2023 Toyota Crown Platinum

Sedan melds luxury, looks with AWD and hybrid efficiency ... Those who remember the 1980 AMC Eagle (primarily Boomers), will recall it was a fine-looking wagon, but stood out because it rode higher than a standard wagon due to its AWD underpinnings. AMC’s trendsetting ways were rewarded briefly, but the look has persisted. Now all... Continue Reading →

November 21, 2023 1

Car Spot: Ford Pantera

Another one of Lee Iacocca's Italian deals ... Ford, and Chrysler’s, Lee Iacocca loved doing hookups with Italian car companies Maserati and Fiat. This week's car spot, a 1972 Ford Pantera, I came across at the Cars & Guitars event put on by the Automobile Gallery in Green Bay. This was a spotless example. Developed... Continue Reading →

August 11, 2023 2

Car Spot: VW Scirocco

One of VW's wind cars The Scirocco first landed in North America in 1974 and Volkswagon's intent for the coupe, with its edgy design, was to replace its aging bubbly-looking Karmann Ghia. VW's Golf couldn't be that replacement because that was intended to succeed the Beetle platform. The Scirocco was meant to be a more... Continue Reading →

June 17, 2022 0

2017 Fiat 124 Spider Classica

Fiat's 124 a Miata remake long on style, better ride It has been a long, long time since an affordable convertible with Italian styling was available in the United States, but now we have Fiat’s 124 Spider. Actually, we had it all along, or at least since 1989, in the form of a Mazda Miata.... Continue Reading →

October 8, 2016 0

2014 Mazda3i 4-door Grand Touring

Mazda3 delivers good looks, modest price, driving flair The new Mazda3 is better looking than its predecessor, gets better gas mileage and still delivers driving flair, a fair accomplishment for a modestly priced family sports sedan. First, Mazda reshaped its former gaping smiling nose with this more Audi-like big grille and swept its profile lines back... Continue Reading →

February 22, 2014 0

2014 Lexus RX 450h

H = hybrid in luxurious 450h crossover for a smooth quiet cruiser Lexus makes quiet, comfortable and reliable vehicles as well, if not better, than most car makers and its RX crossover has been a hit for years, being an early entry into the crossover, or tall wagon, market. Certainly Lexus does nothing to embarrass itself... Continue Reading →

February 8, 2014 0

2014 Nissan Versa Note SV

Versa is inexpensive, versatile, but extremely underpowered Rarely have I driven a car as underpowered as the Versa Note, Nissan’s new four-door hatchback version of the Versa, which debuted last year as a sedan. Naturally this is an economy model, but still, with a 1.6-liter, I4 that cranks only 109 horsepower the acceleration is lackluster,... Continue Reading →

January 1, 2014 0

Audi R8 races two superbikes

The need for speed!!! I've seen a lot of car vs. motorcycle videos over the years but this one really caught my eye. Entertaining yet stupid. Not because of a spectacular accident or anything like that, but because the people involved race like they're playing a harmless video game. The video comes from the interior... Continue Reading →

November 16, 2013 3

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 →

August 15, 2013 0

2014 Acura RLX Advance

I'll be dogged, Acura RLX delivers power, elegance and PAWS My experience is that it’s hard to go wrong with an Acura sedan, and the new mid-size RLX does nothing to make me rethink that notion. Fairly handsome outside, elegant inside it’s smooth on the road, handles well and offers oodles of power. Even the... Continue Reading →