Secondhand Saints, SHOWCASE

Seconhand Saint: Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 8/9 (2003-2007)

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Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX

These days the Evo is one of the most respected cars on the road. In stock form it is one of the ultimate rally bred, point-to-point missiles money can buy, and Evos that are modified easily have the potential to give Ferrari owner something to worry about. Yet despite their hardcore performance they are also just normal Japanese sedans on the surface, making an Evo one of the best overall daily drivers out there. Obviously all of this makes these things quite a hot commodity on the secondhand market, so lets look at the details.     Continue reading Seconhand Saint: Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 8/9 (2003-2007) →

Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE

How the cars of Forza Motorsport 4 are made

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Here is a look inside the process of making a car as realistic as possible in the virtual world of Forza Motorsport. As an avid Forza player myself I found this very cool. Enjoy.

-Nick

Cars We've Driven, Everyday Normal Cars

Test Driven: 2012 Toyota Camry SE V6

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The Camry is probably the one vehicle everyone who loves cars could care less about 100% of the time.  In essence, it’s vanilla-flavored vanilla, with no other description.  But, everyone’s either sat in one, ridden in one, or driven one at some point, including me.  My daily driver up until very recently was a tan 2007 Hybrid.  It still, though, outsells everything in its segment and all of its competitors use it as a benchmark.  The 2007-2011 Camry was a true bestseller and sent everyone back to the drawing board.  But, it’s new again this year, so I took the wheel of this slick SE V6 and asked this question: Will it repeat the trick it made back in 2007?  Continue reading Test Driven: 2012 Toyota Camry SE V6 →

Opinions

Dodge Dart SRT-4, part of “Second Half America”

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Motor Trend’s rendering of the Dart SRT-4

Chrysler’s Superbowl ad with Clint Eastwood was a nice way to incite faith that the American auto industry will recover. Chrysler has shown much improvement in the last few years, and as soon as I saw the new Dodge Dart I knew they were on the right track. It is based on the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, meaning its European roots should make it much more attractive than the Civic or the Corolla, which are both shamelessly boring at this point. There is however another market segment that exists with cars in that segment, one where engines are turbocharged, suspensions are stiffened, and priority is given to high MPH over high MPG. Dodge has competed here before with their SRT-4 Neon and Caliber, and everyone is eagerly awaiting the Dart SRT-4 in the next few years. Prior SRT-4s were relics of first half America though, the one that had to be bailed out, so the question is now, what should the SRT-4 of the second half be like?
Continue reading Dodge Dart SRT-4, part of “Second Half America” →

Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE

Chris Harris tries out the new Toyota GT86

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Chris Harris gets a first drive of the Toyota GT86 in Spain for Drive. I cannot wait to try one of these out later this year for a review.

-Nick

Cars We've Driven, Exotic Supercars

Test Driven: 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Sedan

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Back in the fall at the Radnor Hunt Concours, I took an opportunity to drive a couple of new Cadillacs.  Most of you know I drove an Escalade Hybrid, but the real treat was to yet again sample that great-tasting supercharged V8 which lies in the engine compartment of the CTS-V.  In this case, the test car was the deep gray sedan you see above.  It had a few options that the coupe I drove back in June did not, so I took it for a drive (on much different roads than the coupe) around the rolling hills of Pennsylvania’s countryside. Continue reading Test Driven: 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Sedan →

Auto Idolatry, Car Shows, SHOWCASE

1936 Auburn 852 Boattail Speedster at Concours

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Auburn boat-tail speedsters like this one are among some of the world’s most collectible prewar American convertibles, owing to their extremely low production, high price tag, and (for the era) blistering performance.  This flawless black example showed up to the Pebble Beach Concours this summer, and I was fortunate enough to grab a few pictures of it.  This one in particular is a 1936 Model 852, the final year of production for not only this car, but the Auburn name as a whole.  It is a breathtaking car, and with only 1850 sold during 1936, this 100mph-plus roadster was a treat on the street in its day, and still is today. Continue reading 1936 Auburn 852 Boattail Speedster at Concours →

Cars We've Driven, Everyday Normal Cars

Test Driven: Mini Cooper Coupe

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Since my grandpa got his first Mini Cooper in 2002, I’ve always looked at them with an air of respect.  Mini has been trying to expand the brand out since 2008 when the Clubman came out, and now, the new Coupe is said to be the most hardcore chassis they put on the market.  With all that in mind, I went to a local dealer and tried one out.  This new black car was an interesting mix of things, but I stepped out of it at the end of the drive with a lot to think about. Continue reading Test Driven: Mini Cooper Coupe →

Secondhand Saints, SHOWCASE

Secondhand Saint: Ferrari 456 GT/M

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Ferrari 456M, by Philipe Collinet

Ferraris really are their own breed. There are other cars out there that may offer similar, or better, performance, but none can match the allure, the prestige, and the pedigree of a true prancing horse. Obviously most Ferraris are far too expensive for most people to afford, but there are a few that have dropped into the realm of possibility for those who cannot write off six figures for a car. This is the Ferrari 456, a member of the Gran Turismo lineage that stretches back to the legendary 250 GT. When it was introduced for the 1992 model year, the 456 was the first worthy Ferrari GT car since the 365 cars ended production in the 1970s. It was a breath of fresh air after the dreadful 400/412 line finally was put out of its misery after 15 years of production. Now they can be had for a reasonable price.     Continue reading Secondhand Saint: Ferrari 456 GT/M →

Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE

Lamborghini Diablo…….excessive much?

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A Lamborghini is excessive by nature, but this guy has taken the term “ostentatious” to a new level.

-Nick Walker