BMW has long considered themselves as the Ultimate Driving Machine, and they have a ton of support from their loyal drivers, enthusiasts, and journalists. More recently however, it seems that they have taken up more of a stance of “Let’s see how much we can get our customers to pay for our ‘Ultimate Driving Machines.’” Having not driven a ton of BMW’s before, and of course seeing the normal BMW drivers mentality on the road, I have always often wondered why these drivers act like they own the road, and the 2014 BMW M235i has given me somewhat of an answer.

It’s very fun; quick; handles great; ride is comfortable when you want it to be; suspension feels really well sorted; one of the best BMWs of recent that I’ve driven; pricey at $46,575, but comes with no NAV, back-up camera, or blind spot detection; engine sounds nice when in sport mode, but starts to drone at highway speeds, engine sound pumping through speakers gets annoying, comfort mode is much better to live with while cruising; for most fun keep it in sport and transmission in sport mode; shifts are very quick for an automatic, one of the best ones I’ve driven, even better than CLA45′s dual clutch, shifts seem faster too; worried about the durability of the automatic though, seems that if you push the car hard for an extended period of time, it will eventually have problems, still wish this one had a manual, but its a no-cost option, which makes me feel like you should be given an extra set of rims if you choose that, I remember when the automatic was a $1500 option, now its standard, give me back my manual and option of an automatic, i’ll gladly take that $1500 back; seats are very comfortable; no non-sense interior, aside from iDrive, which is a lot better than older generations, but still a little cumbersome until you’re used to it; some neat features like cruise control indicators, if shifter is in manual mode and you press park button, it moves it over automatically; lots of M badges; now I understand why BMW drivers get such a bad rap about driving aggressively and not using turn signals, this car makes you feel you can drive aggressively due to the confidence and handling it provides, and the turn signal stalks are annoying to use, press it all the way down and it stays on, but it moves back up, so sometimes you end up clicking it the opposite way to turn it off, making you look like a jackass; after a week of rain, I still couldn’t figure out how to get the intermittent wipers to work, it was either fast, faster, automatic(which sometimes didn’t want to come on until you’re literally blinded by rain), or manual, I ended up preferring manual; is it a true M car, no, but its pretty good for what it is, definitely at the top of my most fun cars list.

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I haven’t been having enough time to be able to write a full review on this car, but I’ll share with you my notes, and of course my photos!

fast; handling is great; interior quality is great; stereo sounds very good; cruising highway top down very nice, quiet, not windy with windows and air blocker up; PDK transmission is very good; engine sound behind you is magnificent; comfortable seats and seating position; visibility with top down is great; very, very expensive; hard to justify unless you have plenty of money; could be a avery fun car, but its tough because you really need to drive it hard to really enjoy the performance; breathtaking acceleration; can feel the weight in the back around turns, not a bad thing; feels like the rear is hugging you through the turns; turn in is great; steering feels is good, steering not too tight on highway, but wanders a little, but most likely from the huge rear wheels; auto start/top function is kind of funny on this car, sometimes it would turn engine off before car was stopped, also cuts power to auxiliary/cigarrette lighter causing radar detector to keep turning on and off; so many buttons and levers(2 on each side, wipers, lights, cruise, screen functions)

While I only got to drive this car on a small autocross course, you can tell even with just the tiniest taste that this is an amazing machine. It’s fast, comfortable, and looks great. It really is amazing how McLaren was able to hone in the suspension to be so capable on the track and so comfortable on everyday roads. Their unique suspension is truly an automotive phenomenon. This car doesn’t use traditional anti-roll bars, but instead uses hydraulics to keep it stable, and I’d be lying if I didn’t say that other manufacturers need to take advantage of this kind of technology. On a side note, I can’t get over how fast their professional drivers can drive. Doing a couple of hot laps in the passenger seat was amazing. I don’t think the smile on my face came off for a good hour after I got out of the car. Simply awesome!

When you think of AMG you think massive engine and massive power. The Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG changes that completely. Here you have a hand-built 2.0L direct injected turbo-charged 4-cylinder engine, producing a whopping 355 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque which Mercedes claims is the world’s most powerful production 4-cylinder engine. But does that make it a car worth buying?

This car is surely going to get you into trouble. It’s quick, very quick. Plant your foot into the ground, and the next thing you know you’re creeping up on jail time speeds before you know it, and the fact that it’s red doesn’t help much either. It was hard not to press the go pedal without wanting to feel that rush of acceleration. The dual-clutch transmission is good and shifts quickly, but if you’re in manual mode, you need to time your shifts appropriately otherwise you’ll get a sharp jab from the rev-limiter, which is frighteningly harsh.

Now, here’s the fun part of having an AWD dual-clutch 355hp monster. LAUNCH CONTROL! Following a series of lever shifts and button pushes, hold the brake and press the gas pedal to the floor and the car holds the RPMS at about 4k, making the car sound like a WRC car is about to launch, which is awesome by the way. Let go of that brake pedal and you’re thrust back into your seat by that 332 lb-ft of torque and you’re on your way to 60mph in the manufacturers suggested time of 4.5 seconds. Triple digits comes up quick, so be ready to plant your foot on that brake again if you’re on any public roads, they are surely well equipped to stop you quickly and efficiently.

The CLA45 AMG is unable to be equipped with an adjustable suspension, so it only has one setting; stiff. Don’t get me wrong, the ride is beautifully smooth when you’re on smooth roads, but any undulations or bumps in the road and you and your passengers are surely going to feel them. Given the low profile tires and the fact that they are high performance summer tires, the noise on the highway is a little more than you’d expect from a Mercedes. Comfort wise, this isn’t a car you’ll be cruising around with a coffee in your hands, but if you’re looking to have a ton of fun on side roads and can live with the stiffer ride then you’re going to have a blast. The handling is very good. Steering is nice and tight, and very direct, even though it doesn’t have the traditional hydraulic system, AMG has dialed it in so well you still feel connected to the car. Push the car into the turns hard, and it stays flat as the power brings you through, but being that this is a mainly front-wheel drive based AWD system, you still get a little understeer if pushed too hard into turns though.

Now, lets talk about that hand-built 2.0L direct-injected turbocharged beast. Holy crap! What an amazing engine. So much power comes from such a small engine, it really is incredible. This engine really seems like the only reason why this car costs so much. Being pushed back into the sport seats was really the only reason I was able to look past my previous gripes about the CLA250. I mean who cares about the slightly difficult to use center controls or the high window line that gives you some blind spots. You’re hauling ass, so you shouldn’t be needing to play with those dials, and the only reason you’ll be checking your mirrors is to see who you’re leaving behind in the dust.

So if you have some expendable income, and you want an “entry-level” AMG monster, buy the CLA45 AMG, you wont be disappointed. Sure, it may lack a little soul, but that engine combined with burying your foot into that right pedal will never cease to put a smile on your face.

One of the greatest debates out there among car enthusiasts resides with which car gives you the most bang for your buck. You’ll have your fanboi’s for every category, and those that are loyal, just because that’s all they know. For me, I have always been a Subaru fan, so it was hard not to have a biased opinion when it came down to this comparison, but I did my best to keep my heart at bay and test each of these cars with a clear and open mind. Keep in mind also, the 2014 Mitsubishi Evo, is technically the same car that came out as a 2008 model, so the STI already has some clear advantages right out of the gate.

Let’s start off with speed and power. The Evo comes packed with a 2.0L turbo-charged engine producing 291hp and 300lb-ft of torque and has a curb weight of almost 3700lbs. The STI is equipped with a larger displaced 2.5L turbo-charged Boxer engine churning out 305hp and 290lb-ft of torque, a carry over from the previous generation, and weighs in at about 3400lbs. The Evo carries a little bit more weight due to its dual-clutch transmission. If you opt for the 5-speed manual, it brings the weight down to around 3500lbs. Both reach their peak HP and torque around the same time. Most magazines have been achieving similar 0-60 times in the mid 4′s for both the EVO MR and the new STI. While I don’t have the necessary equipment, or legal means to test this repeatedly, I can say that they both felt equally as fast, and equally as powerful.

When you think of these kinds of cars, you dont expect to have luxury style interiors, which by no means do you get with either of them, but the interior of the Subaru is a million times nicer than that of the EVO. Subaru has done a great job in increasing the overall quality of materials that they are using in this all new STI. Soft touch dash material, higher quality plastics, comfortable, yet supportive seats. But there is one thing that really stands out in my mind, that steering wheel! The steering wheel may be my favorite thing about the interior. It’s a very nice flat-bottomed wheel, with a thickness that will rival ones you find on BMW’s M cars, and it feels wonderful in your hands. Everything else in the Subaru is all no nonsense. Gauges, instrument panel, center info display are all functional, and easy to use, something you want in a car that is all about the driving experience. Overall, the general feel of the STI’s cabin is a pleasant one, and not a bad place to be, whether you’re a driver or a passenger. The EVO on the other hand is full of hard, ugly plastics, that’s including the entire dash. Like the Subaru, all necessities are within reach, and easily accessible. The saving grace of the EVO’s interior are the Recaro seats. It’s the one thing Mitsubishi has over the Subaru interior wise. They were obviously very supportive, for both enthusiast driving, as well as normal day to day driving. Perhaps that’s where all the money went for the rest of the interior……

So which one is the best car for the pure driving enthusiast you ask? Well, that will depend on what you’re looking for. While these two cars have been competing head to head for a little over 2 decades, and in the U.S. for a little over a decade, I feel they are in two different realms now.

Here are my opinions on both:

2014 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X:
Right off the bat the first thing I noticed about the Evo was how cheap the interior was. The next thing I noticed once I started driving was how stiff the suspension was, and of course the very next thing I noticed was all the rattling going on due to the cheap interior and stiff suspension. Driving further down the road, I quickly realized how good this car felt in my hands. Sure, it may seem that you can feel every little bump, and that’s not how you would expect a $40,000 car to feel, but in this case its a very good thing. Everything down to the steering made me feel 100% connected to this car and the street. I could feel the suspension working, the tires rolling over the ground, every bump and rock in the road. The steering was so precise and immediately responsive, I felt that I could put this car wherever I wanted to and it it would just comply. The combination of the quick shifting dual-clutch transmission, coupled with the quick turn-in made this car very, very fun on twisty roads and hard turns. This car is made to be driven hard and when driven hard, it rewards it’s driver. I did wish it had a little bit more of a throaty exhaust note though, it would have been nice if it had been a little deeper sounding, rather than sounding like a small 4-cylinder engine with an exhaust. It makes me wonder though, as to how Mitsubishi can create something like this, a car with soul and feeling, and also create something like the new Mirage…..but more on that another time.

2015 Subaru WRX STI:
Getting into the new STI for the first time, you realize how much of a step above the Evo the interior is, as well as the previous generation STI. It is leaps and bounds better. The steering wheel and the soft touch dash is the first thing you’ll notice that is much better. Now, Subaru spent all their R&D money on making sure that this car handled amazingly, so much so that they decided they wouldn’t be able to create a hatchback version, and that money spent shows. The difference compared to the last generation is like night and day. You can feel the heft in the steering wheel immediately, and the response of the new 13.0:1 steering ratio is wonderful. The suspension feels much stiffer, but surprisingly if felt more composed than that of the WRX. Handling of the new STI was great and the engine sounds wonderful when keeping the revs high and staying in the power zone. One thing though, as much as I love the current engine in the STI, the power, the sound, the way you need to keep the revs up to feel all that power, it needs a new engine. And I say that with all the respect for that EJ, but its dated, and the other engines out there have surpassed it long ago. With as much work that Subaru did with the chassis and suspension on this car, it deserves, scratch that, it NEEDS an engine just as capable and advanced to really make the new handling shine. If this car had a combination of the low-end torque of Subaru’s new 2.0L in the WRX and the top-end power of the current engine, this car would be perfect. Maybe Subaru will squeeze out 0.5L of the new engine and this dream will happen, but who knows.

So what’s my pick? There is no clean cut answer.
If you want a car that you can drive every day and take on the track on the weekends, I think the STI is perfect for that. Its amazing when you push it hard, but livable when just scooting around town. As much as I love the way the new handling of the STI is, I can’t help but feel that EVO is the car for you if you’re able to take it on a track all the time. It is by no means worthy of being a daily driver, unless you like your back to be punished, and don’t really need to use the trunk for anything too big, as its laughable considering how large it’s rear-end looks.

So the STI beats out the EVO 2 to 1…..how is that?
The STI is a complete car. You can take it on a track everyday if you wanted to, and then get in and drive it home to pick up the groceries or kids and not suffer too much. The EVO, on the other hand I would 100% recommend for the track. It handles a little better, and gives better feedback, but your back and your passengers will thank you for not hauling them around town in it. The only limiting factor that keeps the STI from being the ultimate fun daily driver, is that you need to be pushing this car pretty hard to really enjoy the full potential, which local law enforcement might not be too happy with. For this pick, I can’t help but think of the Ford Fiesta ST, and this is coming from a guy who was dead set on buying the new STI.

Where’s the hatchback? That’s really the only question fans of the Subaru WRX will be asking. Short answer is there is no hatchback…..for now….

However, all that money that Subaru used to develop the WRX has been very well spent. Everything is better with this car, and when I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING. They’ve buttoned down pretty much all the problems I’ve ever had with the WRX. While I do wish they kept the hydraulic steering and the direct mechanically linked transmission, they have done a fantastic job with the electronically assisted steering giving it a quicker ratio than the outgoing model and the cable shifted transmission still feels pretty damn good with quick notchy and precise shifts.

Steering inputs are met with quick results, while not being overly sensitive. It goes where you want it to, and doesn’t have any real dead spots or play on center. The thick flat-bottomed steering wheel feels great in your hands, and really communicates well with the chassis. One new feature that the 2015 WRX has is something called Active Torque Vectoring. This basically will apply brake pressure under hard cornering to the inside front wheel to help the car rotate which helps keep the car feeling more neutral. This all helps give the WRX great balance and handling, keeping it very flat around corners. I wasn’t able to push it as hard as I would have liked due to the fact that this car was fitted with winter sport tires, so you could feel the limitations of the tires under hard cornering, but you could tell that the car had a lot more to show you.

With the previous generation WRX, Subaru had tamed the suspension down a little, making it a little more compliant, which sacrificed some of the handling characteristics that you expect from an AWD sports sedan. For this generation, they concentrated on making the WRX more on target with its rival, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. Now, don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the way the new WRX handles, but those looking for the older generation’s slightly more cushy ride will be disappointed. The ride is stiff. However, the faster you go, the more comfortable it gets. Around town, if you live in areas riddled with potholes and uneven surfaces, your back will hate you, as well as probably your passengers. If there are multiple undulations in the road, the ride does get a little bouncy, but never uncontrollable.

Now, onto the engine. An all-new 2.0l direct injected boxer four has been developed for this generation, which harkens back to Subaru’s WRC days, as well as the introduction of the WRX to the U.S. shores, but boy is it a much different engine. The new 2.0l engine doesn’t have much more horsepower than the outgoing 2.5l engine, but it gains 3 more horses putting it up to 268. Torque is also up to 258lb-ft. The direct injected engine gives much better mid-range torque giving all 258lb-ft starting at 2000RPM and continuing right up to 5200RPM, but what it gains in mid-range torque it loses up top in the upper range of the RPMs. Not many people will be racing around town higher than 5200RPMs, but it’s a noticeable drop in power once you pass that point, especially if you’re used to the extra oomph of the larger displaced 2.5l engine, but that’s nothing perhaps a little aftermarket tuning could cure. Throttle response is very good, perhaps a teensy bit touchy, but overall perfect for having some fun.

Subaru has never been known for their luxurious interiors, and the new WRX still won’t be known for that, but one thing Subaru does get right is functionality. Compared to the last generation WRX the interior is a huge step up. There are nice soft touches all around, and the plastic bits don’t feel overly cheap. The layout of all the controls are easy to use, and all within reach. The faux carbon fiber on the dash isn’t terrible, but it would have been nice if it was either real, or perhaps be given the option to have it as a brushed aluminum look as well. The seats were very comfortable, while still offering good support and side bolstering for sporty driving.

I hope you enjoy the sounds of the engine, because the stock stereo is terrible, one thing that Subaru has never really been great at. Although they do offer a Harmon Kardon option, which I would certainly recommend if you want to have a somewhat decent stereo. The only other gripes I had was the lack of some of the more convenient features like automatic door locks, as well as an auto up/down function on all the windows, and not just the driver’s. These are two things that I feel should really be standard equipment on cars in this price range.

The exterior is going to leave you loving it, or hating it. I personally think it looks great. The lines are nice, the front end looks aggressive, and while the wide-body looks subtle, it gives it a nice hulking look to it. Sure, many people will say the front looks like the current EVO, but is that a bad thing? I think the front end of the EVO looks fantastically mean, but the Subaru pulls it off a little softer, and a little more elegantly. But those stock wheels! Not sure what Subaru was thinking with that one, but it’s easily curable now that the WRX and STI share the same bolt pattern, so wheel swaps are easily doable now.

Is the new WRX the best WRX ever? The short answer is yes. The long answer, is also yes, yes it is. The new WRX picks up where the old WRX left off, and makes it nearly the perfect car for fun that money can buy, the only thing that could make it better would be to add a fifth door.

I remember my first time being in a Subaru Forester. My cousin’s mom had bought a first generation Forester back in 1997 as a 1998 model, and it was now handed down to him to use when he first got his license, and all I could think of was it’s like a wagon, but so much cooler. It was gray with gray interior, and so much fun, even though it was only the NA version with 165hp it was still a hoot to toss it around.

While the days of the wagonesque Forester are long gone, the spirit that it had is still very present. The Forester XT lost its manual transmission back in 2008 which was a sad loss, and it also became more of an SUV instead of a wagon. To the enthusiast, this was a sad day, but to Subaru and other non-enthusiats it was the day that the Forester became a true SUV.

The 2014 Subaru Forester XT fixes pretty much everything that was wrong with the 2008-2013 model. Gone is the ancient 4-speed automatic, and instead it comes with a brand new CVT as well as a new 2.0l turbo engine. The new engine now employs direct injection and comes with 250hp and 258ft-lbs of torque, up 24hp and 22ft-lbs. Not bad for an engine with smaller displacement. Thanks to the smaller displacement as well as direct injection the new turbo engine achieves a very respectable 28mpg highway/23mpg city. I averaged about 26mpg’s with mixed city/highway driving, which was very good for an AWD SUV with this much power.

While it didn’t feel as sporty as that first generation Forester XT with a manual transmission, it was still plenty quick. Steering is controlled electronically, which usually suffers from numb feedback, but steering felt more direct and less numb than other electronic steering racks that I’ve been in. Ride comfort was pretty good for an SUV. It was pretty quiet on most roads and highways and was able to absorb thuds and thumps pretty well, while still retaining the sporty feel. Thanks to the slightly stiffer suspension available on the XT, body roll was fairly minimal, but you could still feel its height when taking turns at an increased speed. I’d say if you really wanted it to handle a little better, slap on some high performance summer tires, and you should have a little bit more control in the corners, but for the most part it’s more of a family SUV that can have a bit more fun than most SUV’s(CVT limited).

About that CVT, I’m not a fan of any CVT, but I would have to say Subaru has done a fine job of making this not feel as much of a CVT as possible. Acceleration is smooth and linear and has some “shift” points so it doesn’t seem as whiney as others, and if you put it into sport# mode and play with the paddle shifters it gives you the feel that you’re shifting an 8-speed dual-clutch. Not bad considering its still just a CVT.

Interior quality is good. I mean it’s still a Subaru, so its more functional than it is luxurious, but the materials that are used were nice to touch, aside from a few plastic pieces here and there. Seats were supportive and very comfortable, but I wish they had a little better side bolstering, as well as a little longer seat bottoms. You can tell that these seats were designed more for the American market, rather than the smaller bodied Japanese market. While this is not a huge SUV, it felt plenty big inside. All passengers had ample room, and did not feel cramped, even with the seat all the way back you could fit a rear-facing carseat. Seating position was phenomenal and gave you great views all around the car. It felt like you were in a giant greenhouse as there were minimal blind spots.

The Forester has been Motor Trends SUV of the year twice, one being the 2014 winner, and Car & Driver’s Best Small SUV winner 3 times, and it’s clear why that is. It’s a great package which can suit the many needs of someone looking to buy an SUV. It’s fun, quirky, quick and sporty if you want it to be and affordable. To add to that great list, it’s also one of the safest vehicles on the road by earning the IIHS Top Saftey Pick+ rating. So if you’re considering an SUV and don’t need a third row, I suggest starting with the Forester at the top of the list, and compare to your other options to make your decision. Mine would still land on the Forester.

Who can recall the last rear wheel drive 4 door SS that Chevrolet had? If you can, you’ll remember it to be the 1996 Chevrolet Impala SS. A barge of a car, the Impala SS was essentially a Chevrolet Caprice with the package that their police counterparts came with, along with some body colored bumpers, different wheels, oh, and an engine derived from the Corvette’s LT1. I must admit I was never a fan of the Chevy Caprice in stock form, but the ’94-96 Impala SS always caught my attention, to the point that I even looked for one for my first car.

10 years after the 1994 Impala SS came around, Chevrolet has introduced the 2014 Chevrolet SS, which is essentially a new and improved Pontiac G8 that made it to our shores from GM’s Australian division before Pontiac got the ax, and guess what? This car is good. It checks all the boxes needed if you’re a dad who wants to have a fun, sporty car with room for a car seat.

The SS is pretty much a 4 door Camaro SS. It has the same 6.2l V8 engine found in the Camaro SS(a little less HP, 415hp vs. 426) and the same 6 speed automatic transmission. Oh yeah, hope you don’t mind an automatic, as thats the only transmission available, but hey, you’ll appreciate it when you’re trying to stop little Timmy from hitting his brother. This car comes pretty much with no options available, but thats because it comes with the majority of normal optional features standard. However, you do have the option to choose whether or not you want a full size spare tire and wheel, as well as a sunroof.

For a price tag of around $46,000 you get a slew of standard features, some of which include such premium features like keyless push button start, an 8″ color touchscreen with navigation, heated and ventilated seats, heads-up display, remote start and a plethora of safety features like lane departure, blind zone alert, rear traffic alert, forward collision alert, parking assist, and a rear view camera. All-in-all a great set of features for what you’re paying.

This car was very well composed, a little stiff, but surprisingly comfortable. It is something you could live with on a day to day basis, but still tackle the corners when you’re all alone. Handling was very crisp, and provided pretty good feedback. The flat bottomed steering wheel was a very nice added touch to enhance the sportiness feel. With all the safety nannies on I was surprised at how well they were able to keep that rear end planted to the ground and keep the car composed when pushing it hard into turns. It reins you in pretty well in case you push a little too hard. There isn’t really much you can say about the 6.2L 415hp LS3 V8, it’s a big thunderous V8, which is quiet when you want it to be, but the burble lurks subtly so you know its ready to go whenever you are. As for the people behind you, they’ll be well aware of when you step on the gas, as it’s not a polite exhaust full out, but damn does it sound great.

Inside you’ll find all the comforts you need, from a decently appointed dash with some nice leather and alcantara touches, to nicely bolstered and supportive seats. The seats were a little wide for my body type, still very comfortable, but for your average American these were perfect. The only quibble I had was with the cheap chrome-looking pieces located throughout the dash and center console. To me they felt a little cheap, and were a little gaudy looking.

Overall the Chevrolet SS is a great car. It hits all the points in sportiness and comfort. If you’re looking for something fun and to tide over the 25 year old in you, all the while having a completely capable family sedan for a day to the zoo, then this is an ideal car for you.

It’s not everyday you get to drive around in a Bentley. Lucky for me, I had the pleasure of taking one out for a night while in Los Angeles covering the Auto Show.
When you think of a Bentley, you kind of think of the rich celebrity type person who wants a status car, you normally don’t think of a car that’s fun to drive. Well, having this car for a night gave me a ton of fun. Obviously, everything about this car was magnificently luxurious, so I don’t feel that I have to go into too much detail about how nice it is. Instead, I’m going to strictly talk about how much fun it was to drive.
First off, I’ve driven the W12 version of this car previously, and wasn’t too impressed with the engine note. Yeah, it’t got a 12-cylinder engine, which leads you to think, “Don’t some Lamborghinis have 12 cylinders? This thing should sound awesome since it also has 12 cylinders.” To this, I have to say, the sound of the GT V8 sounded much, much better than the W12 version. It had a nice deep, throaty growl that reminded me of a more sophisticated American v8. Cruising along trying to see if anyone notices a Bentley driving around downtown L.A., and its nice and quiet, but punch that throttle and you open up a can of sweet music.
The GT V8 doesn’t feel aggressively fast, but I can assure you that this thing can, and will push you into your seat, and if you have some passengers in the car, they’ll be pleasantly surprised at how quick and luxurious this car is. I mean, for a car that starts around $175,000, you wouldn’t expect anything less.
So in conclusion of my night out with the Bentley Continental GT V8, I’d have to say I was going into it not really expecting anything. I’m not the type of guy that revels in the mass luxury of these type of vehicles. However, I was thoroughly impressed with the amount of fun I had driving this car around L.A. Merging into traffic, tackling off-ramps, driving around a covered garage listening to the burble of the V8, all this attributed to a very fun night.

The Corvette is an American icon. When it first appeared in 1953 as a show car, it was met with so much enthusiasm that GM decided to make it into a production model, and it came out later that year. Seven generations later, and it’s still in production, and still loved as much as back then. While many will argue which is the best Vette ever made, I’d have to say without having ever driven another version besides the Corvette C6 ZR1, this is a great American sports car, hell, maybe even an American super car.

While it’s no Ferrari or Lamborghini, the C7 Corvette is well on it’s way to being a contender for bang for your buck. For a cool $51,000 you can be sitting in one. What does that $51,000 get you? I’m glad you asked.

You’re no longer looking at cheap, recycled parts, the same steering wheel as a Chevrolet Malibu, or decent performance. No, you’re looking at a very well crafted machine, filled with luxurious touches, and great overall performance. Looking over this car, GM took in every detail, from the soft touch leather dashboard, to the knobs that control the climate controls, everything feels well thought out, and well executed. The digital gauges add a very nice touch of the future to the cabin, but don’t worry, you still have some analog gauges there as well to even it all out. The seats are very comfortable as well. It didn’t take much to find a comfortable seating position, and while you’re pretty low to the ground, it didn’t feel like it.

Previous years exterior designs were never as controversial as this one. Some may think its too aggressive looking, but I think it looks just right. It has enough aggressiveness to have people take a double take when passing by, which is what the Corvette needed. Yeah, you see Corvettes a lot more than you’ll see Ferrari’s, which is partially the reason why previous generations get overlooked easily. But this one, you need to take a look at again, just to be like, “Wait, this is a Corvette? An American car company built something so exotic looking?” And exotic it is. Over the course of the 16 hours I had this car I had people stopping me, asking me questions about it, heck, some people were even pulling u-turns as the drove by just to get out and look the car over as it was parked on the side of the road.

Now, the performance parts. How can you go wrong with a 6.2 liter V8 pushing out 455 horsepower, 460 if you opt for the performance exhaust as in the car I had. Transmission choices are either a 6-speed automatic with paddle shifters, or a true enthusiasts transmission of a manual 7-speed with active rev-matching. Yes, thats correct, a 7-speed manual in a Corvette. While I’ll say that the 7-speed manual transmission in this car is pretty good, it did feel a tiny bit clunky, and many times I would find it hard to find the gear I was looking for. Trying to get from 2nd into 3rd I’d sometimes end up in 5th, and trying to go from 4th to 5th I’d sometimes end up in 7th, but most of the time, I’d end up somewhere in between. I’m sure with some more time in the car it would all become second nature to me, but it would take some time.

In the center of the car you will find a dial. On that dial you have some options. Weather, Eco, Tour, Sport, and Track. I kept it mainly in 2 modes, Tour and Sport. Tour mode is what I’d like to call your everyday mode. It’s comfortable, smooth, and just overall very pleasant. The exhaust isn’t too loud, unless you really get on it, the ride is very compliant and easy on the hind quarters. This is the kind of mode you use driving around your community neighborhood at the early hours, or if you’re on long road trip.

My favorite mode, however, was Sport. This gave the suspension a more aggressive feel, a little more jarring, but not unbearable. It also tightened up the steering feel and made the exhaust much more pronounced. This is the mode you’d drive in when you want to hear the roar of that LS3 engine, and when you want everyone else to hear it too.

No matter which mode you’re in, planting your foot into the floor will always give you a nice rush. Plant it hard enough and that back end likes to come loose like a wet noodle. Before you know it you’re hitting 60mph, which is claimed to be around 3.8 seconds. Keep that throttle pegged, and you hit triple digits in no time. The engine just begs to keep going, and hearing the noises that it’s emitting makes it very hard to pull that right foot back. But alas, unless you’re on a track you shouldn’t be hitting those speeds, but it sure is fun trying to get up there.

So is this new Corvette a true super car. Of course not. But it’s pretty damn close for what you’re paying for.