Month: October 2019

Road Test Followup – 2019 Lexus GS350 – By Carl Malek

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When we last checked in on the Lexus GS350, we remarked that it was a luxury sedan that certainly had its own unique take on luxury, but was rapidly being left behind by rivals like the Audi A6, BMW 5-Series, and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Lexus has so far not confirmed if the GS is indeed living on for a new generation as the brand focuses on rapidly securing its hand in the rapidly exploding SUV and CUV segments. But like a grizzled veteran the GS (along with the equally long in the tooth RC coupe) continue to soldier on for …

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Road Test Review – 2019 Chevrolet Silverado LT Double Cab Four Cylinder – By Carl Malek

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Not too long ago, the very thought of a four cylinder full sized pickup truck was seen as a pure fantasy. Back then, a V6 was the lowest anyone could go both in cylinders, as well as price. But times are changing, and with Ford dropping a bomb on the segment by unleashing the turbocharged 2.7 liter EcoBoost V6 on the world, Chevrolet knew that it had to do something completely out of the box to help the Silverado stay relevant in the full-size pickup truck segment. With Ford turbocharging the V6, the bowtie brigade decided to go in an …

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2019 VW Tiguan SEL Premium 4Motion Review by Ben Lewis

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We recently tested the massive 2019 Toyota Sequoia, and we felt that it had earned the motto (ok, we read it on a popcorn box) Big is More. In its class the jumbo Toy makes the most of its size. But it’s not the only class where size matters. Take for example the 2019 VW Tiguan. The previous gen was one of our favorite small SUV’s – it felt like you were getting some GTI DNA mixed in with crossover practicality. When time came around for VW to update the Tig, it decided to aim directly for the U.S. market. …

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Bollinger Motors Announces Pricing, Performance Details For B1 SUV And B2 Pickup

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When Bollinger Motors recently introduced the production version of the B1 SUV and the all new B2 pickup, we were left with new questions especially in regards to final range and pricing figures for the duo. The Ferndale, Michigan based company has ended the mystery, and has unveiled new details about the long term plans for the B1 and B2. For starters, we finally know how much the B1 and B2 will cost to own, with the company revealing that both models will start at $125,000. This eye popping figure is far off the under $100,000 estimate the company initially …

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2019 Nissan Maxima SR – Road Test Review + Drive Video

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Have you ever seen a sexier facelift?  This term for a vehicle’s mid-cycle refresh is usually a bit of a put-down but in Maxima’s case it takes a sexy silhouette and gives it the nose and tail the design always deserved. It is enough to make folks do a double take on the road and that is quite surprising for such a popular mainstream model. Maxima’s 2019 upgrade and also 2020 tweaks to the range update the machine very nicely — and not a moment too soon in the face of impressive new competition from the Kia Stinger, the ever-popular …

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Road Test Review – 2019 Polaris Slingshot SL – By Carl Malek [Videos]

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Ever had a sense of adventure? That feeling where you want to go off and try something radically new? That’s how we felt when it came to the Polaris Slingshot. This author has always been very interested in the world of three wheeled cycle cars, but the Slingshot remained an elusive quarry. We got a chance to get a taste of this special Polaris back in February, but the indoor setting and the low speeds that came with it did not give us a good opprotunity to formally get to experience all the things that the Slingshot brings to the …

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2019 Toyota Sequoia TRD Sport Review by Ben Lewis

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We used to go to a movie theater that had catchy phrases on the popcorn containers. On the largest size was the especially memorable: BIG IS MORE. Well, there’s no arguing that in popcorn. Or full-size SUV’s. Which brings us to the 2019 Toyota Sequoia. If an SUV ever deserved that motto on the side, this would be it. But there’s plenty to talk about outside of the big and tall dimensions. Big is Beautiful The 2019 Sequoia is a good-looking beast. Unlike the new RAV4 (that we loved) that’s dressed up to look rugged, the big Toy bowls you …

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Finding Its Inner Potential, 2020 Shelby Mustang GT350R Brings New Moves To Its Track Slaying Mission

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When we last met the Shelby GT350 Mustang, it was in its base form, and while the GT350 certainly proved to be a very track ready offering, the feeling that it had more lurking underneath its imposing bodywork was hard to ignore. The intoxicating snarl of its 5.2 liter 526 horsepower V8 certainly does its best to distract you from thinking such things, but despite its attempts at luring you into its charms, the feeling of more still permeates the overall driving experience. Ford engineers have felt the same way too, and have unleashed a new iteration of the Shelby …

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2019 Mini Cooper S Hardtop 60th Anniversary – Review by Ben Lewis

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When we talk about performance cars, the benchmark is still 0-60. Which may be outdated, but it’s easy to get your head around and compare cars of the past with cars of today. (Spoiler Alert – cars of today are much faster today.) That said, we are talking 0-60 mph. But with the 2019, we are talking something completely different. 0 – 60 Years Yep, years. Hard to believe that the original Mini first bowed in 1959. Especially since a super-small, efficient and fun vehicle seems so now. 1959 was an interesting year – The first Barbie Doll was introduced, …

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2021 Toyota Mirai Brings New Styling And Platform To Hydrogen Fuel Cell Ranks

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When the Toyota Mirai first appeared on the scene several years ago, it was not exactly a very stylish offering. Built as part of the Japanese auto giant’s first serious foray into hydrogen fuel cell cars, the front wheel Mirai was a functional offering that certainly got the job done. But in the process it also sacrificed a lot of the elegant exterior styling elements that many customers often take for granted. However, Toyota has taken the wraps off the second generation Mirai, and it is a big improvement in  virtually every category. Toyota chose to originally unveil the car …

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2020 Hyundai Palisade – Road Test Review + POV Video in All Seats

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Our first outing the the Palisade was up at the beautiful Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC and the surrounding mountains.  As you can read and watch, we hauled our butts up a mountain then did some off-roading in a mad caravan of Palisades.  We looked like a villain’s entourage with so many black luxury SUVs in convoy form! This follow-up was much more down to earth.  When the villains go home for the weekend, perhaps, and take on normal parenting and lifestyle duties. This involved a boring commute in traffic, jaunts around town running errands and lots of everyday life …

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2019 Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek Edition – Review By Matt Barnes

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Nissan gave us the opportunity to drive the 2019 Pathfinder SL 4wd Rock Creek Edition. The Pathfinder name has been used by Nissan for almost 60 years, and this newest iteration delivers. The Rock Creek Edition adds a ton of the most commonly popular features at a discounted price and makes for a beautiful color scheme. Outside There’s something about the color scheme and Midnight Pine Metallic paint that says “take me on an adventure”, but Nissan doesn’t add any additional off-road capability with the Rock Creek Edition. What it adds is a plethora of dark and rugged themed features, …

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Cadillac CT4 And CT4-V Pricing Unveiled, Starts Under $34,000

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Cadillac has been on a recent product blitz as of late. While GM’s pinnacle luxury brand is currently refocusing on beefing up its once sparse utility vehicle lineup, it has not forgotten about its traditional car lineup. The Cadillac CT4-V as well as its more conventional CT4 counterpart have already made their respective debuts, but the brand has finally released the official pricing ladder for every flavor of CT4. Based on what we see here, it’s very clear that Cadillac aims to draw in younger buyers with its newest four door offering. The fun starts off with the entry level …

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Ford Mustang R-Spec Brings 700 Horsepower To Australia, Teases U.S. Customers In The Process

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With all the attention that the 2020 Shelby GT500 Mustang is getting, it can be easy to forget that sometimes the international market can sometimes produce an equally compelling piece of candy that is just out of reach of U.S. customers. In this instance, Ford’s Australia division has just unveiled an all new Mustang variant that is sure to draw heads, and comes with enough horsepower to lay down some rubber on Australian backroads. Dubbed the R-Spec, the idea of a Mustang being on the same performance spectrum as the GT500 may make alarm bells ring at first. But once …

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©2015 Sam Cobb

Auto Industry Insider: How To Repair your Car’s Dents and Dings at Home with These Simple Steps

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Door dings, scratches and bumper scrapes happen all the time. Sometimes there just isn’t anything that you can do about it, but little things like this don’t always translate to big repair jobs. In fact, most of the time it’s possible for you to make the repairs yourself and without having to worry about a thing. Scratches A paint scratch might seem like a super-simple repair, but this is not always the case. If you have a scratch that is so deep that you can see the primer underneath, then you will almost certainly need to fill the scratch. If …

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Road Test Followup – 2019 Hyundai Kona Ultimate By Carl Malek

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When we last met the Hyundai Kona, it was in Detroit where we got to briefly experience its charms on various roads in the Metro Detroit area (as well as run into Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond of Top Gear and Grand Tour fame). Our brush with the stars aside, the Kona delivered a good first impression, thanks to its compact size, as well as the sheer amount of standard equipment that is infused into every Kona. The Kona even took its act to the green car market, where the Kona EV has been making waves since it …

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2019 VW Arteon SEL 4Motion – Road Test Review – By Ben Lewis

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We recently tested the all new Nissan Altima, and came away impressed and hopeful for the fate of the 4-door sedan. Yes, the Crossover/SUV is the new King, but there still seems to be plenty of room in the royal family for a sedan. And for a lot of manufacturers – especially luxury brands – there still needs to be a halo sedan. Enter the VW Arteon. Replacing the VW CC, which was a stylish version of the Passat Sedan, the Arteon, is bigger, more stylish and more expensive. So our question – Is VW’s new flagship a dreamboat, or …

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Auto Industry Insider: How To Boost Your Car’s Trade-In Value

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If your car has seen better days, but you want to sell it on and make a little money, there are some things you can do to get it into better condition and boost the value back up a little. Some of these tips will cost you nothing, whereas others may need some investment. Whether you want to do up your car yourself or to sell it, you can help it to hold its value with these easy tips. Clean It Like anything in life, first impressions matter when you’re trying to sell a car. A grubby, dirty car is …

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Road Test Review – 2019 Honda Civic Touring – By Carl Malek

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Honda has a lot riding on the shoulders of the 2020 Civic sedan and hatchback. While the Civic still commands a sizable chunk of sales in the compact car market, it’s no secret that the nameplate has felt the pressure in recent years from a resurgence in CUV and SUV demand in the U.S. While the Civic Si and the range topping Type R have helped the Civic bolster its impressive performance credentials, the mainstream Civic has had to use a completely different set of skills to help it maintain its lofty position in Honda’s broader sales pie. The 10th …

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2020 Nissan Altima SR AWD Review by Ben Lewis

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Sometimes, we wonder if family sedans sit around and reminisce about the good old days. Yeah, remember when the big box office was 4-doors? Camry and Accord, we ruled. The best-selling cars, the bring-home-the-bacon for most automakers. At least until…ugh…. SUV’s. Well, lately, it seems like auto manufacturers aren’t taking things sitting down. The all-new Camry and Accord are dynamite cars, with loads of style and performance and value. And now we have an all-new Altima – the sedan that’s always been a little different from the rest of the pack – but always a delight in its own right. …

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Chevrolet Drops The Top On 2020 Chevrolet Corvette

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When we last saw the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette in July, it shocked the world by finally bringing the mid-engine format to a production Chevrolet Corvette after a 50 year wait. But amid all the pomp and circumstance, the absence of the equally long awaited convertible was noticed by many attendees. While there wasn’t as much flash and pomp this time around, the unique magic that the 2020 Corvette convertible brings to the table cannot be ignored. The exterior styling at its basic core elements remains mostly unchanged from the coupe that preceded it, but the droptop variant does bring some …

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2019 Nissan Armada – On and Off-Road Review – By Matt Barnes

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For 2019, the Armada only gets additional standard features that were options last year. Things like rear door alert, intelligent cruise control, automatic emergency braking and forward collision warning are now standard across the Armada lineup. Outside Being the largest SUV in Nissan’s lineup, the Armada has presence. It is slightly larger than a Tahoe but smaller than an Expedition, putting it right in the middle of its class. While some other vehicles are starting to look the same as everything else in their class, the Armada has standout looks. Recently, Nissan has done an excellent job in creating beautiful …

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Hyundai Announces Launch Of All New Flying Car Division, Brings Flying Car Development In-House

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Hyundai has certainly been making waves in recent years thanks in part to performance entries such as the Veloster N hot hatch, as well as the luxurious and massively versatile Palisade three row SUV. However, Hyundai has turned its collective gaze to the skies, and formally revealed that it plans to enter the developing world of flying cars. Hyundai is of course, not the first automaker to express interest in dabbling in the idea of a flying car for the masses. But, the Korean car giant IS the first automaker to actually create a distinct division just for this purpose. …

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