2019 BMW X5 xDrive40i Last year I theorized that the 2018 BMW X5 was so wonderfully serene and spacious that BMW should make it the brand’s flagship vehicle. To me, the X5 was the perfect platform to bestow with all of the cutting-edge technology and luxury features that typically debut in the 7-series. Well, the… Continue reading Test Drive: 2019 BMW X5 xDrive40i and X3 M40i
After a 20-year hiatus, the 8-series has returned to BMW’s lineup. Its most hairy-chested rendition—at least until an M8 arrives—is the M850i xDrive. To afford it, you’ll need a gold chain swinging from your chest, as this big coupe—why doesn’t BMW call this a gran coupe?—starts at $112k and quickly climbs with options. Is this… Continue reading Test Drive: 2020 BMW M850i xDrive
BMW’s new (G20) 3-series promises a return to the goodness that made the 3-series the segment benchmark for years. But my sample of the base 2019 330i suggested that BMW has under-delivered on sporting credentials in the baby 3er; the 330i angered all parties by riding too firmly in town while being too soft for… Continue reading Test Drive: 2020 BMW M340i
Renting from Turo is one of my favorite pastimes because Turo gives me access to the cars and SUVs that I’ve been dreaming about but otherwise couldn’t find at the mainstream rental agencies like Hertz and Enterprise. Through Turo, I’ve experienced some of my favorite cars, including the Porsche 911 (997) Carrera S, Porsche 911… Continue reading Insurance for Turo Rentals
I find myself behind the wheel of Diego’s 2019 Audi SQ5. Ahead of me are 30 miles of twisting coastal roads, starting with the scenic—and potholed—Pierce Point Road and ending with California’s famed Hwy 1. It is a route fit for a sports car, albeit one with a compliant suspension, yet here I am in… Continue reading Review: 2019 Audi SQ5
They call it a bucket-list trip and say every car enthusiast should drive the Nürburgring once in their life. They are wrong. Every car enthusiast should go to the Nürburgring as frequently as they possibly can. I’ve made the trip for the first time, and I’ll share what worked wonderfully and what I’d change the… Continue reading Nürburgring Nordschleife Trip
I fell in love with the BMW M2 when I drove the little beasty at BMW’s Performance Center West. The twisting training track at the Performance Center West became a playground where I freely chucked and slid the M2 through the corners. I discovered that BMW’s littlest M car is a joyous creature, one that… Continue reading Review: 2019 BMW M2 Competition
The Civic Type R is my second rental car for my Nürburgring vacation. Like yesterday’s Renault Clio RS 200, I picked the Civic because it is FWD, so it should be stable and safe even in the wet. (It rains a lot at the Nürburgring.) As the Type R has 50% more power than the… Continue reading Review: RSR 2018 Honda Civic Type R
I rented a third-generation (2005—2012) Renault Clio RS 200 from Ringfreaks.de for my first ever Nürburgring track day. The car was a fully prepared race car that seemed like an excellent introduction to the Nürburgring for several reasons. First, I intended to share the car with my brother and do as many laps as possible… Continue reading Review: Ringfreaks Renault Clio RS 200
Our rental car for our trip from the Frankfurt airport to the Nürburgring is a 2019 Audi A5 Sportback 40 with the S package. Decoded, this means our Audi is a four-door hatchback with a gasoline 2.0L turbo engine, FWD and Audi’s sports suspension. It is a good-looking car, and reasonably spacious too. The S… Continue reading Review: 2019 Audi A5 Sportback 40
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