The Driving Standard

A Pair of A3s

2013-12-03T13:00:00.001-08:00

Last week I decided to test out some new tires and took my usual mountain drive. After a few miles of testing the new tread on gravel and snow I came across Audi doing the same thing. I didn't pay much attention to them at first until I noticed that they were both A3’s and that the hatchback was missing a set of doors.

Castello Cavalcanti

2013-11-23T13:05:00.000-08:00

You either love or hate Wes Anderson, but if you claim to be a vintage European racing lover then you owe it to yourself to watch this short film. I've been too busy this week to write a post so I'll do what many of my teachers in high school did when they came in hung over; put on a movie, turn off the lights, and take a nap. Happy viewing.

SLS-Less

2013-11-16T11:12:00.001-08:00

The LA Auto Show is on the horizon and already the rumors and leaks have begun. But one thing that is for certain is this year's Auto Show will be a sort of sending off for a car I feel still has good years left in it.

The SEMA You Don't Know

2013-11-11T11:22:00.000-08:00

The annual SEMA show has just wrapped up and for the past week we've had a glimpse into the future of automotive parts and technology. But what you might not have seen, or known about for that matter, is what SEMA does every other week out of the year…protect our automotive freedom.

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Your Tools are in Trouble

2013-11-02T11:33:00.002-07:00

If you have read headlines from the automotive industry lately than most likely you think all is well. Auto sales are up, quality is better than ever, deals are being struck and cars are being built on US soil more than ever. But if you have something in the garage that likes a lot of attention, you might soon find yourself working empty handed.

Porsche 918 Exclusive

2013-10-24T21:56:00.001-07:00

Well here it is, footage taken of the new Porsche 918 out in the wild.

Italia in America & an Odd Audi

2013-10-22T14:04:00.000-07:00

The Frankfort Motor show brought out some interesting sights. For one, the Porsche 918 is finally ready. The first hybrid Porsche looks amazing and is even quite close to the concept photos we’ve been looking at for a couple of years. But what really stole the show was Audi’s Nanuk Quattro. It’s an Audi R8 and an Audi Q7 in one. Its supercar meets SUV, Dakar Rally meets LMP, and odd meets cool. It is based off of the next generation R8, but it comes with big tires and lifted suspension. Remember the Italdesign Parcour concept? It’s pretty much same thing, but with an Audi badge and a good chance at production. The Ferrari F12 is also causing a lot of stir lately as well.

Killing off the Corvette

2013-09-21T12:36:00.001-07:00

The Corvette is America’s longest selling most likely most successful sports car, and now I don’t like it. I have to admit I’ve had a love hate relationship with the Corvette. My brother has owned a few of them and loves them. I grew up loving the ’63 split window and have even sat in a few. I once even drove 6 hours away from my house to almost buy one. But mostly I’ve been put off by something about them. The very early models roof leaked, the mid models had awful interior, the 90s saw wiring issues, and the later years had the same style gauges as my Chevy truck. Now I know the first Corvette was built from parts around the shop to keep prices low, but when I step into a modern sports car it better not remind me of my pickup truck. But now I hate the new one for all new reasons.

Classic Cars of the Future

2013-09-07T10:53:00.001-07:00

In 1963 the Volkswagen 23-window Bus originally sold for $2,700. Today, you can barely find a daily-drivable one for under $60,000. Even two bidders at Barrett Jackson drove the price of this one to over $200,000.

No Driver Needed

2013-08-31T11:37:00.000-07:00

I remember seeing an illustration from the 50’s that showed a driver-less car containing a family of four playing dominoes on a coffee table. The car was a glass bubble and the seats were more like couches than car seats. My guess is that they were on a road trip and enjoyed the idea of transforming the car into a comfortable living room, thus making traveling less stressful.

Big Mountains Bring Out New Cars

2013-08-20T13:42:00.001-07:00

First off I have to say sorry to my loyal readers for not writing in a while. You can visit ColoradoCommon.com to see why. Secondly, Colorado is awesome. Good craft beer, plenty to do, and really big mountains. And what comes with big mountains? Winding roads and high altitude. And what comes with winding roads and high altitude? Concept and test cars out in the open. Last week I made the journey to Mount Evans where I was lucky enough to capture photos of a new Mercedes and Fiat.

BMW Underground

2013-06-28T13:38:00.000-07:00

I recently read an article about BMW reviving the 8-series. Further on in the article they mentioned that if BMW brings the old beast back that an M version would most likely follow this time. This time? Was there not an M8 in the nineties? I thought about this for second and thought surely that couldn't be right. I figured, even if it was only a handful of old German businessmen who owned them, someone had an M8 tucked away in their garage. I was both wrong and right. See BMW did build an M version of the 8-series, although they never mass-produced it and the only one built is kept hidden in an underground BMW-Batcave away from cameras and attention. Das vvay no one kould find zit.

Sex Kitten

2013-05-31T12:04:00.002-07:00

There are certain cars that enthusiasts like myself can never shake. Cars that will forever hold a grip on our ever-loving hearts and when we hear their name we get a sparkle in our eye and completely lose our previous train of thought.

The Greatest Car Company That Never Was

2013-05-17T09:28:00.001-07:00

In 2009 I gave a speech in my Professional Communications class that would forever change my life. We had to come up with a presentation that sold a product or company to a group of investors, which was really just our professor and classmates. My presentation was on a car concept that I had been working on in my spare time which utilized an interchangeable body. The idea was that the consumer bought one chassis and then every ten years brought it in to be brought up to spec and have the current year’s body put on, all for only 30% the cost of a new model. It was a very successful presentation and I will never forget how impressed the professor was, which wasn't an easy thing to do. The idea I presented had come from my admiration of Jeep CJs. What made Jeeps so cool to me was that you could buy one and put an endless number of parts on it. I swear that no two Jeeps look the same and I think that is part of their appeal. You buy a blank canvas box and can do as much or as little to it as you want. You can make them look newer or older just by changing the wheels and fenders and I thought why couldn't cars be that way and why couldn't the dealer make an outdated model modern again for a small fee? Just before graduation I had a job lined up in Chicago at big advertising agency, but by the time the degree was in my hand their main client had financial troubles and my job went down with their revenue. So I started a car company.

The Art of the Road Trip

2013-05-02T12:07:00.005-07:00

It’s been 96 hours since I last sat here, pecking at the keys of a laptop, glancing outside at Pikes Peak while answering text messages and phone calls. In that short amount of time my girlfriend and I managed a road trip to the west coast in what has now become one of our most favorite trips of all.

The Subaru Striptease

2013-04-19T12:30:00.002-07:00

When the new WRX was revealed at the New York Auto Show it caused quite a stir with its aggressive styling and neon exhaust. I, however, was a little less impressed. Every article I read highlighted that the chassis was four inches lower to the ground, and spoke about it like it was a good thing. I must be crazy but I thought WRX stood for World Rally (Cross, AWD, or Experience depending on what side of the debate you’re on) and four inches lower in the rally world isn’t always good. I know Pikes Peak is now fully paved but people, especially here in Colorado, like to go off-road in their Subaru and I bet they don’t want the lower chassis. I do, however, think it looks amazing and think the current WRX needs some serious cosmetic work. But in truth it doesn't matter because apparently it was all a joke.

The Good, the Bad, and the Yellow

2013-04-12T13:18:00.000-07:00

In high school I only had one suit. It was pretty standard issue as far as suits go and it served its purpose for a few high school dances, a wedding, and a graduation. After college things changed and now I have a whole arsenal of ties and bad addiction to collecting cuff links. But back then that one suit was all I needed, because at sixteen clothes were the last thing I was concerned with. I was more focused on cars, girls, and independence. My passion for driving has been with me since I was kid. At age nine I sat on my dad’s lap and drove our truck down an old dusty rural road. At fifteen I immediately enrolled in the school’s driving course and spent hours driving around New Orleans while the instructor, our head football coach, dozed off in the passenger seat. At sixteen, I stood at the doors of the DMV at six in the morning just so I could get my license on the day of my birthday. After that came a car and working endless hours washing dishes at a local restaurant to pay for fuel, tires, and parts. I tell you this because I read something very interesting last week in the news. Apparently today’s sixteen year olds are becoming less interested in driving and owning cars and more interested in social networking and owning new iPhones.

What’s in a name?

2013-03-26T11:43:00.000-07:00

If you were ever lucky enough to drive the mid-nineties Impala SS then you know what it’s like to drive a truly ironic car. No spell check needed I did mean ironic and not iconic, although some SS-owners would understandably argue for the latter. I say ironic because it is a large and heavy car that feels like your grandfather’s Cadillac while cruising down the highway, but step on the throttle and the extra weight disappears and suddenly you’re engulfed by the cushy leather seats. The particular one I drove had carbon-fiber interior trim and I couldn’t help but laugh that the trim was the area they wanted to save weight, never mind the 850-pound doors or helipad of a hood. I remember that the car felt so large that I had the urge to yell when talking to the person next to me, but yet its size was flung forward by the large amount of torque and posi-lock diff. It also had an LT1 Corvette engine with 4-wheel disc brakes and stiffened suspension, of which all could have fit into the trunk that was large enough to sub as a living room should you ever need to remodel yours. Ironic? Yes. Unbelievably fun to drive? You bet. But then the Impala ran away from home and by the time it came back it was neutered and had its emission shots.

Something Is Wrong

2013-03-12T12:22:00.000-07:00

This has been a busy couple months for the auto world. For one the Geneva car show has had some newsworthy rides including the much talked about $4.5 million Lamborghini. And before that Elon Musk, founder of Tesla Motors, decided he didn't like an article put out by the New York Times and showed just how badly Tesla Motors needs a Public Relations office. But I've had some big news myself and I’m sad to say I’m sick. Well I must be, because as of lately the one car that’s been on my mind has been the Chevrolet Volt. I know, and I don’t understand why either but for some stupid reason I’m starting to like it. I think it’s the same kind of pity or understanding that warrants some men into buying stupid little dogs in favor of the much better and much manlier Labrador.

The End is Near

2013-02-09T11:49:00.003-08:00

The end is near. Not the end that conjures up images of riots and zombies or the returning of a bearded man in a robe, but the end of a quiet and often overlooked comrade. As I have mentioned before Suzuki is leaving the United States because of financial troubles. While Honda and other foreign car companies are building plants and getting acquainted with deep fried foods, Suzuki is packing up and heading home. When some read the news about Suzuki leaving they simply turned the page and continued on without ever really giving it thought. After all, bankrupt car companies have become a common thing in the United States. However, I wasn't one of those people. I was a bit down over the news because just like Saturn, Suzuki was leaving right as it was getting good. I won’t lie though, my slight depression did only last 30 or 40 seconds but that’s borderline serious morning in the iPhone-age.

Best Friends Forever

2013-01-25T12:23:00.001-08:00

I, usually, love BMW. After all they are the “ultimate driving machine.” But lately I've lost interest. When they took the V10 from the M5 I was disappointed but understood the switch to a turbocharged V8. Then they starting designing their cars to look like something Infiniti would build and began pleating the hood. Shortly after that, news came that they wanted to build a front-wheel drive fuel efficient coupe, and a part of me died. Since then I've been backing away slowly, like finding out your crush is really a psycho with a strange amount of cats.

I Was Wrong

2013-01-11T12:04:00.000-08:00

In case you were worried, and I doubt you were, I am still alive. I survived the move to Colorado and have been spending time learning to drive on snow, acclimatizing the Volkswagen, and getting lost around the new town. The move was anything but easy, but seeing the Rocky Mountains from my front porch seems to make it all worth it. A lot has happened since I last wrote and we have a lot to discuss in the upcoming month, but first and foremost I need to apologize. Not for the long absence over the holidays but for being the thing I hate most, ignorant.

Goodbye Florida

2012-11-23T10:53:00.002-08:00

As you may have noticed by now there hasn't been new content in a while. For the last few weeks I've been packing, cleaning, and getting ready for my move to Colorado. This, of course, has left little time for posting. I also wanted to tell my friends and family about the move in person so they didn't have to find out over a blog post.

5 Roads To Drive Before You Die

2012-11-02T13:09:00.002-07:00

A few summers ago I took a road trip to Colorado with my girlfriend. It was a classic style road trip too. We took it easy, drove the scenic routes, ate at the local spots, and stopped for dozens of photos along the way. Doing so meant we spent more time on the road than at the destination, but still to this day it is the trip we talk about most.

I figured I would put an end this hectic week with a short list of some US roads to drive before you kick the bucket. This list isn’t in any particular order of importance or significance. Also, I want to keep it going so consider this a part one of a series of ongoing updates on roads you need drive. So turn the SatNav off and trade the monotonous freeway for the roads less traveled.

New Feature

2012-10-30T12:03:00.000-07:00

Today I’m adding a new feature to the blog so there won’t be a full post. A poll is now added on the right side column and I hope you take part and voice your opinion. To start it off let’s take aim at Formula One. As most of you know Formula One is coming back to the US. The US Grand Prix will take place November 16^th at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, TX. But can we support it this time? Tickets are almost completely sold out but that isn’t unusual for an F1 event. F1 has had a rough history with the US but are we finally ready and able to make this an annual event? Cast your vote on the right and let me know what you think.

Shop talk will continue as usual Friday.

Photo by schmich via http://www.flickr.com/photos/schmich/618305299/