Carl Durrek, Author at Car Reporters

23Sep

By Carl DurrekNo Comments

News

Opinion Time

The original Batman series which starred Adam West offered a Batmobile which was not only unique in its look and design but actually was a prototype vehicle that had been resurrected from mothballs by one of the show’s creators who happened to own the vehicle. This car was thrust into comic book lore and history when it was cast as the character that it is, the Batmobile which was driven by Batman and took the caped crusader and his trusty sidekick on many crime fighting missions around Gotham City where the evildoers always seemed to meet with a Whap!, Bam!, Boom! or other great catch word for getting beaten by the heroes. (more…)

12Sep

By Carl DurrekNo Comments

Alfa Romeo, Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, News, Porsche, Volvo

Will it be or Won’t it be?

Whether that’s a mock of Shakespeare’s famous quote or simply a happy accident is hard for me to determine but the subject today is whether or not a car will become a classic in several years. Typically a classic car has to be at least 25 years old, but for the interest of a real classic it also has be to be one that is desirable and brings a bit of charm form the era it was made in. With cars these days made almost to be disposable after a few years it’s interesting to discuss whether or not some are meant to become classics. Someday our future generations will be able to say “they sure don’t make them like they did in 2015 anymore”; let’s look at some vehicle they might be talking about. (more…)

8Sep

By Carl DurrekNo Comments

News, Nissan

The Teaser Revealed

About a month ago Nissan teased us with a shadowed view of a concept photo of what was expected to be a compact crossover SUV that would be revealed at the Frankfurt Auto Show. While the photo did spurn a great deal of speculation about what the vehicle would be the real thing from a design standpoint is certainly more than could be expected. This new concept that has been revealed is the Nissan Gripz Concept which is expected to eventually become a production model put Nissan well in the lead for sporty, mainstream, compact crossovers. (more…)

5Sep

By Carl DurrekNo Comments

Hyundai, News

Looking Forward to the New Elantra

Elantra The next generation Elantra is already out on the streets in South Korea as the Avante. Even though the company uses different names for the car (most do for their models) the Avante is very much what we expect to be the new Elantra. Of course when it is revealed as the Los Angeles Auto Show late in November we will get a full look at the new version of a car from Hyundai that we have already loved in many versions, but this one appears to be more stylish and sculpted in nature. (more…)

28Aug

By Carl DurrekNo Comments

BMW, Chevrolet, Fiat, Ford, Jaguar, Jeep, News, Ram

When You still Want to Shift

For many years the idea of driving a sports car with an automatic transmission was laughable. These transmissions were capable of taking the shifting off our plates but couldn’t give us the fuel mileage we would get from a manual and certainly couldn’t give us the performance we desired. That has all changed and now more cars are fitted with automatics than ever before because they are now made to deliver better fuel mileage and certainly can shift faster and smoother than we can ourselves. Even with that thought, if you want to enjoy a manual transmission and handle the shifting duties yourself, here are twenty cars that still allow you to do so. (more…)

11Aug

By Carl DurrekNo Comments

Brands, News, Toyota

The Toyota Camry XSE has a Lot to Offer

The best-selling mid-sized sedan in the world has gotten better and better over the years and now has trim levels that reach nearly to the level of a luxury sedan. The model that get up to this realm is the XSE version with the V6 engine which can start around $34,475 which seems like a steep price for a Camry, but sales figures have shown that we love this model nearly as much as the SE trim. This higher trim is the one that shows up with a great menu of features and shows that we want a sporty sedan, not just one that will carry us on the commute. (more…)

Hyundai Santa Cruz Named 2015 Concept Truck Of The Year

27Jul

By Carl DurrekNo Comments

Brands, Hyundai

Hyundai Santa Cruz Named 2015 Concept Truck Of The Year

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., July 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- It kicked off 2015 with a buzz-generating surprise debut at the North American International Auto Show in January, and now the popular Hyundai Santa Cruz has earned the prestigious title of Concept Truck of the Year at the 14th annual North American Concept Vehicle of the Year (NACVOTY) Awards at the Concours d'Elegance of America at St. John's. (more…)

25Jul

By Carl DurrekNo Comments

Brands, Dodge

Classic Power from the Challenger

The new version of the Dodge Challenger made its first appearance in 2008 and for one particular model there have been little to no changes over the last seven years. Of course calling this a new version only means its modern since the Challenger in this style is truly a throwback to the Challenger of old that went by the wayside for so many years only to reemerge and bring back a style that we love to see and is a lot of fun to drive. The one Challenger that has not changed over the past seven years has been the 5.7L R/T manual model. (more…)

Honda Opens New Silicon Valley Facility to Advance Connected Mobility

23Jul

By Carl DurrekNo Comments

Brands, Honda

Honda Opens New Silicon Valley Facility to Advance Connected Mobility

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., July 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Honda today marked the opening of its new Silicon Valley R&D facility, using the occasion to unveil a refreshed 2016 Accord featuring Honda's first application of Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™. Honda also announced a new open innovation R&D initiative, Honda Xcelerator, which will provide resources to breakthrough technology innovators to help rapidly develop prototypes with the potential to transform the automotive experience. (more…)

19Jul

By Carl DurrekNo Comments

BMW, Brands

2016 BMW 6 Series: Continued Greatness

The BMW 6 Series has been one of the most famous, celebrated and exalted cars on the market for many years. Whether that’s because of the top of the line engineering that goes into this car or the fact it is really a car lineup by itself is hard to figure, but either way this is a car worthy of a great deal of attention and enthusiasm. Offering you a coupe, a convertible and even the four-door Gran Coupe gives you a great choice between the styles of car you want. If you choose to have the M added to the name, well you get the M6 which is considered to be the high end sport model which is extremely exciting to drive. (more…)