Autoart's Civic Type R looks ready to rip in 1/18 scale ... When I was a youngster and Honda Civics were new to the U.S. market, they were cute, nimble econoboxes that got great gas mileage and weren’t very expensive. Times change. Now Civic has grown to be as large as an Accord used to... Continue Reading →
2020 BMW 228i xDrive Gran Coupe
Compact 228i gives BMW a true entry-level model ... Back in the day, less than 20 years ago, BMW was known for its 3 Series compact sport sedans and coupes. They were cute, taut, models that were meant to introduce enthusiast drivers to the Bavarian automaker’s wares. The 3 Series was an entry-level sportster that... Continue Reading →
2020 Lincoln Aviator Reserve AWD
Aviator puts Lincoln solidly back in the game ... Lincoln has been struggling for years like a one-armed barista fresh out of java. It’s no secret Lincoln has been looking for a new identity, a new look and hoping to regain its footing in the luxury car market. Finally, it seems to have arrived, but... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: Autoart’s 2019 Mercedes AMG GT3
Mercedes AMG GT3 in 1/18 scale; be still my beating heart ... Mercedes-Benz and motorsports have a long partnership, mostly stellar, with oodles of success. Take Team Mercedes’ six straight Formula 1 titles as the most recent mark of excellence. Yet its sports cars have been champions too through the years, a prime example was... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: Replicarz’s 1990 Indy 500 winner (Luyendyk)
Luyendyk's 1/43 scale Domino’s Lola a winner ... Back in the 1980s when I was covering the Indianapolis 500 for the Milwaukee Sentinel newspaper Arie Luyendyk was our hometown racer. How’s that? Arie is Dutch. But the likeable Indycar driver was sponsored by Provimi Veal, a Wisconsin company with a Dutch owner, so Arie was... Continue Reading →
2020 Toyota Highlander Platinum AWD
Highlander gets bigger and better ... I’m not a bigger is better sort of guy. My parents used to tell me the best things come in small packages. So I’m not one to automatically rave about Toyota’s new Highlander because it has grown dimensionally, about 2.5 inches of wheelbase and overall length. But if you’re... Continue Reading →
2020 Volvo V60 T5 AWD Cross Country
Debonair V60 Cross Country a sensory surprise ... What vehicles catch folks’ attention these days? If you’re thinking big pickups or SUVs you’d be way off base. That’s what folks buy, not what tickles their eyeballs. Sporty wagons, now that’s a sensory surprise. This week’s 2020 Volvo V60 T5 AWD Cross Country (that’s a lot... Continue Reading →
2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid Touring
CR-V proves hybrid power the way to go ... A few years back I declared hybrids the way to go until all-electrics gained more range and the infrastructure to remotely recharge electrics grew substantially. Nothing has changed my mind and if anything the growth of quality hybrids makes my point all the stronger. This week’s... Continue Reading →
2020 Lexus UX 250h Luxury
Whatever it is, little Lexus hybrid is a cute mileage champ ... Determining if a vehicle is a hatchback or a crossover can sometimes cause consternation. Take the case of Lexus small hatch/crossover, the UX. That name provides no clue as to what this is, other than there’s an X in the name, so the... Continue Reading →
2020 Nissan Armada Platinum 4WD
Armada a big boat full of performance, luxury ... In some ways you’d think Nissan would own the large SUV market. Its small Rogue is extremely popular as is its mid-size SUV, the Pathfinder. Consider too that Nissan’s large SUV boasts the most power in its class and is one of the lower priced big... Continue Reading →