Automotive News, Car Reviews, and Podcast
Newspapers publish polls and reader surveys on all kinds of subjects — favorite recipes to family memories. Sustaining readership, enticing new subscribers and keeping advertisers happy is the name of the newspaper game.
Read moreTwo car enthusiasts within a few blocks of our home in East Sacramento both own Volvo P1800s. I don’t know the people, but I admire the cars they drive, and apparently lots of readers of The Daily Telegraph like to the car, too. The London-based newspaper, which this week is unveiling its readers’ selections of “The 100 Most Beautiful Cars” selected the Volvo as No. 100. The newspaper commented: “According to one reader, ‘It looks even better when you remove its front and rear bumpers.’ ” Here’s the start of the list, which the newspaper is publishing in 20-choice increments:
Read moreAmerica Online, now officially called AOL, began in 1985. And it has arguably had the most tumultuous tenure of any Internet portal or search engine. The site and e-mail system still has an estimated 10 million subscribers and it likely has an equal number of detractors as it does loyal followers. For me, AOL’s auto section may be its best attribute. It’s comprehensive, offers myriad and often-updated features and the editors’ subject choices are relevant. One regular feature is the site’s top-10 most searched 208 vehicles. I’m not certain how often the list is updated, but here’s the current list,
Read moreA day trip, weekend adventure or a week or more of vacation time, I love to travel. It’s all good — getting away, investigating a new area or returning to the scene of great memories. It’s even better in an Acura MDX.
Read moreA friend who owns a huge sport utility vehicle swears he needs it. No argument here; He’s got six pre-school aged or younger kids and prefers not leaving any at home when the family heads out.
Read moreThe anticipated debut of the Tata Nano, the controversial $2,500 wonder car from India, has generated a lot of interest. With the average price of a new car in the United States now $30,000 and the price of gas approaching $4 per gallon, the arrival of a $2,500 vehicle in another, poor part of the world should certainly stimulate the Indian economy.
Read moreIt’s hard not to see Malibu advertisements. With its keen redesign for 2008, Chevrolet has seemingly put everything it has into the marketing of the car named after the southern California beach city.
Read moreThis time of year I’m typically plotting a getaway day or two into the snow country. But the thinking of this longtime skier far outweighs what actually happens, which is why there is nothing to report about how the 2008 Subaru Legacy responded in the snow-shrouded Lake Tahoe region.
Read moreForget aluminum, titanium, chrome, steel, fiberglass, etc. At least, that’s what’s a U.S. car design company believes. It’s created the world’s first supercar with a top speed of 240 mph made from wood.
Read moreThe median age of cars in the United States in 2007 was 9.2 years, equaling the record “old age” record for active cars, according to the consulting firm R.L. Polk & Co. Based on a survey of 240.9 million cars and light trucks, the report detailed Americans are keeping cars and trucks longer as quality improves and the uncertain economy makes new purchases less appealing.
Read moreConsumer Reports has released its top-10 cars of the year for 2008 — and not all of the selections are vehicles that readily come to mind. The magazine has selected one vehicle in each of 10 classes. Here’s the list, a magazine comment, additional comments from CNNMoney.com and the approximate price of each vehicle:
Read moreIt’s hard not to see advertisements for the Chevrolet Malibu. With its keen redesign for 2008, Chevrolet has put everything it has into the marketing of the car named after the southern California beach city. The promotion began in earnest during last October’s World Series and it hasn’t waned.
Read moreHow many Ford Model-Ts have you seen on the road, lately? Is it more than the number of Volkswagen Beetles or Toyota Corollas you’ve seen around town or on the freeway?
Read moreLarry Printz doesn’t give his opinion, but my hunch is that the automotive writer for the The Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk, Va., is a throwback kind of guy — at least with regard to his cars. And in many ways, I’m with him. In a recent piece Printz details traditional car features and gadgets no longer offered or rarely offered. It’s the equipment he writes that’s “about to join vinyl LPs, shag carpet and typewriters in the dustbin of history.” Bench seats: “The popularity of minivans and SUVs, many with seven passenger seating, have killed the front bench seat, which allows
Read moreI’ve never quite understood the fascination with pickup trucks. But there is no denying the style’s popularity, especially among men. Look around, plenty of big and small trucks abound, including the ever-popular Dodge Ram and Dodge Dakota.
Read moreA friend took a good, long look at the interior and exterior of the new Ford Edge, chuckled and said, “Well, for a Ford it’s pretty edgy.” True enough. With the 2008 Edge, the often conservative Ford has extended the definition of the term “crossover.”
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