Recently, Ford pulled the plug on the Panther chassis, which underpinned the Crown Victoria and its brothers. Continue reading Barges: What’s the deal?
Barges: What’s the deal?
All posts by ndubs77
Secondhand Saint: Porsche 944
I’m starting with this car because I learned to drive stick on a ’90 944 S2, so I have a special spot in my heart for it. The 944 was Porsche’s base model back in the 1980s and early 90s. It was very controversial at the time, and, like the Boxster today, was seen as “the poor man’s Porsche.” I can attest to the contrary 100%. The 944 is a fantastic sports car with great handling, 50/50 weight distribution, solid power and speed in the upper trims, fairly light weight (2700lbs or so), and a good look and feel to it. Back in its day the upper models would have competed with the likes of the BMW E30 M3, Lotus Esprit, Toyota Supra Mk3 Turbo, etc. Continue reading Secondhand Saint: Porsche 944
My thoughts on the whole Hybrid/Electric thing….
Ever since Al Gore’s little film there has been a bit of a frenzied panic going on in many areas, but especially in the car industry. Everyone has sudden obsession with green technology in an effort to save the earth from turning into an igloo in two days time without warning. Now I’m not one of those people who says that global warming is not real, not by a long shot, but the overwhelming majority of people do not actually know anything about what actually it is, and have just jumped onto the panic bandwagon like a bunch of spontaneous, ignorant, morons. This hysteria has become a detriment to much of the automotive industry because it has forced many companies to rush development and quality has suffered. Continue reading My thoughts on the whole Hybrid/Electric thing….
Test Driven: Lamborghini Murcielago LP-640
I’m going to start by listing all of the awful things about the Murcielago. It is hard to get in and out of, the driver position is awkward and not straight, the seat pokes you in many places and isn’t very comfortable, it has a small trunk that is almost useless, The steering is really heavy, the car feels absurdly huge, you have to avoid every pothole (expensive fix if you don’t), you have to be careful not to cut turns because you may scrape the car (like in a box truck), the car is cramped, there are blind spots everywhere except directly in front of you, its offensively impractical and vulgarly ostentatious, Its wider than the lane, rearview mirror is useless and only show you the engine, the side mirrors are useless and only show you the intakes for the engine, it is terrible on gas, nothing on the car is conventional or easy, no part of the car is socially acceptable, and because of the money at stake and the blindness, it is a terrifying car to drive and extremely stressful. So what is the appeal then? Continue reading Test Driven: Lamborghini Murcielago LP-640
Test Driven: Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder
The Lamborghini Gallardo is a fantastic, well-executed supercar for the street. Like most cars in this sector, it is still impractical in many regards, but nowhere near to the degree of the Murcielago. Overall though, it can be quite useable as a second car, that you drive for fun on nice days, because it is practical enough for most basic tasks, and a lot more fun than your other car would be.
599 GTO test by Autocar…. Turn up your speakers
This is Autocar’s test of the Ferrari 599 GTO and would you just listen to it! Especially in the tunnel at (1:40) Oh My GOD!!!!!! Continue reading 599 GTO test by Autocar…. Turn up your speakers
4WD vs. AWD: What’s the difference?
Since the explosion of the SUV market in the mid-1990s, many different companies have touted various forms of vehicles designed to take the driver where they please, rocks and mud be damned. Continue reading 4WD vs. AWD: What’s the difference?
Test Driven: Bentley Continental GTC
The way to describe the Bentley Continental is “solid”. The car is extremely overbuilt and it has such a feel of presence and occasion to it on the road. It is extremely refined and relaxed about everything it does whether you are just cruising or charging full steam ahead. The way it retains this laid back feel in all situations really sets it apart from any other car I have experienced. The Continental is a serious Grand Touring car to be sure. Continue reading Test Driven: Bentley Continental GTC
Test Driven: 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe
This past weekend, I became a man in terms of driving. Continue reading Test Driven: 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe
Cadillac XTS: “Standard of the world”? Doesn’t seem so.
Cadillac is working on a large sedan they are calling the XTS. It is to replace both the STS and DTS, and if GM is smart they will aim to make a legitmate flagship sedan of global standard like those offered from Mercedes, Audi, BMW, Jaguar, and Lexus. Continue reading Cadillac XTS: “Standard of the world”? Doesn’t seem so.
Dear Buick: I see what you did there.
Although GM’s turnaround has been the work of all four of its brands, Buick is the one that seems to look the most different than its previous self. With the loss of Oldsmobile and Pontiac over the past 10 years, Buick is now the mid-level brand of the family, which is an extremely difficult position to be in during this time, as Cadillac struggles to move upmarket and its closest competitor, Mercury, is finally put to bed by Ford. Continue reading Dear Buick: I see what you did there.
Art of the Automobile: Can cars be “art”?
In order to discuss this question we must first have a definition of “art” itself. The definition of art is largely personal will vary between individuals to some degree to be sure. There is some consensus though. “Art” consists of a deliberate action that is meant to evoke an emotional or sensual response, or meant to convey a message from the creator. It is a medium with which people may express themselves, and can really be anything at all. The factors defining “art” exist more in the reasons for doing something than the actual tangible result of such an action. This is because the motivation of the artist is what will ultimately determine the potency of their work’s effects on others. Continue reading Art of the Automobile: Can cars be “art”?
Mind Over Motor 
