 2011 Filed under: Exotics, SPOTTED! | Tags: BMW, Intersection, Mind over motor, Morris Township, NJ, Silver, spotted, Z8 Leave a comment »
BMW Z8
I don’t see these all too often, despite the fact that they aren’t that rare in the grand scheme of things. One of my favorite BMWs from the early 2000s.
-Al
Spotted! Camaro Z/28, Randolphville, London, 2009
Posted: May 24, 2011 Filed under: Muscle, SPOTTED! | Tags: 1971, Camaro, Chevrolet, Chevy, England, Garage shot, London, Mind over motor, Randolphville, Silver, spotted, Vacation Leave a comment »
1971 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 up the street from a small pub in residential West London. Who would have thought this would be here?
-Al
