First Drive Photos Archives

Road Test Review – 2020 Mini Cooper S Clubman – By Carl Malek [Video]

May 14, 2020, 7 pmMay 14, 2020, 7 pm by Carl Malek

The 2020 Mini Cooper S Clubman is the answer to a very interesting question. What would happen if you take a Mini Cooper hatchback, and try to apply some of its quirky charm and appeal to a segment blurring utility focused model? The end result is the Clubman which tries to add more versatility and cargo hauling ability into its distinctly British flanks. But while the Clubman Panel Van a few years ago was a short lived and ultimately flawed experiment, the standard Clubman has managed to gather a sizable following of loyalists over the years. We were eager to …

Lotus Evija’s Aero Features Highlighted In New Video, Features Chief Aerodynamicist [Video]

May 13, 2020, 10 am by Carl Malek

The Lotus Evija hypercar brings a number of firsts to Lotus. Not only is it the first ever offering in this segment by Lotus, but it is also the first fully EV to be ever produced by the company. The 2,000 horsepower generated by its electric drive train aim to make the Evija one of the quickest hyper entries ever produced, but ultimately the car’s futuristic fighter jet-esque styling is what draws stares at the end of the day. But amid the futuristic undertones, there is actually an impressive degree of functional purpose backed into the design, with Lotus choosing …

First Drive Review – 2020 BMW 840i – By Carl Malek [Video]

May 3, 2020, 12 pmMay 1, 2020, 12 pm by Carl Malek

When one asks what makes a proper flagship coupe? Some will say that you must have eye watering style to help your offering stand out from the rest of the pack. Still, others will say performance and technology rule the day. Regardless of which principle is true, making sure all the stars align to achieve this nirvana is very difficult even for a German luxury car maker like BMW. When the world last saw the 8-Series coupe, it was back in 1990 when the first 8 Series rolled off the assembly line. Designed to be the ultimate 90’s luxury machine, …

2021 Kia Seltos S FWD by Ben Lewis

April 18, 2020, 7 pm by Ben Lewis

We recently tested the Hyundai Kona, and found it to be a stylish, sporty and well-equipped runabout. So, it’s easy to think that the all-new 2021 Kia Seltos, which shares most of the powertrain is its brother from another mother, but that’s not the case – it’s a completely different vehicle with a different purpose. Poised between Kia’s funky Soul and more traditional Sportage, it’s a small, rugged adventurer ready to tackle tough conditions. Kia Seltos Exterior – Bold and Eye Catching Kia likes to say that the Seltos has the same design theme as the big, bold Telluride SUV. …

Road Test Review – 2020 Volvo S90 R-Design – By Carl Malek

April 10, 2020, 10 am by Carl Malek

In the world of high end luxury cars, marques such as BMW, Mercedes Benz, Audi and more can usually be found flooding the parking lots of shopping malls, bustling downtowns, and those elegant high end restaurants. This is due to how well built they are, as well as the love affair that many loyalists have with their elegant charms, state of the art technology, and luxury trappings. As a result, they present a formidable bar for others to surpass. One such contender looking to do this is Volvo, which has recently mounted a renewed effort at adding ample amounts of …

Road Test Review – 2020 GMC Sierra 2500 HD AT4 – By Carl Malek

April 5, 2020, 12 pm by Carl Malek

It’s hard to deny the love affair that buyers have developed for rugged light duty trucks like the dune slaying Ford Raptor, the Ram Rebel 1500, as well as the Chevrolet Silverado Trailboss. With these models becoming key cogs for their respective brands in terms of sales, it only seems natural to extend this magic to their heavy duty counterparts. The Ram Power Wagon, The Ford Super Duty Tremor, and the Nissan Titan XD Pro 4-X were the early shots into this endeavor and naturally GMC had to issue a rebuttal of their own with the Sierra HD AT4. But …

2020 Kia Forte GT by Ben Lewis

March 21, 2020, 12 am by Ben Lewis

Many have said that the small car is on the way out. That small crossovers like the Hyundai Kona or tall hatchbacks like the Mazda CX30 will pushing them out. And the numbers don’t lie, SUV crossovers are king. (outside of full-size pickup trucks). But the sedan isn’t ready to throw in the towel yet. In fact, struggling to stay relevant has brought some of the best 4-doors to market that we’ve seen in a long time. The new Toyota Camry is excellent and fun. The Honda Accord, too. Heck they even put a turbo motor in the Mazda 6. …

Road Test Review – 2020 Lexus GX 460 Luxury – By Carl Malek

March 22, 2020, 9 amMarch 19, 2020, 8 pm by Carl Malek

The landscape has certainly changed in the SUV landscape over the past 30 years. Once known for being rugged functional workhorses that preferred to let their capability and off-road credentials do the talking, the priorities have flipped completely on their heads for buyers with comfort and technology taking center stage. But amid standout entries like the Lincoln Aviator, Acura MDX, and the Cadillac XT6, there are still some old school centric entries remaining that aim to win buyers over with a taste of what SUVs used to be defined by. One of these is the Lexus GX 460 which is …

Road Test Review – 2019 Hyundai Nexo Blue – By Carl Malek

December 24, 2019, 8 am by Carl Malek

Hyundai is on a roll when it comes to hydrogen. A key player in a green segment that is still attached to the hip of EV and PHEV vehicles. Hyundai still sees tremendous potential in hydrogen as a viable alternative fuel source. The company has had a long running program in California, and even recently unveiled a hydrogen powered semi truck concept. But, the Korean car giant still needed a viable platform to test its hydrogen technology, and it has unleashed the latest chapter in its green exploits, the 2019 Hyundai Nexo, but is the Nexo the next key chapter …

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