By Russ Heaps
Clanging Bell

(June 22, 2013) I’m wrapping up what is, in essence, a 10-day block of travel with a 3-day stay in San Diego. Nissan flew me in to drive the redesigned hatchback version of Versa now called Versa Note. "Note" I'm told is used in other countries to identify the 5-door; Nissan wanted to make the nomenclature consistent internationally.

By Russ Heaps
Clanging Bell

(June 10, 2013) One of the two cars in my driveway this week is the totally redesigned Hyundai Santa Fe. I was on the press launch for this crossover a few weeks ago, and just didn't get around to blogging about it at the time. Yes, shame on me.

By Russ Heaps
Clanging Bell

(May 29, 2013) I've spent the past week driving a Nissan Juke Nismo. Arguably the craziest looking production car on the road, Juke is something one might expect to see Roger Rabbit in cruising the streets of Toon Town.

I appreciate its quirky styling, but I'm less than convinced that as an owner, I could look at it parked in my driveway for three or four years. I caught a little flak from friends when they saw me behind the wheel, but sticks and stones, sticks and stones….

CLANGING BELL
By Russ Heaps

(February 19, 2013) I read where an auto journalist compared being on the new-car-launch circuit as being in the TV series "The Amazing Race" only without any women. That's about as accurate a description as I've heard. There are a few women; however, the majority of them work for the car companies.

CLANGING BELL
By Russ Heaps

(February 10, 2013) CHICAGO — I am writing this from my hotel in Chicago. Nissan flew me in and put me up for two nights to attend media days for the auto show where it showed off Nismo editions of its Juke and 370Z.