Articles

  • I Finally Drove A Porsche

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    Have you ever seen a movie that your friends had over-hyped to such degree that there was no way it could possibly match your expectations? Well, that’s a bit how I feel. At 54 years old, I finally got to drive a Porsche for the first time* last night. The car in question was a…

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  • Video: Onboard Rick Knoop's McLaren M8F At Sonoma

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    Okay, so everyone knows by now that we’re not the best when it comes to navigating Sonoma scot-free (sort of not our fault?), but when Rick Knoop does it in his vintage McLaren, it’s like the world stands still. Just listen to that big Chevy engine, and watch his smooth inputs as he runs a…

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  • Quick Shifts: Save A Buck Where You Can Edition

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    So the other day this olelongrooffan stopped at my local Stop-N-Rob to get me some cokes and smokes and I saw something I had not seen before. See the front axle on that tanker trailer? It is raised up off the ground about 10 inches or so. Of course, I had to ask the driver…

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  • How do you advertise the new Prius? ANIME GIRLS

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    So, these newfangled hybrids are complicated right? How do you explain your fundamental design and mindset to your potential buyers? Well, if you are Toyota of Japan, the answer comes quickly and very simply down to two words. Anime Girls. Let’s talk more after the jump.

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  • Red Riding Hood: Taking a 1982 Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet for a spin

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    Today, I did the sensible thing and handed over my 1986 Volkswagen Polo to the local school’s auto shop. They, in turn, will mount the cylinder head, time the belt, adjust the carb and generally pay attention to turning the white VW into something other than a paperweight. Make no mistake, I haven’t given up…

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  • 1902 De Dion-Bouton Type K Motor-Hansom

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    As a kid, my parents gave me Peter Robert’s A Picture History of the Automobile. I spent a thousand hours reading and pouring over the photos. One in particular has always stuck with me; a photo showing a veteran-era (pre-1905) open car with a sort of transverse walkway between the firewall and the front of…

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  • Going Back In Time with the Nissan Juke

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    I only had a short period in the company of Nissan’s high-riding mechanised toad, the Juke, so the following can’t really be called a review. Well, it is and it isn’t, if you see what I mean. I was certainly able to get an impression of the car. I was able to determine that, give…

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  • Harley license light proves THIS is why we keep boxes full of random spare parts.

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    When my wife and I rearranged our home office last weekend, it neatened up our workstations nicely and will hopefully position our huge, somewhat ailing peace lily where it can better thrive. But it also left one side of my desk shrouded in shadow. What to do, what to do… Wait, I have a box…

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  • Used Car Reviews – Fiat Barchetta

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    Having driven a friend’s Miata before I took wheel time in the Citroën VTS, I wanted to see what the obvious European counterpart, the Fiat Barchetta would feel like. The Barchetta hasn’t been embraced by any counterculture, unlike the racing-inclined Miatas; on the contrary, it hints of fancy seaside living and tennis rackets. The Barchetta…

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  • Reader Submission: Shelby-powered Fiat X1/9

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    What you’re seeing here is a Fiat X1/9 with a Dodge Shelby Daytona Turbo II drivetrain, tuned to around 240WHP, and other tasteful modifications. While it is not for sale, compare that the $22,000 “Dallara” X1/9 which Antii featured in the past, and draw your own conclusions. Reader Alan Arnold owns this car, search for…

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