Etc : Car Reviews And News

I have a strange affinity for unusual concept cars. One of the wackiest designs I’ve stumbled across in my travels has to be the American Motors Astra-Gnome, a “space age” concept that dates back to 1956.

When you think back just a few years, Jaguar was almost exclusively a maker of luxury sedans like the XF and XJ. Fast forward to 2018, and the Brits not only make one of the best sports cars on the road, but they’ve released not one, but two crossover SUVs.

Bugatti has announced that it will be making a change to new Chiron cars that will see the vehicles shed a bit of unsprung weight. The weight savings will come in the form of lighter brake calipers.

The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit is the most iconic OEM motor vehicle meet in the United States, every year drawing hundreds of thousands of car shoppers and members of the media alike through its doors at the Cobo Center.

Rarely do I get all antsy in my pantsy over a concept car, but when Infiniti rolled out its “Q Inspiration” creation at the 2018 NAIAS in Detroit, I was flat-out floored. Packing more smarts and sex appeal than Jennifer Lawrence at a wine tasting, and rolling out on stage under its own power, the sensationally shaped 2+2 sedan is exactly the kind of creativity many of us wish to see in the brand moving forward.

For those of you who yearn for a coupe-style hatchback, yet still value easy access to the back bench, there is one option that stands out from the swarm: The Hyundai Veloster. I was left both intrigued and puzzled by the Rally Edition model, with its wild blue aero and aesthetics setting off both interior and exterior accents.

Remember the step-side Splash edition of the Ford Ranger, with its bright yellow paint scheme and vibrant 90s era “splashed” decal accents? Yeah, forget that noise. None of that crap will be getting brought back on the reborn 2019 version of the pickup, and in their place buyers are sure to find a far more focused machine.

While lots of car companies turned up at CES 2018 with things like EVs, hybrids, and driver-assistance tech, Honda brought along something altogether different from the crowd. The 3E-D18 Robotic Concept is an off-road capable vehicle that can be operated without need for a driver.

Chevy has got it goin’ like a turbo ‘Vette… at least that it appears that way from this CAD drawing making the rounds this week. A glance at this beast and you can see it’s not your average Corvette engine.

I’ve never quite understood the need for those silly plastic engine covers that carmakers insist on putting under our hoods these days. I suppose it’s because modern engines don’t always look like much of anything under there – take for example the non-descript aluminum panel that sits under the plastic cover on my Jaguar.

Salted roads and snow. They both suck, and for completely different reasons. One makes commuting a potentially life-threatening inconvenience, while the other is put in play in order to alleviate said slippery disposition, but poses a threat to your automobile and is a chore to remove.

Say what you will about handmade supercars, but McLaren continues to create some of the most amazing extreme machines ever to grace the asphalt. Unfortunately, getting a vehicle of this caliber for a week-long review is easier said than done, and while there is a very good chance that I will be getting ahold of a 720S next spring, the desire to tinker with one today remains insatiably strong.

Months after embarking upon a jaw-droppingly scenic trip across the Pacific Northwest in the all-new Nissan Rogue Sport, I find myself revisiting the little miscreant once more with an enthusiast’s eye. Perhaps it was Nissan’s badass Star Wars display booth at the Los Angeles Auto Show, or the epic cinematic saga that is set to unfold on the big screen later this month, but I find great promise in the direction this automaker has taken with its Rogue line.

Have you always wanted to ride around town in the Batmobile? Well, if your last name is Wayne, and you’ve got 200 grand lying around, this one is ready to roll out of your personal Batcave.

If you’ve ever dreamed of racing in the Baja 1000, the guys at Wide Open Baja can make that dream come true. The Ensenada-based off-road company offers several different ways to get your feet wet (and helmet dirty) in a real Baja challenge car.