Wednesday, March 19, 2014

2014 Ferrari FF Review

    Ferrari's FF hatchback kind of confused me when it was first released, but now I understand how great of a car it is. It is a two-door hatchback that has four seats, and best of all, a 6.3 liter V12 that produces 651 horsepower and 504 pound-feet of torque. 0-60 takes a very short 3.7 seconds to a top speed of 208 mph. The interior is simple, mainly because the Ferrari is meant to be fast on a track, not a chauffeur-driven car that smells like an English mansion. It does have a second row but it is somewhat cramped and has only two seats. Rear-seat entertainment is optional, as well as a somewhat ridiculously overpriced baby seat that is branded with the Ferrari logo.


Tuesday, March 18, 2014

2014 Bentley Mulsanne Review

    Bentley's Mulsanne sedan has been around since 2011, to replace the aging Arnage. It rivals sedans such as the Rolls-Royce Phantom, and has a base price of $298,000. The monster of an engine is a twin-turbo 6.75 liter V8 that produces 505 horsepower and an incredible 752 lb-feet of torque. 0-60 takes a respectable 5.0 seconds and has a top speed of 184 mph. The interior is arguably the best part of the car, thanks to the diamond-quilted leather and the enormous list of color, leather, veneer, and options. One of the most interesting parts of the car is the $33,000 iPad picnic tables option, which can be ordered with a Wi-Fi hotspot, dual DVD headrest players, and a champagne fridge that includes 3 hand-crafted flutes for your choice of beverage. You can also opt for a set of luggage that fits perfectly in the trunk and mimics the interior scheme.


Monday, March 17, 2014

2014 Mini Cooper S vs. 2014 Fiat 500 Abarth

    These two tiny city cars are very cute, practical, and get good gas mileage. But one is Italian and one is British. So, two different personalities in a very similar package. But which is better?

2. Mini Cooper S

    The Mini Cooper has been around since the 60's and got a major facelift in 2000 and has received some minor changes since. The engine you get in the S trim level is a 184-hp turbocharged 2.0 liter 4-cylinder that propels the car from 0-60 in 6.4 seconds. So I guess it doesn't really "propel" the car, more like "moderately roll it in a laid-back fashion." But other than the slow acceleration, the car is extremely fun to drive. It isn't especially good on the track, but the experience on-road is one of the most fun to drive cars that aren't among Lamborghini and Ferrari supercars, which are very fun as well. But its performance is not as good as it should be, so it loses this comparison.




1. Fiat 500 Abarth

    The Fiat 500 has earned a place in my heart for being one of the most hip and stylish cars of the last 2 years, as well as being one of the cheapest good cars. The Abarth-spec 500 has a turbocharged 1.4 liter inline-4 that produces around 160 horsepower and 170 lb-feet of torque. A little less powerful than the Mini, but better performance. And anyways, who cares if it has 20 horsepower less than the Mini if it is more fun to drive and faster? 0-60 takes around 6.2 seconds and gets a very good EPA rating of 28/32 mpg. I think it is a better car than the Mini because it has most of Fiat's attention, where as with the Mini, their attention is spread out to many cars, like the Countryman and the Paceman.



Sunday, March 16, 2014

Pick Your Favorite: Muscle Cars

    Here are four muscle cars that have been around for quite a while: the Dodge Charger, the Pontiac GTO, the Chevrolet Camaro, and the Ford Mustang. My personal favorite is the Mustang, especially the Shelby GT500, which is the trim level that adds the incredibly powerful 5.8 liter supercharged V8 that produces 662 horsepower. But which is your favorite? Say in the comments below, and the one that gets the most votes I will get an article.

Ford Mustang
 Chevrolet Camaro
Dodge Charger

Pontiac GTO


2014 Rolls-Royce Phantom Extended Wheelbase Review

    When Rolls-Royce introduced the Phantom Family Series II in 2012, they kept all four members of the Phantom family. Those four include the Phantom, the Phantom Extended Wheelbase, the Phantom Coupe, and the Phantom Drophead Coupe. My personal favorite is the Phantom EWB mainly because of its presence and size. It is longer than a Chevy Suburban and has an equally large power plant. The engine is a 6.75 liter naturally-aspirated V12 that produces 453hp and 531 lb-feet of torque. I think the engine should be slightly more powerful, mainly because there are much smaller cars that make much more power, so a car this large should be extremely powerful. The interior is completely made by hand. For example, all of the wood veneers are hand-carved and polished. The leather is only from the best-raised cows and is hand-stiched.



Thursday, March 13, 2014

2014 Koenigsegg Agera Review

    The Koenigsegg Agera is one of the fastest street-legal cars in the world, as well a one of the most exquisite. It has a base price of around $1 million, which makes it one of the most expensive cars in the world. It has a 5.0 liter V8 that makes 1,340hp and guess what? It only weighs 1340kg so there is 1hp for each kg. Wow. 0-60 takes 2.8 seconds to a top speed of over 200mph. I think it is more interesting than a Bugatti Veyron, but I still think Koenigsegg needs more publicity.


Wednesday, March 12, 2014

2014 Hyundai Equus vs. 2014 Lexus LS460L

    The Hyundai Equus surprised the world when Hyundai released it in 2011. It was the first luxury car to ever be produced in the U.S. by a non-luxury manufacturer. The LS, on the other hand, pretty much created the large luxury sedan segment, when it was launched in 1990. But both cars start around $60,000 to $70,000 and are very luxurious. But which is better? We will find out soon!

2. Lexus LS460L

    It was very hard for me to pick a winner because I love both of these cars, but the LS lost not because it is too expensive, but because the Equus is even cheaper. The LS is still a very good car, with a base price of $78,440, it is considerably cheaper than a BMW 7-Series or a Mercedes-Benz S550. The interior is very plush and well-detailed, with available bamboo trim and an executive package that adds a center console that houses full seat controls and a cool-box in the back. 0-60 comes in 5.4 seconds from the 4.6 liter V8 that makes 386 horsepower.


1. Hyundai Equus

    The Hyundai Equus is probably one of the most strange cars on the market today because it is a full-size luxury sedan made by a non-luxury manufacturer. Kia just released the K900, another luxury sedan made by a normal car manufacturer. The interior has some little bits and pieces that very closely resemble a Mercedes-Benz or a BMW, such as the gauges or the seat controls. The backseat is not as comfortable as the Lexus but is more comfortable than most cars you will see on the road. The engine is a 5.0 liter V8 that makes 429 horsepower and 376 lb-feet of torque. 0-60 takes around 5.5 seconds.