Fiat 500X cute, but more useful than smaller cousins Small crossovers are growing in popularity and car makers are falling all over themselves to deliver a robust selection of these little SUV-hatchback-wagons. In essence they are mix of those three categories, offering more cargo room, AWD or 4-wheel-drive capability and hatches for easy cargo carrying and... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: Auto World’s 1969 Chevy Camaro SS
Eye-catching paint job and high value for this Camaro SS I learned to drive a stick shift on my Uncle Wink’s 1967 Camaro SS, so I’ll forever have a soft spot for 1960s Camaros. Auto World seems to too, creating numerous muscular 1960s die-cast Camaros in various scales. Serious model car builders love their muscle in 1/24... Continue Reading →
2016 Dodge Journey Crossroad Plus AWD
Value-minded Dodge Journey keeps improving Dodge’s Journey is a good example of a carmaker not being satisfied with its work, with its own status quo. How so? To look at the Journey you’d think it’s long in the tooth. On its face, that’s true. Journey joined the Dodge lineup 7 years ago and looks pretty much... Continue Reading →
1951 Studebaker Champion die-cast model review
Small bullet nose Studebaker Champion by BoS provides high value ... I’m an Indiana boy at heart and that means Studebaker has always been near the top of my favorite U.S. car makes list. The South Bend, Ind.-based company ceased production in 1967, but many of its cars were styling successes. Certainly in 1951 when... Continue Reading →
Die-cast Auto World’s 1971 Chevy Monte Carlo SS 454
Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS454 a short-lived muscle car I lived through the 1970s, in fact my first car was an early ‘70s Plymouth, but I can tell you that good-looking and quality cars of that era were few and far between. But for Chevy, the 1971 Monte Carlo was a big seller, a full-size luxury... Continue Reading →
2016 Dodge Charger SXT AWD
Dodge Charger AWD Big people need cars too, and sometimes automotive interior designers forget that fact. So hurrah for the Dodge Charger and its generous sized interior, a full-figured person’s dream machine. There’s head and legroom to spare, front and rear, plus Charger happens to be available in so many trim levels a person can... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: CMC’s 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO
CMC creates Ferrari's most beautiful, the 250 GTO The term “icon” is bandied about nearly as much as politicians promise tax cuts, but if you’re a Ferrari lover of a certain age, the 1962 250 GTO is likely the first car you think of when you hear “Ferrari” mentioned. I know, I raced an HO version... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: NEO’s 1949 Cadillac Series 62 Club Coupe
NEO's Cadillac fastback exudes class, substance with extreme late-1940s styling I’m a sucker for fastback coupes. That usually means cars like a mid-1960s Mustang or Barracuda. Yet here’s a new old one to consider, the 1949 Cadillac Series 62 Club Coupe. This is a car with presence, class and substance. Incredibly, it also was fast and... Continue Reading →
2016 Acura RDX AWD Advance
Acura RDX couples luxury, power with AWD Smooth, quiet and useful, with a strong interior luxury quotient. That’s the new Acura RDX AWD Advance, the top-of-the-line model that should be making European makes nervous. Why? Well, it’s awfully nice and for substantially less cash than equally equipped German makes, such BMW, Mercedes and Audi. There’s... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: Replicarz’s Blue Crown Specials
Indy-winning Blue Crowns rock in 1/18 scale In post-war U.S. open wheel racing the Blue Crown Spark Plug Specials were as dominant as the New York Yankees were in baseball for years. The Blue Crowns’ reign was shorter, but everyone knew their name, like Ruth, Guhrig or Dimaggio. Replicarz recognizes that and ups its assault... Continue Reading →