Automotive News, Car Reviews, and Podcast
With no responsibilities on a recent sun-drenched Saturday afternoon, the candy-apple red sports car seemingly recognized my surprising block of free time and the 2008 Mustang Convertible and was beckoning for some action.
Read moreBy Jeff Weidel There was no urgent need for changes. Toyota already had success with the Highlander, a trend-setting model introduced seven years ago. It quickly became a template for a segment of crossover sport utility vehicles.
Read moreFirst driving impressions mean a lot — at least to me. Whether it’s a rental vehicle, a friend’s car or a new weekly test drive, I can usually tell if I’ll like the vehicle within a few minutes. Honda and Cadillac offer diverse cars, but I always immediately feel comfortable in all the manufacturers’ vehicles. Kia now joins my “comfort car club.”
Read moreIts name connotes royalty, but who would have known 40 years ago when it was first sold in the United States that the Toyota Corolla actually deserved such a lofty title?
Read moreEscalating gas prices and “green” cars are the most hotly discussed topics in the automotive industry. But there’s an equally important issue for car owners. It’s the determining factor for some new/used car buyers, while other consumers buy brands regardless of resale value and cost of operation. The factor, most expensive to repair goes to the Dodge Viper.
Read moreThink Global, a Norwegian automaker, has plance to sell an electric car in the United States by the end of 2009 that goes 110 miles without recharing and costs less than $25,000. According to the Associated Press, two venture capital firms are funding the U.S. operation, likely be based Southern California. The car will be named Think City, is a two-seater with a top speed of about 65 mph. It will operate on sodium batteries and is 95 percent recyclable. “It’s a mass-market vehicle,” Ray Lane of venture capital firm Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers to the AP. “Our desire
Read moreIn addition to the well-established national and international auto shows, auto manufacturers often invite the media to smaller, regional gatherings to introduce vehicles. In early April, I joined more than 40 other journalists and photographers at a General Motors’ media launch and two-day getaway at The Huntley Hotel in Santa Monica, California.
Read moreThe Tesla Roadster, the long-awaited electric sports car powered by a lithium-ion battery and possessing a more than $100,000 price tag, is now available for the first time in a Westwood, Calif., dealership.
Read moreJeff Weidel Many reasons exist to literally steer away from purchasing a large sport utility vehicle. Lack of gas mileage is one negative. Every time I drive a behemoth SUV, it seems like one eye watching the gas gauge dip as another $70 fill-up looms.
Read moreThere’s nothing like the Waffle House. You want a stick-to-your-ribs breakfast at anytime of day or night? This is the place. Anyone who lives in the South can easily take ‘em for granted. Perhaps it’s not too dissimilar from other parts of the country where Denny’s or Starbucks rule highway exits and small and large cities. But in the South, Waffle House is where it’s going on.
Read moreFive days into the Tour de Georgia, I’ve finally driven the roads that remind me why I appreciate bicycle racing. The route for stage 5 took the field from Suwanee to Dahlonega, and at 133 miles, it was the longest day of the weeklong race. The alternate route from Lake Lanier Island (where the entourage stayed after stage 4) to the finish was much shorter — only a 90-minute drive.
Read moreThe automotive industry has plenty of global problems. But innovation is not one of the issues — at least according to BusinessWeek magazine. In its list of the world’s 50 most innovated companies, Toyota and Tata Motors of India are both in the top-10 list. Apple, which debuted the iPhone and the MacBook Air in the past year, was named the world’s most innovative company. Here’s the top-10: 1. Apple; 2;.Google; 3. Toyota; 4. General Electric; 5. Microsoft; 6. Tata Motors; 7. Nintendo; 8. Proctor & Gamble; 9. Sony; 10. Nokia.
Read moreOne of my favorite car review testing routes is the estimated 200-mile drive from Sacramento to the Monterey Peninsula. I’ve mentioned the high-speed trek along the congested city stretches, open agricultural farmlands and rolling fields along Interstate 5 . And I’ve written about how in Gilroy, the road changes for a short stretch onto highway 101 and then onto two mall connecting 152 and 156 routes as the peninsula and Pacific Ocean appear on the horizon. It’s these secondary roads I enjoy most. Form the hectic nature of Interstate 5, the road abruptly changes onto an oddly cambered route past
Read moreThe popularity of hybrid vehicles in the United States continues to rise. According to a report by the Green Car Congress in Washington, D.C., sales of hybrids in the U.S. rose 10 percent in March 2008 compared to 2007 sales in the same month.
Read moreNow ending its first decade in production, the Suzuki Grand Vitara is a strong contender in the compact sport utility vehicle category. Its value pricing, strong warranty, good cabin and cargo space and satisfactory overall driving have prompted more potential buyers to give it appropriate consideration.
Read moreMaybe it’ll finally mean marital driving bliss? Or a new confidence boost for the directionally challenged? General Motor’s OnStar division has signed a deal with online company MapQuest.
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