September 15, 2019

My Favorite Misbegotten Vehicles

Think about the idea of intention and purpose. A designer, an engineer, and an executive – oh, yes, let's not forget the folks in accounting – are all involved in the process of creating a vehicle. Once everyone signs off on it, they have to campaign for its success. Even the marketing folks have to be on board with selling it to everyone – dealerships, the communications folks, and, ultimately, the consumer.

September 9, 2019

Commentary: Four Seconds of Summer

We certainly learned a lot. If one thing that can be measured is how much the news that is reserved for magazines and newspapers can be quickly transmitted through social media. How Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have become the primary channels of enthusiasm.

September 4, 2019

Commentary: Nuovo Cinquecento non è più in America

The Nuovo Cinquecento was an interesting piece of automotive culture. It's arrival into the European market in 2007 sparked a revival for the brand with its retro design onto a modern platform. Fiat was turning around and creating better vehicles for the markets it served by that time. The 500 was indeed the one layer of the cake that truly made it great.

September 3, 2019

Historiography: From Victory And Optimism

The 1950s lifted this victorious country out of austerity and rationing. We had to do so in order to survive a massive war fought on two major fronts. Once our troops came home, our country began to climb out of this period and into overdrive. We were optimistic of the future thanks to our victory in the war.

August 27, 2019

Not Just Any Colorado ZR2…

In the case of the pickup truck, there are many opportunities to customize one to ratchet up the cool factor. Any truck with four-wheel-drive can get a lift or level of its suspension, knobbier tires with custom wheels, skid plates for the frame, accessories for the exterior and inside, and then some. Some have even tweaked the engine for more performance and swapped out the transfer case and differentials to match the increased performance from underneath the hood.

August 25, 2019

V&R Stories: Breaking My Own Rules

Rules are meant to be broken. One hard and fast rule I have as an automotive journalist/content creator/whatever the hell you want to call me today is to never drive another person's vehicle. It does not matter who it is and what kind of vehicle he or she may have…

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.