Archive for August 2009

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Audi (1)

  • Engine Of The Day: Audi 4.2 V8

    While The General may be King Of The Pushrod V8, those Yurpeans have cooked up some pretty good overhead-cam competition. How about a straight-from-the-factory V8 that redlines at a lunatic 8,250 RPM?

    By Murilee Martin Read More

Brands (1)

  • Acura ZDX: Design, Deconstructed

    Well into the second century of the automobile, new vehicles can't help but be a portmanteau of earlier designs. Even those that believe they're a new segment. Let’s see some of the recently-revealed Acura ZDX’s forefathers.

    By Peter Orosz Read More

Buying (18)

  • 2010 Audi R8 5.2 FSI: First Drive

    With a V8, the R8 is possibly the perfect super car, striking the right balance between performance and usability. The 2010 Audi R8 5.2 FSI adds 105 HP and $32,000. Is the extra performance really necessary?

    By Ben Wojdyla Read More
  • 2009 Volkswagen Routan SE: First Drive

    My friends are well-educated young professionals who quote The Wire like Southern Baptists quote scripture — ideal Volkswagen buyers. Will they see the Routan as child carrier for Tristan & Zooey or just a rebadged Chrysler Town & Country?

    By Matt Hardigree Read More
  • 2010 Mazdaspeed3: First Drive

    Like virtually ever other global performance car, the 2010 Mazdaspeed3 has been retuned for the American market. Unlike the competition, our version's actually better. Really.

    By Wes Siler Read More
  • 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor: First Drive

    SVT engineers had a choice: make another Lightning or do something no manufacturer has ever done before — produce a high-speed off-road super truck. The 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor, the fastest off-road vehicle we've ever driven, is the result.

    By Wes Siler Read More
  • 2010 Corvette ZR1: How To Use Launch Control

    GM's added launch control to the Corvette ZR1 (and other manual-equipped Corvettes in the lineup!) for the 2010 model year. Good, cause wrangling 638 HP is nigh-on impossible even in a chassis as competent as the one underpinning the 'Vette.

    By Ben Wojdyla Read More
  • 2010 Corvette Grand Sport: First Drive

    The 2010 Corvette Grand Sport accelerates a touch faster than a normal 'Vette, handles and stops a little better than a regular Corvette, but GM's thinking 50% of sales will be the GS. Why? It's all about the parts list.

    By Ben Wojdyla Read More
  • What's The Best College Car?

    Parent's basements are emptying and interns have again stopped bathing. Yes, students are returning to college. And many of them will drive there. But what should they drive? What's the best college car?

    By Matt Hardigree Read More
  • 2010 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon: First Drive

    Conventional wisdom is Americans don't like wagons, imagining them as transportation for unwashed masses of rugrats driven by people who've given up being cool. The Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon resoundingly shreds that stereotype.

    By Ben Wojdyla Read More
  • 2010 Lincoln MKZ: Part Three

    So the 2010 Lincoln MKZ wears fancier britches, upgrades the interior and it's got all the mechanical upgrades bestowed upon the 2010 Fusion, but who should buy it?

    By Ben Wojdyla Read More
  • 2010 Cadillac SRX 2.8T: First Drive

    The 2.8-liter, turbocharged V6 in the 2010 Cadillac SRX 2.8T adds 35 HP and a whopping 72 Lb-Ft of torque over the base V6. That's good, because we planned to take it out on GM's famous Lutz Ring.

    By Ben Wojdyla Read More
  • 2010 Lincoln MKZ: Part Two

    Yesterday, we told you the freshly renovated and re-focused 2010 Lincoln MKZ is a solid offering in a segment full of solid offerings. Now let's take it apart, piece by piece to find out how it stacks up.

    By Ben Wojdyla Read More
  • 2010 Lincoln MKZ: Part One

    The 2010 Lincoln MKZ inhabits an awkward niche somewhere between badge engineered competitive sedan and aspirational luxury vehicle. We didn't know that segment existed either.

    By Ben Wojdyla Read More
  • 2010 Acura MDX: First Drive

    The 2010 Acura MDX has been loaded down with technology like no SUV before. That's a good thing, as that tech solves so many of the problems inherent to the SUV form factor.

    By Wes Siler Read More
  • 2010 Acura TSX V6: First Drive

    In Europe, this is the Honda Accord. Here, it's the 2010 Acura TSX V6 and it's expected to compete with the BMW 3-series. Can two extra cylinders and 79 more HP really do that?

    By Wes Siler Read More

Culture (27)

Chevrolet (1)

Concept Cars (1)

  • Seven Concept Cars Of Future Past

    Concept cars aren't just a chance for automakers to show us where they're going. In bolder times, they've been a platform for showing where they think the whole world is headed.

    By John Krewson Read More

Crashes and Safety (2)

  • How Free Papa John's Pizza Killed A Camaro

    We were happy to help bring Papa John's Camaro home. We were pleased this led to Camaro owners getting 35,847 free pizzas. We were not excited to hear that this led to the death of one Camaro.

    By Matt Hardigree Read More
  • 25 Expensive Government Crash Test Videos

    We love a good government crash test. They're guilt-free, no one gets hurt, and there's slow-motion video involved. What's better? When the cars being crashed are expensive. For your viewing pleasure, we've put together this Friday afternoon mega-destructo-luxo-crash video gallery.

    By Matt Hardigree Read More

Entertainment (3)

  • How To Dupe The Automotive Media

    Earlier today, we found out the Porsche Cayman Shooting Brake was a hoax perpetrated by our buddy Jared Holstein from the-website-formerly-known-as-Top Gear USA. Here's the definitive walk-through of how he and a team of interns duped the automotive media.

    By Wes Siler Read More

Honda (1)

News (163)

Nice Price or No Dice (20)

Porsche (2)

QOTD (5)

  • Commenter Of The Day: Whac-A-Mole Edition

    The popular game Whac-A-Mole was invented in the early 1970s as a carnival game by a young man who didn't originally understand how valuable his invention was. He didn't secure a patent and lost the invention. The young man ended up forming Showbiz Pizza Place, which bought more Whac-A-Moles than anyone else. Though it took a while for Fechter to feel the gratification of his success, anyone playing the game gets instant satisfaction from whacking moles. You wouldn't think much would happen inst

    By Matt Hardigree Read More
  • What's Your Worst Dealership Experience?

    The photo of someone from a car dealership flicking off prospective buyers yesterday reminded us why we buy most of our cars off of Craigslist or eBay Motors and made us wonder: what's your worst dealership experience?

    By Matt Hardigree Read More
  • Commenter Of The Day: Clint Howard Edition

    Clint Howard, we imagine, is probably as lovably strange in real life as he his in films. For instance, according to Wikipedia, he plays World of Warcraft "under the name Extas of the guild "Rush" on the Dark Iron Realm." Whatever that means. We tend to think of him as the guy who always appears as an ass in Ron Howard films. He's the jerk that works in a morgue in Backdraft, the jerky factory boss in Far And Away, and the jerky assistant in Cocoon. We'll always think of him as the creepy Rughea

    By Matt Hardigree Read More
  • What's Your Favorite Auto Tool?

    While peeking into your garages we couldn't help but notice the many tools populating the shelves (and floors, backseats, coffee cans, etc) and it led us directly to this query: what's your favorite auto tool?

    By Matt Hardigree Read More

Racing (1)

Reviews (3)

  • Mahindra Diesel Pickup Truck, Reviewed

    The Indian Mahindra Diesel pickups are among the most highly anticipated imports around these parts. The small, cheap pickup fits the bill but what's it like to drive? PickupTrucks.com's Mike Levine takes the Mahindra "Pik-Up" for a spin.

    By Matt Hardigree Read More
  • Noble M600: 650 HP, 225 MPH Driving Excitement

    With a Volvo-based 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8, the Noble M600 produces an astonishing 650 HP and has a top speed of 225 MPH. Want one? The niche British carmaker'll sell you one for just £200,000 ($331,350). Gallery below.

    By Ray Wert Read More

Technology (6)

Wrenching (1)

  • How To Build A 500 HP V10 E30 M3

    Dropping the 500 HP S85 V10 from the E60 M5 into the engine bay of an E30 M3 requires building an essentially all-new chassis underneath the classic body. Here's how it's done.

    By Wes Siler Read More