Blog Posts by: Joe Lorio  

Marc Trahan, EVP of group quality, overseeing VW and Audi,  claims that they've seen a more than 50% reduction in warranty claim rates since 2007. Is any of this reflected in JD Power's IQS? "You will. We haven't gotten there yet, which is kind of frustrating. IQS is a different animal, and ...    Read more

Kia unveiled the latest version of its Cadenza sedan, a larger-than-Optima offering that has been sold in other markets but is now coming to the United States. Based on the Hyundai Azera, and sharing its sister model's mechanicals, the Cadenza wears its own conservatively handsome suit of sheetmetal, shaped under Kia's ...    Read more

Among the scrum of people around the new Corvettes at NAIAS, and at the offsite reveal the night before, were Corvette Club members, who paid some $1200 (for two) to be present for the historic happening. With their matching black shirts--with cool Stingray logo on the back collar--they were easy ...    Read more

Best drive: The Route Napoleon Rising up from Cannes on the French Riviera and crossing into the Maritime Alps, the Route Napoleon starts out busy and unspectacular, but empties out completely just as the visual wattage is turned up. It crosses wide valleys, clings to rocky cliffs, and ...    Read more

BMW brought its X1 SUV to the New York auto show, as the long-promised subcompact entry will finally be coming the U.S. market this fall. The most surprising aspect about this model is that it will be the least expensive BMW. The 4-cylinder, rear-wheel-drive version starts at $31,545 (including destination), ...    Read more

In a roundtable discussion, Klaus Draeger, BMW board member in charge of product development, touched on a variety of subjects, ranging from electric vehicles, triple-turbo diesels, and his commitment to the straight six. Weight saving and EVs Commenting on the Mini E and the 1-series Active E, Draeger said that the takeaways ...    Read more

Joe Lorio caught up with Ralph Gilles, president and CEO of SRT and Motorsports, as well as senior vice president of product design, at the 2012 North American International Auto Show. The two discussed a variety of topics. Here's what Ralph had to say. ...    Read more

After a year of driving lots of different cars, I’ve decided to cobble together a list of highs and lows. Rather than sticking just with new models, which would likely create a roster much like other Best lists, I thought of this instead as a recounting of cars that surprised ...    Read more

In the most recent J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study, the Ford and Lincoln brands suffered a major setback. Ford dropped from 5th place to 23rd, and Lincoln dropped from 8th place to 17th. Ouch. Does this mean that new Fords and Lincolns are shedding parts all over the driveway? ...    Read more

This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending what promises to be a significant new concours for car geeks on the East Coast, The Elegance at Hershey. This is its inaugural year and it was held in conjunction with The Ascent at Hershey, a hill climb. The concours took place ...    Read more

Anybody who was within earshot of a television yesterday was treated to overkill coverage of Will and Kate’s historic day. And while I personally could not have cared less about The Dress, The Kiss, the crowds, the hats, the weather, the vows, the sermon, or anything else that was endlessly ...    Read more

The Mitsubishi i electric vehicle will be priced at $27,990, for the base ES, and $29,990 for the SE. Deliveries will start in January, but the company is happy to take your order—and $299 (refundable) deposit—starting tomorrow, for those dedicated environmentalists who want to celebrate Earth Day by pre-ordering an ...    Read more

For 2012, the Jaguar XK sports car range will include a new, ultra-high-performance model: the XK-RS. Available only as a coupe, the XK-RS gets 550 horsepower from its 5.0-liter supercharged V-8 (up from 510 hp in the XK-R). The top speed is the highest ever in an XK: 186 mph ...    Read more

The Mazda 3 is getting a mid-cycle update for 2012, in which it gets a new front fascia that tones down the controversial “smile” look of the current car, as well as a new engine that hits the magic 40-mpg figure on the highway. The new engine is the first application ...    Read more

At the New York Auto Show, Mini announced a partnership with rock band KISS, in which KISS-inspired graphic wraps will be sold for Minis, with proceeds from the sales donated to UNICEF. Additionally, four Minis, each painted with a design taken from one of the band members’ faces and signed ...    Read more