I expected to be wowed by the power, but the steering impressed me the most. Every so often, in what I presume are moments of boredom, my wife Kay reads my car magazines. From her fleeting explorations of my world, she has learned that the 911 Turbo is the best car in the world, bar… Continue reading Review: 2007 Porsche 911 Turbo
Not so long ago, I was sitting by the pool on vacation when BMW's media embargo on the F80 M3 and F82 M4 expired and the internet was flooded with reviews of the new BMWs. With great excitement, I consumed every quality review I could find, trying to determine if the heir to the sports… Continue reading Comparison: 2015 BMW M4 vs. 2011 BMW M3
The Subaru BRZ and Scion FR-S have been a hot discussion topic for enthusiasts ever since their launch. Priced around $25k new, these Japanese twins are the most compelling entry-level RWD sports cars today. Lauded for providing a pure driving experience, I'd been searching for my chance to drive an FR-S or BRZ for quite… Continue reading Review: 2014 Subaru BRZ
At the PCA Festival of Speed 2015, I had the chance to quickly autocross the 2015 911 Carrera 4S, 911 Carrera S, Cayman GTS and Boxster GTS. Here was my experience. 911 Carrera 4S I was most excited about trying out this blue 911, as it had the S badge on the back, so I… Continue reading Test Drive: 2015 Porsche 911, Cayman and Boxster
I have a chance to drive a 2015 BMW 328i (F30 chassis) loaner car while my E90 M3 is in the shop. A note in the car indicates that this vehicle is optioned up to the grand price of $42,000; that's quite a lot of money for an entry-level BMW. With just 72 miles on… Continue reading Review: 2015 BMW 328i
My BCFF (Best Car Friend Forever) and I have been discussing the 2009 Porsche Cayman (987.2) at length because it is said to have the most reliable and robust engine of any first generation (987) Cayman. 2009 was a mid-run refresh for the Cayman. While the Cayman S moved up to a new direct-injection engine… Continue reading Review: 2009 Porsche Cayman
My friend Sage has been researching his next car. A few months ago, Sage and I had rented an E46 M3 from RelayRides, and we were completely taken by the E46's performance, balance and poise. After the rental, we both dived into Craigslist searches to find that perfect example of the model, but we've both… Continue reading Comparison: 2013 Ford Mustang GT vs 2011 BMW M3
My car buddy Sage is a serial car purchaser; he’s always got one vehicle on the market while searching for his next automotive fling. Thus, when I learned that he just added a 2000 Porsche Boxster to his stable, I knew I needed to drive his first-generation 1991 Mazda Miata (NA) before it was sold… Continue reading Review: 1991 Mazda Miata (NA)
The Ford Focus ST was a media sweetheart when released, winning comparison tests against the Mazda Mazdaspeed3 and VW GTI. Given all the accolades, I've been curious to see how this affordable one-car-to-conquer-all (by which I mean one car which can handle both daily duties and sporting drives) would feel from behind the wheel. When… Continue reading Review: 2013 Ford Focus ST
This Sunday I had my first chance to autocross my 2011 BMW M3 at El Toro airfield. While I had done an autocross in Oakland many months ago, it was a poor chance to feel out the car as the course was very short (maybe 40 seconds long) and pretty slow. Today’s El Toro event… Continue reading Long Term: 2011 BMW M3 at Autocross
Mike's Steering Column 