By Russ Heaps
Clanging Bell

(August 10, 2018) Every Mercedes-Benz showroom is packed full of a diverse assortment of high-end hardware prompted by the German carmaker's relentless obsession to create a model in every luxury nook and cranny. The 2018 Mercedes-Benz AMG E 43 I recently piloted for a week is just one example of that obsession.

One of four core grades of the E-Class sedan, it slots in between the 329-horsepower E 400 and the 603-hp AMG E 63 S. The 241-hp E 300 anchors the powertrain-based E-Class line-up.

By Russ Heaps
Clanging Bell

(July 30, 2018) To say I'm a little ambivalent about the 2018 Ford EcoSport wouldn't be stretching the truth. On one hand, it actually handles relatively well for a CUV. On the other, it accelerates with all the urgency of a street sweeper, even with its larger 2-liter engine. I find its styling somewhat underwhelming, as well, but looks are subjective. Does anyone really care what I think about the design? I'm still wearing stone-washed jeans for crying out loud.