Author Archive
Guest Drive: 2022 Audi A3
2022 Audi A3
Even the best ideas evolve. In the automotive world, this is especially true. Take, for example, the hatchback—arguably the most efficient and practical automotive design ever. It provides ample storage and lots of interior room, yet has a small footprint to keep the car’s weight and size down. The only problem with hatchbacks? Americans hate them.
2022 Ford Bronco Wildtrak
If your idea of a Sport Utility Vehicle is something quiet, posh, and comfortable, I can tell you straightaway that the new Ford Bronco is not for you. But if you want something that will actually take you places you never thought a 4-wheel vehicle could go—then get your name on the waiting list; Ford has built something really special for those who enjoy going off-road and getting away from it all.
2023 Nissan Z Performance
By Paul Herrold
1969: The first man landed on the moon, The Beatles recorded Abbey Road, their final album, and the world was introduced to a car that would redefine what a sports car should be: Nissan’s Datsun 240Z. Instead of another exclusive and expensive car with terrible reliability, Nissan proved that a sports car could be fun, affordable, and—get this—actually work. Now in its 7th generation, Nissan brings to market a new “Z Car” that retains all the same principles as the original—and a whole lot more.
The Bluesmobile: Building an Icon
By Paul Herrold
“It’s 106 miles to Chicago, we’ve got a full tank of gas, half pack of cigarettes, it’s dark, and we’re wearing sunglasses…Hit it!”
Though only a modest hit during the time of its release, The Blues Brothers has since reached cult status. What legendary film critic Gene Siskel regarded as the “best movie ever made in Chicago” has become a symbol of both the city as well as its rich music history, exposing a generation to blues and soul legends. But despite starring Dan Aykroyd, the late John Belushi, and even featuring cameos from Steven Spielberg and Carrie Fisher, there was one iconic character who rose to stardom above the rest—the Bluesmobile.
2022 Tesla Model S Plaid
By Paul Herrold
Unless you’re used to being catapulted off the deck of an aircraft carrier in a fighter jet, or strapped into the seat of a Top Fuel Funny Car at the NHRA Nationals, there are few experiences that will prepare you for a 0-60 mph launch in the new Tesla Model S Plaid edition. With a recorded 1.99-second to 60 mph run on the books, you’ll be shoved back into your seat so hard that you might find it hard to breathe; the acceleration forces on your body are—quite literally—breathtaking. If you ever have a chance to drive or just ride in one of these… do it, it is thoroughly impressive.
Supercharged Buick Series 3800 V6 engine
By Jim Flammang
Not many automobile engines warrant a biography. Ford’s Model T four-cylinder is one of them. So is Volkswagen’s air-cooled rear engine, which powered what once seemed like zillions of original Beetles.
Car Buying Goes Digital
Are online research and digital transactions threatening traditional auto dealerships?
By Jim Flammang
Especially during the pandemic, the whole world seems to have turned digital. Cash is disappearing as a method of payment. So are presentations of traditional plastic credit cards, as customers use their phones to access payment apps. Writing checks each month? They already sound old-fashioned in this age of online everything.
By Jim Flammang
Should we be scared of the “repo man?” In caper films and comedy TV series, the fellow who shows up at your driveway to snatch your car is typically depicted as a nefarious intruder, laughing at the law as he speeds away with your vehicle in tow. All because you missed a monthly payment.
A Brief History of Car Radio
By Jim Flammang
Commercial radio stations were transmitting signals to the public in the early 1920s, amplified in 1924 by the broadcast of the final campaign speech by newly elected president Calvin Coolidge. Two years earlier, outgoing president Warren Harding had installed a radio in the White House.
The all-electric 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 is not available with AM radio.
By Jim Flammang
At this point it’s fairly clear that electric vehicles are the future, but the road to get there is full of hurdles big and small. One of the smaller challenges, at least for a good number of traditional consumers, is this: Electric cars have a problem with AM radio. Why? Because the electric motors that power their drive wheels, propelling the vehicle, also tend to generate electromagnetic interference with AM broadcast reception.
