Riffs on Rides
Riffs on Rides

Author Archive

Range Rover Evoque pairs up with Parisian artists to create street installations

By • Sep 30, 2010

To mark the unveiling of Range Rover Evoque at the Paris Auto Show, the company took a trendy approach. They worked with a group of noted Parisian artists to create four temporary street installations. Unveiled September 28 at the beginning of Paris Fashion Week, the street art is placed at iconic locations around the city [...]



Quote of the Day!

By • Sep 14, 2010

Found this in one of my automotive pubs…. scary, but kinda’ true! “We want to make Google the third half of your brain.” Sergey Brin, Google’s Co-founder The other part of my brain is in other places..



2011 Nissan Juke!

2011 Nissan Juke gives new looks to a cross-over

By • Sep 7, 2010

“Our goal is to become one of the most trusted car companies in the US,” Mike Drongowski, Senior Product Planner for Nissan, explained at a recent event for the Juke in Vancouver, BC. “Juke is a segment buster — it’s something between a sports coupe and a crossover.” That wasn’t all Nissan marketing speak. The [...]



575 GT Zagato

Ferrari’s, wine and gourmet food… I’m there!

By • Aug 31, 2010

Bespoke Ferrari’s, wine and gourmet food in gorgeous upstate New York? Just throw in some caviar and I’m there! Saratoga Springs Wine & Food Fall Ferrari Festival, a celebration of Italy’s wine, food and automobiles, takes place September 10-12. The three day event will feature a design symposium hosted by Andrea Zagato, who heads up [...]



PICT0066

Road Trip in a Buick Enclave- beats flying!

By • Aug 24, 2010

Even though I drive cars for a living, when it comes to a vacation I like to fly. But all that changed last week after we drove 10 hours to our lake-front rental. The road trip was a game-changer for me. I have come to the conclusion that driving is the way to travel. OK, [...]



A thought for Friday

By • Aug 13, 2010

“Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are some difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it requires some of the same courage which a [...]



2011 Chevrolet Cruze

iPhone app to turn the air-conditioning on in your car?

By • Aug 10, 2010

Are key fobs going the way of dinosaurs? Perhaps so. But GM is thinking towards the future. At a press conference for their newest car on the block, the compact Chevy Cruze, they also mentioned their new smartphone apps. Of course, I jumped on that news. But I will also mention that the Cruze, which [...]



2011-harley-davidson-superlow

A Harley-Davidson built for comfort

By • Aug 6, 2010

I’ve been reporting so much on EV (Electric Vehicles) and hybrids, I thought it was time to inject a bit of motorcycle copy. Think about it– small footprint, low on gas, energy efficient and easy to park. Not that I ride one (yet) but I thought that the 2011 Harley-Davidson SuperLow deserved a look. What [...]



Oli Scarf/ Getty Images

Paris to kick-off EV car sharing program!

By • Aug 3, 2010

The wildly popular Velib, Paris’ rental system for bicycles, is expanding. But, I’m not talking about two-wheelers. The city plans to launch the world’s largest electric car access scheme in September of next year. The program, Autolib ( auto liberty), has the goal of cutting down on car ownership, traffic and pollution. With the Veil [...]



Start your car with your smartphone!

Start your car with a smartphone!

By • Jul 30, 2010

Start your car with your smartphone? That’s the story from Directed Electronics, the company behind Viper SmartStart for smartphones (that includes iPhones, BlackBerry and Androids). The basic premise—turn your smartphone into a key fob. And there’s more… When the Viper SmartStart hardware is installed on the user’s vehicle (along with a compatible Viper remote start [...]



Riffs on Rides