Quick Drive: 2012 Ford Explorer Ecoboost and Ford Edge Ecoboost

For 2011 Ford introduced an all-new Explorer. Upon the introduction Ford said that there will be a four-cylinder Ecoboost version, but not until a year later. It is now a year later. The six-cylinder Explorer has been a great sales hit for the company, and now here is the promised only four-cylinder.

Disclosure: Ford invited me to Detroit to sample the Ecoboost Explorer and Edge. I have never been to a press event like this and I reluctantly accepted as I had difficulty taking the day and a half off work. I also read enough of Jack Baruth’s articles to know what to expect. Ford paid for transportation and a nice hotel. I paid $20 for a taxi ride to the airport and worked late the other three days that week. … Continue Reading

Quick Look: 2011 Chrysler 200, 300, Town & Country

We have become jaded. Most people wouldn’t know a luxury car is if they got ran over by one. Car magazines are telling us that modern luxury cars need to have dynamic side bolsters, Lotus-like handling, and Corvette power.  Why? Since when does a luxury car need to be a big sports car? By big magazine standards Germans are leading the way in the luxury car wars and are defining the market by attempting to create a better BMW M5 with each new model. I say they are wrong, completely wrong.

Luxury speaks of comfort, refinement, and opulance. Once upon a time American manufacturers were the luxury car leaders. The proof of that is in vehicles driven by heads of state, celebrities, and gangsters in the 50s and 60s – they were all driving a big American sedan or some kind of eastern bloc knock off. Those cars were big and intimidating, with long hoods and huge trunks. On the inside were soft, wide leather seats and latest technological gadgets indiscernibly integrated among the wood trim. … Continue Reading

Movie review: There’s Something Wrong With Aunt Diane

Taconic State Parkway is a scenic road, not unlike Connecticut’s Merritt Parkway, which meanders through New York’s wooded Hudson Valley.  On an early Saturday afternoon, during the summer of 2009, it became a site of a terrible accident. A minivan traveling at 70mph, in the wrong direction, in the left lane, collided head-on with an SUV. The accident claimed eight lives, including four children. The driver, a mother and an aunt of the children, was found to be drunk and stoned. The movie looks at the events leading to this tragedy and tries to answer the many questions.

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Ford’s new in-car and safety technology

It wasn’t all that long ago that we would look toward the Mercedes-Benz’s S-Class to see the newest in advanced automotive technology, be it drive-train tech, interior appointments, or safety. It seems that Ford is on a path to change that view, and in a pretty big way. For instance, what was once a feature of cars costing multiple-thousands of dollars, self parking systems are now being found on Ford’s third generation Focus, which starts at $16,500.

With its SYNC system, Ford was one of the first to being advanced infotainment technology to affordable cars such as the Fusion. Unfortunately, the current generation of SYNC has been criticized as being too clunky and difficult to operate for new users, to the point where Ford offers new owners instructions on their SYNC systems. To improve this user interface, new voice recognition software is being implemented, among other improvements.

Ford has invited me to the Ford Technology Forum, an event showcasing the improved SYNC system as well as Ford’s future technical goals. The Forum was separated into two entities to allow complete, pardon my pun, focus on each genre separate from the other. The first of the two points was in-car technology, while the second centered on safety of both passive and active nature. … Continue Reading

Movie Review – Transformers: Dark of the Moon

America is rapidly becoming the land of wretched excess. Arriving at the movie theater, you are greeted with 55 gallon drum of carbonated drink, a wheelbarrow of popcorn, and multiple fistfuls of sweets. Herding into the screening area, after climbing several flights of stairs, you slump down into an overstuffed barcalounger that is still oddly uncomfortable, and peer up at a three storey high viewing screen through gargantuan 3D glasses. This movie was made for the American movie going experience. This movie was made for America!

Transformers had all the trappings of the perfect summer blockbuster. Serving up equal ingredients of sexy cars, bombshell beautiful girls, gunslingin’ robots, US armed forces, root-for-the-underdog battles, conspiracy theories, and stuff being blown up, Transformers has everything you need to enjoy two hours of air conditioning on a hot summer evening. … Continue Reading

Quick Drive: Acura ZDX – Is it everything or nothing?

I own a 2005 Acura TSX. Two years ago I had the chance to drive a 2006 TL for a few days and I loved it. Last year I had a 2009 TL for a weekend and I liked it. This past weekend I had an Acura ZDX, given to me as a loaner car from the dealership while my car was in for service. ZDX, the crossover-wagon-SUV-coupe thing seen above, is Acura’s answer to the question no one asked. The ZDX starts around $45,000, has a 300hp 3.7L V6 engine, trademarked “Super Handling” AWD, SportShift transmission with steering wheel mounted paddles, a hatchback-like hatch, and styling from a different planet. To my industrial designer eyes, if I maybe so kind, the design is awkward – I had zero expectations.

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Quick look: 2011 Lincoln MKT and The Panther

In the early 1990s my stepfather was operating a car service company in northern New Jersey. The fleet of Lincoln Town Cars would chauffer businessmen between fancy suburbs and the three area airports. To the teenage me, there always seemed to be a Town Car around in need of cleaning or a transmission replacement.

Ford has recently announced that they would be discontinuing the Panther platform on which the Town Car, Grand Marquis, and Crown Victoria are based. Normally I would have no issue with a car manufacturer killing off such dinosaur, after all these are heavy, inefficient, and essentially non-upgradeable vehicles. … Continue Reading

2011 Acura TSX Sport Wagon: What it is and what it could be

Car reviews, much like annual performance reviews, can be tricky to write. Love the car and you’ll be labeled a fan-boy. Hate the car and you’ll be labeled, well, a hater. Most writers find a few things they love, few things they hate, throw all into the mix and bam, a review. A writer whom I respect calls it “The Wobble” and chances are that at some point we all have all been guilty of doing it.

It’s easy to be a critic, but it’s tougher to be a constructive critic. I just spent a weekend with the Acura TSX Sport Wagon, and as a critic I’m tempted to write simply that I liked it – but I couldn’t love it. As a constructive critic, however, I’ve decided to offer a solution that would change my opinion, and perhaps the opinion of others as well, from “like” to “love”.

The idea stemmed from looking the TSX over and just realizing that it could look so much better with so little effort. Don’t get me wrong. This is a great car. It drives smoothly. It corners well. The engine and transmission combination is more than adequate. The interior is nice, and if it is not opulent it is at least high quality. The seats are very comfortable, and there is plenty of storage room. Frankly, there isn’t much wrong with the TSX wagon. Still, I couldn’t help imagine how much better it could look with some simple changes.

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Review: 2011 Toyota 4Runner SR5 4×4

The world of SUVs is quickly turning into the world of over-sized station wagons with all-wheel-drive. Gone are the ladder frames and live axles, replaced by unibodies with half-shafts seemingly no thicker than a straw. Advantages of unibody design include reduction in weight and fuel consumption, along with more car-like driving characteristics.

So why is the 5^th generation Toyota 4Runner still a truck? Because it can be, because it should be, and because it needs to be. Allow me to explain. … Continue Reading

Modern Classic: Jeep Cherokee

When we think of the Jeep brand, the first thing that comes to mind is the iconic Wrangler. Think a little more and the image of the boxy Cherokee appears. When the first models rolled off the Toledo Assembly Plant in 1984 no one expected the little Cherokee to set a trend for small SUVs which are so popular now days. Today we will look at two Cherokees, an early ’86 model and one of the last “Classic” models from 2001.

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Good Toys, Bad Cars, Ugly Results

You know what’s wrong with car reviews? The cars being reviewed are brand spankin’ new. Three weeks ago, when an agent at the rental agency informed that I will be getting a Suzuki SX, one of the least expensive cars on the market, I felt a bit disappointed. Keeping an open mind, I started driving while looking for this car’s faults; where did they cut corners? What was not included? What was about to fall off? Will it roll on the first curve? Will it make it up a hill? To my disappointment and bewilderment, I found none. What I had here was a perfectly good $15,000 car.

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Quick Drive: 2012 Acura TL

In 2004 a uniquely sculptured third generation Acura TL premiered. Contemporary looks combined with legendary reliability and a fair price made it an instant hit. Even my own mother bought one. When parked next to my E46 BMW, the bimmer looked downright dated and, to add insult to injury was significantly down on power. At the time I said that this TL would have been a nearly perfect automobile had it been rear-wheel-drive.

In 2009 the fourth generation of the TL came out. Acura took a big chance stylistically with it, being the first car in its lineup to feature the infamous “Power Plenum” front end, which became known as the “beak”. The whole car seemed bigger and more massive. Despite the new all-wheel-drive system, increased room and power, the automotive media chastised the TL for its looks. Buyers showed equally little mercy as sales numbers were significantly down from those of the previous car. … Continue Reading

Modern Classic: Saab 900 SPG

Love them or hate them, Saab has been producing Scandinavian turbo sedans, coupes, and convertibles for their loyal niche market since 1978.  As the new year begins, car enthusiasts should take a look back 25 years into automotive history to the year 1985.  This marked the first year the Saab 900 SPG was imported into North America.

The 2- and 4-door Saab 900 hatchbacks were built from 1978 until 1993.  With 908,817 built during a decade and a half, the Saab 900 has become an iconic vehicle.  But there is one Saab 900 that stood out from the pack, despite its subtle differences.  With only 7,600 2-door hatchbacks and convertibles trickled into the USA from 1985- 1991 it is no surprise that the Saab 900 SPG blended in so well with the rest of the 900s.

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Gran Turismo 5 – Full Review

After nearly 6 years of development and roughly 2 years of maddening delays, Polyphony Digital’s Gran Turismo 5 finally hit stores on November 24. Since 1997 Gran Turismo has claimed to be the “Real Driving Simulator” offering an impressive selection of cars and real-world race tracks. With creator Kazunori Yamauchi treating each game as his brain child while leading the development team, they’ve made Gran Turismo one of the most successful and valuable gaming franchises on earth. After GT5’s long-awaited release I spent more time than I should have playing the elusive creation, and I loved every minute of it.  … Continue Reading

Gran Turismo 5 – Quick Look

Don’t expect to see anything remotely meaningful on this website anytime soon. Myself and at least two other contributors picked up a copy of GT5 before the Thanksgiving weekend and everything else has become irrelevant. However, expect multiple reviews and updates of our gaming status.

Some clarification; I don’t play videogames, never did, but the Gran Turismo series is an exception to the rule. I’ve owned everyone of the games and I still clearly remember being at my friend Vince’s house when we first removed the cellophane from the original Gran Tourismo. The game was everything we have always wanted in a car game. We played it until 9am the next morning. Since then we repeated our all-nighters every time a new version came out. Until now, because Vince lives 1000 miles away. … Continue Reading