November 23, 2020

Commentary: Black Friday…All Month Long!

Of course, we can repeat the statement about how strange this year had become thanks to an unwanted virus that have already taken the lives of over 250,000 Americans so far. This health crisis not only forced us to become creative about our stay-at-home Thanksgiving plans. It also altered our annual holiday shopping routines.

November 22, 2020

V&R Stories: A Thought For The Holidays…

I wrote this back in 1995 – twenty-five years ago – when I saw a crisis in a community I belonged to. It was a crisis of priorities – family, yes, but what if you said you welcome "all" and not welcome those who really have no where to go on a given family-oriented holiday? At the time, the response was nil. I have seen things evolve from this since I first wrote this. The spirit of this piece has evolved from community to culture – and I'm glad someone has taken the spirit of this piece to heart. Maybe several someones…

November 19, 2020

COVID-19 Update: Not Your Usual Thanksgiving This Year

The tradition of seeing our families and friends over Thanksgiving has been tinged with the pall of the COVID-19 pandemic. What was a traditionally lucrative set of days for the travel industry, with packed planes, trains, buses, highways, restaurants, hotels, and such has become an uncertainty.

November 18, 2020

My Thoughts Exactly: 2020 BMW 3-Series

The Bavarian purveyor of "the ultimate driving machine" have been on this site before. In some controlled settings, such as drive events put on by media groups or the company. That 20 minutes behind the wheel of a car with the Roundel badge can be the most stressful thing I have ever done that year. You get one small shot with a BMW – and the pressure is on to deliver something for the Bimmer fans and owners that read this website.

November 16, 2020

Commentary: The Culture of the Roundel

In the automotive world, one expects a certain level of excellence from the products made by the Bayerische Motoren Werke AG. The automobiles BMW produce delivers exactly what serious automotive enthusiasts want: Performance and handling without compromise. It is a reward for the driver who needs an instant dose of vehicular therapy to take on the road in his or her BMW by fulfilling motoring excellence at every corner.

November 15, 2020

My Favorite Vehicles From 1977

The year 1977 was a watershed moment in the automotive industry. The OPEC Oil Crisis was already over. However, the lessons learned from the crisis began to trickle down into the products North American automakers rolled out.

November 8, 2020

Historiography: Ask The Person Who Owns One

Our generation considers a wider definition of luxury, despite the obvious price connotation of it. Rolls-Royce and Bentley may just be touchstones in terms of luxury, but even their pricing might be not enough compared to the likes of Bugatti, Pagani and a few new Ferraris and Lamborghinis. While a few hundred thousand dollars opens the door to a Rolls-Royce Wraith or Bentley Mulsanne, luxury is also measured by rarity of product and extreme levels of performance.

November 4, 2020

My Thoughts Exactly: 2021 Volkswagen Atlas

That is always a loaded question. When you can keep a vehicle fresh in the marketplace, there is a responsibility to not only improve in the most visual places – but underneath, as well.