Automotive Reviews

All-New 2017 Nissan Armada Sport Utility Vehicle Nissan has completely redone its 2017 Armada. Powered by the same 390-horsepower 5.6-liter Endurance V-8 and seven-speed automatic transmission available in the Titan half-ton and XD pickups, this flagship SUV is the largest and most powerful model in the manufacturer's portfolio. The eight-passenger Armada comes in three trim levels -- SV, SL, and Platinum...

2017 Nissan Armada King of the Road As fuel prices have dropped, families are ready to hit the highways in "king of the road" full size SUVs. Large SUV sales are averaging 250,000 units per year, and are expected to increase this year! Nissan feels it is poised to move up in market share for the segment with the introduction of...

18-Stop Millionth Miata Tour Visits Austin, Dallas, Houston My first encounter with the Mazda Miata was way back in the 1990s. We were planning an annual DeSoto Chamber of Commerce banquet, and the Chamber was raffling off a brand new Miata. Some had doubt, but wiser heads prevailed in assuring more $100 tickets were sold than ever before, as people vied...

It's not often that I get an opportunity to attend a national unveiling of a new vehicle near home in Dallas, Texas, but such was the case with the new 2017 Nissan Pathfinder. This July Nissan management, local dealer management and journalists from around the country gathered at Klyde Warren Park in downtown Dallas to listen to details about,...

An Afternoon Drive In The 2017 Rolls-Royce Dawn Indulge me (and yourself) just a little this week, as you read my column. I am going to describe the details that intrigued me in the 2017 Rolls-Royce Dawn. Anyone having an extra $400,000 laying around, shouldn't hesitate to take one of these immaculate driving machines home. Not today? Well, just put...

and, No, it never was going to be a Panther! A few months ago I wrote that I had a special opportunity to drive the new 2017 Chevrolet Camaro as part of the Find New Roads campaign from Detroit to New York. I found the 2017 Chevrolet Camaro the best I had ever driven and loved it immensely. I felt...

It had been a long journey. Two days and nights in an Amtrak roomette from Dallas to LA, followed by coach seats to Oxnard CA. My husband and I were attending a travel writers’ conference at Embassy Suites Resort at Mandalay Beach. Most seminars were at the hotel, but we were bused around town for special events. We even took...

Jack Beahm's 1960 Edsel Ranger Is One Of Only 2,846 1960 Edsel's Built By Vern Parker - Special to Focus Daily News May 11, 2016 At first glance, Jack Beahm's 1960 Ford is frequently mistaken for a 1959 Pontiac because of the similar split grilles. However, his car's true identity is a 1960 Edsel Ranger. The short-lived Edsel phenomenon came to...

Are key fobs going the way of dinosaurs? Perhaps so. 2011 Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC models are featuring brand specific smartphone apps that connect with OnStar technology. The gig is that owners can activate all of the functions available on a traditional vehicle key fob – remote start, horn and lights and door lock/unlock –from their smart phones. Some...

American Muscle Cars A Coffee Table Book For Enthusiasts “American Muscle Cars, A Full-Throttle History” is a lavishly illustrated, passionately detailed book. Focused on America’s love affair with muscle cars, the book was published by Motorbooks March 15. The author is Darwin Holmstrom, a lover of fast cars and motorcycles who’s written or contributed to over 30 books. Tom Glatch,...