Back in 2007 Akio Toyoda called a small group of Toyota engineers onto the carpet. The Toyota president told his engineers he wanted them to design a sports car that would be “built by passion” and nothing else. But he also insisted the car had to fall in the price range of most buyers. … Continue reading →

SATURDAY, MAY 19 --Cruise Breakfast, hosted by the Ramblin’ Oldies of Denham Springs, every Saturday from 7-9 a.m. at Berry’s Burgers & Seafood at Florida Blvd. and Flannery Road. All gearheads welcome. For more information call (225) 665-3609. --Gerry Lane Enterprises Super Cruise Night. Open Car Show at Tanger Factory Outlet … Continue reading →

Baby boomers will remember the Dodge Dart. More than 3.6 million boomers bought Darts during its run from 1960 to 1976. Generation Y may not remember the original Dart, but its members would do well to take a good long look at the new one. I don’t know if 3.6 million of them will … Continue reading →

FRIDAY, MAY 11 --2nd Annual Great Southern Rally, May 11-13. The event will include Motorcycle Superbike and Trials Bike Stunt shows Friday and Saturday, and a poker run, motorcycle and car show and a Swap meet at 9 a.m. on Saturday only. A scavenger hunt will start at opening on Friday and will … Continue reading →

Lexus didn’t make the new GS350 and then see how drivers and passengers fit into the sport sedan’s cabin. They took drivers and passengers and built the cabin around them. The result is a comfortable, sophisticated road machine with good looks to match. The 2013 GS is a technological marvel as well, with … Continue reading →

FRIDAY, MAY 4 --45th Annual Louisiana Region AACA Tour, May 4-6, hosted by the Baton Rouge Chapter of the Antique Automobile Club of America. More than 70 classic cars will be participating in the event. The public is invited to view the cars on Friday and Saturday from 5-6 p.m. at TownePlace … Continue reading →

The iconic Porsche 911 celebrates its 50th birthday next year, but the party has already started with the fantastically fast 2012 911 Carrera S. This Seventh Generation 911 has a more powerful yet smaller engine. The car is lower, longer and wider than the previous generation, all characteristics designed to help ensure a more … Continue reading →

SATURDAY, APRIL 28 --Cruise Breakfast, hosted by the Ramblin’ Oldies of Denham Springs, every Saturday from 7-9 a.m. at Berry’s Burgers & Seafood at Florida Blvd. and Flannery Road. All gearheads welcome. For more information call (225) 665-3609. SUNDAY, APRIL 29 --2012 Pate Swap Meet, April 26-29, at Texas Motor … Continue reading →

Honda’s Pilot gets a host of upgrades inside and out for 2012, including squeezing two more miles from a gallon of gas. The big 8-passenger hauler now gets 25 highway mpg, which is pretty remarkable for a vehicle this size. With seats folded flat, the Pilot has a cargo-van-like 87 cubic feet of storage space. … Continue reading →

SATURDAY, APRIL 21 --Cruise Breakfast, hosted by the Ramblin’ Oldies of Denham Springs, every Saturday from 7-9 a.m. at Berry’s Burgers & Seafood at Florida Blvd. and Flannery Road. All gearheads welcome. For more information call (225) 665-3609. --Gerry Lane Enterprises Super Cruise Night. Open Car Show at Tanger Factory Outlet … Continue reading →

Some observers have said the Porsche Panamera Hybrid betrays the spirit of the legendary German automaker known for building two-seat sports cars that go very fast. Lighten up, y'all. The world is still turning and it's getting greener. The 2012 Panamera S Hybrid still goes pretty fast, but it also has world-class comfort and gets 30 highway miles per gallon. … Continue reading →

SATURDAY, APRIL 14 --1st Annual Car & Truck Show at State Capitol Raceway Dragstrip, 11436 Hwy. 190W in Erwinville. Opens at 8 a.m. For more information call Gary at (225) 964-8917. --Cruise Breakfast, hosted by the Ramblin’ Oldies of Denham Springs, every Saturday from 7-9 a.m. at Berry’s Burgers & Seafood … Continue reading →

As the size of the Prius family grows, so grows the size of the members of the family Prius. The newest arrival, the Prius v, is the largest and most family friendly yet, with plenty of room for a family of four and all their gear. And because it's a Prius, you know the mileage will be way up there. Even … Continue reading →

SATURDAY, APRIL 7 --Cruise Night, hosted by Rick’s Rods and Performance. Every first Saturday from 3 to 6 p.m. at Applebee’s, 5630 Johnston Street in Lafayette. For more information call (337) 988-7637. --Cruise Breakfast, hosted by the Ramblin’ Oldies of Denham Springs, every Saturday from 7 to 9 a.m. at Berry’s Burgers & … Continue reading →

Toyota, which has long been out front in the hybrid field, continues to lead the way with a terrific new Camry Hybrid for 2012. The premium XLE model will get you 40 city miles on a gallon of gas, and it actually costs about $800 less than the similarly equipped 2011 model. The mileage figure represents nearly a … Continue reading →

SATURDAY, MARCH 31 --Cruise Breakfast, hosted by the Ramblin’ Oldies of Denham Springs, every Saturday from 7-9 a.m. at Berry’s Burgers & Seafood at Florida Blvd. and Flannery Road. All gearheads welcome. For more information call (225) 665-3609. SUNDAY, APRIL 1 --Sonic Cruise-In at Sonic Drive-In, corner of Sherwood … Continue reading →

Webster's defines juke as "to outmaneuver by a feint or other deceptive movement," and that kind of sums it up for Nissan's little sport crossover called the Juke. It's deceptively quick and maneuverable, and the bonus is it'll get you 31 miles per gallon on the highway. The Juke is aimed at younger drivers. Fresh and fun, the Juke was designed … Continue reading →

SATURDAY, MARCH 24 --Cruise Breakfast, hosted by the Ramblin' Oldies of Denham Springs, every Saturday from 7-9 a.m. at Berry's Burgers & Seafood at Florida Blvd. and Flannery Road. All gearheads welcome. For more information call (225) 665-3609. --Cruise to Jackson, La. Hosted by the Cajun Classic Chevy Club. Centenary State Historic Site for Antique Festival. Meet at Zachary Crossroads (Plank Rd. … Continue reading →

After a major overhaul last year, the Chevrolet Silverado 2500 changes little for 2012. With a standard 6.0-liter V8, the truck is capable and powerful. But with the optional 6.6-liter Duramax diesel, it is a beast. Our test truck had the optional ($7,195) diesel V8, which is the favored truck by folks who … Continue reading →

SATURDAY, MARCH 10 --Cruise Breakfast, hosted by the Ramblin’ Oldies of Denham Springs, every Saturday from 7-9 a.m. at Berry’s Burgers & Seafood at Florida Blvd. and Flannery Road. All gearheads welcome. For more information call (225) 665-3609. --Cruise Night, hosted by Golden Oldies Motor Club, at Hammond Square Mall off … Continue reading →

The Volkswagen Jetta is VW’s top selling U.S. vehicle, and the company gives buyers lots of options for 2012. The Jetta lineup this year has a dozen models, starting at $16,495. The newest model is the turbocharged GLI. The GLI is the sportiest Jetta yet, and it packs a big punch with its 200-horsepower TSI engine … Continue reading →

SATURDAY, FEB. 18 --Cruise Breakfast, hosted by the Ramblin’ Oldies of Denham Springs, every Saturday from 7-9 a.m. at Berry’s Burgers & Seafood at Florida Blvd. and Flannery Road. All gearheads welcome. For more information call (225) 665-3609. TUESDAY, FEB. 21 --Baton Rouge Gathering of the British Motor Club of New … Continue reading →

Audi continues to set sales records in the United States – 2011 was the best year ever for the German automaker here. For the year, Audi sales were up nearly 20 percent. With models like the 2012 A6, look for that trend to continue. The A6 had its best month ever in December, with more than 1,855 units … Continue reading →

SATURDAY, FEB. 11 Cruise Breakfast, hosted by the Ramblin’ Oldies of Denham Springs, every Saturday from 7-9 a.m. at Berry’s Burgers & Seafood at Florida Blvd. and Flannery Road. All gearheads welcome. For more information call (225) 665-3609. Cruise Night, hosted by Golden Oldies Motor Club, at Hammond Square Mall off Fagan Drive … Continue reading →

When you consider buying a Land Rover vehicle, you can generally rest assured that you’re going to get top notch off-road capability and extraordinary luxury inside the cabin. The 2012 LR4 delivers both. I’ve always thought there are two main buyers of Land Rover vehicles. The first group is drivers who … Continue reading →

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3 PRE-49 Annual Car Show, hosted by the Rambling Oldies of Denham Springs, on Feb. 3, 4 and 5 at Holiday Inn at Airline and I-12 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, and 8 a.m. to 12 noon on Saturday and Sunday. The event will include awards, door prizes, food, 100+ cars … Continue reading →

Cadillac’s SRX gets a new engine for 2012, a 308-horsepower V-6 that will go into every model. Now Cadillac luxury comes with even more performance. The new engine builds on a successful year for GM’s luxury brand. SRX sales were up 17.7 percent in the first half of 2011.
While the new engine is the headliner for … Continue reading →

SATURDAY, JAN. 28 --Cruise Breakfast, hosted by the Ramblin’ Oldies of Denham Springs, from 7-9 a.m. at Holiday Inn at Airline Hwy. and I-12. All gearheads welcome. For more information call Lee Laurent at (225) 933-8253. WEDNESDAY, FEB. 1 --Baton Rouge Area Mustangers meeting at LaFonda Restaurant, 7838 Airline Hwy. Members begin arriving at 6:30 p.m. with the meeting … Continue reading →

Jeep’s iconic Wrangler can get you to the deer camp with better performance and an improved cabin for 2012. And once you get to the camp, the Wrangler can get you to the most remote stand on the property. Wrangler gets a new and more fuel efficient 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 hooked to a … Continue reading →

The 2012 Buick Regal comes in four styles: the Regal luxury sports sedan, the new Regal with eAssist, the Regal Turbo and a sporty new GS model. The eAssist and the GS are all new, with each one offering specific driving experiences. Our test vehicle was the Regal with eAssist. The main takeaway we had on … Continue reading →

Sit still in the auto industry and you might as well be running as fast as you can in the wrong direction. The Malibu is the longest running mid-size sedan in the industry, but it didn’t get to its eighth generation by resting on the success of previous models. Enter the 2013 Malibu Eco, … Continue reading →

SATURDAY, JAN. 7 --Cruise Night, hosted by Rick’s Rods and Performance. Every first Saturday from 3 to 6 p.m. at Applebee’s, 5630 Johnston Street in Lafayette. For more information call (337) 988-7637. --Cruise Breakfast, hosted by the Ramblin’ Oldies of Denham Springs, every Saturday from 7 to 9 a.m. at Berry’s … Continue reading →

The Volt, Chevrolet’s ground-breaking electric/gas vehicle, has been placed under a media microscope in the past few weeks, but is all the hullaballoo justified? First, let’s take a step back and look at exactly what has happened. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a statement last month in which it said a Volt that … Continue reading →

MONDAY, JAN. 2 --Golden Oldies Motor Club meeting at Annette’s Country Cooking & Seafood Cafe, 2804 W. Church St. Ext. in Hammond, at 7:30 p.m. For more information visit the Web site at www.goldenoldiesmotorclub.com. TUESDAY, JAN. 3 --Baton Rouge Area Sports Car Club of America (CENLA) monthly meeting at … Continue reading →

The Bavarian Motor Works company has come a long way since the Dixi, the company’s first production car made in 1928. The 4-cylinder Dixi produced 15 horsepower, and could bust it up to about 50 mph. The 2012 650i Coupe does a little better. With its twin-turbo 4.4-liter engine, the 650i kicks out 400 horsepower and is electronically … Continue reading →

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24 Cruise Breakfast, hosted by the Ramblin’ Oldies of Denham Springs, every Saturday from 7-9 a.m. at Berry’s Burgers & Seafood at Florida Blvd. and Flannery Road. All gearheads welcome. For more information call (225) 665-3609. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27 … Continue reading →

The 2012 Nissan Sentra gets a new Technology Package option, but little else has changed in the new model year for this 34-mpg small sedan. Available in four models, the Sentra fits between the smaller Versa and the larger Altima in Nissan’s lineup. The four models include the Sentra 2.0, Sentra 2.0 S, … Continue reading →

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3 Cruise Night, hosted by Rick’s Rods and Performance. Every first Saturday from 3 to 6 p.m. at Applebee’s, 5630 Johnston Street in Lafayette. For more information call (337) 988-7637. Cruise Breakfast, hosted by the Ramblin’ Oldies of Denham Springs, every Saturday from 7 to 9 a.m. at Rick’s Burgers … Continue reading →

If the Mercedes-Benz S-Class isn’t the finest automobile in the world, it is most definitely high on the list. There are very few – if any – vehicles that can touch this car when it comes to performance, safety and innovative technology. The iconic flagship S-Class is, in many eyes, as good as a car … Continue reading →

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 26 Cruise Breakfast, hosted by the Ramblin’ Oldies of Denham Springs, every Saturday from 7-9 a.m. at Rick’s Burgers & Seafood at Florida Blvd. and Flannery Road. All gearheads welcome. For more information call (225) 665-3609. Bug Ruckus 9, Free VW … Continue reading →

If small things come in good packages, good packaging can make small things good. Scion takes packaging to a new level in its new micro-car, the 2012 iQ. Designers came up with six innovative ways to give the mini car maximum capability. First, they reduced the size of the front end differential and mounted the steering column … Continue reading →

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19 Cruise Breakfast, hosted by the Ramblin’ Oldies of Denham Springs, every Saturday from 7-9 a.m. at Rick’s Burgers & Seafood at Florida Blvd. and Flannery Road. All gearheads welcome. For more information call (225) 665-3609. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22 Motorcycle Awareness Campaign (MAC) meeting at 7 p.m. on the … Continue reading →