Don't confuse this post with the ubiquitous "10 Favorite Cars" or "Cars for My Dream Garage" discussion. Those lists pertain to cars one might want to possess, but this list is merely a tally of cars I think any automotive enthusiast would benefit from driving.
The idea here is that, even if a given type of car doesn't float your personal boat, your understanding of automotive history, as well as the current automotive universe, will benefit from seat time in these 10 cars. In a perfect world you wouldn't just drive these cars around the block once, or even to a local car cruise. You'd live with them for at least 24 hours to really get an understanding of what they're about. And you don't always have to drive these exact models to glean automotive wisdom, so I'll try to list alternatives where appropriate.
And yes, when I say "He" in the title above I mean any automotive enthusiast, regardless of gender.
Now, on to the list:
Continue reading…
Categories: Driving, Karl on Cars
I find myself in a conundrum. I'm a certified techno-geek, and I'm also a huge proponent of personal responsibility/accountability (versus expecting Mother Government to protect us from ourselves).
However, the latest announcements from CES and the Detroit Auto Show suggest a level of in-car information, and potential distraction, even I'm starting to question.
Continue reading…
Categories: Car Audio and Technology, Driving, Talk Back Tuesday
I spent last week driving the new 2010 Volkswagen Golf through the country formerly known as Eastern Germany. A full Test Drive on the Golf will be forthcoming, but suffice to say it's very much like the 2009 Golf -- except a little better in every way (when you've got the best-selling car in Europe it's not easy -- or smart -- to make radical changes).
While the new Golf wasn't much of a surprise, the driving experience over three days and 300 miles in Deutschland was. I'd driven in Germany before, but it was 10 years ago and mostly through the congested streets of Frankfurt. This time I drove from Wolfsburg to Dresden to Berlin, with a few side trips in between.
I was also driving with Csaba Csere, former editor of Car & Driver, and one of our many conversation points was the vastly different driving experience between German and the U.S. roads.
As such, I'd like to present the Top 10 Differences Between German and American Drivers:
Continue reading…
Categories: Driving, Talk Back Tuesday
I just returned from an 1,100-mile towing adventure involving our long-term 2009 Dodge Ram 1500
and my 1970 Plymouth GTX. In terms of drama it had to be one of the most boring tow trips I've experienced. The Dodge proved extremely capable over the mountain passes between Denver and Los Angeles, and even the triple-digit temps in Arizona and Nevada didn't upset the truck's cool, collected demeanor.
But not all my towing adventures have been so blissful. So for the benefit of those who like to learn from others' screw-ups, I present 5 Towing Tales to Terrorize:
1. When I was about 8 my aunt gave my oldest brother her car. It was a 1954 Chrysler New Yorker station wagon. It was actually in pretty good shape overall, but the engine wouldn't run so my Dad decided to tow it home...from Pennsylvania to Colorado...with our family station wagon and all of us aboard. It was going well until the Chrysler came unhooked in Kansas. At night. In the middle of a blinding snow storm. It took awhile to locate it, but thankfully it had landed in a famer's field with no real damage. We talked to the farmer, left it there, and eventually had it towed the last 500 miles by someone who knew how to properly hook up a tow bar.
Continue reading…
Categories: Dodge, Driving, Muscle Car, Road Trips, Talk Back Tuesday
Just back from a vacation that included several days in New York City. I'd been to New York a few times before last week, but every trip was a work-related endeavor that left little time for simply enjoying the city. And yet, every time I'd been there I'd enjoyed the city more than I expected.
So I felt it was time to find out how enjoyable the city is when enjoyment is the only reason to go. Also, as indicated during last Tuesday's blog entry, I wanted to see how much of a "car town" New York really is (or isn't). I think I had a sense of both issues before going to NYC for a vacation, and yet the depth of how each affected me is something I couldn't foresee.
First, how enjoyable is New York when your only agenda item is to enjoy New York? Well, here's a word I didn't expect to use for America's largest population center: charming. Yes, the city is downright charming. And not just from a "I want to be entertained at 2 a.m." perspective (though it shines there, too). No, it's even charming for a family of four, with two kids ages 8 and 10. Whether walking Times Square or meandering in Central Park or even just sitting at an open cafe enjoying the best "people watch" in North America, the city offers as much family-friendly entertainment as Disneyland or Six Flags.
But you may notice in my description of New York fun that I have yet to mention a car-related activity (cruising, showing, street racing, canyon carving. etc.). This brings me to my second question: How much of a car town is NYC? Not much at all, really. And you know what? That's why I LOVE it!
Continue reading…
Categories: Driving, Talk Back Tuesday
It's summer time, and that means everyone, (including me) is traveling the country, taking in the sights and visiting new (or maybe old, familiar) places. I'm personally spending today flying to New York City to enjoy the sites and sounds of that singular metropolis. Even more exciting, I'm picking up a new, 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T as my ride around the Big Apple.
As you may have guessed, this is a press vehicle. However, according to the window sticker (it was faxed to me last week) this Challenger is equipped almost exactly as I would equip one for myself -- right down to the Deep Water Blue color. On one hand I'm thrilled to be driving a performance car I'm personally drawn to, but on the other I don't really think of New York as a car town. It's crowded with narrow streets, lots of stop lights and no where to park. Heck, you can't even drive through Time Square anymore.
That got me thinking. If I had access to this Deep Blue Challenger R/T and could go to any city to enjoy it, where would I go?
Continue reading…
Categories: Dodge, Driving, Muscle Car, Road Trips, Talk Back Tuesday
As I write this I've just driven home in a brand new, 2010 Volvo XC60 featuring the new "City Safety" system. This is a system that will completely stop the new Volvo crossover's forward motion, independent of driver input, if you are traveling at less than 20 mph and show no sign of stopping yourself before hitting a solid object (wall, fence or another vehicle). The idea is that even the best of us can have a lapse in judgment or attention, but the car will turn an otherwise costly at best (and potentially deadly at worst) low-speed collision into a non-event. I've tried the system out, and it does indeed work. It can't discern a pedestrian- or motorcycle-sized object, yet, but Volvo says a later version of City Safety will.
This experience comes three weeks after driving a Bentley Continental GTC Speed from Napa to Los Angeles. The Bentley features adapative cruise control, allowing it to match the speed of vehicles in front of it regardless of the speed set in cruise control. These systems have been around for a couple years, but it took that 400-mile jaunt for me to fully realize the extent of its powers. Basically, you can set the speed at just about any velocity (say, 85 mph) and then use surrounding traffic to modulate your speed -- all without ever hitting the brake or gas pedal. Once you get confident in the system's ability (it took me about 100 miles of freeway driving) you realize how much easier it makes long-distant travel. Basically, you just have to steer -- at least until Bentley or someone else comes up with a fully-automatic lane-guidance system. Then you won't have to do anything.
Finally, this afternoon I saw a press release for the new Mobileye Accident Avoidance System. This is an aftermarket modification that can be added to any vehicle for approximately $1,000. Once installed it provides much of the same features listed above, including forward collision warnings and lane departure warnings.
It's clear we're rapidly moving into a world where cars will not only possess advanced radar systems (effectively letting them "see" as well or better than the driver), but they will also make decisions for the driver based on these systems.
Today's question: Is this technology making us better or worse drivers?
Continue reading…
Categories: Car Audio and Technology, Driving, Future Vehicles, Safety Systems, Talk Back Tuesday
So I'm cruising through Beverly Hills last week, returning from the Infiniti G37 Convertible event, when I spot this sign on the corner of Sunset and La Cienega. Between logistics and time I rarely drive on Sunset these days, and with the near constant state of traffic on this famous boulevard I don't much miss it.
But seeing this sign unexpectedly sends my mind cascading back 20-plus years, to West Colfax Avenue in Denver. It's the summer of 1986, and I'm spending nearly every night (certainly every weekend night) crusing "the 'Fax" in a 1969 Plymouth GTX. Blame one too many viewings of American Graffitti if you must, but the thrill I get immersing myself in a cornicopia of cars piloted by similarly bright-eyed youth is addictive -- I simply can't get enough. The stories from those days are many -- most of them unfit for print.
But for the first time, gazing at this sign, I came to a sad realization: cruising is a dead past time. Between its ecological implications and modern's youth's preference for technology over traffic it's hard to imagine anyone under the age of 30 choosing to spend hours in low-speed cruising on a Saturday night (though plenty of Angelenos are forced into it against their choice, and not just on Sunset).
Continue reading…
Categories: Driving, Muscle Car, Talk Back Tuesday
It's not everyday I can drive a Ford GT through the more picturesque parts of California with a like-minded enthusiast. Okay, technically I can drive the car wherever I want whenever I want to, but in reality my schedule leaves precious little time for galavanting around The Golden State's backroads.
However, earlier this week I managed to escape the daily routine and meet up with friend and co-worker, Brent Romans, for a romp through California's central valley. Our mounts of choice? One 2005 Ford GT and one 2008 Chevrolet Corvette (with six-speed manual transmission and Z51 suspension package).
Continue reading…
Categories: Chevrolet, Driving, Ford, Ford GT, Road Trips
About a year ago I commented on the fate of traditional manual transmissions
, and basically predicted their complete demise in the next few years. I'm not happy about that prediction, but 11 months later I stand by my statement, as I see nothing to stop the imminent death of three-pedal cars.
Another comment I made in that post related to the lack of flexibility offered by F1-style (or automated clutch) transmissions that are rapidly replacing both traditional manual transmissions as well as conventional automatics. This statement springs from the notion that when the driver fully controls the clutch he also controls how much clutch is or isn't utilized. This can come in handy in situations where the "on-off" nature of automated clutch transmissions are a liability.
For instance, if you get a vehicle into a situation where it is sliding (on public roads or at a race track) you may be able to save it by slightly disengaging the clutch and allowing the drive wheels to regain traction. There are a million variables at work here, and I'm certainly not suggesting traditional clutches will keep drivers from ever crashing. But having this level of control over the clutch is simply another tool at your disposal with a manual transmission; a tool you don't have with F1 transmissions.
After driving our long-term Nissan GT-R I discovered yet anonther option I don't have with automated clutches, and as this list of "can't-do-that-with-paddle-shifters" builds my enthusiasm for F1 transmissions falters.
Continue reading…
Categories: Driving, Talk Back Tuesday
As pointed out by one KoC
reader (thanks maxwell3), an op-ed piece in Sunday's New York Times
has taken what seems to be a pretty logical position on the subject of automobile accidents and speeding. Essentially, Mr. Sepkowitz feels that too many people die every year in automobile accidents (a reasonable declaration), and he attributes one-third of these deaths to speeding.
His solution is pretty straightfoward: "...quit building cars that can exceed the speed limit."
As Mr. Sepkowitz points out, "Most cars can travel over 100 miles an hour -- an illegal speed in every state."
Can't argue with that. Is the solution as simple as limiting every car's top speed to the legal limits? Umm...no. Actually the holes in Mr. Sepkowitz "logic" could sink the Titanic, but I'll try to cover them all before Kate and Leo are floating on wreckage.
Continue reading…
Categories: Driving, Talk Back Tuesday, Traffic Safety
Last Friday's post
about "Car Guys versus Posers" brought up some interesting points regarding what does -- and doesn't -- count toward car-guy status. I think everyone has their own opinions on this topic, but I'm willing to put mine into self-test form to help you determine your car-guy credentials.
With this test I'll try to take every aspect of car guy-ness into account (i.e. while I'm not personally into modern motorsports I won't discount that as a viable aspect of being a car guy). And while it would be easy for such a post to degenerate into a series of cathartic chides against said posers, I'll avoid that...for the most part.
And to state the painfully obvious in an overly politically correct world -- yes, you can can have two X chromosomes and still be a "car guy." Also, if you have to use google, wikipedia or any other reference source to answer these questions you're not only a poser, but a cheater.
Test begins after the jump:
Continue reading…
Categories: Driving, Talk Back Tuesday
It's not every day you can see a Ferrari California Spyder leading a Cadillac V16 in a slow parade onto the 18th green at Pebble Beach Golf Course, but the image above is just one of many great sights and sounds I experienced over the past three days.
The 2008 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance was a celebration of cars from as far back as 1896, though most of the vehicles that caught my eye were from 1960 or newer. However, seeing several examples of the Cadillac V16 gave me a new appreciation for the brand's history. Would love to see GM's permier division produce a 16-cylinder engine for the 21st Century. Various economic and geopolitical issues suggest that's unlikely...
This was my third trip to the Pebble Beach Concours, and the first time I did the early-morning (5:30 a.m.) arrival to see the cars arrive in the morning (versus looking at them already parked on the fairway). Yeah, it's a brutal time to get up, but well worth it to see (and hear) the cars moving under their own power.
Beyond the Pebble Beach show I attended one auction and witnessed the widening chasm between what car sellers want and what car buyers will pay. The market for all but high-end, perfect, no-stories cars has shifted. The sooner the owners of cars not fitting that description face this reality the sooner they can realistically decide if it's time to sell or hold. Right now, they are wasting a lot of time and money putting cars on the block with fantasy-land reserves.
I also attended the Concorso Italiano at its new Marina Airport location. The short version? It was cold and windy and everyone hated it. I don't know where this show will happen next year, but it won't be at the Marina Airport.
Continue reading…
Categories: Auto Shows, Driving
I just saw an article
in USA Today about how Nissan is going to "help drivers become more fuel efficient behind the wheel."
No, we're not talking variable intake manifolds or cylinder deactivation or even extra transmission gears. This latest fuel-mileage breakthrough comes in the form of an argumentative throttle pedal.
Specifically, the throttle will "press upward when it senses motorists are speeding up to quickly." In other words, if you try to go "too fast" the pedal will resist your efforts by pushing back against your foot.
I'm not sure I can capture all the frightening aspects of this "technology breakthrough" in a single blog, but I'll try.
Continue reading…
Categories: Driving, Fuel Efficiency, Nissan
If you visit the NHTSA site
, among others, you can find reams of data regarding traffic accidents by city, state and region.
But I'm more interested in the what the statistics don't capture -- driving style and behavior, and how they vary around the country. An article in yesterday's Wall Street Journal discussed the concept of different driving (and jaywalking) styles across different parts of the country and planet. The article was introducing a new book called "Traffic" by Tom Vanderbilt.
It got me thinking about the differences I've noticed between the two states I've spent the most driver's seat time in: California and Colorado. I just returned from an L.A.-to-Denver-and-back-again road trip, so the differences are fresh in my mind.
Continue reading…
Categories: Driving
