Beautiful E-Type one of Autoart's best efforts One of my favorite early toys was a Jaguar XKE, a metallic red Matchbox car. I loved it for its shape, that long lean hood and its rounded tail. It was exotic. I’m not alone in my love for the early 1960’s E-Type, it was a landmark design that... Continue Reading →
2013 Volkswagen Passat TDI SEL
Passat's diesel economical and we're not blowing smoke!Perception often matters as much as reality, especially in the retail world of which the auto business is a top dog.So the perception of a diesel engine being loud, smoky and not terribly pleasant to drive remains Volkswagen’s biggest obstacle when selling its pleasant mid-size front-drive Passat. This... Continue Reading →
2014 Land Rover Range Rover 5.0 V8 SC
Supercharged Rover strong on power, luxury, off-road ability Dating myself here, but imagine a Crocodile Dundee type character intoning, Luxury Ute? Now this is a Luxury Ute as he points to a large, muscular Range Rover SC. The Aussie accent may seem appropriate too as Land Rover, the firm that makes Range Rovers, was for years... Continue Reading →
2013 Hyundai Genesis 5.0 R-Spec
Genesis 5.0 R-Spec a styling winner, but a mixed bag Hyundai certainly knows what it’s doing as far as styling and creating a quality car these days, that’s why it continues to gain market share. But its large Genesis luxury sedan is a mixed bag. Here’s why. First, the tested Genesis 5.0 R-Spec is a... Continue Reading →
2014 KIA Cadenza Premium
Cadenza delivers solid luxury, stellar looks After a week of hearing jokes from colleagues about me driving a piece of office furniture, a more musically minded friend clued me in to the KIA Cadenza sedan’s true meaning. For non-music majors, cadenza is usually an improvised ornamental passage, played or sung by a soloist, often at the... Continue Reading →
Die-Cast: Replicarz 1911 Indy 500 Winner, Marmon Wasp
New Replicarz Marmon Wasp creates buzz! After all the buzz created by early preview photos, the new Replicarz 1911 Indianapolis 500-winning Marmon Wasp, proves worth the wait. I know I’ve been telling you for a while, and showing you photos, that teased at how special this 1:18 scale diecast would be, but now I’ve got... Continue Reading →
2014 Chevrolet Impala 2LT
New Chevy Impala brings GM all the way back Originally I thought Chevrolet’s Cruze signaled that the giant automaker was back, back to its 1960s world of innovative, high-value, handsomely styled vehicles. Cruze may have been the beginning, but Impala really says that Chevy has arrived. Since 1958 Impala has told folks that their neighbors have... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: AutoArt’s McQueen Porsche Speedster
AutoArt nails McQueen’s racy Porsche 356 Speedster If you’re old enough to remember the chase scene in “Bullitt” you’ll likely appreciate AutoArt’s fastidious recreation of any of Steve McQueen’s cars, including his 356 Porsche Speedster. McQueen was a movie star first, then a racer of some note in the sports car world. Two of his... Continue Reading →
2013 Nissan Leaf SL
All-electric Nissan Leaf fun, functional and easy to recharge I’ve driven my first all-electric car, Nissan’s latest Leaf, and I can assure you that if electric cars are to be our future, driving enthusiasts will still have fun behind the wheel. Contrary to many perceptions the car isn’t slow, it isn’t cumbersome in any way and... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: Maisto 2014 Corvette Stingray
New Maisto Corvette Stingray easy on the eyes, good value My first hands-on, up-close-and-personal experience with a Corvette came in the early 1960s at a local Chevy dealer’s lot. My uncle had a white Corvair and I’m pretty sure my dad was jealous, so we were walking the lot, window shopping. There sat a white... Continue Reading →