Kirk Bell, Senior Editor
Articles
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Acura today announced that the 2017 NSX will start at $157,800, including an $1,800 destination charge, and cost as much as $207,500 when fully loaded. Honda's upscale brand also revealed more...
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Acura To Preview New Design Direction With Precision Concept At 2016 Detroit Auto ShowAcura today provided a glimpse of what it will unveil at 2016 Detroit Auto Show on January 12. It's called the Precision concept, and it's a peek into the future of Acura design, especially that of the brand’s next-generation sedans. READ: 2017 Acura NSX Priced From $157,800, Neither Seinfeld...
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2017 Mercedes-Benz SLC previewMercedes-Benz today unveiled the 2017 SLC, which is a heavily revised version of the SLK roadster, prior to its public introduction at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show. The updated roadster will be offered as the Mercedes-Benz SLC300 and the Mercedes-AMG SLC43. The SLC300 will be powered by a...
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Best Car To Buy 2016: The NomineesAn argument can be made that these are the salad days of luxury and performance cars. As fuel economy standards get stricter, automakers are looking to make their vehicles more efficient, but no so much so that there isn't still room for power and performance. In fact, some of the traits of...
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Dodge Star Wars Cars Invade Los Angeles For 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' PremierGeorge Lucas may have sold the Star Wars franchise to Disney, but that doesn't mean there will be any less marketing to go with the return of America's favorite movie saga. Dodge has wrapped a Charger SRT Hellcat, a Challenger SRT Hellcat, and a Viper ACR to look like Star Wars characters so they...
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Best Car To Buy 2016: The Vehicles That Couldn't Quite Stand Out
Each year we log thousands of miles in the newest luxury and performance cars, trucks, and SUVs. Many are brilliant pieces of comfort and engineering, and some fall shy of the mark. Part of the task of choosing our Best Car To Buy is figuring out which vehicles don't make the cut. We start by only...
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You don’t buy an Aston Martin if you are looking for the best sports car for the money. Several more mainstream brands build cars that are more reliable and less expensive while delivering as...
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Porsche Boxster And Cayman To Carry 718 Name From 2016Porsche today announced that its mid-engine Boxster roadster and Cayman coupe will carry the 718 name when they undergo their mid-cycle update in 2016. The models will be called the 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman and both will use turbocharged four-cylinder engines, as previously confirmed. We've...
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2016 North American Car And Truck/Utility Of The Year Finalists AnnouncedThe North American Car and Truck/Utility of the Year jury today announced the six finalists for its annual awards. Three cars made the finalist list for 2016 Car of the Year, while two SUVs and one pickup made the list for the 2016 Truck/Utility of the Year award. The car finalists are the 2016...
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Motor Authority Soon To Name Best Car To Buy 2016
It's been a fun year. We've hit the track to pilot the latest performance cars, we were coddled by the comfort and convenience of the latest luxury offerings, and we even took a few of the nominees on road trips. We've taken what we've learned into consideration and soon we will announce Motor...
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2016 Porsche Boxster Spyder first drive reviewHawaii is a vibrant landscape with a beauty that approaches perfection. Something about the angle of the sun and the clear blue sky turns the grass that grows on the volcanic rock a glowing emerald green. The constant gentle breeze mixes with pervasive 80-degree temperatures to ensure the comfort...
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Aston Martin’s Future Includes V-12s, Electrification, Massive Product InvestmentAs it enters its 103rd year, British automaker Aston Martin is embarking on the largest product investment in its history. New CEO Andy Palmer calls it the Second Century plan, and it’s likely to kick off with the introduction of the new DB11 grand tourer at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show next...
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The ultra luxury SUV is a vehicle class nobody needs but it's about to become a big success for Bentley. Well, it better anyway, as the British luxury automaker has a lot of eggs in that basket.
The...
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Volkswagen announces European fixes for "defeat device" dieselsVolkswagen announced today that the German Federal Motor Transport Authority has accepted its proposed fixes for the EA 189 four-cylinder diesel engines with the "defeat device" emissions cheating software. In Europe, at least, those changes won't be too extensive. For the 2.0-liter engine, the...
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Sebastian Vettel Wins 2015 Race Of Champions: VideoThe Race of Champions has been held since 1988 as a means of pitting drivers from all types of racing against each other in equally prepared cars. This year's Race of Champions, which was held November 21-22 at London's former Olympic Stadium, featured 20 racers, and four-time Formula One champion...
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2016 Ford Focus RS first ride reviewFord Motor Company [NYSE:F] is in the midst of a run of performance cars like we have never seen before. The Shelby GT350 and GT350R Mustangs are arriving right now. Next up is the all-wheel-drive Focus RS, followed by the SVT Raptor, and then the king of them all, the reborn GT. The 2016 Focus RS...
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2017 Lincoln MKZ Gets Major Update, 400 HorsepowerLincoln today introduced a major update for the 2017 MKZ mid-size sedan, highlighted by a new grille from the Continental Concept car and a new 400-horsepower twin-turbocharged V-6. Most noticeable is the look. The MKZ, which is scheduled to go on sale next summer, will be the first vehicle to get...
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Technology Preview: We Drive Honda's 10-Speed Automatic TransmissionIt wasn't too long ago that a six-speed automatic transmission was state of the art. Then we got seven-speed, eight-speed, and nine-speed units. One of the nine-speeds, designed by noted transmission manufacturer ZF, has given multi-speed transmissions a bad reputation. Paired with four-cylinder...
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I got into this business in late 2001. At the time, I couldn't wait to drive the Jaguar XK. It was a beautiful swoopy coupe that looked, for the lack of a better word, special. Then I got into it,...
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2017 Mercedes-AMG C63 S Coupe first drive reviewThe Ascari Race Resort is a European country club for those who like to drive fast rather than golf. Situated in Malaga, Spain, near the Mediterranean Sea, it’s a playland for well-heeled Europeans to flog exotic machines, bask in the sun, and be pampered by the resort’s staff. Top Gear...
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2016 Scion FR-S Release Series 2.0 Bides Time Until Mid-cycle UpdateWe're big fans of the Scion FR-S, even if the rest of America isn't. Scion's sporty coupe is a blast to drive and its skinny tires and handling balance are designed for drifting, despite a lack of power under the hood. Even as it prepares an updated version of the FR-S hatchback coupe, Scion is...
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Quick Spin: We Drive The 2017 Acura NSX, Ever So BrieflyThe second-generation Acura NSX isn't due to be released until next spring, but Acura is giving early rides to some media outlets. Last week, Acura had a preview test drive at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, and this past week I had the chance to get a few minutes behind the wheel on the high-speed oval...
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Mighty Micro: We Drive The Tiny But Fun Honda S660Not many Americans know about it, but Japanese domestic market (JDM) enthusiasts are hoping Honda will bring its tiny new S660 roadster to the United States. Classified as a kei (micro) car in Japan, this lightweight roadster is powered by a turbocharged 0.66-liter three-cylinder engine that puts...
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Honda Studying Four-Motor EV, We Drive A PrototypeSince the rebirth of the electric car movement this century, several automakers have toyed with the idea of powering a car by positioning a motor at each wheel. Honda may be the closest to realizing the concept. We spent a day at Honda's R&D campus a couple of days before the 2015 Tokyo Motor...
Kirk Bell