The times, and location of car columns, is a changin' …. There comes a time to say goodbye to parts of our lives. Since 1984 my byline has appeared in the Milwaukee Sentinel, and later the Journal Sentinel, first on feature stories, then business stories and since at least 1989 on a car review column,... Continue Reading →
2019 Nissan Rogue SV AWD
Rogue feels refined, oozes value, and now it's orange ... Barely a year had passed since I tested Nissan’s revamped Rogue, one of the best-selling small crossovers on the market, and particularly popular in the Milwaukee area. This is Nissan’s No. 1 seller and it’s obvious why. It looks refined, drives fine and is economical.... Continue Reading →
2019 Subaru Forester Limited
New Forester offers better ride, power, value ... Full disclosure, a few years ago our family owned the previous generation Subaru Forester. It was light and lively, but its ride was a bit stiff for us Boomers. Subaru’s 2019 Forester solves that, plus moves Subaru into the automotive mainstream by offering a heated steering wheel.... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: Autoart’s Toyota 2000GT
Toyota, Yamaha teamed up for racy 2000GT … Since its beginning Toyota has wrestled with the perception that it makes reliable, economical, but boring, cars. That changed in 1967, as it chose to fight that battle head-on by developing and producing a halo car. Others had done it. Think Chevy’s Corvette, Ford’s GT, Nissan’s Z... Continue Reading →
2019 Mazda MX-5 Grand Touring RF
MX-5 RF a fun-sized droptop made for summer ... Looking for muscle? Read no further. Looking for fun? Mazda’s sporty MX-5 RF is a fun-sized 2-seater. The MX-5, known in the U.S. market as the Miata, has added muscle to be sure. But easy driving and economical fun is what has set it apart from... Continue Reading →
Lights at night
How good are you at car spotting? I grew up with a kid in my neighborhood who could tell you what kind of car had just driven by listening to the engine. Yup, he was good. I love doing this, especially when the new cars come out. But when I was driving during the evening... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: Autoart Porsche 911 GT3 RS
Porsche 911 GT3 a rare racer … Porsche 911s are a dime a dozen in the real world, but the GT3 RS model is rare indeed, except the German automaker has been cranking out these race-ready models since 1999. That translates to about 14,000 of these high-priced babies rolling out of the Stuttgart plant’s doors.... Continue Reading →
2019 Lexus UX200 F Sport
Tiny UX 200 big on luxury, small on power ... Fins are back! That’s right, if you’ve secretly been craving the fin-crazy styling of the late 1950s and early ’60s, Lexus has something special for you, finned taillights on its new UX. No, these aren’t those Himalayan peaks from grandpa’s old Dodge or Plymouth, these... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: Replicarz 1964 Cheetah
Silver Cheetah a muscular winner in 1/18 scale … Hard as it is to imagine, the funky Cheetah sports car has never been reproduced in 1/18 scale, at least not this stunning silver version that Replicarz has chosen to make as part of its Sports Car series. This sealed body cast-resin model highlights the... Continue Reading →
2019 Lexus ES 350 F Sport
Low-end Lexus ES just keeps getting longer, wider ... The new Lexus ES 350 is longer, lower and wider than its predecessor, a formula that sounds a lot like that offered by Pontiac for years. Remember Pontiac’s wide-track marketing? Well, even if you don’t, the Lexus ES is a substantial luxury sedan that for 2019... Continue Reading →