2014 Citroen DS3 Racing Review

     You might complain that this car isn't sold in America, so this review is useless and there is no consumer advice to it at all. But even if there isn't a purpose for this review, it still sets a great example for the Ford Focus ST, the Volkswagen Golf GTI, the Mini Cooper S, and lastly, the Fiat 500 Abarth. Here's why: all four of these "hot hatches"aren't actually as fun, sporty, or just plain exciting as the DS3 Racing. The DS3 Racing is loud, fast, and described by Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear, is kind of like a T-shirt. At first, I had no idea what he was talking about, but after he explained the metaphor, it made a ton of sense. They both are fun, and can have whatever you want on it. In this case, the DS3 Racing has orange decals all over the body with things such as a checkerboard roof or excessive writing all over itself. 0-60 takes 6.5 seconds, which isn't actually faster than a Focus ST, but is still considerably fast. The engine is a 1.6 liter four-cylinder, which produces 207 hp and 202 pound-feet of torque. Top speed is electronically limited to 146 mph, which is solid proof that Citroen's engineers could have made it faster. 

New Bentley SUV

    For the last year or so, Bentley has gradually released more and more teasers, trailers, and general information on the upcoming Bentley SUV. For a while, it was rumored to be called the Falcon, but now that is out of the picture. Bentley has been very private about the name, technical specs, and base price. I assume the base price to be north of $200,000, but it could be way more or less expensive. The interior and exterior has been unveiled, and it just kind of looks like a Bentley. There aren't many new styling cues and it looks like the Flying Spur sedan. In the engine department, there could be a 6.0 liter W12, a 6.75 liter V8, or even a hybrid setup. The interior will also follow Bentley code, with massive amounts of wood and leather, as well as a removable sunglasses holder, a rear-seat entertainment system, and an entire built-in picnic set. I am so excited for the new Bentley, and the Maserati Kubang and the Lamborghini Urus have a lot coming.

Comparison: 2014 Ford Mustang Boss 302 vs. 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z28

    Personally, I prefer a more subtle car, such as an Audi or BMW, but some people who have $50,000 to spend on a car get one of these two loud, crazy, obnoxious muscle cars. But even though I am not a fan, they still are quite incredible. 

2. Chevrolet Camaro Z28

    When the new-gen Camaro was released, I expected Chevy to put maybe a 4.5 or 5.0 liter V8 in the new Camaro, but instead, they carried over the new 7.0 liter LS7 V8 that now produces 500 hp and 470 pound-feet of torque. Even if it does 0-60 in 4.1 seconds, it somehow doesn't impress me at all. The interior is junky, the exterior is essentially the same, and its base price is $33,390 more than the Mustang's. It is pretty good on the track, and has good handling and cornering numbers, but isn't as exciting and extravagant as a Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, which always seems to want to kill the driver. I don't love the Z28, and I am definitely not proud of Chevy for creating such a disappointment. 

1. Ford Mustang Boss 302

     I guess if I had to choose one of the many muscle cars on the market today, I would take the Mustang, mainly because I support the Ford company more than Chrysler or Chevy, so I would take the Mustang. I like the engine selection better, I like the interior better, and I just prefer the feel of it. The Boss 302 has a 5.0 liter V8 that produces 444 hp and 380 pound-feet of torque. So, power is a bit down from the Camaro but is still crazy. 0-60 takes 4.1 seconds, which isn't faster, but is still noticed by crazy car fanatics who look extremely close at each performance number. And I like the Mustang, I like it more than the Camaro, it just isn't what I'd spend my money on.

2014 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Review

    When I first saw the Range Rover Evoque, I was a little surprised that Land Rover, a brand that makes traditional British off-road vehicles with good levels of comfort and luxury, created a stylish city car that is offered as a three-door hatchback or a five-door hatchback. I just thought: "what were they thinking?" But over the three years the Evoque has been in production, the car has grown on me because of several reasons: it is actually really good off-road, it is very upscale, and has a surprisingly powerful engine. Even if it only produces 240 hp from its Ford-derived EcoBoost four-cylinder, it has good pickup and produces more than a Volkswagen GTI or a Citroen DS3 Racing.  0-60 takes 7.1 seconds, which is somewhat disappointing. But it has beautiful styling inside and out, from its new headlights to its almost button-less interior. Its infotainment screen is a little slow, but that is a common trait for most Land Rover/ Jaguar products. I do have one complaint: why does Land Rover advertise it as a coupe or four-dour? Just choose one.

2014 Aston Martin DB9 Review

    I love the Aston Martin brand, and there aren't many flaws to its lineup of great sports cars. But there is one major problem with the company, and here it is: their cars are either too sporty or too luxurious. For example, the Vantage V12 or GT is very sporty and is very fast, but isn't very comfortable (as James May proved in the "Best Road Hunt" episode), yet the DB9 is extremely nice and cosseting yet lacks the speed it should have. But even their attempts of a good fusion are ruined by the ride, and are too watered down on both fronts. But I personally like the DB9 the best, and is is partly thanks to its predecessors. The DB5, famously presented in the James Bond movie Goldfinger, was pretty much an older, less modern version of this car.  It wasn't as powerful or fast as the Astons at the time, it was extremely nice for it's age, and was the choice car for a James Bond film! But going back to 2014, the new DB9 has the new version of Aston Martin's "6.0 liter" 5.9 liter V12 that produces 510 hp and 457 pound-feet of torque. 0-60 is claimed to take about 4.4 to 4.7 seconds, which is a good amount slower than the Bentley Continental GT Speed or a Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMG. But the highlight is the interior, which very closely resembles the interior in the Rapide S, which is essentially a four-door version of this car.

2014 Hennessey Venom GT Review

    I am quite sure that almost everyone who reads this blog have heard of the term hypercar, which is an extremely fast road-going performance machine. There is a good amount of hypercars on the market, such as the Porsche 918, the Bugatti Veyron, the Pagani Huayra, and the Ferrari LaFerrari. But there is one car that smokes the rest. Here's a couple hints: Steven Tyler has one, and it has a top speed of 270.49 miles per hour. Give up? It's name is the Hennessey Venom GT. It has a 1,200 hp 7.0 liter twin-turbo GM-sourced V8, which rockets the car to 60mph in 2.5 seconds, which is as fast as a Veyron Grand Sport. The torque figure is also incredible, which translates to 1,155 pound-feet. But the most interesting part about this car is the fact that is was created in Texas, which is not anything like where all of the European manufacturers create their cars. But anyway, the Venom is merely a step closer to what the ultimate sports car will look like, but who knows? It could be German, or Italian, or even from Texas. Who knows?

Best Chauffeur-Driven Car/Limousine

    There are many characteristics of an extremely wealthy person, such as they have big houses, or they wear nice clothes. But what is an absolute necessity for those multi-millionaire Oligarchs and middle eastern oil kings? What car should I get to be driven in? A couple years ago, it was a tough call, because you had two amazing choices: the Rolls-Royce Phantom, and the Maybach 62. But now, Maybach is dead, so there isn't much competition for the Phantom. The first car that comes to mind for me is the Bentley Mulsanne, which is actually quite similar, with the same engine displacement, same interior craftsmanship, and same British heritage to back it all up. But there is actually a good amount of choices, and they might not be as refined, but still are very nice. Some of these alternatives include the BMW 760Li, the Mercedes-Benz S600 Pullman, and the Audi A8L W12. But the real fighter is the Mercedes-Benz S600 Pullman, which is actually a super-safe German state limousine. It is so nice that even Chancellor Merkel is driven around in one. But what do you think? Write in the comments what your choice would be if you could get an uber-luxurious limo.

Comparison: 2014 Maserati Quattroporte GTS vs. 2014 Porsche Panamera Turbo S

    Okay, so we know that the  Maserati Quattroporte is better than the Jaguar XJR, but is there another rival for this beautiful speed monster? Truth be told, there is. Its name: the Porsche Panamera Turbo S. I am aware of the fact that many people are not very fond of the Panamera's styling (and by that, I mean can't stand), but I am one of the few people that actually think it is really cool. But what about more important things, like performance, amenities, or value? The Porsche might fall short in that department, thanks to its $180,000 base price. But which car is truly better? 

2. Porsche Panamera Turbo S

    Now you may think this loss is unfair, considering that the Panamera is faster, more powerful, and has better performance. But in reality, the Panamera is way too expensive and not worth the near-Bentley price. Even though it isn't worth the massive price, it still has a lot of things that the Quattroporte doesn't. For example, it has a 550-hp, twin-turbo, 4.8 liter V8 that makes the car do 60mph in a staggering 3.6 seconds. That's as fast as a Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG, which is half the size and is a sports car. But that's what the Panamera wants to be: a sports car, but it knows it has to be a sedan, which totally ruins the character of the car.

1. Maserati Quattroporte GTS

    I don't know why, but for some reason, I just love the Quattroporte. I see them every once in a while, and definitely less than I see Panameras. I see a LOT of Panameras, and honestly, I've got a little sick of them. But one really cool thing about the Quattroporte: the 3.8 liter twin-turbocharged V8 that produces 523 hp and 524 pound-feet of torque. Thanks to the massive torque figure, the car does 0-60 in a 1.1-seconds-slower-than-the-Panamera 4.7 seconds, which is a little slow for a car in this class. One pro for the Quattroporte: gorgeous interior. It is just absolutely beautiful, even if the 8.4-inch nav screen is Chrysler sourced.

BTW: Sorry I haven't been posting for a little while, I've just been really busy.

2014 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S Estate Review

    You know how some small percent of the car-buying market likes crazy-fast, super luxurious, superhero wagons? Well, if you are one of those crazy people who want to spend $100,000 on a wagon, you should definitely buy the E63 AMG S Estate because it is totally stupid. Yes. It is one of the silliest ideas I have ever heard of in my life. Seriously, who would spend that much money on a wagon. Or you know what? Why would a high-up manufacturer like Mercedes-Benz decide to make a 560-hp estate car that costs as much as an S-Class? It literally does 0-60 in 3.5 seconds! That's faster than an Audi R8, which is $40K more expensive and is a supercar! But somehow, the E63 AMG does it. It manages to accomplish its task yet still achieving what $200,000 cars can't. Maybe it's the steering, or the 5.5 liter twin-turbo V8, or even the beautiful interior, but whatever it is, it does its job so well.

2014 Mercedes-Benz SL550 Roadster Review

    It is not a secret that I prefer Mercedes-Benz to BMW, Audi, and Porsche. I find their car more luxurious, more powerful, and just plain prettier. I ike their styling a lot, and their 5.5 liter twiun-turbo V8 is quite amazing (even though the 6.2 liter is more interesting). I find the best compilement of Mercedes-Benz's greatness is the SL-Class. It has ecactly what Mercedes is known for: beautiful styling inside and out, great performance figures, and astounding build quality. There are 3 trim levels for the SL on the market currently: the base SL550, the 5.5 liter SL63 AMG, and the 6.0 liter V12-powered SL65 AMG. But today's topic is the SL550, which has a 4.6 liter twin-turbo V8 that produces 429 horsepower. That may seem like not that much compared to the BMW 650i, which makes 445 hp, but it isn't a waste because the car does 0-60 in 4.5 seconds. The interior is plush and upscale, with executive Designo leather, an optional Bang&Olufsen BeoSound sound system that produces 900 watts. I find the SL a perfect summary of what Mercedes-Benz is: a luxurious, fast, German company.

2015 Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG Review

    As we all know, the Mercedes S-Class is pretty much top-of-the-food-chain when it comes to luxury sedans. The new generation was revealed last fall, and for the next three years, they will release a new variant for the S-Class family. The cars coming out in a year or so are the S-Class Coupe, the S-Class Convertible, and the S-Class Pullman, which is a state limousine that is only bought by prime ministers, presidents, and royal families, even though it is advertised as "the perfect car for celebrities and heads of state." But moving on, the new S65 will be released really soon (yay) and will have an updated version of the previous 6.0 liter twin-turbocharged V12 that produces 621 hp and an astounding 738 pound-feet of torque. That incredible amount of power will be sent to the rear wheels via a 7-speed automatic transmission (even though there will be paddle shifters, which are kind of useless.) 0-60 is estimated to take about 4.2 seconds, which isn't as fast as I had hoped. Same thing goes for the top speed: limited to 155 mph. That's less than a ML63 AMG, which is totally not as cool. But it will be quite comfortable, with an optional "executive rear seat package," an in-car perfume dispenser that feeds in to the air conditioning, and the new electronic gauges. But I just wish this car had more competition. I mean, MotorTrend compared it to the Bentley Mulsanne, which is so much nicer and refined, as well as much slower, so why can't Audi or BMW make some sort of V12-powered super-sedan, like an RS8 or an M7?

2014 Mercedes G63 AMG 6X6 Review

     I am pretty sure everyone reading this blog has heard of the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, which is one of the best off-roaders of all time. It has been in production since about 1979 and has grown to be so much more since then. It used to be a stripped-out jeep-like thing for the German military, but over the years, it has received lots of off-road tech, a luxurious interior, and a very powerful array of engines. But about a year ago, someone in AMG headquarters in Affalterbach, Germany, found the blueprints for a design they had made for the Australian army. But then, someone said "why don't we put our 531-hp, 5.5 liter twin-turbo V8 in as the engine?" Obviously, that person was insane, considering putting that engine in a 9000-pound vehicle resulted in a 5.9-second 0-60 time, which is crazy, because that's sports-car fast for something the size of a sports-car factory. But the idea behind the 6X6 is that there needs to be a vehicle that is a little more interesting than a Range Rover and appeals to Dubai sheiks, and has incredible off-road capabilities with S-Class levels of creature comfort.

2014 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Review

    When I was choosing which Mercedes to write about first for Extreme Mercedes Week, I found it appropriate to write about Mercedes-Benz's flagship model: the SLS AMG. Currently, they only have the SLS AMG GT in production, which is sad, considering how great the SLS AMG Black Series and Electric Drive are. But anyway, the SLS AMG GT has one thing that is so pleasing to look at and open, and that's the beautiful signature Gullwing doors. They first debuted in 1954, and stunned the world by their beauty and innovation. But then , the car wasn't very fast, had no creature comforts, and wasn't refined at all. But looking back to modern times, Mercedes-AMG have created something so much more. Now, it has a hand-built naturally-aspirated 6.2 liter (even tough Mercedes advertises it as 6.3 liters) V8 that produces 583 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque, a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, and more soft leather than in all of Buckingham palace. Thanks to the massive amount of time and effort put in to the mechanics of this car, it does 0-60 in 3.6 seconds, which is incredible. But even though this car is so great, it will soon be replaced by a new supercar: the AMG GT. That car will be here in about a year or so and will compete with the Porsche 911. But we should live in the moment, and celebrate the greatness of the SLS AMG.

Week of May 12th: Extreme Mercedes Week!

     This week, I am starting up an idea I had. Everey couple of weeks, I will pick a specific week and car manufacturer to write about for the entire week. It will include stuff about the models, the entire model lineup, and probably a comparison or two. This week, the theme will be Mercedes-Benz, and Mercedes-AMG in particular. Let me know what you think of this in the comments below. Enjoy!

Best Car Reviews (YouTube, BBC America, and Magazines)

    There are many great car reviews out there. I could name over 30 different websites, blogs, magazines, and TV shows about cars. But there are only a few that I closely follow. Here they are:

3. Car&Driver Magazine

    I am 100% subscribed to this wonderful magazine and I find their reviews very in depth, helpful, and overall somewhat personal. For example, they reviewed the Mercedes-Benz GL63 in the February 2013 issue, and I could completely relate to what they said: Great noise, plenty of power, but isn't AMGy-enough to be worth the $110,000 base price.

2. SaabKyle04

     I am also subsribed to the YouTube channel SaabKyle04, which is the largest collection of automotive reviews on YouTube today. His reviews are incredibly in depth and carefully planned out that sometimes, I have to watch them in parts because since they are so in depth, they are usually abbout 30-40 minutes long. But his channel is veryimpressive, with over 1,500 videos.

1. Top Gear

    As the most popular TV show on the planet, Top Gear is so entertaining that even people who don't like cars watch it. Now on their  21st season, the show is actually a reboot from the 70's. The first season was presented by Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and Jason Dawe. In the second season, Jason was replaced by James May, nicknamed "Captain Slow." They also have the hardcore track driver "The Stig" who wears a white track driving suit, a white helmat, and he never says a word. But their reviews are very understandable, but at the same time, remain extremely fun to watch and worth an hour of your time.

2014 Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Review

    You know how Mercedes-AMG is one of the world's most advanced tuning companies? Well, the new SL65 AMG Roadster is a perfect showcase of their insane attempts to turn normal Mercedes-Benzes to eye-watering performance cars. It does an incredible job of wrapping everything Mercedes-AMG stands for in to one car. It has the biggest current AMG engine: a 6.0 liter twin-turbocharged V12 that produces an astounding 621 hp and a truly massive 738 pound-feet of torque. Now you may think this is more than enough, but since this still is a Mercedes, it has some many interior amenities that those levels of power are necessary to carry all of this unnecessary junk. But the interior is nice, with diamond-quilted Designo leather and the copy-of-iDrive COMAND head navigation unit. It only seats two, which is sporty but not nearly as practical as a Porsche 911 GT3 or a Jaguar XKR-S GT. It is about $70K more than those two, with another eye-watering number: $214,000. I find this redundant because why pay Bentley money for a Porsche-level car? But is is very, very, very, very fast. It does 0-60 in 3.9 seconds, and to a top speed of 186 mph. But what this car truly is a 6.0 liter animal with four wheels and some cow skin, which can be said the same about the Pagani Huayra and the Bentley Continental GT Speed. But this car isn't as special as those two. It just isn't worth the price of four Mercedes E-Classes.

Upcoming Cars

    As we all know, all carmakers (except brands like Buick) make a new car about every 4 months. Sometimes, the car can be wowing to the general public and very innovative, like the Lamborghini Huracan or the Mercedes-Benz S600. But other car releases can be dull, boring, and not very rejoiced, like the Pontiac G6 or the Volkswagen Tiguan. But these two categories both have something in common: they both take a lot of work. But there is always something you can find something that is interesting about a new car. For example, the new Toyota Corolla has a very nicely designed interior. But there is always new cars coming out, and here are some of them:

-2015 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe

-2015 BMW Alpina B6 Gran Coupe

-2015 Nissan GT-R NISMO

-2015 Volkswagen Golf GTI

-2015 Porsche 918

    So these are only a small percentage of what cars are coming next. But I always try to know in advance which cars are coming next, even though sometimes it can be fun to be totally surprised.

Worst Car of All Time

    Hey guys, sorry I haven't been posting lately, I've just been busy and I haven't had the chance to post as much as I usually do. But today, we're going to discuss one of the more interesting car-related topics: worst car. My pick is probably either the Pontiac Aztec (because it's hideous and stupid), the Chrysler Crossfire (because it's random and useless), or maybe the Chevy HHR/SSR because they weren't "futuristic" and were terribly made and produced. I mean, why would you put a Corvette LS2 V8 in a weird roadster-pickup-jalopy-thing? But what I want to kno is what you think is the worst car of all time. Categorize them by: worst luxury car, worst sports/ super car, worst family car, worst budget car, and worst ridiculously expensive car. Send your votes to me by comments, and I'll pick one. Then, I'll review the car of the commenter's choice (not including cars I've already reviewed).

2014 Cadillac ELR Review

      When the ELR first arrived, I was surprised at Cadillac for creating a car that wasn't big, blingy, or just plain stupid. But the ELR is siblings with the Chevy Volt, which is an electric. It isn't a true electric, considering the included engine that charges the  battery. But why would Cadillac have any interest in the Volt? Maybe its because they want to get rid of the image that their cars are cheesy and aren't modern enough to keep up with BMW, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz. The ELR shares the same setup as the Volt: one 84-hp 1.4 liter four cylinder, and one electric motor that is charged by either a charger (obviously) or the internal combustion engine that its hooked up to. Cadillac has worked hard to make sure that there isn't a single knob in the entire car, but the effort was useless because now all of the controls are obsolete. 

2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 Review

   As one of the best off-roaders in the world, it is almost mandatory for Jeep to have a "SRT" version of the Grand Cherokee. Thanks to the Chrysler Group's tuning division, the Grand Cherokee now produces 470 hp  and 465 lb-feet of torque from its massive 6.4 liter HEMI V8. 0-60 takes 4.8 seconds, which is considerably slower than a BMW X5 M or a Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG. The towing capacity is around 7,200 lbs, which is pretty good. The interior is about what I expect from Jeep, which is "don't do anything to the interior except put new upholstery in it with "SRT" branded on it." I find the Grand Cherokee (and the Cherokee as well) to be not as glorius as they used to be. When they were released, they were powerful and good off-road. Now, they aren't nearly as good as a Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG or a Land Rover Range Rover. And it isn't as powerful, with about 40 horsepower less than thosew two kings. And it used to be king of the hill, but now it has given up its once mighty reign on the ultility-class car segment.