by Bryan Laviolette | Dec 10, 2010
Maybe they’ve gone too far, this time. In the never-ending attempt to make the minivan cool, Toyota has taken the Sienna over the top. At least it doesn’t look like a minivan trying to look like an SUV. Nope, this box is minivan through and through. But hung on that...
by Bryan Laviolette | Dec 7, 2010
Fans of the beloved old Honda CRX Si may finally get what they want in its spiritual successor, the CR-Z. The CR-Z has the look of a third-generation Honda CRX, xx years after Honda stopped selling it. Now, Autocar, a British auto enthusiast publication is saying that...
by Bryan Laviolette | Dec 2, 2010
A friend from long ago once said that he would always own two-doors. This was long before the days of children, or even taking business associates to lunch, but one has to wonder, did he ever succumb to the convenience of those extra doors? Cadillac CTS buyers are now...
by Bryan Laviolette | Nov 30, 2010
Government assistance to General Motors and Chrysler enabled orderly bankruptcy proceedings and led to the saving of more than 1.14 million jobs in 2009 alone, according to a recently released study by an automotive think tank. The study, by the Ann Arbor-based Center...
by Bryan Laviolette | Nov 24, 2010
A little inside the NFL, if you’ll indulge: Automakers typically send out well-optioned versions of the cars auto scribes test. There’s a simple reason for that. Carmarkers want us to write about all the bells and whistles so you, the car buyer, to fall in love with...
by Bryan Laviolette | Nov 18, 2010
Twenty-six years ago, Fiat left the U.S. market amid claims of poor quality. Now, with the help of its new American partner, Chrysler, the Italian automaker is back with a stylish subcompact, the 500, or Cinquecento. Fiat officially revealed the U.S. version of the...
by Bryan Laviolette | Nov 16, 2010
It hasn’t had the fanfare of Chevrolet’s vaunted Volt launch or Nissan’s own electric vehicle, but Ford is quietly getting ready to introduce its own electric car, an electric version of the new Focus compact. Ford announced the pilot markets for its...
by Bryan Laviolette | Nov 11, 2010
Here’s the problem with the Lincoln MKS, as it stands for 2011. The Ford Edge/Lincoln MKZ twins. Yes, the MKS’ new EcoBoost engine is awesome, providing an extra 82 horsepower over the standard 3.7-liter V-6 with better fuel economy to boot. But the rest of the car is...
by Bryan Laviolette | Nov 10, 2010
Maybe General Motors’ minivans aren’t extinct. They still live in China and are about to get a makeover. Could GM also be planning a reintroduction of the boxy people movers in the U.S.? GM isn’t talking about U.S. plans for GL8 minivan, which it...
by Bryan Laviolette | Nov 8, 2010
For the last four years, there didn’t seem to be much happening on Planet Chrysler. There was a dearth of new product and the ones that it did introduce were largely panned as poorly designed, engineered and styled. In that time, three masters ruled the company...
by Bryan Laviolette | Nov 4, 2010
The news coming out of Chrysler HQ in Auburn Hills is almost relentless these days. There are new engines, completely new SUVs and crossovers and revamped sedans. Add to the mix a new Dodge Challenger SRT8 with a huge power infusion. While Dodge has already announced...
by Bryan Laviolette | Oct 29, 2010
The number 5.0 holds a hallowed place in Ford lore. For more 25 years, Ford’s 5.0-liter V-8 powered everything from Thunderbirds to F-150 pickups to Broncos. But most notably, they powered Mustangs. Now, after 16 years in exile, the 5.0 is back. Ford retired the old...
