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.