Tag Archives: Luxury Cars

The Aston Martin DB11 is WOW!

February 29, 2016 ndubs77 Leave a comment

First impressions. How you make your entrance sets the tone for how you’ll be perceived, as well as the context for every subsequent action.

Well if looks can kill, call me dead and buried because this 2017 Aston Martin DB11 is beyond pretty. When I think of automotive beauty, the first car that pops into my mind is an Aston Martin. They’ve always been beautiful, but somehow Aston has kept upping the ante over the years. Modernity is treating them well.

So when a car’s first impression looks like the DB11, I almost wouldn’t even care if it had a lawnmower engine under the hood. But thankfully, that’s far from the case. The DB11 has a twin turbo 5.2L V12 lurking beneath its lusty lines, and it’s said to be in the neighborhood of 600hp. With that kind of thrust, top speed should easily be north of 200mph, unless the gearing is too short.

Aston Martins have never been all about the numbers, though. They’re way too cool for that. What really matters is the style, the craftsmanship, and the experience of the drive. As a grand tourer, it’s not just a car, it’s a substitute for a plane ticket. Aston Martins are for the type of person who appreciates that the journey is often preferable to the destination.

So I look forward to learning more about the DB11 this week, as the 2016 Geneva Motor Show brings all sorts of excitement to the car world. Everything I’ve heard of this new Aston so far has been great; it may even have the option of a manual gearbox (fingers crossed). Now that we’ve laid eyes on the DB11’s full form, I think we can be confident Aston Martin is on the right track.

-Nick Walker

Opinions

Is the new 2017 Volvo V90 the Ultimate Daily Driver?

February 12, 2016 ndubs77 5 Comments

The new Volvo S90 sedan is very cool, but it’s a sedan. The car you see here is the 2017 Volvo V90, and it’s much cooler because the Viking god, Odin, decreed that true Volvos must be wagons.

I guess it’s sort of a brand image thing for me, but I always picture a proper Volvo as a wagon, even despite the fact that my mom had an S80 sedan for years. The S90 and V90 come as replacements for the S80, and they feature every ounce of Volvo’s newfound luxury swagger.

I drove the new Volvo XC90 last spring, and I was blown away, to say the least. Volvo came out of nowhere with what is probably the best luxury 7 seat SUV on the market. I mean, Volvos have always been nice solid cars, but they were hardly head-turners. Volvo has clearly decided to change that with their new generation of cars.

Continue reading Is the new 2017 Volvo V90 the Ultimate Daily Driver? →

Opinions

This Isn’t The Real Lincoln Continental, But People Seem to Think It Should Be

January 27, 2016 ndubs77 Leave a comment

This image has been circulating around social media for months now. Despite the reveal of the actual production 2017 Lincoln Continental, which looks nothing at all like the car in the picture (see below), people continue to share it.

lincoln-continental_2017_800x600_wallpaper_01

In truth, I, and most Lincoln fans, cannot help but wish that the new Continental actually did look exactly like the car in the top picture. That Continental is unmistakably a Lincoln in a sense that is true to the brand’s history. The production 2017 Continental, while nice in many ways, is really just another interchangeable luxury sedan. It could easily be mistaken for an Audi, a Mercedes, or a Jag. The car at the top, though? Not a chance.

Every time I’ve seen that top photo shared on social media, it’s always been with a sense of excitement. That’s because the car in the picture is the modern Lincoln Continental that people actually wanted- A distinctive retro-nod shape, unmistakable Lincoln flavor, and, of course, suicide doors! That’s all what made the Continental “The Continental” back in the day.

I think Ford has missed a huge opportunity here to really inject some much needed enthusiasm back into the Lincoln brand. Lincolns used to be some of the most stylish cars on the road in the 1960s and earlier. Lincoln desperately needs to bring that sort of flavor back into their brand identity if they want to succeed these days. A bland approach, merely running with the pack, is not going to cut it. Lincolns are supposed to be bold. They’re supposed to class up the joint whenever they roll up, not merely blend into the woodwork.

Continue reading This Isn’t The Real Lincoln Continental, But People Seem to Think It Should Be →

Opinions

NAIAS 2016 Reaction: Lexus LC 500

January 15, 2016 ndubs77 Leave a comment

Yes, folks, this is a real production car, not a concept car. Lexus dropped a bomb on the North American International Auto Show, and they call it the LC 500.

What is it?

The Lexus LC looks to be a luxury sports car somewhere between the small Porsche 911 and the huge BMW M6. It appears Lexus has taken the inspiration behind their mighty LFA supercar, and has distilled it into a more approachable, more affordable, sports car.

The price for the LC 500 will be around $100,000 when it goes on sale, right on par with the Porsche and Bimmer.

Continue reading NAIAS 2016 Reaction: Lexus LC 500 →

Car Shows, Uncategorized

Slammed BMW M6 Convertible at First Class Fitment

January 6, 2016 ndubs77 Leave a comment

This slammed BMW M6 V10 Convertible was the first car that caught my eye this year at First Class Fitment. Even before I was inside the show, I shot it through the fence.

It was an immaculately done car, with a beautiful color combo, and some fine detail work.

Enjoy!

-Nick Walker

Car Shows

2015 Los Angeles International Auto Show General Gallery

December 3, 2015 Albert S. Davis Leave a comment

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Over Thanksgiving weekend this year, I finally got to cash in my birthday present from last year–my brother Matt agreed to take me to the Los Angeles Auto Show if I’d come visit him. I decided that it would be foolish to say no–after all, I’d been going to the New York Auto Show for a decade and a half, and I’d never seen the show in Los Angeles. Sorry, New York crew–but the LA Auto Show is indeed better. It’s cleaner, the city doesn’t smell like a New Jersey sewer, there’s real parking (and they charge only twenty bucks, whereas New York charges whatever they darn well please), and there’s even some ride-and-drives (which I did only two, but will definitely drive one of those two cars again soon). Continue reading 2015 Los Angeles International Auto Show General Gallery →

CARS 101, Uncategorized

Lexus IS-F Modification and Tuning Guide (UPDATED)

November 18, 2015 ndubs77 3 Comments

So I’m considering the possibility of purchasing a Lexus IS-F in the next few months, and I’ve been doing a lot of research. (I guess I was just inspired by the Lexus RC-F I recently reviewed) In addition to looking into the car’s seemingly stellar long term quality and reliability, I’ve been checking out what sort of extra performance can be extracted from it with upgrades.

Now, the stock IS-F may well be enough for me, but it’s always nice to know how much more power I could have should I want it. So here’s what I’ve found…

Continue reading Lexus IS-F Modification and Tuning Guide (UPDATED) →

Car Games

Make sure you never get a raise again with this ’03 Maserati Spyder for Just $19,995!!!

November 13, 2015 ndubs77 Leave a comment

Does your boss drive a nice car after working hard for years and years climbing the career ladder? Well now it’s time to beat them at life while you’re still lower-middle management!

Just imagine the look on their face when you pull up next to them, 5 minutes late, in your shiny new (to you) Maserati Spyder. Sure, they may have paid the full $80,000 on their brand new generic Audi or Mercedes, but theirs doesn’t say “Maserati” on it like your new chariot does.

What’s more, this pleasure of showing up your superiors comes at a price of JUST $19,995. You can’t even get a Honda Civic with a pleather interior for that much, but you can get this 170 mph Italian stallion. With its sporty paddle shifters, you’ll be driving around like Mario Andretti!

Okay, maybe there are other cars out there that get more than 10 MPG. And maybe there are other cars where 30,000 miles isn’t considered “high mileage” from a servicing standpoint. Maybe a Honda dealer wouldn’t charge $500 for an oil change. And maybe everything in a Civic would still work 6 months after you bought it.

So what?

Do you really want to wait until you’ve proven yourself to have the status you already know you deserve?

Why go through all that crap when instant gratification is right at your fingertips? Just do it!

Fitty Cent drives a Maserati, and now you can too!

By purchasing this sleek pasta-rocket, you’re taking the short cut to the top in life. Successful people will treat you as one of their own, and all the losers from your high school will be super jelly on Facebook and Instagram.

Life is all about scoring points, so go for the grand slam!

Cars We've Driven

Lexus RC-F Review: The Best GT Car For The Money?

November 11, 2015 ndubs77 7 Comments

$75,000 will buy you a hell of a lot of car. For those looking for a posh grand touring coupe, options will include Aston Martins, Maseratis and Bentleys, in addition to your more run-of-the-mill German luxury sleds. There are a lot of fine cars to choose from.

But now I’m going to tell you why you should consider forgoing all of the above, and write the big check out to your local Lexus dealership instead. The Molten Pearl Orange car you see here is the Lexus RC-F, and it may well be the best grand touring coupe available on a $75,000 budget.

A grand touring car is mainly about three things, style, speed and comfort. But the RC-F brings even more to the table, and it winds up making a hell of a lot of sense to any thinking buyer.

Wait, isn’t this supposed to compete with the BMW M4 and Cadillac ATS-V?

Yes, in many regards it does. But the RC-F has a different sort of character about it.

The BMW and the Cadillac are very much sports cars at heart. While the RC-F has a lot of sporting elements, it feels more varied in its focus. It’s quite a bit heavier than the BMW and Caddy, certainly not a nimble handler to the same degree. But that solid, heavy feel in the RC-F, mixed with its dynamic ambidexterity, gives it the unmistakeable flavor of a grand touring car. That is why I am framing it as such, and it seems to make a lot more sense when looked at through the grand touring lens.

Continue reading Lexus RC-F Review: The Best GT Car For The Money? →

Car Shows

Highlights From First Class Fitment 2015: Part 1

October 21, 2015 ndubs77 1 Comment

First Class Fitment is a stance/modified car show held at the Airport in Princeton, NJ every fall. People come from all over the region, bringing nicely done rides of all sorts. The event is mostly stanced cars, as you might expect, but there are a few other gems sprinkled in for good measure.

This year was quite good. Lots of really well built cars with interesting details. That’s one thing I love about modified car shows, each car has so much personality. They’d all stand out parked on the street alone, but the ones that catch my eye at the show are always extra cool.

I took quite a lot of photos at the event, so there is much more to come. Enjoy the first gallery!

Continue reading Highlights From First Class Fitment 2015: Part 1 →

CARS 101, Opinions

Don’t Let The Dieselgate Recall Ruin Your VW TDI Experience

September 30, 2015 ndubs77 7 Comments

Volkswagen TDIs are incredible vehicles, despite much of the public sentiment right now, propagated by the whole Dieselgate debacle.

Disagree? Then try achieving over 50 MPG while cruising at 90mph in any other car… a Pruis will barely even go that fast, let alone be efficient there.

Many Volkswagen TDI owners are very worried about the Dieselgate recall ruining their car’s performance, fuel mileage, and resale value — more so than the possibility of their car killing a few extra birds.

This article is for the informed diesel buyers, and probably not the those who bought their cars based on some vast “green” marketing fantasy. Everyone who knows diesel, knows it’s not the cleanest option, but they also know that its durabiltiy and efficiency makes up for that.

So if you’re starting to feel angry about the bird comment, then I suggest you stop reading here because the rest of this article will only piss you off even more.

For the rest of you, I want to discuss the best course of action for TDI owners who want to keep their diesels running solid after the recall is implemented. And yes, that means running a bit dirty to retain the outstanding performance and fuel economy, which are likely the main reasons you purchased a TDI. I will also discuss my take on what will most likely happen with the value of TDIs in the coming years (utilizing my degree in economics!).

Continue reading Don’t Let The Dieselgate Recall Ruin Your VW TDI Experience →

Auto Idolatry

Motor Trend Takes Us Around In The Range Rover Sport SVR

September 24, 2015 ndubs77 2 Comments

This is one of the more entertaining review videos I’ve seen, especially when they race the Range Rover Sport SVR against an Alfa Romeo 4C at the track.

The SVR is quite a machine, there’s no denying that!

-Nick