Michael Schumacher rests at home with police assist

The media didn’t want to leave former race car driver Michael Schumacher alone in his home near Lake Geneva, so Swiss policemen have been detailed to ensure the legendary race car driver is allowed to recover in peace. According to a report on AutoWeek.com, Schumacher returned home this week after eight months of hospitalization in France and Switzerland following a ski accident. The report detailed that “swarms” of photographers and television crews gathered at Schumacher’s home in Gland, Switzerland. The mass assemblage of media apparently included a Russian news agency seeking to establish a live stream outside the Schumacher’s home.

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2015 Honda Fit: New best subcompact?

It looks like Honda has hit another bases-loaded home run with its new 2015 Honda Fit. The feisty subcompact was love at first sight to many when it arrived for 2007. It was affordable, economical, nicely sized and — importantly — fun to drive. The redesigned 2015 Fit four-door hatchback tops the first and second-generation Fit models and doesn’t cost much more than the 2014 Fit. List prices for the more refined LX, EX and top-line EX-L models range from $15,525 for the base LX with a new six-speed manual transmission to $19,800 for the better equipped EX-L with a

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Five Best Factors to Consider When Purchasing Car Insurance

By Zev Goldstein Legendary comedian Don Rickles once quipped, “Show business is my life. When I was a kid, I sold insurance, but nobody laughed.” You know as well as I do that the car insurance business can be no laughing matter. Between the increased cost premiums and the seemingly endless number of possible companies we could insure with, it can be difficult to handle. Here are some useful tips to help you choose the best car insurance: Determine a Good Coverage Level Sometimes, coverage choices are already made for you. For instance, your state already mandates legal minimum coverages

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PREVIEW: 2016 Mazda MX-5, longer, lighter

With events held simultaneously in California, Spain and Tokyo, the 2016 Mazda MX-5 was unveiled Sept. 3 as a lighter, more angular fourth generation of the best-selling two-seat roadster in history. Introduced 25 years ago, the Mazda MX-5, formerly known as the Miata, had reached total production of 940,000 units in July to correspond to the car’s 25th anniversary. The Mazda MX-5, which is expected to go on sale next year, is also expected to make its North American debut at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show in November. According to a report in the Los Angeles Times, Mazda didn’t

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Joan Rivers, comic, Dodge spokeswoman, dead at 81

Throughout her long and often raunchy career, Joan Rivers maintained the ability to laugh at herself. She even did so as a spokesperson for what seemed out of character — promoting Dodge. Rivers, who died Sept. 4 at the age of 81, didn’t know anything but full-speed ahead. She ripped celebrities. She told dirty jokes. She had more plastic surgery than Tammy Faye Baker. And in this 30-second commercial for Chrysler, she compares the car’s leather to the leather on her face. Rivers could be polarizing. Her humor was funny, biting, and often cruel. Johnny Carson helped make Rivers famous,

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2014 FIat 500: Proud little Italian subcompact

Since the FIAT 500 returned to the United States four years ago for the first time in about 30 years, I’ve driven at least a half-dozen of the little cars. They’re fun to drive and they have a refreshing amount of attitude as little engines that can. The FIAT acronym stands for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino, with Fiat as the largest automobile manufacturer in Italy and ninth largest globally. The FIAT acronym does not stand for “Fix It Again, Tony,” the infamous, harsh definition. Owners of FIATs seemingly love to complain about their cars, but they often buy more than

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2014 Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line: Solid, versatile SUV

No matter how revered an old car model was, an automaker must offer the latest designs to remain popular. The beloved 1950s-1970s Volkswagen Beetle put VW on the map here, but offered little performance or practicality. While the Beetle operated in an auto world that’s vanished, the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line is right in step with the times. The handsome Tiguan is contemporary partly because many Americans have tired of bulky SUVs and opted for carlike crossover vehicles such as the Tiguan, which won’t be changed much for 2015. It’s a tall hatchback based on Volkswagen’s popular, sporty Golf GTI

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PREVIEW, 2015 Toyota Camry: New design, more tech

The 2015 Toyota Camry and 2015 Toyota Camry Hybrid, featuring new exterior and interior designs as well as increased safety and performance features, will be available in four models beginning in September. The 2015 Camry will be offered in the value-driven LE, the sporty SE, the new XSE and the premium XLE. The XSE builds on the success of the SE and will have an edgier appearance and is being touted as the “sportiest Camry yet.” All Camry gas models will be powered by the standard 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 178 horsepower and 170 lb.-ft. of peak torque. It’s teamed

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Route66 Cruisin’ Reunion: Mustang, GT0 homage

Thousands of vintage automobiles, highlighted by 50th anniversary celebrations for the Ford Mustang and Pontiac GTO, will be instrumental in the global gathering of the Route 66 Cruisin’ Reunion, scheduled Sept. 19-21 in Ontario, California. Plenty of vendors and three days of food, live music and additional entertainment are scheduled in addition to the more than 2,000 classic cars. Beyond the world’s largest nighttime neon light cruise featuring a dazzling “moving light show on wheels” for which some participants have spent years producing specially lit vehicles, other highlights of this year’s event include: Show-n-Shines; 50th Anniversary Celebrations of the Mustang

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2014 Buick Regal: New worthy mix of U.S. and Euro design

Some American brand sports/luxury sedans are edging closer to costlier foreign rivals as the auto world shrinks. A few minutes at the wheel of the 2014 Buick Regal gave me the feeling I was driving a foreign luxury sports sedan. It sure handled and rode much like one. Buick has made lots of changes, but the Regal’s behavior puzzled me. I soon found the Regal is basically an Americanized version of the high-line German Opel Insignia. No wonder it felt as if it would be happy humming along a German autobahn at 100 m.p.h. It’s got a decent size, with

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2015 Volkswagen e-Golf set for November U.S. debut

Volkswagen has announced the 2015 e-Golf, the carmaker’s fully electric vehicle, will be priced starting at $35,445 for the SEL Premium edition and will be available to the public in November. The zero tailpipe emissions vehicle will join the Golf family of sport hatchbacks. Built on the Modular Transverse Matrix (MQB) platform, the new Golf will be powered by a compact electric motor and lithium-ion battery Volkswagen has announced a collaboration with 3Degrees, a renewable energy services provider, to invest in carbon reduction projects to help offset the emissions created from production, distribution and charging of the e-Golf for up

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Hardtop convertibles unheralded but more worthy

The term hardtop convertible could be construed as an oxymoron. It’s not. By any name or derivative — removable hardtop to retractable hardtop — hardtop convertibles are an deal solution to their prevalent ragtop siblings. But for nearly the past decade, following a New York Times article touting the benefits of retractable hardtops, more car manufacturers have introduce and further promoted their hardtop trims. Still, hardtop convertibles often unheralded. The obvious reason is that with the top up, it’s difficult to know if the vehicle is a convertible. Several-dozen hardtop convertibles are currently available, many in the United States, including

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Driving the USA Pro Challenge, Day 5: Rock, row, top down

The drive from Salida to Colorado Springs, Colo., is only 100 miles. But the navigation system on my 2014 Lexus IS 350C detailed that it was a 2 1/2-hour drive. It didn’t make sense because the majority of the route to the start and finish of stage 4 of the USA Pro Challenge was on U.S 50 and then on state route 115. The reason it took so long is because the roads wind through the Rockies and along the Arkansas River. The roads weave past old towns, rafting rental equipment outfits, general stores and roadside cabins for rent. It

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PREVIEW: 2015 Hyundai Tucson: More tech, new price

The 2015 Hyundai Tucson, which will feature an improve optional package, has a starting price of $21,500 is available now at dealerships nationwide. A Popular Equipment Package is now available on the 2015 Tucson GLS trim. It adds a rearview camera, 4.3-inch color touchscreen audio display, 8-way power driver seat with power lumbar support, leatherette seat bolsters with cloth insets and automatic headlight control for only $750. Tucson Limited models for 2015 now come with standard LED taillights. Hyundai added a choice of 2.0- and 2.4-liter GDI four-cylinder engines in 2014 and these options will also be available in 2015.

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2014 Lexus IS 350C: Day 4 driving the USA Pro Challenge

The third stage of the USA Pro Challenge, my fourth day driving a 2014 Lexus IS 350C, took me from Mt. Crested Butte to Monarch, Colo. What a day for a drive. After a few-mile descent from Mt. Crest Butte (Elevation, 9,898 feet), Hwy. 135 South progressed through long stretches of rolling terrain. A canvas of large rock formations, broken down ranch buildings, and a bright blue ski dotted with pillow-like clouds took me 27 mile to Gunnison, the start of stage 3. The 96-mile stage, the race’s only mountaintop finish, began at 7,793 feet. From Gunnison, it was 50

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2014 Lexus IS 350C: Day 3 driving the USA Pro Challenge

The navigation system in the 2014 Lexus IS 350C, my test vehicle during the USA Pro Challenge in Colorado, offered three options for driving from Aspen to Mt. Crested Butte during stage 2 of the weeklong pro bike race. The shortest route, about four hours, first took me about eight miles to Aspen, the start of stage 2 and the location of the finish of stage 1. Navigation system quality varies greatly, but the main priorities are intuitive, accurate directions, a crisp viewing screen, easy of getting instructions and prompt re-routing directions. Bike races often require closed roads in starting

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