Buick Encore surprisingly nimble The Buick Encore and Chevy Trax are kissin’ cousins riding on the same platform with the same engine and transmission, but aimed at different markets. Not surprisingly the Chevy aims at value-minded and younger buyers, while the Buick aims more upscale, at empty-nesters who demand luxury and feel they’ve hit a stage... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: 1959 Dodge Custom Royal Lancer Convertible
NEO’s 'Forward Look' Dodge Lancer is Fin-tastic I admit to having a soft spot in my car styling heart for the “Forward Look” Chrysler and Dodge models created by Virgil Exner in the late 1950s and early ‘60s. These big-finned beauties featured dramatic taillights and oodles of chrome trim on their fronts, sides and backs. My Uncle Paul... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: CMC 1930 Alfa Romeo 6C
CMC’s Alfa Romeo 6C another beauty Alfa Romeo only recently returned to the U.S. market, but it has been wowing Italians, and other European drivers with the lively nature of its sports cars for 105 years. Enzo Ferrari worked for Alfa and raced them. In fact, early Ferrari teams drove Alfas as part of Scuderia... Continue Reading →
2016 Honda Pilot Touring AWD
Restyled Honda Pilot roomier, improved overall The Honda Pilot has been a reliable big box of a sport-utility vehicle for years, nothing fancy, but usual Honda quality and solid build. For 2016 the Pilot is restyled and rounded to give it a smoother more refined look, one that might be confused with Buick’s Enclave. In... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: Autoart Lamborghini Aventador J
Small roofless Aventador looks great Proving that good things come in small packages I present the Lamborghini Aventador J in 1/43 scale by Autoart. This is one beautiful model, and comes at well less than you might expect to pay for a fine diecast car in this scale. The History The edgy Aventador coupe was... Continue Reading →
2016 Ford F-150 4×4 SuperCrew
Sorry Chevy, lighter Ford F-150 still a strong hauler The Ford F-150 has been the best-selling vehicle in the United States virtually forever and there’s a reason for that, it’s a darned nice truck. Now that it has an aluminum body and notwithstanding the funny Chevy commercials poking fun at it, it’s even better. It’s... Continue Reading →
2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club
Redesigned Mazda Miata still the perfect sport car My generation may have been having fun, fun, fun till our daddy’s took our T-birds away, but since 1989 the fun, fun, fun has mostly been provided by Mazda’s Miata. Lyrically it’s not the same at all, but the feeling continues to be the same and the nearly all... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: Bburago LaFerrari
Bburago delivers high-value matte black LaFerrari I can’t explain it, but the youngsters these days are going crazy over matte finishes on cars, motorcycles, snowmobiles and ATVs. It is different, but looks like primer paint to me. Still, Bburago gives them what they want with its new matte, or flat, black LaFerrari in 1:18 scale. The... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: Automodello 1930 Duesenberg J Murphy Torpedo
Duesenberg J Murphy Torpedo was fast, beautiful Growing up in Indiana I learned that Duesenbergs were fast and beautiful, and there wasn’t much more to learn. That was, until I found out there were many varieties due to various coachbuilders creating the bodywork on the 1920s and 30s models. Now Automodello goes and creates one... Continue Reading →
2016 Honda HR-V 2WD EX-L w/Nav
Honda's new HR-V just another solid little ute Honda makes many fine cars that perform well, get good gas mileage and are reliable and its new small personal-sized crossover, the HR-V fits that mold. But Honda, like Toyota before it, seems to have neglected styling in pursuit of its other laudable attributes. So the HR-V, like... Continue Reading →