There’s nothing more thrilling than dropping the top of a convertible on a sunny day and hitting the open road. Like all fun things automotive, though, there is a major consideration when it comes to convertible tops, especially in arid climates like Las Vegas: Should you have a hardtop or cloth-top convertible?
When it comes to automotive design, probably gullwing doors exude luxury. The way they slice upwards at the push of a button to allow egress and ingress is a thing of beauty.
A few years back, I was at a presentation for the Bentley Mulsanne in New York City. An abundance of fabulous features stood out, like the customized umbrella that fit in a special slot in the driver’s door.
Just how significant is the new Pacifica minivan? Important enough to obliterate the Town &Country name, because, quite frankly, Chrysler doesn’t want you thinking about it. At all. Ever. The Pacifica is mind bleach. Your memory wipe.
When is a transmission not just a box of gears? When it’s the 8P75XPH, a brand-new device — and concept — from ZF, the German supplier of automatic transmissions to many high-end cars. Not only does it offer eight speeds ahead and one in reverse, it also tucks a powerful electric motor inside its housing, where it can help out a vehicle’s gasoline engine right at the source, as it were.
The Passat is the roomiest sedan that Volkswagen offers in the U.S., and not only has it been thoroughly “Americanized,” it is also built here — in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Volkswagen rolled out the first Passat back in 1973, making it older than many of the people who buy it today, and the 2016 version is its eighth generation.
What sedan is the poster child of the entry-luxury segment? The BMW 3-series, of course.
The Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic have been around for more than 40 years. What’s the secret to longevity in a model?
An all-new Prius doesn’t come along every day. In fact, there have only been three distinct models since the Prius was introduced in North America for 2000. That makes the new-for-2016 Prius a pretty big deal for fans of the brand.
Recalls continue to be in the news. There’s the Takata air bag recall, which affects 14 manufacturers and upward of 34 million vehicles, as well as faulty seatbelts on Toyota SUVs and Honda Civic engine problems.
On paper, the second-generation Chevrolet Cruze that’s due out this spring appears to have what it takes to remain near the top of the compact-car class. In the flesh, it’s better still, as you get the sense that the king-of-the-hill crown could be in sight.
It’s that time of year. Young adults are going to be graduating from college and high school. Parents are going to want to buy them new and/or used cars in celebration of their accomplishments.
In this time of cheap gas and automakers’ focus on larger, more profitable trucks and so-called crossovers (tall wagons), compact sedans such as the Nissan Sentra have to fight for your attention. This is where regular updating comes in handy.
Car transportation networks like Uber and Lyft have been legal in Las Vegas for more than six months. Interested in becoming a driver? Probably the most important consideration is going to be what kind of vehicle you use in your new job.
