By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(November 25, 2017) The MKC was the last new Lincoln to launch with the old waterfall grille. Though in line with the rest of the Lincoln family in 2014, it looked increasingly out of place as everything from the Continental to the Navigator adopted the brand’s new squared-off “horseshoe” design.  For the 2019 model year, all that is about to change.

By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(November 15, 2017) BMW’s special edition M3 CS really ladles on the carbon fiber. The hood (25% lighter than on the stock M3), roof (13 pounds lighter), Gurney flap and front splitter (both in exposed carbon fiber), and the unique rear diffuser are all made from this material. Weight for the model is 110 pounds less than a standard M3, making these additions functional as well as stylish.

By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(November 5, 2017) BMW’s X2 is the X6 to the X1’s X5, which is to say, this is the more extroverted and sporty version of BMW’s smallest SUV. Built on the same transverse front-drive UKL platform as the latest generation of Mini vehicles, the X2 will come standard with all-wheel drive (xDrive in BMW speak) and only one engine option. European buyers, on the other hand, will have the choice of three- and four-cylinder turbo motors and multiple gearboxes.

By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(October 15, 2017) The Kia Soul competes at the confused end of the small car market. When the original Scion xB and Nissan’s Cube were new, the small crossover craze hadn’t begun. And square, upright vehicles like the Soul were classified as funky city cars by most observers. However, the almost logarithmic proliferation of vehicles like the Chevy Trax, Mazda CX3, Nissan Juke, Honda HR-V, etc. has changed the landscape to the point where even Kia is a bit confused where the Soul fits in.

By William G. Sawyer
Contributing Editor, The Virtual Driver

(October 8, 2017) Dayton, Ohio, doesn’t readily come to mind when thinking of industrial centers, although in 1900 the city held more U. S. patents per capita than any other. The story of the Wright brothers designing and building the first workable airplane in a bicycle shop there conjures up images of a couple of country bumpkins laboring away in a bucolic town devoid of an industrial presence, but nothing is farther from the truth.

By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(October 1, 2017) Hyundai’s fifth generation Accent debut last week at California’s Orange County Auto Show came not long after Ford announced it would not continue to sell its similarly sized Fiesta in the U.S. The decision robs consumers of competition between two new subcompact models.

By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(September 24, 2017) Michelin has joined up with the worlds largest producer of wheels, Maxion Wheels, to reinvent the wheel so that it bends without breaking. According to Michelin Chief Operating Officer, Florent Menegaux: “Car wheels have been getting bigger and bigger, as they contribute to making cars look more premium, and large shiny alloys are an integral part of all modern car designs. However, the resulting low-profile tires with short sidewalls are much more susceptible to damage on today’s deteriorating roads.”

By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(September 18, 2017) More than 1,000 horsepower. A top speed of more than 217 mph. Formula 1 hybrid technology. It is, says Dieter Zetsche, chairman of Daimler AG’s board of management and head of Mercedes-Benz Cars, “…the first Formula 1 car with MOT (Ministry of Transport) approval.”  Uh, well, sorta.