I am the antepenultimate driver. I qualified for BMW’s 2018 Ultimate Driver Competition by turning the fastest autocross lap at the San Francisco stop of BMW’s 2018 Ultimate Driver Tour. Me and 14 other drivers from the other cities on the 2018 tour and from BMW’s 2018 M Schools were flown to Palm Springs in… Continue reading BMW Ultimate Driver Competition 2018
The M3 is BMW’s star sports car and the workhorse of BMW’s Performance Center West driving school. Paying patrons flock to the school to learn how to drive these icons as they deserve to be driven: Through twists, around tracks, and in smokey skids. Robust, agile, and comfortable for four, the M3 is the perfect… Continue reading Review: 2018 BMW M3 Competition and M2
BMW’s Performance Center West in Thermal, California offers many different driving classes for clients interested in defensive driving, performance driving, BMWs, M cars, and more. The PCW, as it is known internally, also benefits from its location on the campus of the Thermal Club, a three race-track country club for well-heeled gentlemen in Piloti shoes.… Continue reading Private Instruction at BMW’s Performance Center West
Riddle me this: What weighs as much as a full-size pickup truck, smokes supercars at stoplights, does 300 miles per hour, yet can’t turn a donut in a snowy parking lot? Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the 2016 Tesla Model X P90D with Ludicrous mode. Also, I present to you my friend’s new… Continue reading Review: 2016 Tesla Model X P90D
If you keep up with the big dog car rags, then you know that the current third-generation Cadillac CTS has won some serious accolades, the top of which are Motor Trend’s 2014 Car of the Year and Car and Driver’s 10 Best in 2014, 2015 and 2016. Having just spent two days with a CTS,… Continue reading Review: 2019 Cadillac CTS 2.0T
For a while, BMW had lost the plot. The Bavarian automaker's malaise started in 2012 with the introduction of the (F30) 3-series, the first 3-series that tipped the scale harder for luxury than sport. Non-enthusiasts were pleased: To them, the blue and white Roundel is a symbol of luxury, not sport, and the coveted badge… Continue reading Review: 2018 BMW 530i
The GTI is the rare sub $30k car that is multi-faceted enough to appeal to a broad demographic of buyers. Commuters appreciate its excellent fuel economy and comfort, as well as responsive infotainment system and support of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Younger buyers appreciate its approachable price and sporty design cues. Mature buyers like… Continue reading Review: 2018 VW Golf GTI SE
Nearly two decades ago, Cadillac reinvented its image and purpose when it introduced the CTS and proved it could build a sports sedan to rival BMW’s 3-series. Today, Cadillac is re-reinventing itself with the CT6. Cadillac is showing that it can play at the cutting edge of luxury technologies with Tesla and Mercedes. As Cadillac’s… Continue reading Review: 2018 Cadillac CT6 with Super Cruise
We have the BMW X1 xDrive28i again for a goodly duration, and I’ve reacquainted myself with the small SUV. (Read my first review here.) The X1 and I have taken on a long highway trip to wine country, flogged canyon roads, and done more than a week’s worth of grocery-getting. I’ve come away charmed with… Continue reading Review: 2018 BMW X1 xDrive28i
As I pace around the sparkling gray 2018 Ford Taurus SHO, I ask myself what is this car and who is it for? SHOs of the past were the “Super High Output” vehicles in the Taurus range, packing extra punch and having an aura of sportiness to them. The current Taurus has grown so large… Continue reading Review: 2018 Ford Taurus SHO
Mike's Steering Column 