Kirk Bell, Senior Editor
Articles
-
I’m barreling down the longest straight at The Thermal Club’s South Palm Circuit at over 100 mph, and I’m thinking this isn’t right. The 2018 BMW X2 isn’t made for a...
-
Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio, 2019 GMC Sierra, 2019 Jaguar I-Pace: Today's Car NewsAlfa Romeo kicked off the Stelvio product cadence with mainstream models featuring a 2.0-liter turbo-4. Now, the 505-horsepower Stelvio Quadrifoglio is on its way, and we got the chance to drive it at The Circuit of the Americas. We found that it's a great vehicle for a racetrack, but it lacks some...
Kirk Bell -
7 things you should know about the 2018 Audi RS 5I’m frustrated. The Arizona desert roads Audi picked for me to drive its track-bred coupe on were picturesque and open, but I found nary a sharp corner to attack. So, I’ve called in a favor and borrowed a Nardo Gray 2018 Audi RS 5 for some extra drive time. Now I'm in search of twisty...
Kirk Bell -
TechArt GrandGT Supreme is a faster, fancier Porsche Panamera Sport TurismoTechArt is a German tuner that does more than just make Porsches even faster than they already are. The company also makes these luxury cars more luxurious. At the Geneva motor show, TechArt will show a range of new products, highlighted by the GrandGT Supreme, which is a gussied up version of the...
Kirk Bell -
John Cena asking judge to dismiss Ford GT lawsuitActor and pro wrestler John Cena asked a Florida judge Tuesday to dismiss a lawsuit alleging he violated an agreement by selling his $450,000 Ford GT supercar. Ford filed a lawsuit against Cena in November alleging the actor was flipping the 2017 Ford GT he purchased in October. According to Ford...
Kirk Bell -
Refreshed and more powerful 2019 Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan coming to GenevaMercedes-Benz will use the Geneva motor show to reveal a host of new and updated models. We've already seen the 2019 Mercedes-AMG G63 and updates to the 2019 Mercedes-Maybach S-Class, and now we get word that a refreshed 2019 C-Class sedan will make its debut. This generation C-Class arrived for...
Kirk Bell -
The Land Rover Range Rover Sport is a jack-of-all-trades and a master of many. It isn't quite as luxurious as the top-of-the-line Range Rover, but it's sportier. It sits lower than that vehicle, so...
-
2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is a snow warrior, tooIt was a bright, sunny February afternoon in Chicago when I picked up the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. Still, with temperatures in the 30s, the conditions weren't ideal for such a performance beast. No matter really. I wouldn't be taking this 707-horsepower SUV to a track anyway. I'd just be...
Kirk Bell -
Bentley adds new wood veneer sourced from AmericaBentley has added its first new wood veneer in five years, and the company's "veneer hunters" had to travel to the United States of America to find it. It's called Liquid Amber and it comes from the American Red Gum tree in Mississippi. Liquid Amber is Bentley's seventh exclusive veneer, and it's...
Kirk Bell -
2019 VW Arteon video previewVolkswagen splits its mid-size sedan lineup two ways. For the mainstream consumer, there's the Passat. Kinda plain, but smart. For the buyer with a sense of style, VW offered the CC, and that now gives way to the 2019 Arteon, a car that poses a challenge to the Audi A5 Sportback. It's already on...
Kirk Bell -
2019 Audi A7 first drive review: Evolution in AfricaCape Town, South Africa - The South African landscape is unusually parched. Late January is midsummer here, and the country is in the throes of a drought that threatens the water supply. Day Zero is April 16, about a month before the rainy season that could stave off this water crisis. It's an...
Kirk Bell -
Limited-edition Land Rover Range Rover SV Coupe to sacrifice utility for styleIf BMW and Mercedes-Benz can do it, why can't Land Rover? The British SUV maker will add style and subtract utility from its legendary Range Rover with the Range Rover SV Coupe debuting in March at the 2018 Geneva auto show. Land Rover on Tuesday revealed a teaser image of the interior of the...
Kirk Bell -
Lamborghini is about fun. So says the company's head of research and development Maurizio Reggiani. That means self-driving capability is off the table; it also means an electric Lambo won't be a...
-
Lamborghini Aventador replacement likely to have V-12 aided by electrificationThe Lamborghini Aventador is a technological marvel, with its Formula 1-inspired inboard dampers, all-wheel drive, rear-wheel steering, and V-12 engine. The stunning supercar dates back to 2011, so it's due for replacement fairly soon. We have reported that 2020 could be the target date for an...
Kirk Bell -
8 questions about the Lamborgini Urus with R&D boss Maurizio ReggianiLamborghini is preparing to take a big step that could define the future of the quintessential Italian supercar builder. Yes, the brand has had an SUV before. The LM002 was a Hummer-like SUV from 1986 to 1993, but it didn't have the impact the new Urus promises to deliver. The Urus, set to go on...
Kirk Bell -
2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt video previewFifty years ago a car chase on the streets of San Francisco between a Mustang and a Charger made movie history—at least for gearheads. That movie was "Bullitt" starring the ultra-cool Steve McQueen. In the years since, Ford has released two special edition Mustang Bullitt models and for 2019...
Kirk Bell -
50th Anniversary 2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt cranks out 475 horsepowerFifty years after Steve McQueen chased a 1968 Dodge Charger in a Dark Highland Green '68 Mustang to the delight of gearhead movie fans, Ford is releasing its third special edition model to commemorate that iconic movie car. That movie was "Bullitt" and the 50th anniversary Bullitt Mustang is the...
Kirk Bell -
Next Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 teased in Detroit, coming in 2019 with 700+ HPFord made Mustang news here in Detroit with a third go at the Bullitt Mustang (a fourth if you count the original movie car as the first), but the Blue Oval teased an even meaner pony car on Monday evening of the 2018 Detroit auto show's press days. Ford didn't trot out a car, or show a teaser shot...
Kirk Bell -
When your compact crossover SUV has posted seven straight years of sales growth and five consecutive years of record sales, you don't mess with a winning formula. You simply stick with what works...
-
2019 Ford Ranger marks Ford's return to mid-size pickup marketAs the domestic automakers chased bigger profits on their full-size trucks 'round about a decade ago, they let their mid-size pickups die on the vine. One of the casualties was the Ford Ranger, and it slipped into that good night after the 2011 model year. An international version of the Ranger was...
Kirk Bell -
Honda Accord, Lincoln Navigator and Volvo XC60 named 2018 North American Car, Truck & Utility of the Year winnersThe 2018 Detroit auto show kicked off with the best of the previous year, as the 2018 North American Car & Truck/Utility of the Year winners were announced. This marked the second year that the prestigious awards had three winners instead of two, as the Truck/Utility class had been split two...
Kirk Bell -
Documentary details iconic McGee/Scritchfield 1932 Ford roadsterIf you had to pick one car as the quintessential hot rod, the McGee/Scritchfield Roadster would be as good a choice as any. It's one of the most legendary, historic, and iconic hot rods in the history of the hobby, and it's a car that lived numerous lives. This documentary, by the Historic Vehicle...
Kirk Bell -
2018 Buick Regal Sportback first drive review: the crossover of carsThe decision to do away with a sedan shape and offer the 2018 Buick Regal as a hatchback (called Sportback) and a wagon (called Tour X) is an odd one at first blush. After all, mid-size sedans traditionally have been among the strongest selling vehicles, while hatchbacks and especially wagons have...
Kirk Bell -
Ride along with the police on a high-speed car chaseEvery wonder what it's like to be in a car chase? I got the simulated chance at the Bob Bolen Public Safety Complex in Fort Worth, Texas. With officer Joe Stinger at the wheel of a Chevrolet Tahoe PPV, we chased a Ford Crown Victoria "rabbit" on a closed course. I sat in the front passenger seat...
Kirk Bell