RideLust

Thumbs Up: Drives a thousand pounds lighter than it is

Thumbs Down: Transmission is still just a five speed

Buy This Car If: You’re looking for America’s best blue-collar muscle sedan

Let’s say you enjoy road trips, the kind of which occasionally take you to a different time zone, just for a weekend getaway. You probably want a car that’s roomy, with enough space for four adults plus luggage. You want a car that’s fast, since the faster you get from point A to point B, the sooner you can enjoy some downtime. You want a car that’s good on gas, since time spent refueling is time not spent driving. Finally, you want a car with some entertainment value, just in case you decide to occasionally take the scenic route. Read More…

If there’s one thing that I’m an authority on it’s the road trip. You see I’ve traversed the United States in just about every way possible. From North to South, East to West and even diagonally and I’ve done it many, many times. Taking a road trip is one thing, but taking a road trip in an old car is something else entirely. New cars factor out many of the variables that make for a great adventure. Things like break downs, crappy mileage, lack of creature comforts and of course, the availability of parts. Now some of you may ask, “Why would you ever want to put yourself in a position where any of those things could come into play?” Well, the fact of the matter is this. Running an old car over thousands of miles gives you a sense of accomplishment.

It makes people stop, stare and ask questions and at days end, it’s also just more fun. The Reetz family recently took part in a West coast road trip in a 1930 Model A Coupe with a Miller OHV system and a carburetor and even though they brought a support vehicle you can bet it was one of the most memorable journeys they’ve ever had. Click through for the video and enjoy.

Source: RalfBecker.com

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Thumbs Up: Contemporary styling, comfortable ride.

Thumbs Down: Heavy on chrome and fake-wood trim.

Buy This Car If: You’re looking for a fuel-efficient crossover that can still carry five adults.

If Goldilocks were shopping Ford’s product lineup for an SUV or crossover, there’s a good chance that she’d settle on the not-too-small-but-not-too-big Ford Edge. It’s got more interior room (and higher build quality) than the outgoing Ford Escape, yet it’s smaller than either the Explorer SUV or the Edge crossover. In fact, for the average American family with 2.4 kids and a dog, the Edge is just about the perfect size. Read More…

In the annals of modern hot-rod design there is no question that Chip Foose is amongst the best in the business. His cars have been featured on television, in magazines, online and at some of the greatest car shows around the world. However, before Foose got into hot-rods he was, get this, a Volkswagen guy. That’s right, he drove a 1985 MkII Golf GTI, a car which he says, was one of his favorites and the car that provided him with much of his early inspiration. I suppose it should come as no surprise as the VW Golf, like the Porsche 911, is one of those rare automobiles that has simply evolved over time. Through the years it’s gotten better and better, and like Chip Foose himself, it’s never lost any of the emotion that the original one set forth all those years ago.

Source: RalfBecker.com

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Thumbs Up: May be the perfect American muscle sedan.

Thumbs Down: Thirsty when driven hard (as you’d expect).

Buy This Car If: Your idea of a weekend get away involves multiple time zones.

There are very few perfect things in life. Take enough pictures, and maybe you’ll eventually snag the perfect shot (hey, it worked for Ansel Adams). Try hard enough and you may concoct the perfect breakfast sandwich, to unseat McDonald’s Egg McMuffin (although we doubt that very much). Drive a particular track long enough in the same car, and you may eventually find the perfect line. Read More…

The Yugo was supposed to unite the Balkans under an umbrella of capitalism, to infuse the area with much-needed jobs and cash. Instead, the car was crap. Still, there’s something endearing about the little hatchback, something honest and pure. That’s why it still has a special place in our hearts—and why designer Milos Paripovic has re-imagined it as an electric. Oh, and also because he wanted to poke fun at electric cars.

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I’ve seen it done in an MG Midget, a 1968 Dodge Dart and hell, even in a Morgan Plus 4. I speak of course about shoehorning a GM LS-based small block into just about anything with four wheels. The GM small block is without a doubt one of the greatest creations in all of motoring. It’s lightweight, compact, cheap and with a few minor tweaks can make serious power. It’s no doubt then why every hot-rodder and their brother go with a small block when it comes time to power their vehicle. Obviously some swaps are easier then others. For instance, in the aforementioned Dodge Dart the procedure didn’t take much more then a few new motor mounts and some reconstructive surgery to make the transmission fit. However there are those who go in a more unconventional route. Take for instance this late 1980′s Porsche 911. I mean sure the engine is a tight fit, but one turn of the key will tell you that it seems right at home sitting at the wrong end of the car. Cool stuff right?

Source: Youtube.com

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Well it’s official, the Ford Raptor is now the baddest dude on the block. Not only is he big, standing a few feet over his competitors, but he’s as graceful as a ballerina and as capable as a billy goat. Seriously folks, if you are looking for a jack-of-all-trades pickup truck, then this is your boy. Senior Editor of Jalopnik, Mike Spinelli, recently took to the rock lands of MOAB, Utah to test out just how capable the Raptor truly was. He spoke of its new torsen limited-slip front differential, its new grille-mounted camera with a wide-angle lens, and the fact that these two things together helped them get “straight up Oprah’s Butt”, a feet that is, without a doubt, an accomplishment for any man or machine. But hell, don’t take my word on how good this truck is, or Spinelli’s for that matter, just click through for the video and watch for yourselves.

Source: Jalopnik.com

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The new Varley evR-450 electric super car can hit 62 mph in just 3.8 seconds, packs 900-plus torques and looks like a Nissan R390. It costs $200,000. It’s also based on the awesome, gas-guzzling $40,000-ish Superlite SLC coupe.

The evR-450 is assembled in Australia by Varley Electric Vehicles. It’s super-trick, featuring twin carbon ironless core AC motors with totally awesome-sounding Tritium Wavesculptor inverters. It has a semi-monocoque TIG-welded aluminum chassis with an integral space frame and weighs just 2750-ish pounds. Range? A comfortable 100 miles. Top speed? A disappointing 100-ish miles per hour. Are the batteries worth the extra cost of $200,000? Hit the jump to find out.

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Thumbs Up: Stellar interior, great content for the price.

Thumbs Down: Vague, over-boosted steering.

Buy This Car If: You want a domestic luxury alternative to the Cadillac SRX.

Like Rodney Dangerfield, Lincoln can’t get any respect. Ford’s luxury brand spent years mired in mediocrity, and now that it’s stepped up its game no one seems to know about it. Perhaps it spent too many years living in the shadow of now defunct Mercury, or perhaps it’s trapped in a time warp between its traditional (and aging) customer base and the younger luxury buyers it hopes to attract. Quirky styling aside, the Lincoln products I’ve driven offer a solid build quality and a surprising amount of content for the price. Read More…