Happy Memorial Day to all of our readers in the US. For you to enjoy on your day off, here is a battle between the new BMW M4 and the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG from Autocar in the UK. Can the old V8 Merc still play ball against BMW’s new, turbocharged poster-child?
Enjoy.
-Nick
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.
Continue reading 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT Review, Al’s Take (Grade: B)
We made it out to the New York International Auto Show to see some of the new cars that have come out recently. The industry has been very exciting in the last few years, as we move out of the global recession, with many great ideas taking shape, as well as a few that leave us scratching our heads.
Check out the gallery below, and let us know what you think of the new style we are trying out with some of our photos. Enjoy.
Continue reading Highlights from the 2014 New York International Auto Show
This is a heavily modified, fire breathing example of Subaru’s lukewarm Outback-pickup-thing, which they called the Baja. It belongs to my friend, Rob, who has spent the last eight years corrupting every last inch of this once awkward and unassuming ‘Ute toward the dark side of The Force.
Why… Just why?
Because things like this need to exist. Subaru never made a blood thirsty rally version of the Baja, so Rob has taken it upon himself to make one.
What is the main thing I need to know about the Baja From Hell?
It is different, and its entire identity revolves around being so. Rob’s Baja is a car that is bursting at the seams with “special” and it has proven able to draw a sizable crowd at any sort of automotive gathering.
KAZ is an inspiring documentary on the story of the Gran Turismo franchise, and its creator, Kazunori Yamauchi. Gran Turismo 3 is the game that changed my life forever and catapulted me into my obsession with cars, so it was very interesting to see how Mr. Yamauchi’s passion in many was directly founded my own passion. It is contagious for sure.
The documentary is around two hours long, but if you have the time to watch it I promise you will be captivated and inspired. This is the sort of passion we should all pursue in our lives. Enjoy!
-Nick
Considering the time frame I had to buy a car back in May 2012, I lucked out rather well. After narrowing down my choices of chariot to just two cars via figuring out that a Pontiac G8 GT would bankrupt me in fuel costs and a Dodge Charger was too much to insure, I was stuck between two cars after driving plenty, including a Volkswagen R32 (which turned out to be a dud with repairs needed immediately) and this black Subaru. I almost didn’t even look at it. It took a win by the New York Mets (yup, those 2012 Mets, not the 1986 squad) and some poking and prodding by my brother Matt, who knew I was still looking into this very car, to even dial up the dealership. In the end though, the rest was history, and now, more than 18 months later, I’m making payments on this black bundle of joy and driving it constantly. These are my thoughts.
Continue reading 2008 Subaru Legacy GT – Al’s Daily Driver (GRADE: B+)
Here is a great first look at the new 2015 Subaru WRX STI from TFL Car. While it certainly seems fun, my question of, “Is the new STI enough?” still very much stands. I’m looking forward to trying one out for myself at some point to see how it compares to my 2004 STi.
Enjoy.
-Nick
Motor Trend’s Johnny Lieberman takes the new Subaru WRX for a spin to see if it holds up to its lineage.
Enjoy.
-Nick
Say you have been very successful in your chosen career, and you are ready to treat yourself to a really nice set of wheels. Many die-hard car enthusiasts, like myself, would rather have a collection of a few different cars on a six-figure budget, but many folks still opt for just one car to suit all of their needs and desires. In truth, if you have a high-level executive job, you probably don’t have much spare time to spend cruising around just for fun in multiple, superfluous cars, so having one car that really knocks the ball out of the park is the only way to go.
Obviously, with such a large budget, you can basically have anything you want from a car without even straining yourself. That said, such a budget does allow you to get yourself something that is truly extraordinary, should you so wish. This is where a car like the new Jaguar XJR comes in.
The general package of a sharp handling, all wheel drive sedan with a healthy 300 turbocharged horsepower is still surely a very, very good thing. As an object unto itself, the new 2015 Subaru WRX STI continues to offer a fun and engaging driving experience, as it always has. The problem for me, and much of the Subaru-loving community, is that the STI has been exactly the same for over ten years now– to the point where it has gotten boring, and boring is the worst crime a car such as this can commit.
I’ve owned my 2004 Subaru STi for over seven years, and I’ve never, even once, wanted to “upgrade” to any newer STI. This is because ever since 2004 Subaru’s focus has been on softening the STI, and not making it faster, more hardcore, or better in any meaningful way. In fact, values of 2004 STIs are starting to increase now because enthusiasts have recognized the 2004 as being the pinnacle, so far, of the STIs available to us here in America.
So when I say that the new STI does nothing for me when I look at it, that poses a major problem for Subaru. I remember the excitement my 2004 STi brought me when I first got it, and I know it still brings that sort of excitement today. Whether it’s the looks or the performance, the 2015 STI cannot even come close to the level that my STi was on when it first hit US shores back in 2004. While the 04 STi was slaying the Porsche 911s, BMW M3s, Ford Mustang Cobras, and Pontiac GTOs of its day, the new STI is barely capable of out running the current V6 Toyota Camry.
Despite the old car and the new car having exactly the same sort of performance, side by side, in competition with other cars of their respective eras, the new STI is not even half the car that the 2004 STi was, and that is the big problem.
Continue reading The 2015 Subaru STI is still not living up to its name
This is the mythical “replacement for displacement” that muscle car folks always talk about, a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 7 that has milked 900hp out of just a 2.0L four-banger. It does with 50psi of boost from a massive turbocharger, and my oh my, will it give the driver a right old kick up the rear.
What’s more, this car is located in Panama, not a country most people would think of first when a 900hp Evo is mentioned. The Drive Network team made it down there again to shoot more awesome films for their Tuned series, hosted by Matt Farah.
Great video, great car and a surprisingly great place. Enjoy the video.
-Nick
What is it?
This is the original R-rated Volkswagen. After four generations of GTIs, VW decided that something more was needed to compete with the more serious performance cars of the world. Interestingly, the R32 was the first production car to feature a dual-clutch gearbox, although the US only received R32s equipped with manual transmissions. In total just 5000 mk4 Golf R32s were imported to US shores, making them one of the rarest cars in their range.
How’s the R32’s driving experience?
In short: fantastic, and a lot better that I had thought it would be. I’ve driven both of this car’s successors, the Mk5 R32 and the Mk6 Golf R, and I have to say that the Mk4 R32 has a certain something that its replacements do not.
Continue reading 2004 Volkswagen Mk4 Golf R32 Used Car Review
Mind Over Motor 