Welcome to Must Read, where we single out the best stories from around the automotive universe and beyond. Today we've got reports from Hooniverse, The Truth About Cars, CNN Money, and Curbside Classic.
My 12,000-Mile Pan-American Highway Journey — Hooniverse
You like epic road trips? I got your epic road trip right here.
As some of you might know, I have been on a quest to travel the length of the Western Hemisphere by land. I just returned from my fifth trip– a bus ride from Guatemala City to Panama’s Darien Gap. For those of you counting at home, I am 88% done with my goal. I hope to one day write a book about my little adventure, as there are plenty of tales to tell. But in the meantime, here are some highlights to give you a flavor of my experiences. I will be writing a separate post about the vehicles I took.
Exclusive: Bernstein's MQB Report In Full — The Truth About Cars
VW has made a big deal out of its MQB architecture. But is it as much a money saver as they say? Hmmmm...
In theory, the MQB platform is a dream come true for any auto manufacturer, allowing a one-size-fits-all platform to span across their expansive product offerings and further increase economies of scale by offering both standardization and flexibility all in one neat package. From that perspective, it’s easy to wonder “how can Volkswagen NOT save money?” And for a company like VW, which is arguably an industry leader in scale, 20 percent might even be an appropriate figure.
A Look Under The Hood: Why Electric Car Startup Fisker Crashed And Burned — CNN Money
Fisker has had a rough week. Here's something to make it tougher, a story of how something that looked so positive ended up being so bad.
It was a shining moment for Fisker Automotive. In thesummer of 2011, four years after the upstart electric car company opened its doors, its first cars were finally rolling off the factory line in Finland, and the sleek vehicles were landing in the garages of some of the biggest names in Hollywood, politics and Silicon Valley. Actor and Fisker investor Leonardo DiCaprio received one. Al Gore and Colin Powell were next in line.
1965 Lincoln Continental — The Last Great American Luxury Car — Curbside Classic
If you thought that new Cadillacs were some great American luxury cars, you'd be wrong. The really great one is almost 50 years old.
What defines a true luxury car? Not comfort and convenience, as was proved so convincingly by the Broughamization of mundane Chevys, Fords and Plymouths. A genuine luxury item is recognized as such because it has sufficient exclusivity, style, quality and prestige to set its owner apart from the masses. What’s more, it must have presence--the ability to at once command attention and instantly make others aware of the fact thatthis is something truly out of the ordinary. This Lincoln Continental was the last American luxury car that did just that.
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