Cory Wolfe

I think it's great that the Colorado won TOTY, though, I expected the F150 to walk away with it. After reading the full article with write-ups on each competitor, it begs to reason that they made the right choice. It's pretty blatant when they still favor the much older (though thoroughly updated with goodies like the diesel) Ram over the all-new Ford. For all the progress that was made with making the truck lighter and more technological, Ford's continuing problems with fuel economy did them in.

For real. When you only offer the manual transmission on base models with no options, it shouldn't be any surprise it doesn't sell. If the US market had the options of the European market, I bet the take rate for manual transmissions would increase greatly.

The only thing I'm going to say regarding Cadillac's sales is this: I bet more people would drive away in a new Cadillac after a test drive if CUE weren't so horrid. It's the absolute worst aspect about their new models. It's awful and the touch buttons only makes the system worse. What I really want to talk about is how much of a failure the new Malibu is. It's first model year finished with the first sales decline the model has seen since the recession. Now, with its second year of sales coming to an end, it's off another 7% YTD. So much for that emergency refresh, eh? The car has good bones; The powertrain is acceptable, the chassis is great, the material quality is good, and reliability has been stellar so far. But, the packaging and polish are way off. As I have stated before, the wheelbase never should have been shortened. Yes, you can look at the measurements and see it fits within the class, but have a seat in the back next to its competitors and you wonder where that class-competitive room is. It's easily the most claustrophobic rear cabin in its class, which is the last thing you want in a family sedan. On top of that, there are a few questionable design choices here and there. The interior in its entirety, for one. I'd also throw in the sort of clunky looking rear end, it just isn't cohesive with the rest of the smooth, sleek design. Some of the interior materials are major turn offs, as well. The seat fabric in some models is absolutely horrific, for one. Finally, while going all 4-Cyl probably seemed like the trend to follow at the time, it's worth noting that the top 3 selling vehicles all offer V6 power and better fuel economy.

If Chrysler could get their quality under control, they could really soar. The products are excellent and sales are mostly reflecting that, but I'm sure there are many more who have considered an FCA vehicle and chosen otherwise due to reliability issues. I found their recent 200 commercial pretty hilarious when they said "Reliability is now an American thing". Probably the biggest misstatement in a commercial, ever. If that had been a GM commercial, maybe... Chrysler ought to admit their faults and fix it rather than trying to advertise falsities, hoping no one notices.

I'll be honest... I rarely use the automatic climate control in my Avalon. I like having finite control over the fan, temp, mode, etc. Also, while I do keep the auto windshield wipers on, they rarely work well. They either fail to work for a light rain/drizzle or they decide something needs to be cleared from the windshield when its completely dry. It's hilariously bad at times. Otherwise, my vote would have to be for other/lack of passion. More or less, it's the misconceptions people have. For example, my Grandfather, each time I visit he asks how many miles are my car. After I tell him, he always remarks something along the lines of "holy hell that's a lot". He's one of those people who will trade in a car after 25k some miles and thinks anything north of 50k is too many. And then there is the old adage of change your oil every 3k miles. I'm sure it used to be necessary, but not in the last 15 years. Hell, even the book for the Firebird only recommends 7500 intervals for highway driving. This applies to even certain car enthusiasts, not just non enthusiasts. Finally, the biggest of them all, the brand stigma that people have, domestic vs foreign. This goes both ways, many different ways in fact. I hate those who swear American cars are junk because X happened to X car X years ago. I hate those who won't consider a German car because Hitler. I hate those who think all Japanese cars are rice-burners or jap-crap or whatever because Pearl Harbor. The list goes on...

Power would definitely be a welcome addition. Driving the BRZ for the first time was definitely eye-opening. Before driving it, I was looking forward to it as it was on my list of eventual replacements for the Avalon at the time. Perhaps I've become too accustomed to the V6 and Turbo powertrains of my last two cars, but that BRZ sure was gutless below 4k rpms. While I could definitely live with the power (My 92 hp CRX wasn't particularly fast and I loved it), it would be hard to justify at its price point. Base Camaro/Mustang or a WRX/GTI/Focus ST are all about the same price and could be just as much fun. Even some midsize sedans with their optional engines are about the same price, though clearly lacking in the fun factor (save for the Mazda6, but its stuck in the same boat as the BRZ).

About goddamn time they offered it here. Volkswagen could have been in the game with this quite a long time ago.

I feel like this had promise... But I was hoping for more power than 138 naturally aspirated horses. Perhaps foolish on my part, but if you combine that with the CVT and AWD, it's going to be quite sluggish. I'll be surprised, otherwise. Also, how long until people start complaining about the touch-sensitive climate controls? It hasn't worked for Ford or Cadillac, I doubt Honda could have really made it usable.

A few months ago we were given a tightly cropped teaser of the upcoming 2016 Chevrolet Volt that showed... Well, a bit of paint and a badge. Now, after a private event for current Volt owners was held, another teaser image has surfaced. It was sent in to Jalopnik by an attendee of the event who described the new car as "fantastic." This reader also dished on some additional details regarding its upgraded charging system, including a GPS-based system that allows you to tailor your charge depending on whether you're at home or the office. This system also alloys you to program the time and amperage for charging on or off peak hours. With a reveal set for the 2015 North American International Auto Show in January, we only have another month and a half until the 2016 Volt is officially announced. Until then, head over to Jalopnik to see the teaser pic in question and all the juicy details. Link to Original Article: Jalopnik: 2016 Chevrolet Volt: This Is Some Of It

LOL... What? Are you smoking crack? I can understand not being a fan of the design, but to call it boring and a 'generic disposable appliance' is simply absurd. This is, along with Mazda's entire range, the most interesting looking vehicle in its segment. Actually, no, scratch that, the Nissan Juke deserves that claim, but it isn't much of a looker; It's quite the opposite in fact. This, however, does interesting in an aggressive, fluidic way with just the right amount of restraint. It's something you would expect of a brand with much more cache. But this... from Mazda? The little company that was rolling out forgettable stuff like the 626 and Tribute little more than 10 years ago? And even more recently was a little smile happy? This is astounding. Seeing a car like the CX-5 or the 6 or the 3 next to its competition makes you wonder what sort of ball and chain do these other automakers have attached to their designers imagination. The difference is vast and very few really come close to the caliber of design Mazda is putting out these days. I won't even dive into driving dynamics or interior quality (both of which are also on another level to the competition). Mazda is doing things right. I would really like to hear how the combinations of Sonic-Cruze-Malibu-Trax-Equinox compare favorably to the 2-3-6-CX3-CX5 from a design standpoint. Really, the only one of those that isn't boring is the Sonic. The rest seem like they were all designed by separate committees with different goals and focus groups straining whatever merit there was in the designer's original vision. I'll take the one-size-fits-all-but-reasonably-tailored approach of Mazda. It's the perfect way to spread a brand's identify and soul across its range of excellent vehicles.

I think they made a complete 180 on looks. This refresh somehow manages to look older and less attractive. Really, the only redeeming thing here is the added luxury to the interior on the new range-topping trim. Otherwise... Meh.

The coupe in that blue color... "Shut up and take my money, all of it!" This car looks and sounds excellent.

Mazda just astounds me with their designs. Six cars... every single one of them essentially perfection. My new favorite brand, by far.

FYI, This thing sounds absolutely mean. It's definitely not an exhaust note you'll hear everyday. Its very distinctive.

Why do the people who run luxury brands think that reshuffling their existing alphanumerics is really going to make a difference? At least this isn't quite as radical as Cadillac and Infiniti's renaming, but still just as pointless.

If you ever wanted a Corolla hatchback that wasn't a Matrix...

After seeing these running around in camo for so long, it's nice to finally see what was hiding beneath it. So far, I like everything I see. Well, I do wish they would have done an about face on CUE, but that's probably for another day. Otherwise, it looks fantastic and the new wreath-less badge sort of fits with the more aggressive design. Combined with the terrific stance this car has going down the road along with the rather pleasing sound it also makes, it ought to be a winner.

Material wise the NEW C-Class may have more going for it than the ATS.. but design wise I don't think so. As with all new small Benzes I am instantly turned off by this BS. (arrows) The ATS just looks more elegant and luxo. That's even with the fact that the ATS being essentially put out in 2012 I can agree with you on design. The new Cadillacs have a fantastic design language inside and out.

I can't speak for the CLA or the GLA since I never spent any time in them. The C-Class, however, easily has the nicest interior in its class, as I've noted on here before. The ATS is nice, but it's not quite up to the level of the Merc. Design-wise, you could argue the Caddy is more imaginative and interesting, but that's as far as I'd go. It was a good start for Cadillac, but it's the CTS that has the truly class-leading interior.

Thanks, y'all. It was great deal that was hard to pass up. Well, as mentioned, I'm looking to sell the Avalon. I'm trying to cut back on expenses and could really do without it's hefty car payment. I can't really complain about it otherwise, it's been as reliable as a Toyota is supposed to be. Course, I'll also be happy to lose the gray-haired image, too. The Firebird is a step towards something more my style. Now, I can only hope the 3800 serves to also be a reliable runner, as it's been known to be. My fingers are crossed... I haven't had luck in the past with my former favorite brand.

Doesn't leak at the moment, it's still pretty solid. Depending on how long I decided to keep it, I may upgrade at some point, but that remains to be seen. And yes, the DRLs/turn signals could stand to be replaced. They've cracked as they do on many Pontiacs and have filled with dirt and debris. I tried cleaning them out to no avail.

Ah, those luscious locks of the American redneck just sprouted from my scalp like never before! I have just purchased the poster child for all things 'Murica, the Pontiac Firebird. It will gradually replace the Avalon as I look to sell that car. But you're probably not interested in that. The details: 1998, 3800 V6, 5-speed, T-Tops, and just under 124k. No rust, a few scratches here and there, a small dent from the previous owner's kid, and originally a whole lot of muck. After a full detail, it shines up fairly well and looks fairly good for its age.

"I'm going through change-ehh-es... I'm going through change-ehh-eess" Sing, Ozzy, sing. Anyhow... nothing like a little Black Sabbath to announce changes. As you may remember, I moved to Michigan in the spring for various photography endeavors. It was a fairly substantial change of pace for me and a real opportunity do something with one of my hobbies. It was something I had only dreamed of tackling up to that point. To say the least, I certainly won't regret what transpired this summer, especially the bittersweet ending. However, the experience was mired by a sour agreement before I was even able to begin. Going back, I arrived with an overwhelming nervousness about beginning self-employment in a relatively unfamiliar arena. Beyond having to make my own way to success, I had nothing to fall back on beyond my savings. The move itself had already depleted most of what I had, leaving me very little to start with. At the point, I wasn't really worried, though. Nervous as I was, there was a fair amount of excitement, as well. Being the pessimistic optimist that I am, I was weary of the worst, but not terribly worried. It wasn't until I finally got settled in that I received what would be the first in a string of bad-news about the first job I would be doing. Essentially, the publication that I would be doing photography for decided the budget was blown and would have to eventually cut back before I even had a chance to start. Exactly the opposite of what I wanted to hear from what was supposed to be my steady income. Luckily for me, this didn't materialize right away and I soon ignored the looming insecurity. From there until June, things were going fine on that front and I was really enjoying the ride. On the other end of the spectrum, making a living on being a 'carparazzi', as I'll call it, was seemingly impossible. After a couple months flew by, it really seemed as if everything would work out. I was making progress with my photography, I managed to get shots of a few upcoming cars, and was able to sustain myself financially while doing something I really enjoyed. It was great and I was having the time of my life. With my experiences, I wanted to branch out and add some writing to the mix on top of everything else. All was going well... Until it wasn't. I soon received word that the publication I was doing photography for was ending the feature the photography was for. In other words, I lost my steady income. This marked the beginning of a very long roller-coaster ride with a long steady drop and a few short, sweet rises all at the end. It was at this point that I started second-guessing the sustainability of making a living. I started looking for a replacement job, though, I found it difficult to find anything worthwhile. As I searched, I continued the 'carparazzi' photography in hopes of shooting something of importance. This, however, was a fruitless endeavor, as the industry seemed to just stop working for what seemed like an eternity. Day after day, dollar after dollar, I had nothing. Eventually, I was as broke as I've ever been, my spirits as low as they've been in a long, long time. It's not until I suffered through nearly two months without income that I began to realize the risks of self-employment in this field. I was, without a doubt, out of options. I began to devote all my time towards finding some sort of immediate employment. It was at this moment that I started to succumb to all the stress of everything happening around me. After unsuccessful attempts to find a job, I had given up. I handed in my 30 day notice to vacate my apartment and made plans to move back to Pennsylvania. Having done that, I never could have expected what happened next. Figuratively, it was akin to a light switch being flipped on. One day I'm dead broke, the next... Well, I had decided (or rather, I was persuaded) to go out one more day. It was a Friday, which, before the two month long lull, was usually an active day. I didn't have high hopes, but what the hell. I thought I'd have just another lousy day. Before long, it was anything but. As I looked through the lens, it became apparent that I had finally shot something big. This was something I had looked for all summer long to no avail, and yet, there it was. It was very surreal, to the point that I didn't want to get excited. After all, if my streak of luck was any indication, this would obviously be another fluke. My expectations remained low. The following week was, quite possibly, the longest week of my life, or so it felt. Did I finally have a worthwhile sale? Will these photos backfire? Am I going to make it? The thoughts endlessly raced through my head as I awaited the news. Suddenly, it happened. One by one, more news outlets picked up the photos. You know that surreality I mentioned? The feeling was ten-fold this time. The next week, I decide to go out once more Monday morning just in case something else shows up. And you know what? It happened again. In fact, these two weeks would be my most successful ever. By the end of July, my luck had completed a 180 degree turn. It's worth noting that, with the success I finally achieved, I considered reversing my decision to move back. In fact, I had nearly turned the corner completely and was leaning towards staying in Michigan. As my 30 day notice came to a close, I eventually came to the decision to move after-all. While it would have finally been feasible to make a living like I finally did, my thoughts centered around the risk of doing so. In determining the risk versus reward, and having just had the lowest of lows back to back with highest of highs, I had to recede back to my hometown. Some of my best memories will be from Michigan. I have no regrets, all-around. ----- Now that I'm back in Pennsylvania, I've been doing some soul-searching to figure out what my next move is. Whether I want to continue photography, or dabble with writing or design or one of my other various random interests remains to be seen. I guess its never too late to get a degree, either. We'll see.

I can almost guarantee the new C-Class range has, above and beyond, the best interior in its class. In fact, I'd say it has a nicer interior than many of the E-Class' competitors, save for maybe the CTS. It's every bit of a mini S-Class, without the room. Specific to this AMG model, I will note that I'm not a fan of the mass of glossy carbon fiber, be it real or fake. It's a trend that nearly every automaker is using for their "sports-oriented" models, with pretty mixed results. One of the best implementations of carbon fiber trim in my opinion has to be the aforementioned CTS.

So, this is pretty much the worst name in the world. The existing nomenclature was acceptable, if not slightly disjointed. Beyond the XTS, each name had a unique and mostly organized disposition in the hierarchy. I'm sure that by switching up the alphanumerics to include a more obvious positioning of each model in that heirarchy, it will undoubtedly make sense after everything is officially renamed. Yet, I can't stand behind how they've chosen to set it up. I mean, really, CT6 is supposed to be a flagship model? As others have pointed out, it's very close to the middle-child CTS and the number 6, to me, feels equally mid-hierarchy. Beyond that, it doesn't roll off the tongue the same way that Audi's alphanumerics do, nor does it have the panache of Mercedes' letter-classes or BMW's number-series. It's every bit as cold and lifeless as *cough* Infiniti's new-found nomenclature. Apparently, this new fellow has all the imagination of an accountant. In fact, this probably works really well in excel where he likely penned it. I really had such high hopes for this flagship. While a name is just a name, this sours what may otherwise be a fantastic car. I can only hope it grows on me and its' likely buyers.