by Tim Healey | May 31, 2011
When one thinks of sporty premium mid-size sedan, BMW’s 3-Series likely hops immediately to mind. Well, Infiniti has been trying to change that perception for years with the G35–now G37–and after a stint behind the wheel, one could make the case that...
by Tim Healey | Apr 25, 2011
The 2012 Beetle may be the biggest news story to emerge from this year’s New York Auto Show, but it isn’t the only new Volkswagen being shown at New York’s Jacob Javits Convention Center. VW is planning big, the maker hoping to double U.S. sales, to 800,000 annually,...
by Tim Healey | Apr 22, 2011
Mazda is making significant changes to its powertrain platform, starting with the 2012 Mazda 3 sedan and hatch grabbing the spotlight at the New York Auto Show. Subtle styling changes are in store, as well. The grinning grille has a somewhat reduced happiness...
by Tim Healey | Apr 22, 2011
When Hyundai unveiled its next Accent subcompact on the first press day of the 2011 New York International Auto Show, almost all in attendance expected that Kia would follow with the debut of the related Rio sedan and Rio5 hatchback. After all, the two brands have...
by Tim Healey | Apr 21, 2011
A sure sign of the automotive industry’s recovery is the return of the pointless car. The pointless car—or SUV—is a vehicle that is built to excess, just because the automaker can. Generally high on fun and low on practicality, the pointless car/truck/SUV exists so...
by Tim Healey | Feb 15, 2011
As pundits write endlessly about the resurgence of Chrysler, they talk mostly about the influx of new product at the company’s Dodge and Chrysler brands. But the troubled U.S. maker’s turnaround will also rely on its off-road brand, Jeep. Despite being the first one...
by Tim Healey | Feb 11, 2011
Chrysler is in the midst of a major turnaround – or so it hopes — and of the company’s five marques, perhaps Dodge, which has been repositioned the mainstream performance brand, is the biggest torch-carrier for the company. A lot of the credit for that arguably...
by Tim Healey | Feb 10, 2011
Dodge is bringing back the R/T designation. Well, sort of. After all, it’s not like the R/T trim ever really went away. The 2010 Dodge Charger, for example, was available in R/T guise. But Dodge president and CEO Ralph Gilles admitted that the R/T name—which stands...
by Tim Healey | Feb 10, 2011
When Dodge unveiled the redesigned 2011 Dodge Charger last fall, it was almost a foregone conclusion that an SRT8 high-performance version would be on the way. Dodge made good on that assumption at the 2011 Chicago Auto Show, where the 2011 Dodge Charger SRT8 made its...
by Tim Healey | Jan 12, 2011
It’s a Cruze, it’s a Regal….no, it’s the Verano. The 2012 Buick Verano shares its platform with the Chevrolet Cruze and its engines with the larger Buick Regal, but despite those facts, Buick folks are quick to point out that the Verano isn’t just an exercise in badge...
by Tim Healey | Jan 11, 2011
Are minivans back in vogue? Maybe, maybe not. But Kia is testing the waters with the KV7 Concept that it unveiled in Detroit at the 2011 North American International Auto Show. The boxy KV7 has the same squared-off profile as the Ford Flex “people mover,” albeit with...
by Tim Healey | Jan 10, 2011
Hyundai must be serious about improving the fuel economy of its fleet. How else to describe the wave of small cars that are on the horizon for the Korean automaker? There’s the Veloster hatchback, which was introduced at the 2011 Detroit auto show, and Hyundai has...
