Posted on March 31, 2013 by Ryan Glass
It’s been said that money can’t buy happiness…. or love. And it certainly can’t buy you a new Chevrolet Captiva. This otherwise unassuming compact SUV is probably the strangest anomaly in the US auto industry. It’s designed for the American market and imported here, but even if your last name is Trump, you can’t buy one. Look on the Chevy website and there won’t be a mention of it. It’s not promoted at any American auto shows. The Captiva is sold solely to rental fleets and not to the public- the only new vehicle out there that can make this bizarre claim. So what gives? Why would Chevy go to all the trouble to build a car that no one can purchase? The answer to that question is complicated and has the makings of a telenovela- involving new relationships, breakups, and even a death.
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Filed under: Chevrolet | Tagged: aviation, cars, chevrolet captiva, chevy captiva, daewoo winstorm, porn star name, ramos arizpe, transportation | 3 Comments »
Posted on March 9, 2013 by Ryan Glass
Maybe it’s a personal preference, but I’ve always had an affinity for the underdog. You know, the guy that has all the odds against them- who will more than likely walk away in shame and defeat. I cheered when the New York Giants won the Super Bowl in 2004. Was overjoyed when the little engine that could…. really could. And cried when Urkel went to the prom with the love of his life, Laura Winslow. Okay, maybe I didn’t react to any of those events (would I really confess to it if I did?), but I’ll admit to always having a soft spot for Hyundai. The spunky Korean automaker that arrived on US shores in 1986 with affordable and cheery little cars that were cheap as chips but later garnered a reputation of bad quality. The perceived quality was so bad that Hyundai almost fled out of the US market. Unlike other automakers in similar situations, such as Alfa Romeo, Yugo, and Fiat, Hyundai tenaciously clung on and offered improved products and generous warranties to qualm any reliability fears.
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Filed under: Hyundai | Tagged: aviation, cars, hyundai sonata, late night tv, laura winslow, sonata hyundai, transportation | 1 Comment »
Posted on March 1, 2013 by Ryan Glass
It’s possibly a sign of the times, but the #1 hit across the Billboard charts at this very moment is Macklemore’s R&B/hip-hop song “Thrift Shop.” For those of you unfamiliar with this phenomenon, it’s a paean to all things inexpensive and quirky that can only be found by pure luck at a second-hand store. Typically, most rap songs are boastful about conspicuous consumption; mansions, Escalades, Bentley’s and large yachts, but “Thrift Shop” goes to the beat of a different drummer and glorifies the unique styles that can be had for cheap and mocks overpriced name brands and fads. It doesn’t hurt that it’s also a catchy tune and I continually found myself singing it while driving the Mitsubishi Galant. Not only because it was played on every pop station while cruising around, but ironically it also describes this car’s place in the world. It may not be for buyers looking for the latest or trendiest, but for anyone who is looking for an absolute deal, it could prove to be a gold mine.
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Filed under: Mitsubishi | Tagged: aviation, billboard charts, cars, mitsubishi galant, mitusubishi, transportation | Leave a comment »
Posted on February 22, 2013 by Ryan Glass
Parents have a habit of saying that their kids grow up way too fast. That it’s only a matter of a short time before the little ones blossom from infancy to downright looming over their folks in size and strength. Not to quote a famous lion, but it’s all part of the circle of life. And it’s a harsh reality that the Nissan Maxima must face. Originally introduced in 1981, the Maxima has historically been the grand daddy of the Nissan family- being the largest, most well-appointed, and priciest of all the sedans from the manufacturer. But times have changed, and the Maxima is now eclipsed by its own children.
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Filed under: Nissan | Tagged: aviation, cars, generation maxima, nissan maxima, toyota cressida, transportation | Leave a comment »
Posted on February 15, 2013 by Ryan Glass
Charles Dicken’s “Tale of Two Cities” depicts life in London and Paris during the years leading up to the French Revolution. Despite the two city’s obvious cultural and social differences, both had unflattering parallels and similarities during the time period. It could be likened to the clashes and battles between Lexus and Infiniti. Although rivals, both have taken similar paths through history that resulted in completely different outcomes for both. The two brands are divisions of large Japanese parent companies (Toyota and Nissan respectively) and were introduced to the market the same year, in 1990, Both debuted showcasing large, rear-wheel drive sedans to compete head-to-head with the German luxury brand names. In the years following, compact front-wheel drive spinoffs were added to the lineups, the Camry derived ES250 for Lexus and the Nissan Sunny based G20, to appeal to younger professionals. Whereas Lexus found success in the 1990’s with most of its models, Infiniti struggled and soon faced extinction. As a last-ditched effort, Infiniti promised to keep its sights on BMW and released the G35 in 2003- forever changing the brand’s character and propelling it on a different course than archrival Lexus.
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Filed under: Infiniti | Tagged: aviation, cars, charles dickens, german car makers, infiniti g37, transportation | Leave a comment »
Posted on February 8, 2013 by Ryan Glass
Cadillac’s history is a checkerboard of triumphs, innovative achievements, downfalls, and the occasional identity crisis. One of the oldest automakers in the world, founded in 1902, Cadillac embodies American prosperity and has been interwoven in our culture and music; from Bruce Springsteen’s “Pink Cadillac” to “Cadillac Pimpin'” by Young Bloodz. The brand has been a trailblazer over the years, introducing the electric starter in 1912, memory seats in the 50’s, and automatic climate control during the Kennedy era. Probably the most well-known Cadillac feature were the outlandish tailfins that defined post-war America. But Cadillac lost its way during the second half of the century and in its lowest times was shamelessly selling rebadged Chevy Cavaliers and Opel Omegas, as well as catering to buyers who were in their twilight years with front-wheel drive floaty behemoths. Meanwhile, pesky competitors from Germany and Japan were eating Cadillac’s lunch. Something had to change otherwise the brand faced impending doom.
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Filed under: Cadillac | Tagged: aviation, bmw 5 series, Cadillac ATS, cars, mercedes c class, transportation | Leave a comment »
Posted on January 31, 2013 by Ryan Glass
In the Summer of 2000, my parents and I were actively looking for a cheap set of reliable (used) wheels for my upcoming college years. Like many in that same situation over the years,our quest sent us on a pilgrimage to the local Hyundai dealer. While checking out an Elantra, my mother’s attention was diverted by a shiny vehicle across the showroom floor and she exclaimed “what’s that!?” “That” was the all-new for 2001 Santa Fe, Hyundai’s first attempt at an SUV. Previously known for selling cheap, cheery economy cars, the Santa Fe represented a new chapter for the manufacturer. The automaker wanted to be taken seriously and couldn’t do so without a truck in its stable. But Hyundai isn’t one to shy away from risks, and looked to outer space for inspiration for the first Santa Fe. Instead of the traditional outdoorsy look, that Santa Fe had love-it–or hate-it bulging fenders, a gaping grill, and a spaceship like interior. It begged for attention and the gamble paid off. My mother eagerly bought one, which she still owns to this day. And she wasn’t alone, Hyundai couldn’t keep up with demand and it quickly became their best-selling vehicle in the early 2000’s. The stage was set for Hyundai in the 21st Century.
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Filed under: Hyundai | Tagged: aviation, cars, hyundai dealer, hyundai suv, santa fe hyundai, transportation | Leave a comment »
Posted on January 23, 2013 by Ryan Glass
Until recent years, the economy car segment in the United States had been nothing more than teases and disappointments. We could only watch from afar as Europe, Asia, and the rest of the world would attain interesting and intriguing small city cars that were enjoyable to drive and fuel-efficient. While everyone else was having fun, we had to make do with bland, boring cheap-and-nasty subcompacts that were intended to be throwaway cars for college students. Sudden spikes in fuel prices changed perceptions on small cars and suddenly they became en vogue. One such tease from years ago was the Mazda2. Sold overseas since 1998, the first two generations were decent little boxy cars that boasted lots of room but were a tad humdrum. But the 2’s redesign for 2007 changed the car’s personality. That version became lighter and more emotional than its predecessors and was recognized as “International Car of the Year 2007” by a jury of 22 auto journalists from 11 countries. Yet the 2 still wasn’t sold in the U.S. That was until 2010, when Mazda made the sudden announcement it will sell the 2 in North America. Woo-hoo, let the party begin!
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Filed under: Mazda | Tagged: aviation, city cars, en vogue, mazda2, transportation | Leave a comment »
Posted on January 15, 2013 by Ryan Glass
In the movie “Pleasantville”, two modern day teenagers are sent back in time to the perfect 1950’s middle-America community . There were no pregnancies, no divorce, no plastics and no fab diets. The milkman made his delivery every morning, and the most unthinkable saga was a cat stuck in a tree. And everyone had an American made car in the driveway, including the Buick Roadmaster that belonged to the primary household. Those were Buick’s brightest days- the age of bench seats and floaty suspensions. Fast forward to more recent times and in the late 90’s and early 2000’s Buick was nothing more than an afterthought. A rebadged Chevy with added chrome and large, easy to read radio buttons that you’d only find in the senior center parking lot. Buick’s sales numbers spiralled downhill as its targeted clientele aged. Things looked bleak, but then a funny thing happened…..
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Filed under: Buick | Tagged: aviation, bench seats, buick lacrosse, buick roadmaster, cars, mass slaughter, transportation | 1 Comment »
Posted on January 9, 2013 by Ryan Glass
It’s Saturday evening and just like clock work, the Santa Monica Freeway is to its usual crawl. My fiance and soon-to-be mother-in-law are navigating through the maze of LA traffic and we’re anxious to have a ramen dinner in Little Tokyo. We’re hungry and exasperated from seeing endless brake lights, but fortunately tonight we’re in the 2013 Ford Mustang. Suddenly, we stumble across an opening to the near-empty carpool lane and I punch the accelerator. Faster than my mother-in-law can exclaim “Holy s**t!”, we’re well over the speed limit and those brake lights are a distant memory in the rear view mirror. Not only has the Mustang put a smile on my face and gotten us to our long-awaited dinner. but it also scared the scheisse out of my in-laws. Suddenly, the Ford Mustang has become my new best friend.
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Filed under: Ford | Tagged: Ford Mustang, LA traffic, Little Tokyo, pony car, Santa Monica Freeway | Leave a comment »
It’s been said that money can’t buy happiness…. or love. And it certainly can’t buy you a new Chevrolet Captiva. This otherwise unassuming compact SUV is probably the strangest anomaly in the US auto industry. It’s designed for the American market and imported here, but even if your last name is Trump, you can’t buy one. Look on the Chevy website and there won’t be a mention of it. It’s not promoted at any American auto shows. The Captiva is sold solely to rental fleets and not to the public- the only new vehicle out there that can make this bizarre claim. So what gives? Why would Chevy go to all the trouble to build a car that no one can purchase? The answer to that question is complicated and has the makings of a telenovela- involving new relationships, breakups, and even a death.
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