Monthly Archives: September 2016


If you can't get your hands on an RS, the +

If you can't get your hands on an RS, the +Ford Motor Company Focus ST is an excellent second choice

2016 Focus ST – Still America’s Hottest Mainstream Hatch – Sam’s Thoughts
By no means am I an expert in branding. Nonetheless, it seems intuitively obvious that if you want to build brand equity, you might want some consistency over time so that consumers develop an understanding of what the brand stands for. Case in point 911, Corvette and Mustang. All cars that have been around with …


2016 Focus ST – Still America’s Hottest Mainstream Hatch

2016 Ford Focus ST

2016 Ford Focus ST

By no means am I an expert in branding. Nonetheless, it seems intuitively obvious that if you want to build brand equity, you might want some consistency over time so that consumers develop an understanding of what the brand stands for. Case in point 911, Corvette and Mustang. All cars that have been around with the same name for more than half a century. Aside from Mustang and F-Series, Ford tends to be notoriously fickle with its branding, especially for its compact cars. With any luck Focus and ST will be brands that stick around for a good long time.
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30 mpg in a 5,200 pound SUV without even really trying isn't too shabby 2016 +

30 mpg in a 5,200 pound SUV without even really trying isn't too shabby 2016 +BMW USA X5 xDrive40e (still with the clumsy nomeclature, but a good PHEV otherwise)

2016 BMW X5 xDrive40e – Fuel Efficient Family Truckster – Sam’s Thoughts
It’s now been about a decade since BMW first announced its plans to get into the hybrid game and it was another three years before any production models with electric drive assist hit the streets. A lot has changed since BMW launched the ActiveHybrid X6 and ActiveHybrid 7 essentially as experiments in 2009. Electrification is …


2016 BMW X5 xDrive40e – Fuel Efficient Family Truckster

2016 BMW X5 xDrive40e

2016 BMW X5 xDrive40e

It’s now been about a decade since BMW first announced its plans to get into the hybrid game and it was another three years before any production models with electric drive assist hit the streets. A lot has changed since BMW launched the ActiveHybrid X6 and ActiveHybrid 7 essentially as experiments in 2009. Electrification is now becoming relatively mainstream with batteries and electric motors no longer limited to super-efficient cars like the Toyota Prius. After a week with the 2016 X5 xDrive40e, there’s no doubt that the future of the ultimate driving machine includes plugs across the board.

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