What constitutes a luxury vehicle? Is it an esteemed nameplate with a long history of producing fine automobiles, like Mercedes-Benz or Cadillac? Is it technology like the electric propulsion system of a Tesla? Or do certain features define a luxury vehicle, like a panoramic sunroof or a heated steering wheel? If the last definition is your idea of luxury, you […]

Here’s a first look at the latest Ride of the Week, a 2013 Toyota 4Runner Trail. The 4Runner is one of the few remaining true SUVs. It’s a body-on-frame vehicle with available part-time or full-time four-wheel drive, a powerful standard V6 engine and a 5-speed automatic transmission. Optional third-row seating allows space for seven passengers, but most 4Runner drivers will […]

Here’s a first look at the latest Ride of the Week, the 2013 Toyota RAV4 XLE fwd. Compact SUVs and crossovers like the RAV4 are right-sized. They’re big enough to be practical but small enough to be fuel-efficient and easy to drive and park. In fact, shoppers in the mid-size sedan category should consider a smaller, 5-passenger SUV as well. […]

Here’s a first look at the latest Ride of the Week, the 2013 Acura RDX AWD. This second generation of Acura’s popular 5-passenger crossover SUV not only looks different from its predecessor, it’s significantly updated underneath its bodywork, too. Its predecessor used a four-cylinder turbocharged engine; the latest RDX packs a new, 273-horsepower V6 and a standard 6-speed automatic transmission. […]

Members got a look at the completely redesigned 2013 Nissan Pathfinder at the October luncheon of the Greater Atlanta Automotive Media Association (GAAMA). With unibody construction replacing a truck-like body-on-frame architecture, the 7-passenger crossover is a departure from its predecessor yet maintains much of the outgoing model’s capabilities. The luncheon at Ray’s on the River in Atlanta included a presentation […]

Arriving this fall, the 2013 Conquest Evade is an unarmored sister model to the Canadian boutique automaker’s $600,000 Knight XV. I recently posted on that armored luxury limo as I was generally floored by its existence. Conquest just announced the Evade through social media, and posted a teaser video on YouTube. It certainly looks the part, with a close family […]

You can’t be too careful. Especially if you’re a billionaire and/or you live in or travel to dangerous places. That’s why Conquest Vehicles in Toronto builds the Knight XV. The 13,000-lb, 8-foot tall and 20-foot long truck, built on a Ford F-550 Super Duty chassis, seats six in bulletproof luxury.

To my delight, I’ve been behind the wheel of a wide range of cars over the past six months or so, including everything from rare vintage sports cars to modern econoboxes. Variety being the spice of life, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to experience these many different automobiles and to share my impressions with readers. Along with others from Atlanta’s […]

Infiniti’s big, three-row SUV is capable and luxurious even in base trim. With option packages piled on, this test vehicle leaves drivers wanting for little. Few vehicles offer drivers and passengers the range of capabilities of Infiniti’s QX56. Completely redesigned for 2011, the three-row SUV has a 400-horsepower V8, available four-wheel drive, a luxurious leather interior and a range of […]

Dave May and I met today to shoot this week’s test vehicle, the 2012 Infiniti QX56. Eager to find a location that suited the vehicle and always up for something new, we decided to photograph the QX in a parking garage. I took a photo of Dave on the scene (top left) with my phone’s camera, but it couldn’t handle […]