New Ranger is more refined with improved handling ... Back in the day, about a decade ago, Ford’s Ranger was a compact pickup made primarily, or so it seemed, for teenage boys to range around small towns and suburban areas, with their teenage girlfriends riding shotgun. Rangers were small, inexpensive wheels, often the first truck... Continue Reading →
2020 Jeep Gladiator Overland 4×4
Gladiator: Finally, a midsize pickup with style ... You’ll either want a Jeep Gladiator pickup, or you won’t. What I mean is the long-awaited Jeep pickup is an image vehicle as much as it is a pickup. That’s not to say it doesn’t function well as a pickup, it certainly does. But it looks like... Continue Reading →
2019 Nissan LEAF SL Plus
LEAF Plus: Better range, and exceeding expectations … No matter how much good I have to say about Nissan’s new LEAF (and I have plenty to say), I’m not sure you’ll believe me. That’s because the original LEAF, as revolutionary as it was as the first fully electric car to be marketed to the masses,... Continue Reading →
2019 Ford Edge ST AWD
ST is a family hauler with a sporty ‘Edge’ Ford revamped the nose and tail styling of its successful Edge crossover for 2019 and at the top end, gave it more power and a better tranny. I’d driven a new Edge Titanium last winter and it, along with the lower level SE and SEL, are... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: NEO 1949 Oldsmobile Rocket 88 Futuramic
Olds' Futuramic coupe swooped its way toward the 1950s ... Post-WWII cars have their own charm and simplicity, yet even by 1949 General Motors was trying to get a little swoopy with their 2-doors, plus adding muscle. Plus at Oldsmobile the Rocket 88 was a name that launched the Greatest Generation into their growing family... Continue Reading →
2019 Volkswagen Arteon SEL w/4Motion
VW Arteon a sporty fastback that should score big with families … VW’s new luxury family sedan proves that cars are not dead yet. This sporty fastback is simply so much more fun and comfortable to drive than an SUV or large crossover that it makes you wonder why cars are falling out of favor.... Continue Reading →
2019 Ford F-150 Lariat SuperCrew 4×4
Turbo diesel suits the F-150 SuperCrew ... There’s no denying that pickups are the dandies of our nation’s auto buyers. Ford’s F-150 has been the top selling vehicle in the U.S. for 37 years now and Chevy’s Silverado pickup has been No. 2 most of that time. Chrysler’s Ram pickup is No. 3 now, just... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: NEO’s 1960 Ford Thunderbird
1960 Thunderbird convertible still stylish after all these years … Long before Ford’s Thunderbird grew into a full-size luxury coupe with long hood and monstrous dimensions, it was a cool sportster, first a two-seater, then a four-seater. From its launch as a 1955 through the end of its second generation model, 1960, the T-bird was... Continue Reading →
2019 Lexus LC 500h
Lexus LC 500h: A fast hybrid beauty that whines ... What must one expect when buying a car for $100,000? Certainly standout looks and performance are in the top couple “must haves.” But do you expect a hybrid sports car with supercar looks and a steady whine? Well, Lexus delivers on looks, performance and comfort... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: Autoart McLaren P1 GTR
McLaren's P1 GTR a sexy beast … Supercars are like cell phones, always one-upping each other to the point that they blend together. Which one is fastest today? They also all seem cut from the same well chiseled mold with swoopy looks and rounded edges that reflect the stylings of Le Mans-style racers, and at... Continue Reading →