Cars

Buick is a car brand that has almost universal name recognition in the United States (and likely much of the world). Unfortunately it suffers from a perception problem that it is "and old man's car" and they've even embraced that with the "That's a Buick!?" marketing campaign. I'll be fank - when I was invited to Palm Springs earlier this week, there wasn't a single car in their lineup that I was excited to drive. However, I accepted the invite because I really love working with GM and the company has treated me VERY WELL over the past couple years. What I discovered after spending some time listening, feeling, and driving a few different vehicles was that this is a brand that is worth considering if you are looking for what they describe as, "Attainable Luxury."

I'm back from the annual SEMA show and that means lots of shop talk about what the future might bring for the automotive industry. Unlike the regional auto shows though, this one is about flashy things and concepts that are designed simply to show what "Might Be". One such example was the ridiculous - but super cool Toyota Tundra PIE truck that was designed to be zero emissions since it uses a hydrogen fuel cell. It's undeniably cool... but while the promise of hydrogen is vast, the reality is that hydrogen is far from the perfect fuel for cars of the future.

The California desert is a weird and wonderful place full of mystical energy and people drawn there by it. That's why it makes such an amazing place to explore since there are stories and places that seem almost too weird to be true. One of these that I heard about earlier this year is simply known as Giant Rock. As you can imagine, it is indeed a giant rock out in the middle of the desert but over the decades it also served as a gathering point for UFO conventions, a guy even lived below it (before blowing himself up), and before that it was considered a sacred site by the indians inhabiting the area. It is also a great trail for beginners looking to get familiarized with off road driving since it's only three miles long and you'll have cell phone reception the entire time... but you feel like you entered a whole different world when you get there.

Going on a trip with your girlfriend sounds like plenty of fun. Well, perhaps not as exciting and wild as traveling with the boys but pretty good nevertheless. One thing about travel though is that it either strengthens relationship bonds or creates deep irreparable cracks.

Your choice of wheels becomes an extension of your personality all too often. Are you a "Truck Guy" or "That Guy Who Bikes to Work?" Your choice there ends up defining other aspects of your life such as what time you wake up, get yourself dressed, eat some breakfast, commute to work, even what you do with your buddies afterwards. If you are feeling like you need a change in your life, don't worry some new wheels might be just the thing to get everything back in order.

Yes, you read that right! The folks at Papadakis Racing have revealed their latest build, a 1,000 horsepower Rockstar Energy Drink / Nexen Tire Toyota Corolla Hatchback that will be competing in Formula Drift races this year. Here's a look at what it takes to transform a stock front-wheel-drive 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback into this rear-wheel-drive beast.

The desert is an amazing place to explore - on road as well as off. Despite the fact that some people might think it is dead and desolate, this is an environment that is incredibly dynamic. Dangers as well as beauty can pop up at any moment and disappear just as quickly. One of these dangers is sudden dust storms or sandstorms. They are most common in the deserts of North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula but also in parts of the United States including California, Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico.

While American sand storms are often smaller in size than what might be experienced in the Saharan Desert, the danger to motorists can be similar. Here's what to do if you find yourself in a sand storm.

You’ve owned a motorcycle for a while now, love it to bits, and would like to take it with you on holiday. Even better - why not make your entire holiday about your motorcycle? A full-on motorcycle trip isn’t just for bearded guerilla soldiers and you can easily make the trip as pleasant as possible by ensuring a few things before you head off.

What's a "sports truck" you ask? For me, it's just like how a sports car is designed to go faster and turn quicker so you can do stuff others can't - this truck can go places and do things other trucks will never be able to. It's also designed for the person who doesn't simply want a "practical" vehicle. They want something that is an object of desire and affection. It's a vehicle that you instinctively crave from the moment your eyes first lock onto it. That's exactly what the 2018 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 is... and I'm hooked!

Everyone has at least one car they would love to own, or at least find themselves behind the wheel of. I have about 100 cars I would like to own, and the 2018 Aston Martin DB11 V8 is one of those vehicles. The DB11 is not practical, economical and certainly not inexpensive. This car drips chic and distinction. Driving this car turned out to be one of my road-going highlights of the past 12 months. The performance and grand touring road experience make this coupe a very livable exotic piece.

Baja California, Mexico is a legendary peninsula that has some of the most beautiful coastline, mountains, valleys, and vistas of anyplace on Earth. It is also a playground for some of the most wealthy and adventurous people in the world who love to test their physical endurance and technical ability as a driver during the Baja 1000 and other races held here. We recently had a chance to spend four days here, driving a Baja challenge car that had actually completed the Baja 1000 course and it's an amazing experience. What you might not know is that there's no credentialing authority, so all you need to do to compete is show up with a car and pay your entry fee!

At this year’s 110th edition of the Chicago Auto Show, the buzz was all about trucks and SUVs as they continue to rack up record sales. Alternatively, almost every automaker touched on their autonomous vehicle programs, but no one will discuss when day zero will happen, or how autonomous vehicles will affect sales.

Winter is here, the snow has started to fall, and you've decided you're going to make a couple of extra bucks plowing driveways. Now what? It goes without saying that you'll need a truck, and to get the job done right you'll need the right truck!

Last weekend Victor from Male Standard joined me on a road trip from Atlanta to Nashville in an incredibly fun Titan XD truck. Along the way we ate BBQ, drank beer and whiskey (while not driving!), threw axes, and celebrated the boys of fall starting with the College Football Hall of Fame and ending in the Nissan Suite for a Titans game in Nashville.

Changing your oil is one of those things that most people just take for granted and don't really consider anything more than the fact that they have to do it every few months. While I'll never been on an pit team, most of us "have a guy" that can do it and a few of us even have actually done it themselves. But most of us really have never considered why we do it and what that oil actually does for us. For me, the first time I saw the difference between clean engine oil and the dirty stuff on my dipstick, I was amazed.

This is a different sort of Raptor review. The Ford Raptor is hands down the most fun truck or SUV that I've had the chance to test - ever. While most reviews focus on it's extreme off road abilities as a Baja racing truck that you can buy from a dealer vs building your own. The truth is that the truck goes way beyond that and after spending a few days testing it out with my wife and another couple during a getaway to Borrego Springs, California, I'm even more impressed. This is far more than just "dad's toy"!

Last weekend I had the opportunity to attend at NASCAR race as a guest of Kelley Blue Book. Over the course of the weekend, I came to realize that like any sport there is a high level of complexity involved in NASCAR that may be confusing to new fans. With NASCAR racing though, I think it gets even more complicated since it all seems so simple initially. So many people think all that it is simply a driver pressing the gas pedal down and turning left. In reality though, there are so many levels of complexity that the races can be fun to watch for new and old fans alike... but with a little help getting started.

NASCAR haulers are an absolute marvel that has the ability to transform from a truck that hauls stuff from race to race into a high-tech mobile command center. Over the years, I've walked by hundreds of NASCAR haulers but never had the opportunity to go inside and see what it looks like and how the team actually uses it on a race weekend. Thanks to Kelley Blue Book though, I got my opportunity when they invited me to join them at the New Hampshire Motorspeedway.

One of the challenges - and frankly the thrills - of having a 4x4 truck is seeing how capable it really is. The challenge with that though is that sometimes the line between awesome fun and danger is blurred and you never really learn except by making mistakes. That's why I absolutely love the fact that the state of California along with some local off road clubs created this amazing park located just east of San Diego with marked challenges and obstacles ranging from the absolutely insane to beginner. This also gave us the perfect place to test out and compare the TRD Pro trucks that Toyota had given us to play with.

Most sports fans dream of visiting a favorite stadium, birthplace, or hall of fame at some point in their lives. For most sports though, there is an inherent challenge with that since everything is so spread out. For instance, while Cooperstown might be a great place for baseball fans - it's nowhere near a major league stadium. With NASCAR in particular, Charlotte is THAT PLACE. Not only is this the home of one of the finest NASCAR tracks that I've ever visited - but they also host the NASCAR Hall of Fame, team garages, parts and technology innovators, and you can even follow in the footsteps of racing legends like Dale Earnhardt by visiting his hometown.