by Henny Hemmes | Nov 22, 2010
Want to get a read on the mood of American motorists? Head to the L.A. Auto Show, this week. The annual event has routinely offered an insight into the economy – and the mood of the motorists who quite literally drive one of the biggest sectors of the economy. Over...
by Henny Hemmes | Nov 19, 2010
Some folks celebrate their birthdays with candles. The folks at Porsche came up with a better way to mark the maker’s 60th anniversary her in the U.S. – by rolling out three new models at the 2010 L.A. Auto Show. Sharing the spotlight are the brand new Cayman R, the...
by Henny Hemmes | Nov 18, 2010
So you thought you knew the Subaru Impreza? Think again. Up til now, Subaru has not been a maker known for coming up with especially ground-breaking styling. But that never mattered much with its group of loyal buyers. The joint project with Saab that brought Subaru...
by Henny Hemmes | Oct 22, 2010
BMW fans will undoubtedly remember the harsh criticism levied against the original X3, which seemed to miss the mark on a number of critical counts, notably styling, size and ride. With the second-generation 2011 BMW X3 set to hit the streets in January, all (or just...
by Henny Hemmes | Oct 21, 2010
It may be a “German” automaker, but BMW is counting on its assembly plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, to help drive its goal of increasing sales by 55% before the end of the coming decade. And to get there, the maker is pumping an extra $750 million to expand the...
by Henny Hemmes | Oct 12, 2010
Other than the transformative 2002tii, few BMW models have been the subject of more lore than the original, hand-built M1 sports car sold between 1978 and 1981. So, when word got around that a new BMW M coupe was clocking blistering speeds around the Nurburgring race...
by Henny Hemmes | Oct 4, 2010
With barely 125 days to go until Mercedes-Benz marks its 125th anniversary, Daimler AG CEO is promising to unveil a significant new patent to celebrate the birth of the world’s oldest carmaker. But what is in store he isn’t saying yet, beyond hinting that a...
by Henny Hemmes | Apr 5, 2010
Never change a winning team. It’s sound advice that BMW clearly kept in mind as it pulled together the 2011 facelift of the 3 Series Coupe and Convertible. The new update of the Bavarian success formula give these models a sportier presence, though the changes are...
by Henny Hemmes | Mar 4, 2010
Five is apparently a lucky number for Mazda, at least as for as the Geneva Motor Show is concerned. The automaker used the annual event, at PALExpo, to celebrate both the 20th anniversary of the MX-5 Miata – and to unveil the all-new Mazda5 people-mover. The 2011...
by Henny Hemmes | Mar 2, 2010
Kia celebrated its attendance at the Geneva Motor Show with the world premiere of its compact crossover, the 2011 Sportage. With an all-new look that moves away from classic SUV design, and a new “ecoDynamics” powertrain, the Korean maker is betting Sportage should...
by Henny Hemmes | Mar 2, 2010
The upstart Chinese car manufacturer BYD is nothing if no ambitious, and it’s willing to take some significant steps to ensure that it can become one of the world’s leading auto companies, including signing up partners such as Volkswagen and, now, Daimler AG. Short...
by Henny Hemmes | Jan 25, 2010
While the 3-Series may be BMW’s “bread-and-butter” car, accounting for the lion’s share of its sales, the 5-Series is the brand’s soul, the fulcrum of the Bavarian’s balancing act of passionate performance and luxury. So, we jumped at the chance to get behind the...
