Porsche Boxster - Is Pure Sports Car and Pure Fun

Porsche’s product development cycles are unlike other manufacturers. They introduce few models and keep them in circulation for many years. That necessitates an occasional upgrade of a current model. Think of how many iterations the 911 has been through…We had the opportunity to re-experience the wiles of the Boxster at the completely renovated Circuit de Mont Tremblant racetrack just north of

Porsche 911 - Celebrates 60 years with two new 911 Carrera Coupes

When I was starting out as an auto writer, the annual introduction of new Porsche 911 models always confused me. To my untrained eye, the new models often looked just like the previous year’s models they replaced. While my eye for automotive detail has grown sharper over the years, the challenges for differentiating one model year 911 from the next still remain.True to form, to celebrate the

Porsche 911 Carrera 4S cabriolet - All around supercar

If there’s such a thing as an all-around supercar, the Porsche 911 has held that title for several decades running now. In production and constantly evolving since 1963, the 911 has become a rolling technological tour de force wrapped in a skin that most casual observers can recognize, even if the layperson doesn’t always appreciate what it means.Hardly a year goes by without a round of updated

Porsche Panamera S - almost as pretty as a 911, and just about as good to drive

“I didn’t know Porsche made a four door,” said a friend after gazing at our Panamera S.With a 400-hp V-8 under the long nose and a 7-speed, dual-clutch Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe automatic transmission hooked to wide 20-inch rear rubber, it’s the most different Porsche since the Stuttgart company’s four-wheel-drive Cayenne SUV. But in a city where one of the most legendary Porsche

Porsche Panamera

Thanks to its door count (four as opposed to two) one might be tempted to dismiss Porsche's Panamera sedan as a poseur in the sports car arena. Yes, the idea of a four-door Porsche takes some getting used to, but don't get hung up on those incongruous rear doors. If necessary, when approaching the Panamera, close one eye to block them from sight because once behind the steering wheel, you will

Porsche Cayenne - a thrill and a smile

You can no longer argue that Porsche is a slave to the concept of two-passenger sports cars. No siree. Porsche had purists rummaging through the medicine cabinet for their Prozac when it launched its Cayenne SUV in 2003. The release of the four-door Panamera last year had a similar impact. Just what is the world coming to?Evidently the American public has recovered sufficiently from the shock to

Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet - money can buy happiness

In the human experience there’s nothing quite like the first time, for anything. And so it is with launching for the first time the 500-horsepower 2010 Porsche 911 Turbo outfitted with the lightning-fast dual-clutch seven-speed automatic transmission. It’s an experience that it is not soon forgotten. Call it g-force giddiness, akin to hitting the first big drop on a roller coaster.The only

Nissan Titan - a lot of truck

Pickups are a way of life for many people, whether it is for recreation, work, farm & ranch, or simply because a driver likes them. Pickups have improved in recent years, from merely utilitarian into near-luxury vehicles. Earlier this summer, my wife Judy and I had a 2010 Nissan Titan for our weekly test evaluation and I really enjoyed it. It was a top-of-the-line model LE 4x2.The Titan is

Nissan Leaf - Charged up again

It was about this time fourteen years ago when my college roommate – an electrical engineering student – and I departed our fraternity in Flint, MI to drive the 45 minutes to a non-descript facility in Troy, MI. I arranged for us to get a preview of the upcoming GM EV1 electric car for the school newspaper. It was exciting to drive the car of the future. Despite all of the nonsense you’ve heard

Nissan Leaf Battery Electric Vehicle Named Ward's "10 Best Engines"

100% electric drive system is first zero-emission winner in award’s historyWard’s today announced that Nissan LEAF’s 100-percent electric, zero-emission drive system is included on its prestigious ‘10 Best Engines’ list for 2011. It is the first time in the 17-year history of the magazine’s ‘10 Best Engines’ that the selection committee has chosen a power system which doesn’t have an engine and

Nissan NV - New commercial van pricing

Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) today announced that the 2012 Nissan NV, the company’s first entry into the commercial vehicle market in the United States will start at $24,590. The NV is the culmination of 75 years of Nissan commercial vehicle experience in the global marketplace.The 2012 NV, which has been designed and conceived as a solution to the needs of today’s commercial van customers,

Nissan Rogue - goes Rogue

As gas prices and fuel economy standards rise during this decade, there can be no doubt that the compact crossover market is going to take off like a rocket. Vehicles like the Chevy Equinox, Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, and Toyota RAV4 dominate the market. But, let’s not forget the Nissan Rogue.Nissan designers were wise to give their Rogue styling based on the popular mid-size Murano crossover. The

Nissan Juke - mini ute, major cool

This crazy bug-looking mini-crossover pulled up in front of the United terminal at the airport, looking like a vision with its California plates and West Coast style. Its design draws from motorcycles and rally cars, but is most remembered by the big yellow mantis eyes that are visible from the helm. Four doors, Beetle shell, and a bit of Z DNA throw us to a future where utes are mini and Jukes

Nissan Rogue SL - gone for a second time

Nissan’s gone Rogue for the second time!There, now that I have your attention, let’s look into the second-generation of the vehicle that launched Nissan into the car-based compact crossover sports utility vehicle market in 2008, joining a lineup that had until then only had the midsize Murano crossover.Nissan has had a good run with its small trucks and truck-based SUVs. But when the compact

Mitsubishi Motors to Bring New-Generation EV i-MiEV to Market

Delivery to corporate, governmental and local authority users starts late July; Sales to individuals to start AprilMitsubishi Motors Corporation today, on World Environment Day, unveiled the production version of the i-MiEV1 2 new-generation electric vehicle (EV), describing it as "the pioneer that will open the door to the next 100 years of our automobile society." The i-MiEV will go on sale on

Mitsubishi Evolution MR

Things have been rather quiet at Mitsubishi in these times of economic turmoil. The folks at the diamond-star brand seem to be battening down the hatches and weathering the storm by keeping a relatively low profile. Apart from some mention of possible upcoming electric cars, Mitsubishi hasn’t been in the news much at all this year, in fact.Nevertheless, the cars are still on the streets, and they

Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback – a great comeback

If you’ve crossed Mitsubishi off your shopping list when looking for a compact sedan or hatchback, you may be making a mistake.We understand how easy it has become to overlook this Japanese automaker that has fallen on hard times in the United States. With every passing month it seems that Mitsubishi's market share shrinks. You say, thanks but no thanks, you will stick with successful entities

Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback - Its better with 5 doors

Mitsubishi’s reputation for building fun vehicles was mostly made on the suspension of several generations of Eclipse and Lancer models, but probably not by supplying engines to Chrysler throughout the 1980s. On roads full of look-alike compacts, the Lancer Sportback is a fresh shape, riding on a well-engineered vehicle architecture. New for 2010, the 5-door version of the Japanese automaker’s

Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback Ralliart

I recently had a new 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer for a test drive. But this was no ordinary Lancer. This was a Sportback Ralliart model, complete with enough racing features to provide an exhilarating drive. There were a few downsides, however.Mitsubishi has their Lancer EVO, which is fairly popular and performs well. This new Sportback model of the Lancer provides more versatility by combining a

Mitsubishi Outlander GT

My, Mitsu, what a big mouth you have.All four different trim levels of the compact Outlander sports utility vehicle share what the company calls “fresh and aggressive styling,” basically a squared-off version of a classic Korean War-era F-86 Sabre Jet nose intake. The rest – not so fresh. But what’s inside reminds some of another Mitsubishi we love.Can some EVO be instilled in an Outlander? Let’s