Fisker Motor’s broke. Bankrupt. All outta the green stuff. It’s a real shame. No, I won’t miss the clever hybrid gasoline-electric range extender powertrain. The performance numbers weren’t stellar (0-60 in 6.3 seconds, 125 MPH top speed), it didn’t have enough range to be a grand tourer (230 miles), and it certainly wasn’t cheap ($100k+). So why do I miss it? Well, just look at it.
Continue reading
My trusty 2007 Honda Accord is getting long in tooth. It is about to turn 140,000 miles as of this writing, and the features are certainly not up to date. So when I rolled by a Mazda dealer and saw their stash of new 2014 6′s out front, I decided to stop in for a drive. I wasn’t sure what I was thinking, since I knew no diesels were in stock – perhaps the Bluetooth and Skyactiv gas drivetrain would impress me enough to trade for one?
Headlights are an important safety item on every car. After all, you need to see where you’re headed and what obstacles lie in your path, so that you can avoid them. That’s why in the last decade, High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights have become increasingly common in cars. Still, many high volume industry stalwarts like the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry have never offered HID headlights. Why not?
I have a weird craving for recent Mopar products. From the swoopy compact Dart, to the unapologetically muscular Charger, and even the self proclaimed “Man Van” Caravan all have an extra shot of attitude and style. I’ve never owned a domestic brand car, let alone a Chrysler, but the unanimous friend consensus was they’re cheap and unreliable, worthy only of rental fleets. Unsatisfied with their anecdotes, I cracked my typing fingers and set about to do some research.
This past Black Friday, while tech geeks were lining up for high dollar tv’s and low dollar laptops, both Jerry and I had our eyes peeled for deals on the recently introduced Forza Horizon. When it finally came down to 75% off, Jerry couldn’t pass it up. At $15, it would be a steal even with mediocre reviews, but Horizon was getting wonderful comments from all ends of the globe. So we hunkered down after the LA Auto Show for a weekend of gaming, with me leaving early and unimpressed. Read on to find out why! (Warning: some spoilers ahead). Continue reading
The drab grey building housing the Petersen Museum in downtown Los Angeles isn’t very inviting, but once you get inside, you’ll be treated to a wide number of exhibits ranging from the earliest automobiles to futuristic concepts. I was lucky enough to go through a limited time tour of the Vault, a special collection of cars that are not typically on exhibit. The tours were supposed to end January 6th, but they’ve been extended to the end of January. If you’re looking for a family friendly outing this weekend, be sure to check it out! Follow the jump more info and some photos.
Continue reading
This is the first post in a series of articles on the search and long-term ownership of a 2013 Subaru Impreza WRX STi Sedan.
Like that of many teenage boys, my (realistic) dream car of choice in high school was the Evo. The first time I laid eyes one in the flesh, I knew I had to own one. The Evo VIII’s vented hood, rocket ship performance, and trademark giant rear wing checked all the right boxes. Countless hours of my youth were spent/wasted lapping the Nurburgring and Laguna Seca with the Evo in Gran Turismo 3/4/5. So now, ten years later, why am I looking for an STi?
Most men aren’t excited by interior design. But that’s all going to change after you see some of the crazy gearhead-approved decorations in this post. Follow the jump to see a collection of awesome and kooky home improvements that’ll leave any car nut drooling.
Continue reading
Our buddy has been keeping the long term Sonata busy in the last 4 months. Since our last update, the car has received tinted windows to make the harsh desert sun more bearable. The only other shop time to report in the 5000 mostly commuter miles is a fresh oil change. One thing our engineer friend noted was that not all Hyundai dealers are aware of the turbo engine’s maintenance requirements. Some forum posts said dealers were using 5W-20 (Hyundai recommends 5W-30), others weren’t aware of the proper oil change interval.
Car safety has come a long way since Henry Ford’s first mass market Model T. Thanks to crumple zones, 3 point seat belts, cabins filled with inflatable air bags, and dozens of forgettably named electronic nannies, most new cars are safer than your grandfather’s 19′ long Cadillac. But to keep car companies on their toes, the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety released a new crash test. Even luxury models that previously had perfect crash scores like the Audi A4 pictured above failed this new test. The results may surprise you, follow the jump to see 2013 models with perfect scores.
Continue reading
