Review Your Cars

The answer is V-12. The question is what is rare, powerful, makes extraordinary noises and in this case sits all by itself? All alone as in no turbos, no hybrid assist and of course, no supercharger. It is a 6.5 liter, 740hp, 12 cylinder, 48 valve wonder in the 2016 Lamborghini Aventador LP750-4 Superveloce.. An amazing, outrageous V-12 monster! It features a carbon fiber 2-piece removable top, a carbon fiber passenger tub, scissor lift doors and much more. This yellow example stands out like nothing else, it might be the least subtle car on the road. Deep rear diffusers, a carbon fiber wing, and the breakup of the lines with the roof removed is striking. A large, wide hood finishes off the front and the headlights feature an outline of LED running lights. This car is more transformer than anything else on the road. A wide button on the door under the character line opens the swing-up scissor door by itself with an excellent damping motion, no worry about it swinging open too hard. Get...

The shop where I have my car serviced has been urging me to change my oil in my 2013 Mustang GT California Special more often. I've owned this vehicle since May 2012 and have 11K miles on it. Since I don't have time to drive it much I change the oil once a year since Ford recommends every 10K. The question is should I change it more often or is once a year with synthetic oil okay? Thank you, Russell in San Jose Answer: Russell, modern engine oils and engine technology allow for the 10,000 mile oil change intervals. Keep in mind the manufacturer also offers a powertrain warranty for up to 100,000 miles so a 10k oil change interval is not harmful under “normal” conditions. If your trips allow the engine to fully warm up and the oil temperature to get over 200 degrees regularly to evaporate moisture, you’re probably just fine. Keep in mind the manual says to start the engine every 15 days and allow it to reach normal operating temperature. Ford puts particular emphasis on their oi...

It’s the exhaust system. It’s an eye widening, amazing mechanical roar, both exotic and muscular at the same time. And that is in the Sport mode. In the standard mode, it’s a quiet cruiser and an excellent grand tourer. Comparisons to the BMW M4 are immediate and inevitable, it is that dialed in. Ford took the already very good Mustang platform and enhanced the suspension and drivetrain, and based on past drives of the current the model, the some interior bits as well. The 2016 Ford Mustang GT350 is Ford’s flat plane crankshaft V-8 answer to the Camaro Z/28 but is absolutely street friendly and less expensive. The non-R version has a starting MSRP $47,995. It features a 5.2 liter V-8 rated at 524hp at 7500 rpm and a healthy 429 lb-ft. torque at 4,750 rpm. The 8000rpm redline makes for a long, hard pull to redline. With the exhaust in the quiet mode, and 80mph cruise is as silent as the BMW 3-series. Styling takes the great lines of the current GT and adds more aggressive touches withou...

Over three years ago I published a comparison article of the Ferrari 458 Italia versus the McLaren MP4-12C. Now the same owner has a Ferrari 488 GTB and was gracious enough to share his insights. Tony Gaples, owner of the Blackdog Speedshop and driver of the #11 Blackdog Speedshop Chevrolet Z/28.R Camaro in the Pirelli World Challenge GTS series broadcast on CBS sports is the very happy owner of the black model pictured here. First some background on the Ferrari 488 GTB which is the replacement for the 458 Italia, considered by many to be the best sports car in the world. Dropping the normally aspirated 4.5 liter V8 engine that peaked at 597 horsepower in the Speciale model, the engine is now a 3.9 liter twin turbo V8 producing 661 horsepower and 561 lbs ft of torque at 3,000rpm. By all accounts it is an improvement over the 458 except in one area. Read on. Q: How would you sum up the Ferrari 488 GTB? Everything is amazing except the exhaust sound which is exactly the same as my M5. Yo...

What more can be said about the Porsche Cayman GT4 that hasn’t been said already about the Cayman S and GTS? Take the best the best sports car under $100k, give it more power, grip and aero, keep it under $100k still, and it keeps the title. And of course, one of the best overall sports cars period. Mid-engine, light weight, powerful and Porsche quality adds up to a near perfect package. This 2016 GT4 is a gorgeous Sapphire Blue on 20” thin spoke wheels showing lots of big brakes and red calipers. The 20” wheels allow and dictate great body curves with an aggressive but not overly obtrusive wing. Porsche Carbon Ceramic Brakes, also known as PCCBs were not chosen due to the cost of the option and replacement cost if the car is tracked regularly. This GT4 will likely be tracked at least once, and always driven with passion. The owner knows Porsches and previous cars he’s owned being a 996 GT3 and 997 GT3 RS 3.8 with lap times at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca of 1:37.7 and 1:36.369 respective...

On Sunday, September 13th of this year, the best racing in the western hemisphere concluded its season at nearby Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca but few actually witnessed it. Why is it so good? Because the Pirelli World Challenge GT cars are closely related to what is sold to the public, it is a 50 minute sprint, and the action is fierce. The short race duration means it is easy to follow without a scoreboard, there is no pit stop, driver change or fueling strategy. It is intense and spectator friendly. The problem is awareness, competition from another series, lack of a timely broadcasts on a major network and overall malaise regarding auto racing in the US. Imagine seeing your favorite exotic and performance cars racing neck and neck in a big group of twists and turns. These are not overweight, under-tired, under-braked special construction cars that go around in circles with no relation whatsoever to what is on the street. This series features raced prepped models such as: Ferrari 458, P...

The 58th annual San Francisco International Auto Show is being held Saturday, November 21st through Sunday, November 29th at the Moscone Center featuring thirty-eight of the major manufacturers in in the world. Skipping Thanksgiving, the show hours go until 9pm except Friday and Saturdays until 10pm. Tickets are a bargain at only $10, and children under 12 are free. Just make sure they respect the cars… Numerous special attractions are always part of the show such as special interest vehicles and driving simulators. Test drives are available, and although downtown San Francisco is hardly ideal, bumpy city streets and a short stint on the highway can reveal a lot. Ford, Mazda, Mercedes Benz, Smart and Toyota all offer test drives, including some electric models. If you're attending or a shopper, be sure to stop by the Myhopscotch.com car buying service booth and enter to win a $1000 cash prize. Changing the car buying experience, they claim a $4480 average savings for their clients....

Not much can be said about The Quail automotive event that hasn’t been already. Held on Friday, August 14th at The Quail Lodge and Golf Club in Carmel-By-The Sea. It was the must-attend event on that day. When one stays at a “car show” from 8:30am to 4pm as an attendee, you know it is something very special. I was barely able to wrap my head around its awesomeness, I finally set out to experience a variety of cuisines and they were amazing. This year the show expanded across the street at the expense of very close parking to include additional displays, vendors and food tents. Ferrari was prominently on display this year, whether it was the spectacular custom coachbuilt Ferraris that seemed underappreciated, a gaggle of F50s which is almost unheard of in the US or a couple of LaFerraris with stunning paintwork. Other categories were the Long Tail Cars of Le Mans, Iconic Pre-1965 Porsches, Pre-War Sports & Racing, Post-War Sports, Supercars, and Sports & Racing Motorcycles. The ...

Kicking off the Monterey Car Week, Gordon McCall’s Motorworks Revival celebrated its 24th anniversary on Wednesday, August 12th. Held at the Monterey Jet Center in two hangers, the party once again thoroughly entertained all who attended. Starting at 5pm with a photo opportunity and being greeted with a flute of Champagne, it was a red carpet experience. Seemingly more aviation themed than the past few years, automotive and motorcyclist enthusiasts were not disappointed. There are not many other events where you can speak with Horace Pagani in front of his artful supercars or with Christian von Koenigsegg at his One:1 display. There were many other notable displays. Honda brought their new NSX as well as the HondaJet aircraft, Maserati, Singer Porsche, McLaren with a 650S Spider and 570S and seeing the new Ford GT in person was a real treat. Mecum brought in vehicles to preview before their auction at the Hyatt as well which was another photo opportunity. Tickets started at $350 or $42...

Located at the ideal setting of a golf course and notably the last remaining Concours show in the Bay Area, the 59th annual Hillsborough Concours D’elegance was held July 19th at Crystal Springs Golf Course in Burlingame, CA. One would expect lots of road noise from the nearby I-280 expressway but that isn’t he case, nor is it what attendees heard. Despite the hot weather, and thankful it wasn’t a pavement based show with heat reflecting off the asphalt, the commentary on the public address system by the ever-smooth John Joss was delightful. And so was the variety of automobiles, from pre-war luxury cars, newer exotics, racers, a small collection of motorcycles and basically everything that is cool whether old, new, slow or fast. Rolling artwork and sculptures, as always. Heavy on giving back, the Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance Foundation is a 501(c)(3) Not-For-Profit Organization. There are numerous other sponsors and charities involved. One particularly special moment was the remem...