From time to time I am asked about the manufacturing status of a particular make/model. No, not whether the vehicle is still being made rather where it is being assembled. Some people make a big stink about where a car is built, then quickly realize that a model from … Read more
Quite easily the 2015 Chrysler 200 is the best midsize sedan ever to wear a Chrysler badge. Don’t get all giddy about my statement just yet — Chryslers offerings in this segment have included the LeBaron, Cirrus, Sebring and the 200. Under performers all and in one of the toughest … Read more
There are countless ways to customize a 4×4: lifts, tires, shocks, light bars, armor – and that isn’t even touching on what you can do under the hood. With many modifications, a cursory Google search will turn up some ideas on the best build for a specific type of wheeling. … Read more
I’m a car guy. Yep, that is the truth. Except if you inspected my hands you’d see that they’re on the softer side — heck, some women spend more time working on cars than I do. Time and Talent It isn’t that I don’t like tinkering with cars. I do. … Read more
The Subaru WRX is a compact sports sedan built on the platform that underpins the Impreza. Through 2014 it was officially known as the Impreza WRX, but beginning with the spring 2014 release of the all-new 2015 model, the WRX becomes a model line all of its own. Subie dooby-doo … Read more
Following my media preview of Porsche by Design: Seducing Speed at the North Carolina Museum of Art last Oct. in Raleigh, I knew that a follow-up visit was in order. Not that I’m a huge Porsche fan, but with a world class car design exhibit on display just minutes from … Read more
Automotive collision avoidance systems designed to increase safety, reduce damages, and lower the number of fatalities have successfully accomplished that task according to a recent study published by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). In particular, owners of vehicles with forward collision avoidance systems that include autonomous braking showed … Read more
There’s something epic about Top Gear. Absorbing a huge budget and sending three hapless English petrolheads around the world on increasingly ridiculous quests, the programme has been keeping its viewers extremely entertained since its relaunch in 2002. It’s a global phenomenon and should be recognised as such. But through all … Read more
In a driver’s search for improved gas mileage and more value, the hidden benefits of a manual transmission often get overlooked. Through extensive research, automotive technologists and experts have found that a stick shift can improve gas mileage by a notable two to five miles per gallon compared to an … Read more
Jeep soft tops have come a long way since granddad’s CJ-3A. Gone are the days of old snaps and metal zippers used on earlier Jeep models. These are the days of high tech Smittybilt winches and massive off-roading tires with menacing tread patterns. Now back to the soft tops: improvements … Read more