ROAD TEST REVIEWS

2014 Cadillac XTS4 Platinum Vsport -- First Drive Video and Photos 8

2014 XTS4 Vsport Platinum — First-Drive Videos and New Cadillac Showroom Concept

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Despite big desire for better videos and (some) effort from me, these are perhaps the worst quality of any of mine yet. Shockingly bad, even for my third final GoPro knock-off camera. Time to upgrade my tech package to the real thing… Edit — removed driving video. In addition to poor quality, the audio is out of sync. Too embarrassing to discuss further. The XTS4 Vsport is also a huge upgrade versus the previous-generation STS models and even the first few flavors of XTS to hit the market. In performance, rigidity, quality, competitiveness and durability — the old STS was …

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2014 Maserati Ghibli Q4 -- Interior Feels Luxe and High-Quality, But Back Seat A Bit Tight 16

4.7s, 175-mph Ghibli S Q4 Also Debuts All-New Maserati Online Configurator — Colors, Wheels and Leathers Built-Out

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The new Maserati configurator is really excellent — with far more choices for the exterior and interior than anticipated. Over a dozen exterior colors, six wheel choices, four brake caliper colors and a sport pack are available outside. Wheels   Brake Calipers Indoors — the Italian craftsmanship idea really blossoms. Six leathers are available for the seats, five themes for the dashboard, four accent materials like wood or carbon-fiber, and even special carpet and headliner colors. Is this information overload for an executive sports car? For many BMW shoppers with silver exterior/black interior preferences — perhaps. But the Italian nature …

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2014 Maserati Ghibli Looking, Sounding Marvelous -- 40+ All-New, High-Res Photos -- Available Now from $67k 33

2014 Maserati Ghibli — First Cabin Impressions — Interior Feels Luxe and High-Quality, But Back Seat A Bit Tight

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Lots of recent coverage of the Ghibli here lately. Why? 175MPH top speed, 4.7-seconds to 60MPH in awd S Q4 format — or just 4.9 for the rear-drive Ghibli S. Sonorous and Ferrari-evoking exhaust note, handling purity and exclusivity. First cabin impressions: great seats, four front cupholders, sporty steering wheel and large infotainment touchscreen. The 8.4-inch Maserati Tough Control (MTC) screen also includes side-mounted analog knobs for rapid adjustments, and the panel is both near-vertical to avoid glare and pretty closeup for easy tap-ability without leaning or stretching. The trunk even seemed pretty generous. But the rub? The back seat …

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2015 Volvo V60 T5 Sport Pack -- Video Walkaround and 30 All-New Photos 22

2015 Volvo V60 T5 Sport Pack — Video Walkaround and 30 All-New Photos

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The 2015 V60 has landed in America — with fresh looks and excellent merits as a BMW or Infiniti alternative. Is this the first V60 in America? Nope, Volvo of Charleston got their first last week — and sold it in two days. That is a good sign for Volvo’s improving market performance. It carries an all-new and very chic style, along with all the latest high-tech features and base pricing from about $36,000. As tested, this T5 Sport trim comes in at $43,570 with a few desirable tech, safety and styling upgrades. Overall: a fantastic new Volvo and one …

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New Range Rover Sport HSE in 30 Real-Life Photos 7

New Range Rover Sport HSE in 30 Real-Life Photos (and 20 Fake-Life Photos) + Tech Specs — HSE V6 Priced from $64k

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The all-new 2014 Range Rover Sport has arrived! The first few boatloads of this hot new luxury truck are unloading as we speak — but demand is still far outstripping supply. So how does the new RRS look in person? Very nice and modern, thank-you-very-much. Sidebar: Starting to think I did not win the #IamDriven contest, by the way. These latest photos already appear to be from Carmel, California. Sad panda – worked hard on these entries=] On second glance, these California-based photos appear to be… cleverly inserted onto the PCH digitally. A glimmer of hope remains! Even in the …

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2014 Silverado 1500 LT - 7 Styles of 22-in Wheels21

2014 Silverado 1500 LT Nighttime Headlight Photos + 7 Styles of 22-in Wheels Just $3k Extra

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Some photos slipped through the cracks from the recent Silverado All-Star Edition which spent the blizzard here. They are night-time images of the LT spec, which includes just standard halogens for the low beams and optional halogen fogs down below.     The light output is very good in the low-beams and foglamps setting, but not quite at xenon levels with the brights on.   Like many classic Chevy trucks, the lighting elements are split: low beams on top, high beams below. Very comforting and familiar, but refreshed with better blinkers.   Also included here is a selection of the …

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BMW X1 sDrive28i M Sport - Alpine White in 60 High-Res Photos38

BMW X1 sDrive28i M Sport – Alpine White in 60 High-Res Photos

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This summer’s 2013 BMW X1 sDrive28i press loaner still makes me smile when looking at the photos. As my first week-long loan from BMW, the pressure was on to a) write a brilliant review and b) not hurt the car in any way! here’s a debrief: — Went to my local track, Blackhawk Farms Raceway in Rockford, IL — took some great videos, I thought, of car on track. Spent so long editing, but … — did not read terms of sign – track big no no.  sad face days later while prepping article/review. The X1 is a hilarious riot …

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2014 Silverado 1500 LT An All-Star Truck for All Seasons - Mega Galleries36

2014 Silverado 1500 LT An All-Star Truck for All Seasons – 120+ High-Res Photos

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The Chevy Silverado is my new favorite pickup truck. Even while firmly on the bench of the truck battles between Ford and Chevy – I always quietly considered myself a Ford guy. Yes, even when the F-150 was saddled with the most anemic V8 engines in the world. It just felt more like me. A new F-150 comes out next week in Detroit, so the battle is about to get serious. But I am a huge Chevy Silverado fan after spending a week in this big sweetie. This 1500 LT Double Cab V6 might seem like a wimpy specification on …

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HD Videos – Blizzard Testing a 4×2 Pickup Truck! 2014 Chevrolet Silverado LT All Star Edition

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Testing a truck during a Chicago blizzard on New Year’s Day seems about right: Chevy Silverado pickups will face some of the hardest living conditions of any new vehicle sold. They will get filthy, they will be a little less shiny than this new All Star Edition LT Double Cab 1500 V6 – but the Chevy truck core has always been extreme durability in harsh conditions. Today certainly qualifies! After about 10 inches of snow so far in Lake in the Hills outside Chicago, even walking up my driveway is a challenge – let alone reversing out in a 2WD …

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HD Videos – Blizzard Testing a 4×2 Pickup Truck! 2014 Chevrolet Silverado LT All Star Edition

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Testing a truck during a Chicago blizzard on New Year’s Day seems about right: Chevy Silverado pickups will face some of the hardest living conditions of any new vehicle sold. They will get filthy, they will be a little less shiny than this new All Star Edition LT Double Cab 1500 V6 – but the Chevy truck core has always been extreme durability in harsh conditions. Today certainly qualifies! After about 10 inches of snow so far in Lake in the Hills outside Chicago, even walking up my driveway is a challenge – let alone reversing out in a 2WD …

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2014 Audi Q7 TDI S-line Plus – Buyers Guide with Galleries, Specs and Pricing

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The 2014 Q7 TDI is a very compelling option versus the other supercharged V6 gasoline engine options available on this luxury seven-seater in American Audi dealers. There basically are no downsides – only benefits – to choosing this Clean Diesel engine. – Huge torque advantage, 406 pound-feet from from just 1750 rpm. – Big efficiency advantages on paper and in real life. – Just as quick as 3.0T models at 7.7-seconds to 60-mph. —- (But down 1.0 seconds versus the 3.0TFSI S-Line with 333 horsepower versus 280 for 3.0T) – Optional air suspension a TDI and TFSI exclusive option, not …

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Car Shopping: 2014.5 Toyota Camry SE Updates Styling With Dark Rotor Wheels

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The 2014.5 Camry is subtly revised versus the 2014 models, with largely tech upgrades and enhanced features and packages across the line.   As the long-running sales champ, the Camry is not quite a “stop and stare” type of car to see on the street. This continues for 2014.5 for all the LE and XLE trims from about $23,000 and up.   The SE model is by far the best-looking of the bunch, with a far better style all around. Most notably – up front, where the SE Camry uses a new grille style, lower air dam with central painted …

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Best of 2013 Awards – Tail-Out, Balls-Out Supercar – $70,000 Lotus Exige S

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What a pivot for Lotus Cars in 2013. While still reeling from ownership changes and a variety of management re-alignments, Lotus Cars shines its green and gold flags through any fog. This is a racing company at its core, and the Exige S arrives to American buyers with all the power, prestige and class of true exotic cars. While sharing a vaguely familiar silhouette with the Elise and previous-gen Exige, the looks are very modern and fresh up close. All the race-ready Exige S styling elements really work together with its ultra-low, ultra-wide footprint.     Where the previous Exige …

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CarRevsDaily - 2014 Chevy Malibu Turbo First Test 15

First Drive Videos: 2014 Chevrolet Malibu Turbo – 5.9s to 60 mph!?

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It has been a few years since my last seat time in a Chevy Malibu, and I was expecting the worst. What I found in the Malibu Turbo is an eager plaything with gobs of power all over the rev range and a firm feel from the ‘Bu’s latest leather-wrapped steering wheel. Pls note: Mis-Adventures in video camera tech continue. The audio of these videos is really, really bad, and makes the Malibu seem much louder than it is. A brief presentation today with Chevy offered some insights into the three areas of dramatic overhaul for the 2014 Malibu, which …

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Best of 2013 Awards: Turbo Sports Car, Under $25,000 – Nissan Juke NISMO

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The Juke NISMO as the turbo sports car of the year? In this budget range: you bet your alcantara headlining and carbon-fiber diffusers! The NISMO Juke makes no apologies for being different from the norm. After spending a week with the Juke NISMO earlier this fall, I discovered a fun-to-drive car that is nimble and toss-able in all situations. It also turned heads like a GT-R on roads filled with boring tan sedans. The unusual headlamp setup of the Juke is brought to life with the GT-R’s white LED accents in the lower bumper area. With the LEDs blazing white, …

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Silverado High Country – Visualizer with All New Colors and 22-inch Wheels Galore

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Look at all these stunning paints and wheels! In addition to all the other improvements to the 1500 Silverado, it looks like 22-inch wheels are the major option to select – right after the $2,000 6.2-liter engine upgrade box. The 2014 Chevrolet Silverado is now one of the cleanest and sharpest-styled trucks on the roads. The new grille and lighting setup is only the start of the design changes for the Silverado 1500 lineup, which is available now with a variety of tempting Christmas promotions. (Stay tuned for Silverado V6 All-Star Edition details in an upcoming article). We sampled a …

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2014 Nissan 370Z NISMO

Update1: 2014 Nissan 370Z NISMO – Full Driven Review with Videos!

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Update1: This article now includes the latest official images from Nissan. Intro The Nissan 370Z was the first model to get the comprehensive Nismo upgrade from the revered tuning arm of the Japanese auto giant. Long housed in an anonymous mid-rise factory with only a bright red door to signal something special inside, the Nismo team is spreading its wings with further upgrades to normal Nissan models. The best-known work from these honorable speed demons is, of course, the GT-R . As we will see, this is not a team who adds some stickers and a lightly revised ECU to …

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Hammer Down! Full Throttle Sprint Video in 2014 E63 AMG 4MATIC

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Video is so great. Long gone are the days of shoulder-mounted VHS Handi-Cams. Simply snapping a 60-second clip of something on your iPhone seems silly in the moment, but the results can be really special afterwards – for remembering the details in 1080p detail. iPhones actually take video in 4K resolution, then down-scale the .MOV files to 1080p for export. What this means is that the iPhone is now one of the best video-cameras ever made – and fits right in your pocket. What do I mean? Well, the 2014 E63 AMG is easily one of the best cars I …

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Supercar First-Drive Video: Nissan GT-R Black Edition near Autobahn CC

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The Nissan GT-R was the stand-out hero in a parking lot that also included the hottest and latest machinery from BMW, Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz, Maserati, Audi… and many more. Autobahn Country Club is exactly what it sounds like. A private membership gives you access to the track seven days a week, with special events throughout the summers. This is the Autobahn Country Club performance fleet, continually updated with all the hottest cars.   It is a dream come true for car guys, and was where I met the GT-R for a brief spin around the block. This is the GT-R 2013 …

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2014 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum Inside and Out83

2014 Nissan Pathfinder – Reviewed in Video and 78 High-Res Photos

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The Pathfinder is a real charmer. With lockable four-wheel-drive and seven seats, it checks many boxes right in the first block. The vastly improved CVT automatic is no longer a sore point, with polite but perceptible downshifts and great cruising refinement and economy.   Powertrain and Towing Highlights   A Hybrid model joins the ranks for 2014, but this press loaner was the loaded Platinum model, which focuses dollars more on luxury and technology in the cabin. Interior Amenities Highlights 2014 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum – Exterior Sunny Day Animation 2014 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum – Exterior Gallery 2014 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum …

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Road Test Video Reviews, Photos and Buyers Guide — 2014 Mercedes-Benz E550 Cabriolet

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Published on: Nov 30, 2013 @ 12:36 Here are some quick videos I took outside Autobahn Country Club in Illinois earlier this fall. Please disregard my employer’s name at the time and enjoy this twin-turbocharged luxury drop-top. Part One: Leaving the Gates Part Two: Spotting a 2015 Chevrolet Suburban. Look Closely Near Middle of Video…! Part Three: Quick Sprint Demonstration Optional LED Star 2014 Mercedes-Benz E550 Cabriolet – Exterior Gallery 2014 Mercedes-Benz E550 Cabriolet – Interior Gallery 2014 Mercedes-Benz E550 Cabriolet – Details from MBusa.com

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Video: Carrara White Rolls-Royce Wraith in Action

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Worth recalling is that Wraith is *scary* fast, with only a soft woof and gurgle from up front to warn you that warp drive is engaged. Hang on. The music in this first one is via YouTube licensing, and hopefully shows the beauty of Wraith in motion. Full screen and 1080p High-Definition should enhance the experience. These photos are amazing, and are meta-tagged with Vienna and James Lipman, who we can only assume is a famous photographer. Hat tip to brilliant snapper Mr. Lipman! GIF City, USA … is no Vienna, Austria This next one is a silent old GIF. …

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Update1 – 2014 Rolls-Royce Phantom Series II – First Ride Brief and LED Lighting Photos

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Freshly home from a fascinating day today with the brilliant and charming minds behind the best luxury car brand in the world. Invitations to drive a variety of $300,000-plus super-luxury cars would be enough to make me fall down jealous if it were not happening to me. The Wraith North American launch was held in the glimmering mountain ranges of Scottsdale, Arizona today. But not just one Roller in residence: more than $5 million dollars worth of RR spent the week living at the posh Phoenician Resort. When Rolls-Royce Invites You To Something, SAY YES! Arizona is… not the most …

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BMW X1 sDrive28i M Sport - Alpine White in 60 High-Res Photos1

Road Test Review – 2014 BMW X1 sDrive28i M Sport – Alpine White

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This summer’s 2013 BMW X1 sDrive28i press loaner still makes me smile when looking at the photos. As my first week-long loan from BMW, the pressure was on to a) write a brilliant review and b) not hurt the car in any way! The X1 is a hilarious riot to drive in 28i sDrive configuration, which denotes rear-wheel-drive versus the optional xDrive. The turbo-charged engine is zingy and potent, with a broad and low torque plateau and the exceptional ZF eight-speed automatic handling changes. The test car included EcoPro mode and automatic stop/start for stoplights and traffic. EcoPro mode really …

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CarRevsDaily Corvette Stingray Colors Header

2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Visualizer – Every Paint Color and Wheel Style

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The 2014 Stingray is an incredible sports car with the interactive handling and playful engine harmonics of the best supercars.   This is coming from an import-driving, turbo-loving guy who has never even liked the Corvette before this year, let alone wanted to own one. The Stingray just proves it case on the roads. It drives so well, is so fast, and also versatile with a removable targa panel that fits inside that big trunk. The all-new cockpit with has premium tech and materials. (Seriously!) So, if the Corvette Stingray is so good: what about its old-man designs for the …

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HD Video Reviews – 2014 Chevy Camaro 2LT RS With New LED Lights and Active Exhaust

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Some great Camaro driving videos in the vault from my press loaner RS a few weeks ago. I thoroughly enjoyed the Camaro RS – as you can clearly see in these videos, hopefully. Highlights include: 323-horsepower V6 engine’s sonorous exhaust bellow as the active baffles open up incredible JATCO six-speed manual  overall improvements to the handing, tech, and refinement Here are some images of this $33,000 plaything, including the latest LED lights front and back. Out back, this RS has strong 1990’s SC400 overtones about its proportions – a very good thing. The original GS and SC were styled by …

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2014 SRT Viper GTS – Huge Wallpapers

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2014 SRT Viper GTS – Huge Wallpapers Come and get ’em while they are hot! Although we did not have time to meet the Viper’s dark side during a 5-min jaunt around Autobahn Country Club’s parking lot, the deep colors and meticulous finish is visible on SRT’s latest test cars. The carbon-fiber of the trunk felt a bit more like Lexan, but that is not too relevant… The humongo sizes of these images should be linked to each file, just open in a new window for the full glory of this V-10 supercar – at rest. A courteous and polite …

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2014 Lexus IS350 AWD F Sport – First-Drive Photos

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2014 Lexus IS350 AWD F Sport – First-Drive Photos   2014 Lexus IS350 AWD F Sport – Interior Gallery 2014 Lexus IS350 AWD F Sport – Under the Hood 2014 Lexus IS350 AWD F Sport – Exterior Gallery The Lexus is also available in a more-efficient 250 engine spec, as well as a variety of tastey shades.   Here is a gif of these 32 images with a subtle delay, and no audio. The Lexus IS felt great, with a far lower seat than I recall from the previous IS350. Check it out this weekend with or without F Sport …

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Rolls-Royce Wraith - Color Showcase - Salamanca Blue25

Rolls-Royce Wraith – Color Showcase – Salamanca Blue

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Since being swept away on a huge wave of new-found enthusiasm for the Double-R, Wraith has never been more than a few thoughts away. As fun and posh and unforgettable as the ride in a *brand new* Phantom Series II was – the time spent inside Wraith is most tingly. I should mention this now: the name of the vehicle is simply “Wraith” – without anything in front. It might be a bit formal at first, but if not for a 624-horsepower, twin-turbocharged V-12 coupe.. when? Some of the colors that really make Wraith leap into action are set to …

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Driven Car Review - 2014 Buick LaCrosse Is Huge, Smooth and Silent19

Driven Car Review – 2014 Buick LaCrosse Is Huge, Smooth and Silent

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The Buick LaCrosse is fresh for 2014 with a variety of improvements in almost every area, but with pricing that holds the base line at $34,000. The outside is sharper than before with LED and bi-xenon lighting up front, while new LED styles for the brake lights come in out back. Inside, everything takes a step toward classier finishes and surfaces, while tech integration for the touchscreen infotainment and active safety is now one of the best from any luxury brand. Larger wheels all around are a LaCrosse feature for 2014 as well, but the most notable improvements to this …

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2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Z51 in 102 Photos53

2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Z51 in 102 Photos

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2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Z51 in 102 Photos The Chevrolet Corvette Stingray is poised to be the absolute hottest sports car for 2014, with pricing just below $70,000, carbon-fiber galore, and even the handy targa roof panel that stows in the trunk. During our chance to test out this incredible car, we were astounded by its amazing chassis rigidity, vastly improved touch points all around, and the easy performance on offer. Even after driving a Viper and a few other tasty machines, the pure joy of hearing the Corvette howl through its vocal range is deeply memorable. Enjoy these photos …

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2014 Unimog U5023 Now Packing Scary Style and Tech

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2014 Unimog U5023 Now Packing Scary Style and Tech The legendary Mercedes-Benz Unimog all-terrain trucks are refreshed for 2013 with a comprehensive makeover inside the cabin, underneath that boxed ladder chassis and outside with a menacing new grille and LED lighting. The top of the new Unimog lineup in terms of off-road ability is the new U5023 model, which replaces the previous U5000 nameplates. Sharing the nose layout with its shorter sibling, the U4023, these models are the freshest outside with a dramatic new single-wing grille to house the dinner-plate-sized Mercedes star emblem. This is a unique touch for the …

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2014 Nissan Juke NISMO in 57 High-Res Photos

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2014 Nissan Juke NISMO in 57 High-Res Photos The Juke Nismo is incredible value at just below $25,000 all in, with a choice between a manual transmission and front-drive or a NISMO-tuned CVT auto and AWD with a “V” mode for extra shenanigans.   Sunny Day Gallery     Rainy Day Gallery      

Zero to 15,000 Page Views in Seven Days

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Car Revs Daily – Status Update!   Morning car news hounds! How has week one of this all-new site been as a viewer? –          Lots of big layout and design changes cleaned up the site early last week, and the results have been striking. –          From Zero traffic this time last week, we are now at about 15,000 page views daily! This is impressive growth, but the best is still far on the horizon. While we iron out all the technical aspects of the site, we hope you enjoy the evolution of this dream car news magazine. In the coming …

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2014 Mazda6 i Touring - Video Summary + 40 High-Res Images6

2014 Mazda6 i Touring – 40 All-New, High-Res Images

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2014 Mazda6 i Touring – 40 All-New, High-Res Images   Hopefully the Mazda6’s stunning lines can do some of the talking for us. Enjoy! The 2014 Mazda6 is an amazing achievement – a sports car within reach of Camry buyers. 2014 Mazda6 i Touring – Exterior Gallery       2014 Mazda6 i Touring – Interior Gallery    

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2014 Chevrolet Spark EV – First-Glimpse Photos Inside and Out – Looks Cute In White!

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2014 Chevrolet Spark EV – First-Glimpse Photos Inside and Out – Looks Cute In White! We did not get a chance to silently disappear in the Spark EV, but those who did came back full of praise.   The cabin is dramatically lifted from its original roots with high-tech kit everywhere, plus a few glossy accents for good fun. The 2014 Chevrolet Spark EV also wears a gorgeous shade of “Escalade white” that looks really nice in almost any situation. It also keeps things cool in the warm West Coast climates who will see the fist Spark EV’s for sale …

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CarRevsDaily – Site Beta Updates + 2014 Cadillac CTS4 2.0T Real-Life Photos

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Hey guys! Well, this is my first Monday morning in years with a blank slate and a future wide open. Let’s go for a drive. CarRevsDaily is refining its Kickstarter proposal, which we hope will bring enough micro-funding to hire an engineer to develop the site. While we can *definitely* write and photoshop and drive and rant… We are not HTML5 literate. Please ‘excuse the dust’ during this very BetaMax launch of my dream car publication. Hopefully yours too. The defining goal will be “car stories *I* would want to read.” That might be culture, vintage, travel, or TV show …

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