The thesis is simple: for 66% the cost of a 997-generation Porsche 911 GT3, I can get into a 996 GT3 and enjoy 90% of the thrills. The hope is also to find a well-used 996 GT3 around the ~$110k mark, which would be by far the most expensive car I've ever purchased, but much… Continue reading Test Drive: 2004 Porsche 911 GT3 Challenge Accepted?
The BMW X5 is a sweetheart of the line for me. Big enough to spread out, quiet enough to lower my cortisol, and oh so comfortable. The 2025 X5 is a fourth-generation (G05) X5 that launched as a 2019 model. As such, the 2025 X5 has already received BMW’s lifecycle impulse upgrades that updated the… Continue reading Test Drive: 2025 BMW X5 xDrive50e Plug-in Hybrid is a Big Softie
They say “save the best for last,” but I don’t want to wait that long to tell you about my Porsche Taycan 4S test drive. What is true, though, is that the Taycan 4S is my last test drive in an exceptional day of test drives. BMW M3, M4, M5 and X5 M, Lucid Air… Continue reading Test Drive: 2025 Porsche Taycan 4S is Too Good to Miss
I've been dying to try the new M3 and M4 since they launched four years ago. Of all the M models, this duo has the size and performance focus to match my family, fun, and track aspirations. Did you know I owned a 2011 BMW (E90) M3 for seven years? I loved that car's practicality,… Continue reading Test Drive: 2025 BMW M3 and M4 Competition xDrive are Family Friendly Weapons
What is the easiest way to be underwhelmed by a $200k Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600? Drive a $260k Mercedes-Maybach S680 first! Sadly, that is what I’m doing today. I’ve just completed test drives of the Mercedes-Maybach S680, Lucid Air, and Lucid Gravity, and now I’m getting behind the wheel of the 2025 Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600. It’s… Continue reading Test Drive: 2025 Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 and Sibling Rivalry
It’s 7:30 am when I hear the passing drone of a sports car outside my kitchen window. I glance at the street, excited, and see my neighbor Eddie slinking by in his midnight blue 1997 Porsche 911 (993) Turbo. Normally, spotting a car this rare would be the peak of my morning’s excitement, but not… Continue reading Test Drive: 1997 Porsche 911 Turbo is the Final Chapter
I’ve heard it whispered that the BMW X5 M is the way BMW should have built the brand new 2025 (G90) M5, and that the M5 would have been better skipping hybridization and just sticking with a twin-turbo V8. While we’ll never know how this imaginary M5 would have turned out, I do have the… Continue reading Comparison: 2025 BMW X5 M Competition and M5 are Sumo Wrestling
My friend Sage purchased a 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor, but he isn't sure he'll keep it. He's had it for six months, and while he likes aspects of the truck, it hasn't thrilled him like he'd hoped. In fact, he's so dissatisfied that he approached his dealer for a trade-in evaluation. I'm here for a… Continue reading Review: 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor and Fear-Free Canyon Carving
I’m trying hard to figure out who would buy the $51k ($64k as tested) 2025 BMW X3 xDrive30i M Sport. By its dimensions and capability, the X3 xDrive30i appears to be a practical hauler of young kids and their crud, but when fit with the M Sport options, the SUV transforms into a hard-riding performance… Continue reading Test Drive: 2025 BMW X3 xDrive30i Someone Skipped Cardio
The car standing in front of me isn’t some unknown exotic, it is the Lucid Air, Lucid’s first-ever production car. I’ve been seeing them around Berkeley for four years, but have yet to get up close and personal with the model. In Berkeley’s sea of Teslas and Subarus, the Air stands out, on account of… Continue reading Test Drive: 2025 Lucid Air Grand Touring is Smooth as Butter, Fast as Stink
Mike's Steering Column 