Category Archives: Luxury Cars

Cars We've Driven, Luxury Cars

2014 Infiniti Q60 IPL Convertible Reviewed (Grade: C)

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Infiniti Q60 IPL Convertible Review

When it comes to making a car more than the sum of its parts, luxury brands like Infiniti and Audi do a very strong job. The Q60, formerly known as the G37 Convertible, is one such example. Despite having been on the market since I got my driver’s license (which feels and is a long time ago at this point), they’re still selling it and people are still enjoying new ones as if they have had them for eons. The IPL model is supposed to be a hot version aimed at the older M3, which was the benchmark at the time. Nick and I both drove it, and I wrung it out around the streets of the Seventeen-Mile-Drive to find out what this svelte convertible was capable of. I got quite a few answers, some of which were expected, some of which were desired, and a few of which were not at all what I saw coming.

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Cars We've Driven, Luxury Cars

2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA250 4MATIC, Reviewed (Grade: B)

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Mercedes-Benz CLA250 Front

Mercedes-Benz has made a jump into the entry-level luxury market that exists below the C-Class, in order to grab younger, affluent buyers who want to move up in the world from Camrys and Accords that scatter the landscape. As this is the cheapest Benz money can buy new, I felt compelled to drive one, and on Memorial Day Weekend this year, I finally had some time on my hands to go take one for a drive. Luckily for me, my local dealership had a very clean looking AWD example with almost every option available for a spin around the block. As I strapped in, I asked myself one big question: “Can Mercedes-Benz draw as much appeal in this market as they normally do at the top of the market?” I got my answer–and a bit more than that. Continue reading 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA250 4MATIC, Reviewed (Grade: B) →

Cars We've Driven, Luxury Cars

2015 BMW M235i Reviewed (10/10)

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2015 BMW M235i

Back in the 1980s, the BMW 3 Series really put BMW on the map. It drove like a sports car, but was a practical and economical for everyday use. Generation after generation, the 3 Series built up its reputation, but now it has grown in proportion so much that it isn’t really the same sort of car that it originally was. This is where the 2 Series comes into the equation, as a car that is much more the flavor of the first few generations of the 3 Series. If you want a new BMW that is more like the E30, E36, or E46 generation 3 Series, then the 2 Series may be the answer for you. Let’s have a look at the M235i, the top dog of the current 2 Series lineup.

The 2 Series is not the first BMW to undercut the 3 Series. The 2 Series comes to us as the direct replacement for the previous-gen 1 Series. BMW re-branded it as a 2 Series because a smaller, front-wheel drive model will be taking the 1 Series nameplate in the near future. I know this is all very confusing, and very trivial, but welcome to the auto industry where the bean counters have to find a way to make their superfluous jobs matter.

The BMW M235i is a fantastic sports car of the modern variety. What I mean by that is that it utilizes the best aspects of modern automotive technology, but that it also may leave some old-school driving purists wanting for more.

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Cars We've Driven, Luxury Cars

2014 BMW 428i Reviewed (Grade: B)

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BMW 428i Right Front

When it comes to sports sedans, BMW has always been the brand on top since the 1980s. Sure, there have been some companies to equal them on a few different fronts, but the 3-Series has been the king in terms of sales and profitability for its manufacturer for as long as I can remember. When the F30 series launched in early 2012, I was very skeptical and didn’t like the sedan I took out for a drive. In fact, I found the 328i wagon I drove a few months before that to be more fun to drive. Worse, when I was at Pebble Beach last summer, I got stuck behind a new 435i which couldn’t be bothered to go the speed limit, and thus ruined my test drive of the Rolls-Royce Wraith. At Greenwich this year, I was presented with the opportunity to allow this new model to redeem itself. I found myself standing in front of this 428i coupe with keys in hand and a jonesing to go for a drive and see if I could find something to like about the new model. Here’s what I found. Continue reading 2014 BMW 428i Reviewed (Grade: B) →

Cars We've Driven, Cheap Fun Cars, Luxury Cars

2015 Subaru WRX CVT Automatic Reviewed (9.5/10)

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2015 Subaru WRX Review by Mind Over Motor

This is the new Subaru WRX, and it is the one without a clutch pedal. As if that doesn’t seem bad enough, it doesn’t have a dual clutch gearbox or even a traditional automatic, no, this WRX has a continuously variable transmission (CVT), like the one you might find in a Toyota Prius or a Nissan Versa. And, you know what, it’s pretty damn good.

You might think I’ve lost my mind here, but let me set things straight with a little context. I am not going to say that the CVT WRX is better than the manual WRX, because it surely isn’t for hardcore driving enthusiasts. So let’s get that out of the way right from the start. Subaru still makes a manual WRX for their existing customers, and now it finally comes as a 6-speed (Hooray!). That, however is a fairly boring story to write — the manual WRX is a lot of fun, and the Pope is still Catholic.

I wanted to drive the CVT automatic because the 2015 WRX is the first WRX to be offered without a clutch pedal since 2008, and most of us know the 2008 WRX was a total embarassment. In fact, throughout the entire history of the Subaru WRX, there hasn’t been a decent automatic version… ever. So I had a fundamental question that needed to be answered: Is the new CVT automatic WRX any good at all?

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Cars We've Driven, Everyday Normal Cars, Exotic Supercars, Luxury Cars

Cadillac ELR Reviewed (6.5/10)

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Cadillac ELR Review

The Chevrolet Volt hasn’t sold well, despite its fantastic technological design. The reason Volt hasn’t sold is because it costs around $40,000 when a Toyota Prius costs around $25,000; who would’ve guessed, but most cost-conscious consumers would rather save their extra fifteen grand.

GM knows the Volt is in trouble, so they’ve decided to attack the problem from a different angle — if the Volt is too expensive, then why not make it into a Cadillac, called the ELR, which can command a higher price. On the surface that seems like a good idea: take an over-priced economy car, turn it into a luxury car, and add a couple grand to the price tag.

Here’s the problem, though. GM didn’t just add a couple grand to the Volt’s price tag, they went and doubled it. So now, a way over-priced economy car has become a way over-priced luxury coupe.

Knowing all of this, when given the opportunity to take an ELR for a spin, I decided to put my predispositions aside, and see what the car had to offer. Maybe, just maybe, GM could’ve sprinkled it with some sort of magical pixy dust that would make it worth the $80,000…

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Cars We've Driven, Exotic Supercars, Luxury Cars

Porsche 911 Carrera S Review, Al’s Take (Grade: B)

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2014 Porsche 911 Carrera S Front Left

Porsche is one of those brands that hasn’t changed much, despite their appearances. The company may have a lot of great fans, but there are a lot of traditionalists too. This mix of fans is pretty eclectic, ranging from autocross nuts (who love their 944s), Sunday drivers (who could be driving anything from a 914 to a fire-breathing Turbo S), executives (to some, a 911 Carrera is a real symbol of success), to wealthy soccer moms (Cayennes). The traditionalists fume when you bring up the Cayenne or the Panamera and I know what they are all about–Porsche should be about sports cars, not everyday “boring” vehicles. Well, it doesn’t matter what Porsche makes, because they are a company that wants all of their product to have the same message. That message hasn’t changed since the birth of the company, which is that Porsches aren’t ever supposed to feel like a normal car. They should touch the soul, and reward the owner with dynamics and driving feel that excite the senses. I took out this 911 Carrera S around Amelia Island to find out how the flavor tastes in Porsche’s most familiar formula: RWD, a flat-six engine, and a rear axle with that engine hanging out behind it. I wasn’t disappointed.

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Cars We've Driven, Exotic Supercars, Luxury Cars, SUVs and Crossovers

2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT Review, Al’s Take (Grade: B)

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20140307-IMG_4297

Out at Amelia Island, ride and drives last year were few and far between.  Luckily for me, SRT was there and proudly offering a few cars to test.  The Chrysler 300 SRT was available, but as most of our readers know, I tested that last summer and found it underwhelming.  On Nick’s persistent recommendation, I took the the other option they had, this Billet Silver Metallic Grand Cherokee and asked myself this question: What makes this better than the Chrysler, and what elements does this vehicle have that I want to see in others?  The surprisingly substantial drive I took allowed me to answer more than just those questions.
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Cars We've Driven, Exotic Supercars, Luxury Cars

2013 Rolls-Royce Phantom II, The Driver’s Review (Grade: B+)

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Rolls-Royce Phantom Series II Front Angle Left

Rolls-Royce has every reason to act pompous about their cars.  The Phantom, their current flagship, has been on the market since 2003, and just this year, has been restyled as the Series II, which includes a large number of under-the-skin changes and a new front fascia. While at Pebble Beach, Nick and I had just enough time to review this classy chariot, but not enough time to take turns driving it. As a result, this review will concern what the big Phantom II is like from the driver’s point of view. Continue reading 2013 Rolls-Royce Phantom II, The Driver’s Review (Grade: B+) →

Cars We've Driven, Luxury Cars

2014 Infiniti Q50S Hybrid, Al’s Take (Grade: A)

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20130815-Pebble Beach 2013 Thursday 392

Infiniti has been good at keeping itself in the news lately.  Last year, when they announced they would reshuffle their naming convention in their model lineup to use the word “Q” across the board, I decried the news as a poor decision which would confuse buyers and damage sales.  I’m still not sure if I said the right thing, or the wrong thing.  However, at the New York Auto Show last year, I did catch a glimpse of the new Q50, Infiniti’s replacement for the respectable G37 sedan, and took some time with it to see what it was like to sit in.  By the time Pebble Beach rolled around, Infiniti was offering this brown 2014 Q50S Hybrid for drives.  I eagerly took the keys to see what Infiniti had done with a new platform to fight the BMW 3-Series.

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Cars We've Driven, Luxury Cars, Road Review, Used Car Gems

Nick’s new daily driver, a 2012 Volkswagen CC Sport

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Nick's 2012 Volkswagen CC

Those of you who routinely follow us, here at Mind Over Motor, may have noticed that my posts last week were a bit light. It wasn’t because I was nodding off, it was because I was going through the process of purchasing my new (but used) daily driver, this beautiful 2012 Volkswagen CC Sport.

I, like many car enthusiasts,  am seen as a sort of car guru by my friends and family, who often turn to me for advice on all things relating to automobiles. I’m not trying to pat myself on the back too much here, but they all know that I am quite well informed on many aspects of automobillia, especially when it comes to buying the right car.  So when I actually wind up signing papers on a car for myself, I always get a lot of questions as to why I chose the car I bought.

My purchase of this Volkswagen CC is the result of over a year of serious consideration, as well as many years of playing “what if” games on Auto Trader. Given that this blog is largely about documenting our lives as they relate to our passion for automobiles, I wanted to do a post that shows you, the reader, my thought process for the purchase of my CC.

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Cars We've Driven, Exotic Supercars, Luxury Cars

Jaguar F-Type V8S Review, Al’s Take (Grade: A)

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Considering how much I enjoy the V6S version of Jaguar’s F-Type sports car, dropping a supercharged V8 engine in it reminds me of what Carroll Shelby used to say, “Too much is just enough.”  He was right.  But, just to be sure, I took the wheel of this Polaris White 8-cylinder out on the same roads as the black V6S, a few days after taking the other car out for a spin, to get a closer look at the top engine offered in Jaguar’s newest chassis. Continue reading Jaguar F-Type V8S Review, Al’s Take (Grade: A) →