Hudson

Today is the 15th anniversary of the EV1's public introduction. Starting on December 5, 1996, drivers in Arizona and California could lease the EV1.

The red one I had two weeks ago was in the Autobahn trim but without the Navi.

I loved that car. I was fortunate enough to drive one of the Impacts back around 1995. Just a dream to drive.

I can see that since Paul is STILL the cute one. Wow... took me a minute... I expected YOU to be quicker than that!

Finding a car with any sort of character is becoming more and more difficult as automakers are dialing out any personality. These homogenous cars are becoming the norm. The Beetle has character, especially with the turbo engine. I'm currently driving the Passat TDI which has character...for a family sedan. Not as much as, say, the Kia Optima, but it's not an Accord or Camry.

I can see that since Paul is STILL the cute one.

Nobody has any thoughts on this? Really?

I've seen a few as well. They're.....distinctive. At a show I was judging this year, someone had one of the early Brewsters that Balthazar mentioned, which was the first I had seen in person. I've seen a few of the Ford models over the years...even met a guy who owns TWO. People just didn't want a luxury car based on Ford parts.

I think I've seen something like this. Actually, I'm SURE I've seen this. Isetta? Any British car of the '60s or '70s? Isn't this basically an air-cooled Volkswagen with a heater? Okay, it wasn't charcoal and actuall ran on gas, but I'm sure you could have cooked hot dogs on it!

Jalopnik says lots of things just to get people to read it. I'm not sure how much they believe themselves...it's about about SEO. I'm currently driving the Passat SEL TDI. The styling is nice and inoffensive...but more attractive than the Camrys and Accords of the world. It drives very nice, however it's not the old (Audi-based) Passat I used to love. I would buy this car, though. The diesel gets excellent mileage...I'm currently getting somewhere in the 35 mpg range in regular driving.

I was given access to a 2012 Volkswagen Beetle Turbo for a week recently. When I first drive the New Beetle about a dozen years ago, I liked the car but it felt like more of a toy than a car I'd buy or recommend. As the years passed, it seemed to find a niche...a feminine niche. Like certain other cars (Volkswagen Cabrio comes to mind), straight guys didn't pay attention to the car much except when the pilot was an attractive female. How do you replace a car that's got the double stigma of being "retro" and a "chick car?" This new model did something right. I liked it and wouldn't mind driving it as my daily car. What are your thoughts? Full review at: http://automotivetra...r.com/jump/3572

Everyone loves THAT Ghibli...I was talking about this one...

Sorry...forgot to mention it. I loved the Biturbo and, espeically, the later 430. How about the related Ghibli and Shamal? By the way, Oldsmoboi, that generation Quattroporte was introduced the year BEFORE the Eagle.

I have found my people!! Among the vehicles listed above that I have always liked: Dodge Magnum XE Coupe/Dodge St. Regis (gotta love the semi-hidden headlights), Merkur (Scorpio and the XR4Ti), Sterling sedan and hatch (and the never-in-the-US Coupe). How about the Buick Skyhawk Roadhawk (5-speed, 3.8L V6) and 1981-82 Dodge Aries (I'm that picky...the rest of the years can Rust in Peace)? I'll agree with Von about the T&C, but the others...you can have. I would have given Scarlet all four, except that I drove a Juke a few weeks ago and loved it. You can still keep the X6, Crosstour, and ZDX.

Buick made bathroom fixtures prior to his automotive venture.

This weekend, two vinyl-philes (my buddy and I) will pack themselves into a Nissan Juke and hit seven great record stores in three states in about 12 hours! Not only that, but they'll spend quality time in each store and, most likely, pick up a few records along the way! Check in with Automotive Traveler's Facebook page (www.facebook.com/AutomotiveTraveler) and follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/samfiorani) for constant updates! Perhaps we'll even see you along the road. The snow's on the way, but the Nissan Juke and its all-wheel drive are ready. We'll be hitting the Record Connection when they open their doors in the morning. After that, we'll be heading over to AKA Music in Philadelphia then on to the Record Collector in Bordentown (NJ) and the Princeton Record Exchange before heading back into Pennsylvania to Allentown's Double Decker. Then this circuitous rou...te takes us south to True Vine in Baltimore and then across town to the Sound Garden. It may not make sense, but this allows us to fit all seven into one day. Meet us at the stores or find your own locally-owned record store! What hidden treasures should we look for? I've already heard a recommendation for Spooky Tooth.

I'm not much of a wine drinker, but I know people who are. My tastes lean toward dessert wines that taste more like candy than proper wine. I do, however, enjoy a good wine tour. Finding local craftspeople who can turn grapes into interesting potent potables, hearing their stories, and drinking their concoctions is a great day out. In order to share this experience, I wrote a little piece on our latest wine tour. Not many people think of Pennsylvania as wine country (or even HAVING a wine industry), but it exists. Take a few minutes to read the whole article below and post some comments here on your thoughts. Even if you're not near this region, I'm sure there are wineries near you and you can arrange a similar tour. Pick a designated driver, get a van or minivan and a few of your friends and make a day of it. Part of the fun was the drink...part was running into others touring the same wineries...part was meeting the people who make wines for fun and profit. http://automotivetraveler.com/jump/3331

We drove the new BMW X3 to Hersheypark for the day, and found that the kids are jaded at their very young ages! I liked the new X3 so much more than the first generation, which I didn't think fully deserved the BMW label. What are your thoughts on the vehicle? My full review is at: http://automotivetraveler.com/jump/3286

BMW and Mercedes-Benz have architectures that are not shared. Cadillac does not. I'm not saying that the CTS (2nd gen) is a bad car, because it's not. As an automotive historian and enthusiast, I believe that Cadillac needs a dedicated engine architecture. From the business analyst side, I understand the need to share...but Cadillac needs some exclusivity to compete with the world's top tier of luxury brands (and Sigma is not enough).

The 3.6L V6 is a "High Feature" engine and, as such, has always been a GM engine, designed for all brands. The Northstar engine was an ARCHITECTURE designed for Cadillac...as was the HT-series and the V8s before them. "Engines are becoming accessories" is the problem here. BMW has inline sixes that are exclusive to BMWs. Mercedes-Benz engines are not found in any other significant vehicles (niche exotics don't really count...or enhance the exclusive quality of the engines). Cadillac engines were desired. Cadillac engines powered hotrods ("Studelac") and sports cars (Allard). Today, the same basic architecture found in the CTS powers the Chevrolet Malibu.

I read that thread...and that's not the point. The loss of the DTS and/or the Northstar aren't as important as the lost of REAL Cadillac engines. "Some Italian dude" (really? This is how you describe Bulgari?) bought the last DTS, but that car was powered by the LAST CADILLAC ENGINE! All of the 2012 models have engines that can be purchased to power a Chevrolet or a Buick or an Opel with nothing exclusive to Cadillac.

Am I the only one who noticed that Cadillac died in May? The DTS was the final REAL Cadillac...and its gone! Here's the full obituary: http://automotivetraveler.com/jump/3161 Your thoughts?

To each his own. I didn't write the Corvette article.

I'll be easy on him. Wouldn't want to stunt his growth!

Really creepy. The martini glass hot tub gave me dry heaves. Creepy? C'mon....you know you want to try it!