2006 BMW 7 Series first...

Entering its fourth year, BMW’s flagship 7 Series is getting a mid-cycle makeover. While the cosmetic upgrades are subtle – a reworked face with a taller hood line and larger kidney grilles, freshened headlights, new taillights and stronger-looking side sills along with a redefined...

2006 BMW 3 Series previ...

After a serpentine two and a half hour drive I arrive at the Circuito Albacete racetrack. The new 3 Series saloon – as they call sedans in Europe – is already crackling from the heat in its engine, brakes and exhaust, but the best is yet to come. After negotiating a platoon of...

2006 Bentley Continenta...

From the early days of the company, Bentley has always been synonymous with speed and racing, a heritage that can be traced all the way back to W. O. Bentley and the famed Bentley Boys. The marque’s latest vehicle, the 2006 Bentley Continental Flying Spur was inspired by the 1952...

2006 Acura RL

The original Acura RL was not one of my favorite cars, not only because it represented everything that was wrong with the luxury car market at the time, the look was boring, the handling vague but it also pushed the accomplished Legend off the dealer’s lot. Its only saving grace was ...

2005 Toyota Matrix

The launch of the Mazda Protegé5 brought a raft of imitators and competitors – the Toyota Matrix and its Pontiac Vibe clone being among the first out of the blocks. The appeal of these vehicles is simple: The five-door hatchback design brings most of the versatility of a small SUV and...

2005 Toyota Echo sedan

The Toyota Echo sedan when it first debuted in 2000 was designed for strong youth appeal with styling and packaging that departs from the norm. It was a subcompact car with a tall and narrow stance and the lack of proper proportion brought a gawky look to the exterior styling. The...

2005 Pontiac G6 GT

One of the first things to understand about the Pontiac G6 is its lineage – basically it shares its platform with the Saab 9-3 and Chevrolet Malibu. The importance of this is that it brings a rock-solid foundation to the car, one that allows the rest of it to function as intended. It...

2005 Kia Sportage

Of the 1,000 or so cars I have tested over the past 20 years the original Kia Sportage ranks as one of the worst – it took the touch of a master chef to stir your way through the manual gearbox and taking a corner at anything more than walking pace felt as though the vehicle made famous...