LA Auto Show 2013

The LA Auto Show.. New cars, concepts, cutting edge, nostalgia. These are just a few words that come to mind when I hear about this particular show. There were a lot of new cars and concepts being displayed but just a few caught my eye. I am a car enthusiast with a passion for most European cars and first hand experience with Japanese cars. Recently the American made cars have been getting my attention. From the new corvettes to Buick Regal, these cars have a sense of elegance and sophistication that will give even the best designed European cars a good run for their money.

Buick Regal GS

The Buick GS has a unique looking fascia that kind of resembles a female vampire with two vents as its fangs. Probably not the description you were looking for but if you have seen the images you get the gist. It is equipped with an inline 4 Cylinder Turbo charged engine with 259HP / 193KW @ 5300 RPM and 295lb-ft / 400 Nm of torque @ 2500-4000 and a curb weight of 3710 lbs/ 1683 kg. Brembo front brakes and standard 19 inch rims, this GS has something that real car lovers can relate to. With 20 mpg city / 31 mpg hwy the front wheel drive GS manual keeps you in the road longer.

BMW and the 3/4 Series Dilemma

I’ve been a fan of the M3 coupe for as long as I can remember, with the E30 being my favorite of all time. A few months ago I heard about BMW changing the 3serises coupes to the new 4 series. What this means is there will no longer be a 3 series coupe, instead it will be replaced by the 4 series. Sounds good and all, but does this mean that there will never be a M3 coupe ever again? So it seems, the end of a legend, an icon maybe in some strange way even a god. The M3 had been the baby bad boy of BMW for decades and had always been the dream of a lot of kids growing up. I have had the privilege of driving and working on a few M3s over the years and I must say it is one of the nest cars I have driven. So the future, the all new 4 series, the black-sheep or 3 series coupe hidden behind a 4 series badge???

BMW M6 Gran Coupe, Gran or Not?

To the general population of our fine planet, the letter M is synonymous with many things such as money, man, machine, marbles, May as in James May, microbiology and so on and so forth. However, to a small percentage of that population the letter M represents life, faith and freedom. BMW has a rich history, some of which has deep roots in Motorsport hence the M in their M series. The M6 Gran Coupe is the newest addition to BMW's M arsenal. To say this car is sexy would be an understand, BMW's signature designs are all over the new M6. From their iconic kidney grills and angel eyes to the classic quad exhaust synonymous with the M series. The new M6 boasts the most power ever seen in a M car with its high revving 4.4 liter twin scroll turbo charged engine that couples with BMW's famous Vanos technology to provide the driver with 552bhp and 502 ft-lbs of torque. As usual BMW throws in a bunch of technology for driving assist such as electronically controlled dampers that you can adjust with the touch of a button and the infamous M button. The M button switches the drivers experience from WOW to HYFR in the blink of an eye. Yow can have your choice of a standard 6 speed manual gear box or a 7 speed M-DCT with drivelogic that was developed specifically to handle the high output power of the M5 and M6. The M6 goes from 0-60 in 4.1 seconds with the 7 speed M-DCT and 4.3 with the conventional 6 speed manual. The all new BMW M6 has a starting price of $115000 Uncle Sam dollars, this car is sure to have lasting impression on whom ever owns or drives it. So did BMW hit or miss with this four door work of art? Only time will tell.