How much is an hour worth to you? Specifically, an hour in a stuffy, 95°F airport rental car office with a dozen impatient customers and your two travel-weary children? My wife would gladly pay an extra €500 ($589) to escape this hour of hell. Frankly, €500 is too much for me—double the cost of our… Continue reading Review: 2024 Mercedes CLA 180d Shooting Brake is More Capable than Compact
I highly recommend renting a Jeep Renegade e-HYBRID for a trip to the Italian island of Elba. No, scratch that…I highly recommend any vehicle for a trip to Elba, because Elba is a Mediterranean jewel, and the Jeep Renegade is, well, basic transportation. Sorry, let me explain. This summer, we took our two kids on… Continue reading Review: 2024 Jeep Renegade e-HYBRID is Italian like Pizza Hut
(Dear reader: This piece is my travel journal from my Wild West road trip across California, Nevada, and Utah. I hope you enjoy hearing about my eight days on the road and the memories I made.) Day 1: Climbing Out of California It's a midday start to my road trip. My 2016 Mercedes-AMG GT S's… Continue reading Long Term: 2016 Mercedes-AMG GT S is the UFO in the Wild West
They say beggars can’t be choosers, but I’m going to put that to the test. I’m at my local Mercedes-Benz dealership, with the goal of snagging a new Mercedes to review. “I’d love to try the new GLC if you have one to loan,” I tell my service advisor. He checks what is available. “We’ve… Continue reading Review: 2024 Mercedes GLB 250 4Matic and the Choosy Beggar
Valuable life advice can come at you from unexpected places. For example, I was driving through Oakland and spotted a bumper sticker on a Dodge Charger that said, "F*** around and find out." What sage advice! I applied this helpful nugget to my time with the Mercedes C300, f***ing around to find out why Mercedes offers… Continue reading Review: 2024 Mercedes C300 4MATIC Chill or Smash?
Jumping in the M240i after driving the X7 and 540i reminds me of why I love BMW. The small 2 Series coupe is similar in size to the E46 and E92 M3s that made me a Bimmer fan. I'm sat low, close to the ground, with the fat steering wheel falling easily to hand and… Continue reading Test Drive: 2024 BMW M240i xDrive Two is the Loneliest One
BMW hit the reboot button on its 5 Series in 2023 when it brought out the latest version of its midsize luxury sedan. The reboot came with new styling, new technology, and new electric propulsion for the 5 Series EV, the I5. Internal combustion fans will be relieved that gas engines are still available. In… Continue reading Test Drive: 2024 BMW 540i is Neither Here Nor There
So far, my morning is going swell because I'm getting lots of seat time and the 2024 Porsche 911 Targa 4S. Lots of seat time—but no drive time—because I'm waiting for the Porsche chaperon to start our tour of Monterey. I don't mind much because my time behind the static wheel of the 911 Targa… Continue reading Test Drive: 2024 Porsche 911 Targa 4S Shake ‘N Bake
Now, here’s a perfect car for a cruise on 17 Mile Drive. The SL63 is Mercedes’ finest drop-top luxury convertible, and I’m on one of the world’s finest coasts with la crème de la crème of automobilia. It is, of course, Monterey Car Week. (Call me unappreciative, but I didn’t actually want to drive an… Continue reading Test Drive: 2024 Mercedes-AMG SL63 Cruises a Perfect Coast
The cover of this book is just ridiculous. It has got the snout of an angry pig and squinty snake eyes. Its tail sports twin stacks of hexagonal tailpipes and a faux diffuser. The massive 22" wheels are black with red highlighting, and the pair of laser-etched roundels on the trunk glass are a galling… Continue reading Test Drive: 2024 BMW XM Label Has Me Seeing Red
Mike's Steering Column 