The 718 Boxster and Cayman have taken over as the cheap Porsches of the day, sort of like modern-day 914s. Yet those of us who got into inexpensive classic Porsches another way have been left in the dust. Porsche made brilliant front-engine, rear-transaxle cars in the 70s, 80s and 90s, and they owe us a new one. This year marks the 40th birthday of the lovely Porsche 928, a fascinatingly innovative car that was originally meant to replace the then-aging Porsche 911. Not only did it look like a spaceship in comparison to Porsche’s flagship 911, and come with state-of-the-art lightweight aluminum parts, but it offered one killer feature above all others: a transaxle in the rear. A transaxle combines the rear differential with the transmission, putting power to the wheels in one neat little package. It also helps balance out the car by moving the transmission’s weight from the front to the rear. Distributing the weight evenly among both axles makes a car handle better, even … [Read more...] about Why Porsche Needs To Bring Back Its Brilliant Front-Engine Transaxle Cars
Cheap 90s sports cars
Top Gear’s Japan Episode Blew My Mind With ’90s Sports Cars
By a show of virtual hands, how many of you saw the newest Top Gear episode that aired over the weekend? The Japan episode? Was your mind blown? Because mine sure was. To recap, this episode was very much in line with past Top Gear specials in that it didn’t really follow in the traditional Top Gear format. There was no celebrity segment or hot lap segment. Instead, we were treated to an hour-long program devoted wholly to an examination of Japanese car culture by Chris Harris, Rory Reid and Matt LeBlanc. It was good. We started off with a segment where a Lexus LC500 and Honda Civic Type R went head to head against each other at the track. Then Harris and LeBlanc were given a challenge to each buy a cheap, used, ’90s-era Japanese car at auction and then complete a set of challenges with it. Reid, meanwhile, went off on his own to experience some underground Tokyo car culture. To begin, the animated visuals in the Lexus vs. Honda episode were killer. The stylized opening … [Read more...] about Top Gear’s Japan Episode Blew My Mind With ’90s Sports Cars
Ford files patent for a car that can birth an electric motorcycle
By Chris Preovolos Updated 2:47 pm, Tuesday, May 1, 2018 window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-5', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 5', target_type: 'mix' }); _taboola.push({flush: true}); window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-10', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 10', target_type: 'mix' }); _taboola.push({flush: true}); window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-15', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 15', target_type: 'mix' }); _taboola.push({flush: true}); window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-20', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 20', … [Read more...] about Ford files patent for a car that can birth an electric motorcycle
The best cars with quirky engines
Who wants to just drive a boring old turbodiesel? The four-cylinder engine has dominated the automotive landscape for years. It’s a humdrum choice that does everything without fuss… but rarely is something that gets you fired up. You don’t dream of driving the nuts off a 2.0-litre turbodiesel. But you might if you have something a bit more exotic or unusual under the bonnet. Here are some ways in which you could spice up the drive to work simply by choosing a different way of powering it. Let’s start by giving it the vees V8 Perhaps the world’s most popular ‘vee’ engine, there’s nothing quite like a good old V8. They make a lovely noise and usually serve up creamy performance by the bucketload. And such ubiquity means prices can be cheap – from just £3000, for an old BMW 540i, Audi A8 or Jaguar XJ. Buy, run for six months, then sell before your luck runs out. If you double your budget, you can get a V8 SUV, such as a Porsche … [Read more...] about The best cars with quirky engines
90 SUV/crossovers? And another 90 luxury models? How many are too many?
NEW YORK — Demand for sport utility vehicles in the United States is booming, but the number of new models vying for a share of that market is growing even faster, threatening the fat profits automakers have enjoyed. At the New York Auto show this week, automakers will unveil another flock of SUVs ranging from a revamped Toyota RAV4, Toyota Motor Corp's top-selling model in 2017, to flashy new luxury Cadillac and Lincoln SUVs. Premium brands such as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV's Maserati that once dealt exclusively in low-slung sports cars are getting into the game. "I think everyone has read the same tea leaves - right now there seems to be insatiable demand," said General Motors Co's Johan de Nysschen, referring to SUVs and crossovers. De Nysschen, the head of GM's Cadillac luxury division, spoke to Reuters on Wednesday while standing next to the brand's new XT4 crossover model. "Everyone is going into these segments with compelling new entries," he said, "and that means there … [Read more...] about 90 SUV/crossovers? And another 90 luxury models? How many are too many?