August 18, 2019

My Favorite Mid-Engine Cars

Mid-engine cars are not a new phenomenon. They've been around for decades. It is a simple set of physics and calculus that provides a car with near-perfect balance and center of gravity thanks to the engine mounted towards the middle of the vehicle.

August 14, 2019

Road Tripping In a Lexus Hybrid

Consider what other vehicles were considered for this road trip story. Actually, I have forgotten most of the choices, except for a 2019 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Limited. It does have the same driveline as the ES 300h – the 2.5-liter gas-electric powerplant with a continuously variable transmission – but with the addition of all-wheel-drive. However, I thought about the impact on fuel economy, as SUVs and crossovers tend to yield less than their sedan counterparts.

August 13, 2019

Travelogue: Taking Pride On the Road

This road trip had to be done. I missed the last opportunity because my body was healing from my illness since May. I was not going to miss this opportunity. My doctor did not clear me to do so, therefore we rescheduled everything. I found our next opportunity and gave myself more than enough time to be healthy enough to accomplish this story.

August 11, 2019

Commentary: Is Cadillac Still The "Standard of The World?"

"Standard of the world" dictated a level of luxury one expects from the crest of the Cadillac family as applied to each automobile since 1903. Some would argue that its level of luxury would only be eclipsed by a chosen few – Rolls-Royce, Duesenberg, Pierce-Arrow, Marmon, to name some of the few. It had its contemporaries, such as Packard and Lincoln. Even Chrysler's Imperial would match Cadillac's level of luxury during its time as the top model in the company's lineup.

August 5, 2019

F-150 Raptor: The Second Time Around

A couple of years ago, I had my first turn at the Ford F-150 Raptor. I likened the desert-running off-road icon to having an age reversal when one tries to drive one. The "Benjamin Button" factor immediately send us back to being a child again when you see a patch of land and want to send this 450-horsepower beast to destroy it further. I don't know – being child-like or childish. You pick which one you want to be when you drive a Raptor.

August 4, 2019

Historiography: Would You Really Rather Have A…

Once upon a time, General Motors dropped off a few Buicks across the Pacific in China. They loved them – a lot. Then, came the Japanese invading Manchuria, World War II, the push back of the Japanese invaders, and the rise of communism and Mao Zedong. Mao dies, China finds a way to have communism with capitalism, and Buick returns to become the biggest nameplate in the land.

July 31, 2019

Quickies: Vehicles Published Elsewhere – Round 3 for 2019

Here we go again! Round 3 of this year's roundup of vehicles that I worked with but appear elsewhere in the mediasphere. Sometimes, it is hard to track which vehicles were published where. However, CarSoup.com has been getting the lion's share of my work lately. It is with intention, as they try to build traffic for vehicle reviews before site visitors select which vehicles they should choose from. It works that simply. But, hey, at least V&R gets some traffic on here for our (er, my) reviews. You've read them, right?

July 29, 2019

Commentary: The Job Of Bearing Witness To A Community of Enthusiasts

When you drive around in your modern automobile, there is a chance that you could be distracted for some reason or another. Not because you picked up your phone for some text – which is now illegal in most of the USA by now. Maybe you saw someone that is attractive to you. Or, rather, it is a classic automobile.

July 28, 2019

Believe The Hype – Times Two

You may not want to read about a couple of mid-sized, three-row SUVs. However, these two vehicles are generating a lot of buzz that has been the talk of the industry. Of course, this segment has been on fire. New products have been introduced over the past few years that have moved the bar in terms of meeting the needs and wants of families looking for this kind of vehicle. And, believe me, there's more to come in this segment.