Tag Archives: Everyday Cars

Cars We've Seen

Mk. 1 Mini Cooper S and 1973 Alfa Romeo 1600 Junior Zagato spotted in Carmel, CA

2 Comments

Mini and Alfa Zagato

In Carmel during Monterey Car Week, one of the best things to do to unwind after a entire day of chasing race cars at Laguna Seca is to find a nice spot on Ocean Avenue and take pictures of all the unique and exotic machines that come out to play during the weekend. Sometimes, while taking pictures, I end up with a two-for-one special, and when it’s a 1970s Alfa Romeo with Zagato lines and a first-series Mini, it’s hard to avoid attempting to get them in one picture. While the colors aren’t quite as striking as they might have been in their day, these classics stood out really well against the rip-snorting Ferrari 458s and Lamborghini Gallardos that dominate the evenings out here during the third week in August. Enjoy the photos of this original Mini and Junior Zagato, and take a good look at that license plate frame: “Kiss French, Drive Italian.” I concur. Continue reading Mk. 1 Mini Cooper S and 1973 Alfa Romeo 1600 Junior Zagato spotted in Carmel, CA →

Opinions

The Jaguar XE might be one of the most important launches from the brand in decades.

2 Comments

Jaguar-XE_S_2016_800x600_wallpaper_01

Jaguar has been, over the past five years, transformed dramatically. What was once a struggling, traditional English luxury car company with limited cash from a cash-strapped Ford Motor Company has been injected with fresh funding from Tata Motors and fresh talent from all over the industry. This half-decade has turned the brand into a styling powerhouse, with more than just a few great models on their stage. The XJ has been turned into a sleek animal of a flagship sedan, where a stodgy and outdated sedan once stood. The rise of the F-Type coupe and roadster mark the end of the line for the XK series, which despite its best efforts was always rather second fiddle to the king of its segment (I think it begins with the letter P). Finally, the XF has exorcised the demons of the frumpy and unappealing S-Type, for better much than for worse. However, I’m here to talk about the car that I think is going to bring the Jaguar name from an afterthought to the front of our minds: the new XE. Continue reading The Jaguar XE might be one of the most important launches from the brand in decades. →

Car Shows

1971 Cadillac Sedan De Ville at the New Hope Car Show

1 Comment

1971 Cadillac Sedan DeVille Front Left

When it comes to four-door hardtops, General Motors had a good set of candidates even as the era wound to a close. In 1971, GM redesigned their entire full-size lineup, from Buick’s Electra series to the big-dog Cadillac Fleetwood 75. Sitting near the top of the throne, although not at the top, was the Cadillac DeVille. Packing some smart styling to hide its hulking dimensions and high weight, these were the last of th truly “big” Cadillac sedans, and they went out with a bang. The ’71 packs a 472 cubic inch monster of a V8, with enough torque to tear the Death Star in two pieces. This particular gold example is all-original and has been in the same family since new. The owner inherited the car from a relative and has kept it in original working order. Although it was sitting near a gorgeous ’53 Eldorado convertible, it had a charm and an imposing figure all its own. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading 1971 Cadillac Sedan De Ville at the New Hope Car Show →

Cars We've Driven, Luxury Cars

2014 Infiniti Q60 IPL Convertible Reviewed (Grade: C)

1 Comment

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.

Continue reading 2014 Infiniti Q60 IPL Convertible Reviewed (Grade: C) →

Cars We've Seen, SHOWCASE

1969 Ford Mustang Notchback spotted in Somerset, NJ

2 Comments

1969 Ford Mustang Right Front

After a day at work in Somerset NJ, I went out with a few co-workers to relax and enjoy the beginning of the weekend at The Stage House just around the corner. While parking my car, I saw this orange Mustang backed into a prime parking spot right up front. As I was taking pictures, my manager, Martin, who purchased a Deep Impact Blue 2014 Mustang GT last year, met up with me and said “I parked and just had to go and look at this.” It’s pretty clear–the Mustang, especially those from the Sixties, are consistently crowd-pleasers. This one, with its flashy orange paint and black torque-thrust style wheels, looked fantastic. The interior looked rather original too and was pretty much unmolested save for a set of speakers and a new head unit. In all, this is a great example of a Mustang that someone can drive a bit more often with a good sound system and grippier tires for unexpected weather. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading 1969 Ford Mustang Notchback spotted in Somerset, NJ →

Auto Idolatry, Car Shows, SHOWCASE

1959 Cadillac Coupe DeVille at the 2014 Greenwich Concours

2 Comments

1959 Cadillac Coupe DeVille Front

The year is 1959.  Your boss has just reviewed your assessment on setting up a new development of suburban homes near a major interstate highway in small-town America.  He’s very happy, closes his books, and gives you a 40% raise and promotes you to the head of your local developer office.  As you walk outside to your four-year-old Buick sedan, you realize it’s time for a change.  You’ve made it to the top of the heap in life, and you need a car to show your success.  Only a Cadillac will do, and you’re determined to make a statement.  So, you pick this one right off the showroom floor and show it to your wife and kids that night.  Everyone is overjoyed at your success and they all love the new Coupe DeVille you’ve just bought.

Back in 1959, Cadillac was a true success symbol for most Americans.  My great-grandfather had a few of them, and after my grandpa became a successful dentist in the 1970s, he bought one himself.  The 1959 models are considered by many to be the most grandiose of the postwar Caddies, with the tallest fins ever fitted to an American car, stunning chrome and a set of colors some could only dream of seeing in the late Fifties.  This particular 1959 model is a soft shade of pink with a  white top, known as Persian Sand.  This car is also equipped with an immaculate white interior and looked every single way of perfect.  The ’59 always has been and always will be a crowd-pleaser car, and this one’s no different.  Whether you fancy the chrome up front, the sky-high fins out back, or the hulking side profile, there is definitely something for everyone to enjoy on the 1959 Cadillac, and there’s certainly enough space inside to carry every single one of them.  This car, as Jerry Seinfeld said on Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee not long ago about the ’58 Eldorado Seville, is “as thrilled with itself as you are.”  I couldn’t agree more.  Enjoy the photos. Continue reading 1959 Cadillac Coupe DeVille at the 2014 Greenwich Concours →

Cars We've Driven, Luxury Cars

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

3 Comments

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) →

Car Shows, SHOWCASE

Highlights from the 2014 River Edge Car Show

2 Comments

1965 Pontiac GTO Front Side

On Sunday, I attended the River Edge Classic Car Show in River Edge, NJ thanks to a tip from my aunt, who happens to live there.  I was expecting this show to be another small neighborhood car show in a small town in Bergen County.  To say the very least, I was completely and utterly wrong. Despite the rain all over New Jersey and the threatening, humid air hovering over the city park, the show went on and was a runaway success.  Admission was free, food was reasonably priced, and the atmosphere was friendly and full of good vibes.  All sorts of cars were welcome, from a gorgeous early 1930s Chevrolet sedan all the way up to a restored 1970 Plymouth AAR Cuda, among many other fantastic cars.  There were muscle cars, hot rods, offbeat classics, Mustangs, and even a Lotus Esprit V8.  I was incredibly impressed at the variety and the caliber of cars on display out on the street on Sunday afternoon.  The weather held up, everyone had a great time, and I even saw a 1969 Mustang Mach 1 that I’d judged in 2007 (more on that car in a future post).  A great day was had.  Enjoy the photos, everyone!

Continue reading Highlights from the 2014 River Edge Car Show →

Cars We've Driven, Luxury Cars

2015 BMW M235i Reviewed (10/10)

6 Comments

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.

Continue reading 2015 BMW M235i Reviewed (10/10) →

CARS 101

How Fast Is “Fast?”

3 Comments
Porsche 918 Spyder Performance Specs
One of the fastest accelerating production cars on Earth.

I remember seeing an episode of Doctor Phil (don’t ask why) where he was scolding a kid for street racing. I remember the distinct moment where, in an excessively appalled tone, he said, “You went 100mph?!!!!” And my immediate reaction was that if I had a nickel for every time I’d done over 100mph, I’d be well on my way to saving up for a Ferrari.

The truth is that 100mph just isn’t all that fast, especially these days when every new car on sale can do it. Hell, even V6 Camrys and Accords are now pushing on the 300hp mark, and could surely top 140mph with any limiters removed. Those are just normal everyday cars, though, in a supercar, like a Lamborghini, 100mph comes in 2nd gear.

This begs the question of what “fast” really is. The answer will be entirely subjective, but let’s see if we can find some reasonable middle ground to define it.

Continue reading How Fast Is “Fast?” →

Car Shows, SHOWCASE

Happy Birthday, America! Today, we celebrate burnouts.

1 Comment

Nissan 240SX LS1 Burnout Side

Hello everyone, and welcome to Independence Day. On this day in 1776, our forefathers signed the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia to mark the birth of our great nation, the United States of America. And on this day in 2014, I would like to feature some of the best burnout pictures we have from the CF Charities Supercar Show last month in Warminster, Pennsylvania–just a stone’s throw from Philadelphia. The burnout may not be distinctly American, but few other automotive gestures are quite as fitting in this great nation as stepping up to the plate and spinning the rear tires into a pulp of rubber, smoke, and mayhem. These great citizens, some of which brought a few foreign cars (this cementing this American smoking institution as a great melting pot), were more than happy to show off their tire-shredding skills. Everything from a slightly crunchy BMW E36 coupe to a hard-boiled Ford F-350 dually packing a 7.3L PowerStroke turbo diesel V8 (with copious amounts of added diesel soot) took part, and much fun was had by all. Enjoy the photos, and happy Fourth of July. Continue reading Happy Birthday, America! Today, we celebrate burnouts. →

Cars We've Driven, Luxury Cars

2014 BMW 428i Reviewed (Grade: B)

2 Comments

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) →