Archive for August, 2016
My 5 Favorite ’55s
1955 Chrysler 300
Collectible Automobile publisher Frank Peiler has been working around automotive publications since the early Seventies, but his love of cars goes back much further than that.
First Spin: 2017 Volvo S90
The all-new S90 replaces the S80 as Volvo’s flagship sedan for 2017. Behind its “Thor’s Hammer” (Volvo’s term) LED headlights resides a choice of turbocharged or turbocharged/supercharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engines putting out 250 and 316 horsepower, respectively. The midsize S90 is going on sale now at prices starting around $48,000.
Perhaps it says something about the near-invisibility of your current entry when market-share aspirations for its redesigned replacement are … five percent. But that’s the rather modest goal Volvo has established for the 2017 S90, which replaces the aged S80 as the company’s flagship sedan.
My 5 Favorite Pickups
1948 Ford F-1
Collectible Automobile publisher Frank Peiler has been working around automotive publications since the early Seventies, but his love of cars goes back much further than that.
Test Drive: 2016 Ram ProMaster City
Ram’s ProMaster City competes with the popular Ford Transit Connect, the first of the modern compact commercial vans. Like others in the class, ProMaster City is front-wheel drive. It starts at $24,440 including destination.
2016 Ram ProMaster City
Class: Minivan
Miles Driven: 369
Fuel Used: 14.7
What is Qi Wireless Charging?
This Qi wireless charger is located in the center console of a Lexus NX compact crossover.
The concept of moving electric energy from a power source to a device without a wired connection is not new. Physicist Nikola Tesla developed the “Tesla Coil” more than a hundred years ago for that purpose. Practical applications, however, have been a long time coming.
2016 Lexus NX200t F Sport
2016 Lexus NX 200t F Sport FWD
Class: Premium Compact Crossover
Miles Driven: 1019
Fuel Used: 39.7 gallons
Real-world fuel economy: 25.7 mpg
Worst States for Speeders
In which states are you most likely to see this in your rearview mirror? Read on.
According to the folks at the personal-finance and research website WalletHub, the average American spends about 18 hours a week in his or her vehicle. That’s a bunch of time. Enough time to make plans for the upcoming weekend, call your parents (hands free, of course), or to wonder, “Why am I wasting all this time commuting?”
Test Drive: 2017 Audi A4 2.0T
2017 Audi A4
2017 Audi A4 Sedan 2.0T quattro
Class: Premium Compact Car
Miles Driven: 329
Fuel Used: 13.6
My 5 Favorite Wagons
1957 Buick Caballero
by Frank Peiler
Station wagons are really getting hot in the old car hobby, probably because most of the collectible hardtops and convertibles have already been taken. Sure, there are still plenty of two- and four-door sedans from the 50s and 60s, but these cars are just too dull for most folks in the hobby. Station wagons, on the other hand, can still be found here and there, but most have lived hard lives and usually need complete and costly restorations.
Test Drive: 2017 Infiniti QX30 Sport
Infiniti adds another entry in the premium-compact-crossover class for 2017. Joining the QX50 is the smaller, sportier QX30, which comes with a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine and either front- or all-wheel drive. Tested was a front-wheel-drive Sport version that started at $37,345 including destination, but several option packages ran the total to more than $43,000.
2017 Infiniti QX30 Sport
Class: Premium Compact Crossover
Miles Driven: 225
Fuel Used: 10.7 gallons
