Five crisply-stamped Acura NSXs sit waiting in the test drive paddock. Their angular stealth-fighter shapes are beautifully rendered in Acura’s bright blues, reds and oranges. To my eyes, the NSX is perfectly proportioned and fresh-looking, even though its design dates from 2012. (It helps that I rarely see an NSX on the road.) Its ground-hugging… Continue reading Test Drive: 2019 Acura NSX
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
Quick! Name four BMW M3 competitors! Umm, umm, Mercedes-AMG C63, Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, Cadillac ATS-V, and...Lexus RC-F? Who is missing? The Audi RS coupes and sedans. At least for me, the RS line gets forgotten, a victim of infrequent media attention and lost comparison tests. And as a Sunbelt resident, I spend my time… Continue reading Test Drive: 2019 Audi RS5 Sportback
First released in 2012, the Tesla Model S is now old news but still holds a special place in automotive history. As Tesla’s first mass-produced car, the Model S melded EV eco-savvy with performance and sex appeal such as no EV had done before. The Model S became the best-selling large luxury car in the… Continue reading Test Drive: 2018 Tesla Model S 75D
Jab your finger hard into the button emblazoned Start on the 2018 Jaguar F-Type R’s dash, and the car takes a figurative swill of the firewater, kicks down the door, and belches, “let’s get this party started!” What kind of a party does the wild cat throw when it’s guzzling premium? I’d love to find… Continue reading Test Drive: 2018 Jaguar F-Type R Coupe
Chevrolet has a knack for naming completely quotidien vehicles after improbably glamorous destinations, and the Malibu is one of its most offending nameplates. The Hollywood-rich living in this coastal enclave undoubtedly have more Mercedes S-classes registered to them than they have Chevrolet Malibus. So the car would be more honestly named the Chevrolet Oshkosh. I… Continue reading Test Drive: 2018 Chevrolet Malibu LT
My personal expectations for new BMW sedans are not very high. BMW’s chase of luxury comes with fresh designs and the latest technology, but also with increasing isolation from the driving experience. Each updated Bimmer seems to take a step away from the driving involvement I love. My ideal rides are full of feel, spunky,… Continue reading Test Drive: 2018 BMW X3 M40i
Space as luxury is a long-lived concept. Kings of yor lived in palaces, not cottages, and the kings of now flaunt space with 100,000-square-foot mansions and 100-meter yachts. Automakers like Cadillac are keen on this concept, positioning their largest SUVs as their most luxurious offerings. But has BMW adopted this concept and made their X5… Continue reading Test Drive: BMW X5 xDrive50i and BMW 750i
Mike's Steering Column 