Daily coverage of the world of cars.
The spectacular trees of New York State’s Catskill Mountains had to settle for backdrop status early last week. The New York City-based International Motor Press Association assembled a magnificent collection of cars, trucks, and motorcycles as well as a bunch of car and motorcycle writers at the Monticello Motor Club‘s (MMC) racetrack and extensive off-road course for IMPA Test Days 2016, 48 hours of intense on- and off-road testing.
Every year at about this time we get to announce, with varying degrees of enthusiasm, the annual Neiman Marcus Christmas Book car.
For the uninitiated, the Neiman Marcus car is an extravagant version of a vehicle typically priced much higher than comparable models at local dealerships. It’s always a limited edition and always sells out within hours, sometimes minutes, of going on sale.
Recent years have included worthy cars such as Aston Martin and Ferrari, as well as questionable choices such as a $95,000 Mustang and a limited edition Camaro.
How does this year’s choice stack up? Well, at $63,000, it’s definitely one of the least expensive Neiman Marcus cars to hit the catalog in a very long time. It’s also one of the best values.
Sport utility vehicles entered the automotive scene as 4×4 alternatives to station wagons, sedans, and minivans. They quickly became the go-anywhere, haul-anything preference for families across the United States. These were the vehicles that allowed drivers to skip the Holiday Inn and venture deep into the woods if they so desired.
They were large, heavy, and capable rigs that rode high and gave drivers a commanding view and comforting presence in the midst of the surrounding Civics and Corollas. The fact that early V8-powered SUVs sucked gas fast enough to watch the fuel gauge drop didn’t matter, because gasoline was cheap and the economy was strong.
Then the bottom fell out in 2007 and the game completely changed. Large SUVs became symbols of excess and waste. Filling their gas tanks required a second mortgage. Falling sales inspired a new breed of SUVs, one that could still haul up to 8 people, but compromised some off-road ability for more civilized fuel economy numbers.
It’s an evolution that continues into this day and is embodied by the new Audi Q7.
Automakers love the media attention they receive when one of their vehicles passes the million-mile mark.
It has happened a handful of times to the likes of Volvo, Toyota, Saab, and Chevrolet. Sometimes the owner of a million-mile car gets special treatment by the automaker and occasionally even drives away with a brand new car.
Of course, most cars self-destruct long before reaching the million-mile mark. Many don’t even crest 200,000 miles, and most owners start thinking that it’s time for a new car sometime after 100,000 miles.
Automakers face a conundrum of sorts because they want their cars to be long-lasting, but also want to make money by keeping people coming back for new cars. So how long should a car last?
The Jeep Commander has earned a spot on our list of the best “dead” cars to buy, but its successor might be worth waiting for if you have the desire for a luxury SUV that carries the name of a Jeep with a legendary past.
The Commander was supposed to be Jeep’s answer to the Chevy Tahoe and other large 3-row SUVs, but its dismal fuel economy sent owners and potential buyers running. The SUV probably would have been a success if it debuted in 2000, but the high gas prices and uncertain economy between 2006 and 2010 led to the Commander’s demise.
Now that we’re in more stable times, Jeep has decided that it’s time to try again, only this time it’ll be with an all-new Grand Wagoneer.