Car of the Day: 2013 Cadillac ATS

The Car: 2013 Cadillac ATS AWD 2.0T Perform Collection Where I drove it: Detroit, during the North American International Auto Show. First Impressions: There was a time when Cadillac nearly stopped being a car brand. The Escalade was both blessing and curse for General Motors’ luxury marque. It boosted sales, profits, and was the marquis ride of the big, unapologetic luxury era. Now, the days of Cadillacs and 26-inch rims seem like another... Read More

The 2013 Model Year In Cars

Last year I test drove 54 cars that are now in car dealerships. While I come nowhere close to Hilary Clinton’s miles, I covered considerable ground. Here are the highlights: • Cars have exited the homogenous era — there’s so many ways to do it modern, depending on your taste, mindset and preference. Now you can be greener and zippy in a tiny Fiat, bossy and emission-free in a Tesla Model S or moderately fuel conservative in the official... Read More

2011 Buick Regal Turbo: Driven by Lee Quinones x Tamara Warren

Lee Quinones and Tamara Warren drove the 2011 Buick Regal Turbo. TW: The 2011 Buick Regal was deemed the “cool black car” by one of its 2-year old passengers — and this title is not easily bestowed. This particular child has a penchant for all things fierce about car design. He’s right — the carbon metallic Buick Regal is a cool little car. It’s a marked improvement for the Buick brand, which has been redrawing it’s... Read More

We’re #1: Gotryke Takes 2011 Chevrolet Volt Fuel Efficiency Challenge

The numbers in, and Team Chelsea/Tamara from Gotryke are #1. Look at the list and you’ll see that we outdistanced our competitors with 12 miles to spare on the 46 mile trip from Romulus to Rochester. We’re not popping bottles just yet — we’re  wave three and there’s two more waves to go.  If we win, we see a 2011 Chevrolet Volt in our near future. It’s in the smoothness, baby. Tweet This Post Read More

2011 Chevrolet Volt: A champion in the making

Live from metro Detroit: This new is just in. My car is in the running for the top spot on the Volt challenge that’s been going on all week as part of the 2011 Chevrolet Volt launch. The challenge was to drive from DTW to Rochester Hills with the best fuel economy. My  co-driver, the electric car guru Cheslea Sexton and I navigated like pros through rush hour. More details to come on the ins and outs of this revolutionary car and the final... Read More

Designing Women of GM: The Intersection of Art, Culture and Car Design

It only takes one person in charge to change the rules. General Motors was ahead of the game when it came to diversifying the design department. Design director Harley Earl’s so-called  “Damsels of Design” were a group of about a dozen automotive designers. These women  helped shaped the interior and arguably the aesthetics of Cadillacs and Buicks dating back to  1934. The impact of their work culminated in the 1958... Read More

Get ‘em while their hot: Lee Quinones on the Pontiac G8 GXP

Our resident critical artist Lee Quinones is in awe of the Pontiac GXP. If Pontiac was to go out with a bang on the eve of their demise from the GM landscape, then the 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP was the golden child that was just a tad too late. The minute I sat in this thing, it demanded it be driven, and drive it I did. It read to me as in, “I’m taking you out for a spin, Human!” The interior was crazy comfortable and firm. The leather... Read More