June 12, 2013
- We've got a bright aluminum Airstream camper hitched to our rear bumper as we head up Southern California's coast because GMC says that 60 percent of all fullsize pickup owners will use their trucks for towing. Rather than forcing us to absorb its capabilities in a long-winded PowerPoint presentation, the automaker brought us to Los Angeles and handed us the keys to its all-new 2014 GMC Sierra 1500. After jumping behind the wheel of a 5.3-liter V8 model, we drove up the foggy Malibu coast (...
June 11, 2013
- While a lots of the driving games shown off at this year's Entertainment Electronics Expo (E3) leverage the vast power of the new Xbox One and Playstation 4 consoles, Polyphony Digital's Gran Turismo 6 will attempt to squeeze one more round out of the venerable Playstation 3. After playing a short demo version of GT6 here in Los Angeles, we can see both upside and downside with that strategy. On the positive side, though we don't know the official release date just yet, it's extremely likely...
May 8, 2013
- Since I’ve gotten myself started on a racing theme (see a recent entry in my “Memoirs of an Independent Repair Shop Owner” column), I figured I’d keep it going with this BB entry. Harkening back to the day when a wide variety of motor racing was solidly positioned in the Greater Los Angeles Public Consciousness, [...]
May 6, 2013
- GM is recalling 38,197 model-year 2012-13 Chevrolet and Buick eAssist light hybrid cars due to a problem with circuit boards in the trunk that could cause a fire, according to the Los Angeles Times. Affected vehicles include Chevrolet Malibu Eco,...
April 17, 2013
- GM is reportedly set to unveil a pair of new midsize pickup trucks for the 2015 model year. Their debut could take place at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November, according to Mark Reuss, President of General Motors North America. Buyers have turned away from this market segment in recent years, also marking the withdrawal of Ford and Chrysler. GM is now hoping to reverse the trend by targeting people after a sportier, more fuel-efficient truck that maintains most of the capabilities of its...
April 5, 2013
- Erwin "Cannonball" Baker shares a part of GMC truck history for his New York to San Francisco run in this 1927 pickup. The trip took 5 days, 17 hours and 36 minutes, an impressive feat considering the shape of cross-country roads in 1926. It was just one of 140+ point-to-point jaunts by Baker, in motorcycles (mostly Indian) and autos. Baker is probably best known for his 1933 Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, also called the Cannonball Run, a record-setting 53-1/2 hour...
March 24, 2013
- Rob Golden, a Los Angeles-based writer, can’t recall the last time he owned an American car, “unless it’s the Chevy my parents drove when we moved to California when I was 10.” But when Golden's son, Daniel, 23, was looking for a new car, he opted for a Ford Fiesta, despite his father’s suggestion that he buy a Toyota Camry or Corolla. “I just think it’s cooler looking and a lot more fun to drive,...
March 18, 2013
- You wouldn't believe it by looking at the Corvette in these pictures, but the driver of the Chevrolet that slammed into the back of this moving truck survived with only non-life threatening injuries. The crash occurred near Los Angeles on the southbound 405 Freeway on Monday, March 4. Fire crews reportedly had to raise the moving truck in order to extricate the driver, who escaped perhaps the worst possible death imaginable - decapitation - by simply ducking prior to impact. What's supposed to...
February 13, 2013
- Initially launched at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show last November, the 100% electric 2014 Chevrolet Spark will make its European debut next month at the Geneva Motor Show. Equipped with a 20 kWh lithium-ion battery, the Spark EV regains up to 80% of its capacity in approximately 20 minutes using DC fast charging. Full AC charging requires about 6-8 hours. Meanwhile, the GM-designed permanent magnet electric motor delivers more than 130 hp (100 kW) and allows 0-100km/h acceleration in under...
February 11, 2013
- We may see the all-new Escalade at the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show
February 7, 2013
- On Wednesday, Consumer Reports issued a story taking umbrage with the auto industry's move toward smaller, turbocharged engines, noting its own testing revealed that many such powerplants fail to deliver their promised fuel economy numbers. The story covered a variety of domestic and foreign automakers, with Ford and Chevrolet featuring prominently in the discussion. Hyundai was also mentioned for its Sonata Turbo, but the Korean automaker's family sedan came within one observed mile per gallon...
January 31, 2013
- During the Los Angeles Auto Show last November, Audi told us that it would be bringing four new diesel-powered models to the United States this year. The first to arrive is the 2014 A8L TDI you see here, and we've now learned that the big oil-sipper will be priced from $82,500, (*excluding $895 for destination). The whole new range of diesel models will be powered by Audi's 3.0-liter TDI V6, good for 240 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque in this application. Of course, Quattro all-wheel...
January 11, 2013
- The 2013 Chevy Cruze Eco lived up to its fuel-economy numbers during Cars.com Family reviewer Carrie Kim’s test drive. She achieved the “hybrid-worthy number” of 42 mpg during a weekend driving around Los Angeles. But that’s not the only thing...
January 10, 2013
- As a jaded automotive journalist, exposed to some of the world's finest automotive machinery on a regular basis, it takes something extraordinary to raise my pulse. Yet here I was, standing in the chilly underground vault of the famed Petersen Automotive Museum, and I was getting choked up. Last month, the Los Angeles museum opened its hidden storage garage (located beneath its concrete parking structure) to the public for guided tours intended to last just a few weeks over the holidays....
January 2, 2013
- Brands like Jeep, Land Rover and General Motors' now-defunct Hummer all come from rich military backgrounds, with their forebearers having proven their ability to tackle just about any terrain, from desert to jungle. Each has faced the difficult challenge of evolving from battle-tested off-road vehicles to civilian-ready status symbols. For Land Rover, which is arguably to New York City and Miami what the Toyota Prius is to Los Angeles, this is especially true. Yet even so, the British...