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Concepts, Gadgets, and Self-Driving at CES 2017

Jan 6, 2017 by John Harrington

If there was any doubt in your mind that autonomous driving features would arrive quickly in consumer vehicles, maybe you should pay attention to CES this year. With the Detroit Auto Show mere days away, the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas provides a good opportunity for automakers to show off what their research and development teams are capable of pulling off with some of their more outlandish ideas. Of course, CES is a day of concepts and thematics more than actual car reveals, but it can be a great way to gauge how the automotive industry feels it will evolve given its current trajectory.

Buy a Bolt and Fund a Tahoe?

Last updated: Oct 23, 2019 at 11:56AM
Published on: Dec 23, 2016 by tgriffith

What if the fledgling electric car industry was just a ruse to sell more earth-polluting fossil fuel-powered trucks and SUVs? The federal government’s fleet fuel-economy requirements and the California Air Resources Board’s ZEV credits aren’t just creating a small market for EVs, they’re fueling the fire for gas-powered vehicles that defeat the purpose of EVs.

Case in point is the new Chevy Bolt, a masterpiece EV that finally makes a practical vehicle with a 200-mile range accessible to the majority of the car-buying population.

Those who buy one, though, may not be saving the planet, but subsidizing the sale of gas-guzzlers.

Mazda: The Car to Drive or the Car to Own?

Dec 15, 2016 by tgriffith

2017_mazda_3 Think back to 2002, when the all-new 2003 Mazda6 came onto the market and redefined what a sport sedan could be for families. I still remember the first one in my neighborhood. It was bright red, sleek, and looked nothing like the Accord sedans and Dodge minivans that littered the suburban area. The driver would come in to the neighborhood way too fast while us young parents vocally chastised his reckless driving but secretly wanted to be just like him.

The Mazda6 brought some zoom-zoom to the previously bland sedan segment and changed things forever. Now we’re coming up fast on 2017 and the Mazda6 still has that sporty spirit and has spawned a smaller, equally-as-fun Mazda3.

But there’s a problem in zoom-zoom land.

Costco’s Christmas Corvette: A Good Deal?

Dec 14, 2016 by tgriffith

2017-chevrolet-corvette If you’ve ever dreamt of a Corvette under the tree with a giant red bow on top, Costco may be your best bet for making it happen. The discount membership club has long offered an auto program through which members can get pre-negotiated deals on cars, but this winter, for the first time, the deal extends to America’s supercar.

There’s been a mixed response on whether Costco’s deals are better than what any regular Joe can negotiate on his own, but at the very least the Costco price saves a buyer the hassle of negotiating.

To be clear, buyers don’t actually purchase cars through the warehouse. They must still buy through a dealership, but typically work with a salesperson familiar with Costco’s program to get the Costco-approved price. Trade-ins can still be negotiated as part of the deal.

How good of a deal is buying a new Corvette through Costco?

The 2018 Regal: Hottest Buick Ever?

Last updated: Oct 23, 2019 at 11:51AM
Published on: Dec 7, 2016 by tgriffith

Buick Avista Concept Buick Regal
When was the last time you heard the words, “Whoa, that Buick is hot!” The answer is probably never, because those words are rarely assembled together in an English sentence. That’s likely to change as Buick continues to build cars that look nothing like the Buicks of the past.

Truth be told, though, Buick’s design has been surprising auto journalists and car buyers for the last five years or so. In fact, millennial car buyers may not even remember when Buicks were exclusively for grandpas.

With the new Regal, spotted ahead of the Geneva Motor Show and based off the stunning Avista concept, we can officially declare, without hesitation, that Buick is hot.

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