“Got anything fun?” I ask, not expecting an affirmative. I’ve only spotted base-level sedans and SUVs in my half-dozen visits to the Mercedes dealer. “Actually, I do,” comes the reply across the loaner desk, “would you like a GLA 35?” Hell yes! I’d love to try a baby AMG! Ten years ago, a four-cylinder AWD… Continue reading Review: 2023 Mercedes-AMG GLA 35 is a Stay Puft Hot Hatch
It's an open secret that I see my service center's courtesy vehicles as my press fleet. Each repair is a chance for me to check off a chore and have a new driving experience. That is why I was very excited to do a transmission fluid change on my AMG GT S (nevermind the cost). … Continue reading Review: 2022 Mercedes GLB 250 4Matic is My Favorite Squeeze
It takes just a second in my brother’s new car to remind me that I’m a BMW guy. A myriad of clues spark the reminder, including the chunky grip of the M Sport steering wheel, the granite-solid doors, and the stepped twirl of the iDrive controller. Thanks to my six years in the BMW fold,… Continue reading Review: 2017 BMW 540i xDrive is Stealth Wealth
I am bleary-eyed and emotionally edgy after a crack-of-dawn flight to Dulles. Dragging two young kids across the country has a way of doing that to me. As I scan the long aisles of the rental lot, I pray that spot 179—my spot—is filled with something interesting. I booked a full-size sedan, so my bar… Continue reading Review: 2019 Lexus NX 300 is Solid but Sparkless
BMW would like to sell you a shark on wheels. They call it the M850i xDrive Gran Coupe, and it is a beastly machine meant for dusting Dacias and pulverizing Peugeots on the autobahn. If you have petrol in your veins, I think you’ll like it. Be warned, though, in the age of performance EVs… Continue reading Test Drive: 2023 BMW M850i xDrive Gran Coupe is a Prehistoric Pleasure
Well, this is a surprise. My family from the heart of conservative trucks-and-guns Pennsylvania just took delivery of an EV. A 2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E, to be precise. Now I’m wondering, is this a harbinger of red America going green? Not that selling EVs in the heartland should be hard. EVs pair the torque of… Continue reading Review: 2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E (vs. Tesla Model 3)
As gas-burning cars become increasingly unwelcome in a warming world, BMW is furiously investing in electric vehicles. After a rocky start with the i3, BMW is back on stride and rolling out its iX, i4 and i7 EVs. To me, the most interesting is the iX, as it’s electric-only; it can’t be bought with a… Continue reading Test Drive: 2023 BMW iX M60 is a Rocket in Pig’s Clothing
Let’s talk numbers, okay? Name this BMW: ~$70k MSRP, over 500 hp, four drive wheels, and a neck-snapping 3.7s to 60 mph. Oh, and it seats four passengers (five in a pinch) behind one horrendously-oversized kidney grill. Sounds like the G80 M3, right? Wrong. Because this five-door BMW has just one gear, a gob-stopping 586… Continue reading Test Drive: 2022 BMW i4 M50 is the Almost M
They say familiarity breeds contempt, but that isn’t the case with my CTS-V wagon. The V has been mine for over four years, and I’m still loving it and determined to hold on to it for as long as I can! (Read my other long term CTS-V posts here, here and here.) Yet, my relationship… Continue reading Long Term: 2014 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon Isn’t For Sale
Kia has been on a tear recently. It’s moved well beyond its basic-economy past to producing beautiful, advanced, segment-leading vehicles like the Stinger, Telluride and EV6. My interest is piqued, and so I’m filled with anticipation when the rental counter assigns us a 2021 Kia Sportage LX. When we finally locate the Sportage in the… Continue reading Review: 2021 Kia Sportage LX isn’t Kia’s Bright Future
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