September 6, 2020

Cars That Will "Sashay Away" This Year

One of them will be the year of "thinning the herd," which, sadly, can be taken many ways. However, this term is apt for something that have been a trend in the North American automotive market – the elimination of models from their respective lineups.

September 4, 2020

V&R Stories: The One About The Jeep Wagoneer

It was 1982. My father had not been present in our household for ten years at that point. My mother already suffered her second stroke and is no longer able to work or be active. Half of her body was numb and her speech aphasic. My brother was working to keep our household alive and is a freshman at UCLA.

September 3, 2020

Three New Takes on Luxury For A Post-Pandemic World

Consider who is doing the unveiling – Rolls-Royce, Mercedes-Benz, and Jeep. Three long-awaited new vehicles that represent three iconic model names. Two of which are new generation models. The third is the resurrection of a long-running nameplate.

September 2, 2020

The Perfect Send-Off

Over four generations, Lexus provided owners many flavors of the GS sedan without diluting its intended mission. There had been hybrids, and an assortment of non-electrified powerplants ranging from turbocharged four-cylinders to powerful V8s. The sedan's performance promise has never deviated from the expectations of its owners.

August 30, 2020

COVID-19 Update: Six Months On

It has been painful. So far, we survived six months’ worth of uncertainty and additional challenges to our soul and psyche. For a majority of us, coping and getting by are not working effectively as we hoped.

August 26, 2020

My Thoughts Exactly: 2020 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

In the end, I came away very impressed with this new entry into a hot segment where family values truly matter. It was one of those segments that rolled through a sales slump due to the pandemic by maintaining strong sales by percentage. Families needed vehicles like this to get through the insanity of this year together.

August 23, 2020

Commentary: Because They Can

The list is long of these feats of absolute gumption in this industry. Among several entries on this are list are the ones accomplished by the companies that eventually make up today’s Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Even that list alone is too long to parse out on here.

August 19, 2020

Wait…Is This A Toyota Avalon?

The Toyota Avalon is known for being a large luxurious sedan. It is one of a few of its kind left standing in a segment that has been on its last legs for years. These large sedans were the pride of every automaker. Nowadays, they have been replaced by equally large SUVs.

August 17, 2020

Commentary: The Human Side of the Car Community

As we established earlier in the series, any form of community has to come from the people involved in it. In the car community, the car becomes a calling card for a person. It becomes a conversation piece and an entry into a comradeship between people.