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 →
Die-cast: Automodello’s Ford 3.0-liter V8
Automodello creates the engine, and Lotus 49 Few engines have the pedigree of Ford’s 3.0-liter twin cam V8, nor can boast the overwhelming success. But calling it a Ford is a bit of a stretch. Most folks refer to the engine as the Cosworth DFV (double four valve) because Keith Duckworth and Mike Costin of... Continue Reading →
2016 Cadillac CTS AWD
Cadillac CTS remains edgy, fast sport sedan Cadillac’s CTS remains one of GM’s biggest success stories and for good reason. The mid-size sport sedan features edgy styling and handles like a fine European sport sedan, but with better ride characteristics and now, all-wheel-drive. The dark metallic gray test car was the CTS AWD 3.6L Premium... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: Replicarz’s Mickey Thompson Challengers
Replicarz creates Thompson's sleek land speed record cars In today’s world where the speed of sound bites being delivered via every digital medium is of utmost importance, it’s difficult to imagine the days when men driving cars at record speeds would grab newspaper headlines. Nowadays even newspapers are passe! But Mickey Thompson was a headline grabber from... Continue Reading →
2016 Scion iM
Sporty Scion iM epitomizes simple driving fun Maybe because I test drive so many trucks and crossovers these days, but a week behind the wheel of a sporty hatchback is refreshing. It reminds you that driving, at its simplest levels, can be fun. Scion, the low-cost arm of Toyota, has figured this out. Let’s hope others... Continue Reading →