My Grandmother used to have this green carpet in her house that was perfect for rolling my Matchbox and Hotwheels cars around on. It was low cut and green and for some reason it left imprints of the wheel marks in it when I would run them through it. That was over 35 years ago and believe it or not but that carpet helped cement me as a die-hard car enthusiast. It’s funny what gets us into cars. Perhaps a particular event in time sparks our interest. Or maybe it was a person or situation. Other times though it could simply be the sound of a well tuned engine. The following video is the story of Roger Gisseman and his love of British cars. Gisseman is the type of enthusiast who not only keeps the hobby going strong, but thanks to his eclectic taste, makes it a bit more enjoyable for everyone by throwing in a little variety.

Source: RalfBecker.com

Recently, I attended the Carlisle Import and Kit Nationals show at the Carlisle Fairgrounds in Pennsylvania. Held every May, this show features a vast array of meticulously maintained classic British, European and Japanese cars, exemplary examples of their more modern kin, as well as a beautiful collection of kit cars.  As far as sheer variety in makes, models and years, hands down, this show can’t be beat.

This has become something of an annual treat for me as I can think of few better ways to spend a weekend than by gazing at a gleaming sea of jaw-droppingly stunning automobiles, many of which I guarantee you won’t find at other shows. Plus, participation is open to anyone with an import or a kit car – all you have to do is register, make your car pretty and show up. It’s a great opportunity to display your cherished ride and meet other aficionados of your favorite marques.

I used to come down to show my Saab and hang out with the Saab contingent that makes it out every year. But even though I have a Subaru now, it’s just so much fun that I continue to make the trip to Carlisle (my WRX was parked over by the lone DeLorean, if you happened to be there). Volvo, BMW and Audi clubs also traditionally have a large showing so the weekend is packed with the cars you love, cars you haven’t seen before, your friends from the forums, barbeques – it’s a good time for everyone.  So, if you’re not too far out from Pennsylvania, I definitely recommend heading out there next May to check out the Carlisle Import and Kit Nationals. To tide you over, provided for your viewing pleasure are some of my favorite cars of the weekend. Enjoy!

Lancia Scorpion

Matte black Volvo V70R

Opel GT and Opel Kadett Coupe

Volvo P1800S

Saab 9-3 Viggens

Ferrari 360 Modena and 328GTS

Citroën 2CV and Smart Roadster Coupe

Gorgeous Audi Quattro

Fiat 124 Spider Abarth

Twin-charged Audi A1

Volvo S60Rs

Saab 99 Turbo

Badass Volvos: PV544 and 142

DKW Junior de Luxe - DKW/Dampf-Kraft-Wagen became one of the four companies that comprised the "Audi NSU Auto Union AG" (now known as Audi AG).

Triumph TR8 and TR6s

Saab 96 V4 convertible - must have been a custom job.

Bimmer Beauties

Datsun 280ZX 10th Anniversary Edition

Citroën H Van and DS

Audi A7

Honda Z600 / 600 Coupe

Saab Sonetts

Datsun SPL311 Roadster

Opel GT

Chevy Sonic Z-Spec. Image: © GM Corp.

Next week at the New York Auto Show, Chevy will officially unveil the new Sonic Z Spec. Enthusiasts everywhere will yawn, since the Z Spec package includes graphics and appearance accessories only. You can add a flashy vinyl wrap package, a rear spoiler, a ground effects package and either 16 inch or 17 inch painted alloy wheels. If you want mirror caps or chrome exhaust tips, you can order those from the Z Spec catalog, as well as custom sill plates and aluminum pedals for the inside. What you can’t get is anything to make the car go faster, handle better or stop quicker.

The Sonic replaces the outgoing Chevy Aveo, and will be in your local dealership by the end of the year. The new subcompact will feature a turbocharged 1.4-liter engine good for 138 horsepower when mated to a five speed manual transmission, or 135 horsepower when bolted to Chevy’s six speed automatic. Fuel economy figures have yet to be approved, but Chevy expects the Sonic to return over 40 miles per gallon on the highway. Unlike the outgoing Chevy Aveo, which was built by GM Daewoo in South Korea, the new Sonic will become the only subcompact built in the United States, at Chevy’s facility in Orion Township, Michigan.

The Fiat 500, outside of NYC. Image: Chrysler Group, LLC

The Fiat 500 is the first car to be sold under the Fiat brand in North America since the Italian manufacturer vacated these shores back in 1983. There’s a lot riding on the diminutive, retro-modern commuter car, which can only count on the cute factor for initial sales. If the Fiat 500 isn’t equal to or better than competitors from Ford, Mini, Honda and others, it won’t generate the expected sales results, which could impact Fiat’s future product mix in the United States. In other words, Fiat has a lot riding on the success of the 500.

One of the reasons for buying a sub-compact is fuel economy, and the EPA just rated the Fiat 500 at 30 mpg city, 38 mpg highway and 33 mpg combined when equipped with a manual gearbox. Automatic transmission 500s get a rating of 27 mpg city, 34 mpg highway and 30 mpg combined. That’s good, but certainly not great: both the Mini Cooper and the Honda Fit get a combined fuel economy rating of 31 mpg, while the Ford Fiesta is rated at 33 mpg. Even Hyundai’s new Elantra, which has enough interior room to classify it as a midsize car, gets a combined fuel economy of 33 mpg.

Fuel economy alone isn’t a reason to buy a car, and none of the competitors have the “European chic” factor going for them like the Fiat 500 does. I haven’t driven one yet, but I suspect the 500 will have a distinct personality to accompany its looks, and that will be enough to move inventory.

Source: Left Lane News

The 2012 Buick Verano. Photo: © GM Corp.

Buick is set to show their third new model in two years at the upcoming Detroit Auto Show. The Verano is Buick’s entry into the compact luxury segment (although I have a hard time writing “Buick” and “compact” in the same sentence), and will slot into their product line below the recently launched Regal sedan. John Schwegman, Buick’s VP of marketing, sums up their reason for launching a compact sedan as follows: “Verano expands our lineup, continues Buick’s momentum and gives us a great opportunity to attract a new generation of customers with a product that delivers on their expectations for design, performance and technology. It is a smart choice that delivers unexpected luxury in a compact sedan – and it will compete head-to-head with competitors from Audi and Lexus.”

The Verano’s exterior styling carries over design themes penned for the LaCrosse and the Regal, and the interior is chock full of comfort as you’d expect from Buick. Buick emphasizes the interior’s “Quiet Tuning”, so think of this as an isolation chamber on wheels, just like its bigger brothers. I’d expect the suspension to be tuned fro a plush ride and not for handling, but that’s what Buick buyers expect. Power will come from a 2.4 liter Ecotec four cylinder engine (the same used in the Regal and the LaCrosse), but the Verano’s smaller size will be a better fit for the 177 horsepower. Buick says the Verano will hit 60 miles per hour in eight seconds, but I doubt many buyers will ever test Buick’s claim. A 2.0 liter turbo version will be offered sometime after the cars launch in the last quarter of 2011.

Source: GM Corp.

PRO’s: Great interior, great styling, great road manners and oh so quiet.

CON’s: Short on power, may be tight for taller drivers.

FINAL THOUGHT’s: An American small car that just rewrote the rules on what an American small car should be.

Believe it or not but the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze was one of those rare vehicles that I couldn’t wait to get my hands on. I’d had first seen it in person back at the Washington DC Auto Show in early 2010, and from that moment on I had a feeling that the car was going to be a hit. With its sights dead set on stealing customers away from such cars as the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, the Cruze seeks to deliver consumers a compact car that is anything but. The first thing you notice about the Cruze is that it is a good looking automobile, not a good looking small car, but a good looking automobile. This particular Cruze was an LTZ model equipped with the RS appearance package. That means unique rocker moldings, RS emblems on the lower front doors, as well as a unique front fascia that incorporates stylish fog lights. The rear fascia is also unique and includes a blacked-out center section with chrome strip and rear deck-lid spoiler. Combine that with the Cruze’s sporty 18-inch wheels and you now have a car with a decidedly European look about it.

If the exterior of the Cruze is good, then the interior of the car is excellent. Generally cars in this market segment are on the spartan side and feel cheap when it comes to interior amenities and quality. Nothing in the Cruze though feels out-of-the-parts-bin cheap, in fact it’s quite the opposite. By using inexpensive materials in different ways, the designers at Chevy were able to pull together an interior that has the feel of a car in a much higher price bracket.

One such example would be the use of a soft cloth weave material that covers the passenger side dash and door inserts, both front and rear. It’s a nice touch that gives the interior a softer feel, as opposed to just slathering everything with molded plastics. The seats were leather clad buckets that were more than comfortable enough for everyday driving. The drivers seat came equipped with 6-way power adjustment, with the passenger seat being an 8-way manual unit.

They were also heated, which was a nice touch especially with the cold Northeast climate we’re currently dealing with. The steering wheel was also leather wrapped and extremely comfortable. So much so that I was wishing it had been used in the Chevrolet Camaro that I recently tested.

The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze has room enough for four adult passengers, although if you’re over 6-feet tall like myself, you will find yourself feeling a bit cramped. This goes for both front and rear seating. When it comes time to get comfortable and or get your groove on, have no fear as the center stack controls are well laid out with everything being within easy reach. One thing I can’t stand though is the blue digital readout screen that is located above the HVAC controls. It’s cheesy and for some reason reminds me of a mid-90′s StarTac cell phone.

Take a look behind the steering wheel and you’ll see a highly sculpted cluster that includes large chromed ring tachometer and speedometer dials, temperature, fuel gauge and drivers information screen. This provides you with a readout of everything from your fuel economy to OnStar navigation directions (if your car is so equipped). I should also mention that the trunk is huge with 15.4-cubic feet of cargo space. That’s 3.4 more than the Honda Civic and 3 more than the Toyota Carolla. The interior of the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze LTZ is light years beyond anything Chevrolet has ever put in a compact car before, and they should be commended for it.

Get the Cruze on the road and you’ll immediately notice that it has a decidedly sporty feel to it. Steering inputs are crisp and weighted nicely, thus tempting you to search out your favorite twisty road. The problem however is that when you get there, the Cruze’s 1.4-liter Ecotec Turbo just doesn’t have the stones to get the 3200 lb. car moving as you’d like. According to Chevrolet the little mill makes 138 hp and 148 ft-lb of torque. Not terrible numbers, but just not enough to make the Cruze as fun as the car looks and feels. Put the pedal to the wood and you’ll get to 60 mph in just over 9-seconds. That’s about the same time as the new Chevrolet Volt electric plug-in. Again, not terrible, but the Civics and Jetta’s I’ve driven feel decidedly healthier in the engine department. What Chevy should do is drop in their new 220 hp turbo inline-four that’s in the new 2011 Regal CXL Turbo. Do that and they’ll have a compact car that budget minded enthusiasts can really get behind.

The 6-speed automatic transmission shifts smoothly and even has a sport mode that lets you shift manually if you so choose. Forget about trying to spin those 225/45/18 front tires though, because unless you’re on ice, it’s not going to happen. I have to say that I was also pretty impressed by the brake pedal feel on the Cruze. The pedal was nice and firm, allowing the driver to bring the car to a halt with confidence.

If the Cruze’s 1.4-liter Ecotec does anything, it delivers great fuel economy. They say it’ll get 24 mpg city and 36 hwy. The 24 part I believe, but the 36 mpg on the super-slab may be pushing it a bit, unless of course you’re cruising at exactly 55 mph. I was able to muster a solid 27 mpg in combined driving which wasn’t too bad, especially since I was a little heavy on the pedal. It must also be pointed out that the Cruze is VERY quiet when it’s on the road. Tire and wind noise are at minimum levels, which is something that I didn’t expect from a car in this price bracket.

My 2011 Chevrolet Cruze LTZ with the RS package came in at $24,260 on the sticker. That’s cheaper then a comparably equipped Honda Civic EX-L with automatic transmission and similar options and on par with that of a 2011 VW Jetta (again, with similar options). What struck me most about the Cruze after my time with it, was that it always felt like a high quality automobile. From the quiet ride, to the sporty handling, to the doors that go “THUNK” when you close them. Simply put, the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze LTZ was a confidence inspiring, inexpensive automobile that I would recommend to anyone who asked me about it.

* Hey Chevy… just keep in mind what I said about that 220 hp turbo inline-four that you’ve got stuffed in the new 2011 Regal CXL Turbo. It could really work here!

I haven’t seen Jay Leno smile this much since he got the Tonight Show. And the thing that put that smile on his substantial visage? A 65-horsepower three-wheeled commuter vehicle, the Persu tilting trike. The aerospace-inspired contraption is actually the Carver One, a Dutch invention that didn’t quite make it off the ground. Thankfully, the technology has been licensed by Persu, who plans to sell it stateside with a new, sleeker body and a hybrid drivetrain.

Source: Jay Leno’s Garage, Persu

Leno has an absolute blast in the trike and calls it the most fun he’s ever had in a commuter vehicle. He interviews Terry Murphy of Persu, who oddly fails to mention anything about the trike’s background. In fact, he seems to claim its many engineering feats for himself. Odd, that.

The Persu will be a re-bodied Carver One, a trike built by Dutch engineers way back in the turn of the century (early 2000s). It uses an electro-hydrolic system to tilt its body in turns, giving it a fighter jet feel. The two-seater is powered by a turbocharged 660cc Daihatsu kei car power plant that puts out about 65 horsepower.

The Carver One most famously appeared on Top Gear in 2002. After piloting the little pod, Jeremy Clarkson said:

“I have to say, absolutely hand on heart, that I’ve never had so much fun in a car, really and truthfully, and I don’t think I’d ever tire of it.”

Despite the rave reviews, Carver only sold 200 of the vehicles. Trouble is, they planned on selling 300. The shortfall was enough to bankrupt Carver. The engineers behind the Carver One, however, licensed its tech to Persu.

It’s perplexing that Murphy neglected to mention any of this during the interview, despite the clearly visible “Carver” badge on the vehicle’s nose. And the praise from Leno. Still, the trike’s a blast and the revised Persu looks even more like a jet fighter than its Carver One papa. Hopefully Persu can make the little jet work on U.S. soil.

Strangely, Terry Murphy of Persu didn’t

According to Autonews.com the Honda Motor Corporation said it would be recalling over 1-million Honda Fit compact cars due to some defective headlight wiring. The recall encompasses all 143,000 cars that have been exported to the United States, the 385,000 that have been sold across Europe as the Jazz, as well as all cars sold in Asia, the Middle East and Africa. A Honda spokesman stated that the entire cost of the recall would run around $43 billion U.S. dollars, an amount that would have a small impact on Honda’s overall earnings. The good news is that as of yet there have been no accidents and or related incidents due to faulty wiring.

Source: Autonews.com

This past weekend I found myself talking to a few buddies about cars we loved and which cars we could simply do without. Most of the cars built today are actually quite good. Sure they may have some flaws here and there, but for the most part they’re comfortable, well built and drive ok. We conversed about every major manufacturer, but when it came time to single one company out, we almost all unanimously chose the car that you see above – the Smart Car. People, I absolutely hate this little thing. So much so that I would rather see it pushed off a cliff on fire than have it sitting in my driveway. Now I know that there are some of you that are going to chime in and say that the Smart is a great little car, that it’s economical and fits a certain lifestyle, but I am here to tell you that for the most part…. your wrong. Keep in mind also that one of the people in this conversation was a Smart car owner and he hates the flippin’ thing.

When the car came out in the U.S. a few years ago people jumped on the Smart Car bandwagon and laid down money before they had even driven these things. They figured that since they were already for sale over in Europe that they had to be good, but boy how wrong they were. First off they’re grossly underpowered, they have what’s most likely the worst transmission in all of motoring and if they get hit by anything more than a stiff fart they’re likely to blow off the road. Combine that with a terrible ride and sketchy handling characteristics and you’ve got the makings of a ride that should have never been sold on this side of the pond. Now, if you live in a city like Manhattan, never ever plan to go over 45 mph and need a car that fits anyplace, then fine… the Smart may work for you. Otherwise though if you are in the market for a small car I would HIGHLY recommend that you look elsewhere.

The current Chevrolet Aveo is a tiny little puddle jumper of a car. It’s cheap (around $12,500), economical (35 mph hwy) and provides one with basic transportation to and from their destination. Over the last 10 years Chevy has been trying to revamp their image, and with cars like the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze and 2011 Camaro, they’re actually doing a pretty good job of it. As the Aveo goes the way of the dodo bird, we’ll be greeted to a new replacement called the Sonic. The Sonic will basically be a redesigned Aveo with new sheet metal, interior and a more youthful image that GM hopes will help drive sales.

The head of marketing for Chevrolet in the U.S. states, “The new car is roomy, stylish and fun to drive, and Sonic is a youthful, energetic name that helps convey what this vehicle is about.”

We agree that it’s time for the Aveo to leave town, after all it’s been around for over 6 years now and is beginning to get a bit stale. I have a feeling that the new Sonic will help breathe a little life into the micro car segment, especially if GM packs if full of standard features and prices it right.

Source: AutoNews.com