Driving sensations, not just specifications
America may or may not have invented the practice of speed trials on dry lakebeds, but we certainly popularized it and made it part of our identity. In the early 20th century, Southern California’s dry lakebeds were the epicenter of America’s land-speed record attempts until speeds increased so high that more real estate was needed.… Continue reading Review: 2017 Chevrolet Camaro SS
I recently fell in love with a 2005 Porsche 911 Carrera S. The car was flawed in many ways, but it was much, much, much more right than wrong, and I haven’t been able to get it out of my head since. More than anything else, I’ve been yearning to learn how the 911 changed after its… Continue reading Test Drive: 2011 Porsche 911 Carrera
Brother Alex has a murdered-out Corvette Z06. It’s black, it’s loud, and it’s a bad mother. It’s also just reset my benchmark for fast. When Alex’s Chevrolet Corvette Z06 rolled off the assembly line in 2008, it was the fastest car sold by Chevy. Designed as a track-ready sports car, it came with a 7.0L… Continue reading Test Drive: 2008 Chevrolet Corvette Z06
I am in rural Sonoma County, a land of forests, farms, and hills. For the last few weeks, I’ve been exploring the area in my Ford Focus RS, and I’ve found the RS to be much better suited to country living than city duty. The roads up here are beat to smithereens, but they follow… Continue reading Review: 2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata
I am sitting in a brand new 2017 Porsche Panamera Turbo that has unfortunately been optioned in retiree spec. Brown exterior paint is accompanied by tan leather and a wood-trimmed dash. The color and material choices are out-of-sync with my preferences, but the refreshed design pleases me. The updated exterior is much sleeker than before,… Continue reading Test Drive: 2017 Porsche Panamera Turbo
I do it to myself all the time, and I think I’ve done it again. I’ve convinced myself the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio is the perfect car for me purely on the basis of written and video reviews. You’d think I learn, but it’s a hard habit to break. It’s not too hard to trace… Continue reading Test Drive: 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio
I’d been planning this moment for months, scheming about my way into the driver’s seat of the McLaren 570GT. Thankfully my machinations just came to fruition. I am getting called off the waitlist for the McLaren test-drive experience at Monterey. McLaren is showing off its newly debuted 570S Spider, the roofless version of its Sports… Continue reading Test Drive: 2017 McLaren 570S Spider
When does a car become a classic car? I ask because I’ve driven the 2005 Porsche 911 Carrera S less than a mile, and it already feels like a piece from a different era. Today’s cars are large, overpowered machines that cocoon their drivers deep inside, distancing them from external stimuli. The 911 stands in… Continue reading 2005 Porsche 911 Carrera S: Make Me a 911 Guy
There a handful of vehicles that are heralded as prime enthusiast metal yet linger forever on dealer lots. Unfortunately for GM, the Chevy SS is one of those models. How many manufacturers are making V8-powered RWD sedans? Not that many. How many manufacturers are selling that same car with a manual transmission and magnetic ride… Continue reading Test Drive: 2017 Chevrolet SS
Test drives of the Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang were unobtainium in the year following its launch, as the Ford dealers treated the car as if it was made of gold. (To be fair, many dealers did turn the car into gold.) But now, a wave of used GT350 Mustangs is starting to appear on used… Continue reading Test Drive: 2016 Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang
