The Fiat 500 is a hot hatch in caricature: small, nimble, and visceral. But like any good caricature, the most prominent features are accentuated to the extreme. Among its counterparts, it’s rather small, darty, and very vocal. I mean loud. Disturb the neighbors loud. It’s all part of […]
The Ford Fiesta is a brilliant little car. It’s the ideal mass market subcompact; well built, efficient, and enjoyable to drive. For an enthusiast, though, the Fiesta doesn’t stand out from the crowd. The hot hatchback market is full of cars that are more exciting to look at […]
Ford has had great success with the release of the Focus ST. Now the smaller Fiesta is getting the same ST treatment. Despite being on the market for just over a year, Ford has learned a lot of lessons from the Focus ST. First, they found they could make […]
More power: a simple formula to turn an ordinary car into a performance machine. Mazda, with its performance roots, bestows a select few of its models with that special treatment. The results are badged Mazdaspeed. Adding “speed” to the name of a model is a bold move. What […]
The Chevrolet Camaro is so engrained in American culture that it is recognizable by even the most automotive-illiterate passerby. This isn’t just the case with the latest version. Show someone a picture of any Camaro, and they’ll be able to confirm that it is, in fact, a Camaro. […]
“You’re going to get some eyes with this one.” As the delivery driver handed me the keys to a 2013 Chevrolet Camaro SS Hot Wheels Special Edition, it sounded more like an omen than a passing comment. It turns out he was very right. The Hot Wheels Special […]
We enjoy hatchbacks for their good looks and real-world practicality. We’re especially fond of hot hatches with their added power and driver involvement. This Spring we’ve driven a wide variety of hatchbacks, from the Kia’s hot hatch cousin, the Hyundai Veloster Turbo, to the efficient and stylish Lexus […]
I must start with an admission. I have been fairly outspoken about my dislike for matte paint calling it dull, unimpressive, and generally useless to the general public. While matte paint might not be the best option for every driver, the matte gray paint on our tester turned out to […]
As you read this, we’re on our way to the 2013 New York International Auto Show. We warmed up for the trip by spending some time at our local car show, the Albany Auto Show. There was added incentive to attend this year; General Motors was bringing a […]
“Why don’t you stop in and drive an Abarth?” That was the invitation we got from our friends at Armory Fiat not long ago, and we instantly decided to take them up on that. Should you ever receive such an invitation, don’t pass it up. This is one […]
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