obsession with automotive excellence
Automotive Excellence
Cadillac’s 4.2-liter Blackwing V8 gave the CT6 a mechanical identity that could not be obtained by changing the grille on another General Motors product. This was a…
Read the essay : Cadillac’s Blackwing Could Have Been the FutureAutomotive Excellence
The most beautiful French car of the postwar era is the Citroën DS Décapotable by Henri Chapron. The sedan introduced in Paris in October 1955 already looked…
Read the essay : Have You Ever Seen Anything as Lovely as a Citroën DS Décapotable?Automotive Excellence / Interesting Times
Mechanical intimacy has a business case. That is not the same thing as a guarantee. I. Where did all the manuals go? A clean downshift is an…
Read the essay : Gatekeeping: Profits Will Save the ManualsAutomotive Excellence / Interesting Times
The Absurdity Index begins where a luxury car’s explanation becomes less convincing than the car itself. It is not a reliability ranking or a disguised list of…
Read the essay : The Absurdity IndexAutomotive Excellence
I. Defending the Throne The W140 makes its argument before the engine starts. The tall glass, broad shoulders, and substantial doors promise that a passenger will be…
Read the essay : Mercedes W140: The Last Heirloom Luxury CarAutomotive Excellence
The Porsche 911 has kept a rear‑engined, flat‑six 2+2 in continuous production since 1964 not because Porsche refused to change, but because it changed just enough. Each…
Read the essay : The Sports Car: How Porsche’s 911 Came to Represent PerformanceAutomotive Excellence
The Celestiq gives Cadillac a serious claim on the most expensive end of the luxury car business, but a serious claim is not yet a successful car.…
Read the essay : The $340,000 Celestiq Hatchback is Cadillac’s Only HopeAutomotive Excellence
The American wagon has not disappeared so much as acquired an income requirement. Enthusiasts still fantasize about a brown manual diesel wagon, but by September 20, 2026,…
Read the essay : Requiem for the WagonAutomotive Excellence
The Lexus LC500 makes its case long before the stopwatch starts. Lexus gave the LC500 a V8 that reaches its power peak at 7,100 rpm, then supplied…
Read the essay : The Best Japanese Grand Tourer Ever BuiltAutomotive Excellence
The original Lexus SC remains a compelling way into Japanese grand touring, provided the bargain is a sound car rather than a cheap purchase. Its case begins…
Read the essay : America’s Lexus: The California-Born Lexus SC is the Hidden Bargain in Japanese Sport CoupesAutomotive Excellence
In April 1988, Car and Driver recorded a BMW 750iL reaching 60 mph in 6.5 seconds and running on to 158 mph. At a steady 70, the…
Read the essay : The BMW 750iL Changed Everything
