2013 Audi S5 Cabriolet Quattro Review What’s more fun than a sports coupe? Well, a convertible version of a sports coupe with a supercharged V6 and all-wheel drive. That’s what you get with Audi’s S5 Cabriolet Quattro. The S5 comes as either a coupe with solid top or cabriolet, meaning it has a soft convertible top. The price starts at $50,900 for the coupe, with manual transmission and the super …
2013 BMW 650i Gran Coupe Review: At the risk of sounding emotionally shallow, let’s be honest. What we’re concerned with here is looks. Under its gorgeous skin, the BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe is, essentially, a 5 Series sedan, sharing 5’s wheelbase and most of its greasy stuff. It’s a Bimmer that, ironically, owes its existence to Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Porsche, three BMW rivals that offer sexy sedans designed to …
Mini Clubvan and Mini Paceman Preview: Mini is now the many. The brand that returned a decade ago to these shores with a single model in two trims now boasts more than half a dozen distinct offerings. After a 35-year absence, Mini came back to the U.S. for the 2002 model year with only its core product – a two-door, four-seat, hatchback coupe, available in Cooper and Cooper S trims. …
2013 Scion FR-S Review: Toyota has finally produced a new sports coupe through its entry-level brand Scion. I’ve missed the Toyota Celica for years, so with the 2013 Scion FR-S, Toyota again has a low-cost sports coupe that looks great and will provide much entertainment for those of us who prefer cars to look sporty and handle likewise. Toyota and Subaru worked together on this sports coupe, with really only …
No longer can the Honda Accord cruise along above the midsize wannabes on its merits, and for the first time in its 36-year history it must prove it can reclaim its status as the standard of technology and efficiency. The ninth generation Accord rolls out well-equipped to face the challenge with a new and smaller shape, and improved power and fuel-efficiency. The first generation of the Accord was from 1976-81 …
A co-worker called my black and white Fiat 500 Abarth the Beanie Baby of cars – Cute with a capital C. I like small cars, appreciate their efficiency, their fun factor and generally their lower cost. The Fiat 500 is cute almost to a fault. At its base Pop trim level it’s a fun subcompact that starts at an extremely attractive $15,500. The Abarth (Fiat tells us that’s pronounced AH-bart) …
2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Review: A lot of people give nicknames to their favorite cars. “Old Betsy” has given way to a lot of catchier, more contemporary and more personalized monickers. This one could be “Silver Bullet,” or maybe “Blue Streak.” It also could be called outrageous, because in this fuel-economy-conscious era its primary objective is to be mind-boggling fast, every time you touch the throttle, in any of …
2013 Hyundai Veloster Review: In Milwaukee and Atlanta, Henry Aaron’s nickname was Hammerin’ Hank, for his ability to hit baseballs out of the park. Now we’re witnessing a rough equivalent in the automobile industry, Hammerin’ Hyundai, for its ability to advance base runners into scoring positions. There are two at the moment: The Veloster three-door sports hatchback and the Elantra compact. When the South Korean manufacturer introduced the innovative 2012 …
