Author: kirklandc008@gmail.com

The word of the day is “knob.” Knobs are virtually everywhere. In fact, if you’re reading this in a car, there’s a good chance you’re literally surrounded by knobs right this very moment. Knobs come in various shapes and sizes, dictated by their application. Some are small and discreet, others are larger and more prominent. Some, in cars like the BMW 5-Series and Mazda 3, have even been used to control entire infotainment systems. Of all the knobs you can find in the modern car, the driving enthusiast cares the most about just one: the shift knob. Below, we check…

Mister Transmission is entering a new chapter under U.S.-based Moran Family of Brands, and its new owner is clear about strengthening a culture that backs its franchisees. Barbara Moran-Goodrich, president and CEO of Moran Family of Brands, told Auto Service World Conversations that her company’s philosophy is built around supporting entrepreneurs who want to build a legacy through business ownership. “It’s about our philosophy,” she said. “We have a philosophy about realizing that this individual that comes to you and wants to own a business, they are trying to create their own legacy, and they are looking for support and…

At first glance, this Marathon Blue Volkswagen Beetle 1303 looks pretty normal. But when you take a closer look, you can tell it’s something special. Without a hint of engine noise, the rear wheels spin up, tire smoke billows, and tiny bits of rubber spray across the asphalt. It’s a monster. The source of this spectacle isn’t an air-cooled boxer engine, but a modern three-phase asynchronous electric motor. For purists, that might sound like heresy—can you really do that to a Beetle? But from the builders’ point of view, it’s the perfect fusion of an iconic classic with cutting-edge electric-drive…

Just over a month ago, on the 12th of November, Jeep launched Twelve 4 Twelve, a yearlong program marking its 85th anniversary, unveiling one limited-edition Wrangler on the 12th of every month for the next 12 months, highlighting different eras of the Jeep brand. The first model to break cover was the Wrangler Moab 392, a V8-powered opening statement that leaned heavily into performance and hardware. Now, Jeep has revealed the second chapter in that sequence: Meet the 2026 Jeep Wrangler Whitecap. With snow serving as the backdrop and keeping with the festive season seen in these press shots, the…

Would you call buying a new Volkswagen a sacrifice? Would you be willing to make a sacrifice to buy one? That’s exactly what VW UK is hoping your boss will want you to do, as part of a new program to get buyers into a new hybrid or EV through their company. “Salary sacrifice” is what it’s called,with the car coming directly off your pay instead of having to make separate payments to VW. Buying A Car Through My Boss? 2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz GTX Rear 3/4 ViewVolkswagen Buying a car as a payroll deduction sounds like a strange ask.…

In scientific or everyday conversation, not really. Birders and biologists stick to simple terms like flock, colony, or brood, depending on context. But the more colorful group names still show up in writing, classroom posters, and yes, trivia games. For example, while most of us just say a “group of crows,” you’ll likely hear the more memorable “murder of crows” at parties or on pub quiz nights. The same goes for an “unkindness of ravens,” which lives on thanks to its eerie tone and literary appearances. We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was…

Is this the tiny “kei” car everyone is talking about? Not exactly. Jeep maker Stellantis announced plans to bring the tiny Fiat Topolino EV, which sells for under $12,000 in Europe, to the US. Fiat plans to launch the tiny Topolino EV in the US Less than a week after President Trump called Japan’s kei cars “really cute” during a White House meeting with Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa, Ford’s Jim Farley, GM’s Mary Barra, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk in attendance, we might actually get one in the US. At Miami Art Week, Fiat CEO Olivier Francois announced that the…

But to me that feels different to explaining that you don’t quite know what you’re doing with this 1.8-tonne piece of metal but you’re going to drive it down the road at 70mph anyway. ‘So just bear with me if I brake or swerve suddenly when I spot a distillery I’d like to visit, yeah?’ I don’t want driving standards to be excused downward; I’d prefer they were expected upward. Sure, driving in an unfamiliar car in an unfamiliar place can be unnerving. But it is why we had to pass driving tests in the first instance. We didn’t cut…

The biggest car news and reviews, no BS Our free daily newsletter sends the stories that really matter directly to you, every weekday. If beggars can’t be choosers, then Nissan must be emerging from its financial hardship. The automaker is reportedly looking to borrow other automaker’s platforms, but only if that sharing goes both ways. “Nissan is open for business with other automakers,” Nissan Americas product planning boss Ponz Pandikuthira said in an interview with Automotive News at a media event in Nashville, near the automaker’s headquarters in Franklin, Tennessee. He said Nissan is in “conversations” with multiple potential partners…

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 (and many other EVs) have a drive mode specifically made for snowy driving. Snow mode dulls throttle inputs and reduces regenerative braking to prevent wheels from locking up. If equipped, Hyundai’s snow mode also locks AWD in a 50-50 split.  People say electric cars can’t handle the winter, but the best car I’ve ever driven in snow was electric. That car was my now-departed 2012 Mitsubishi i-MiEV. Slow, rear-wheel-drive with narrow tires and a very low-mounted and hefty battery, the i-MiEV’s almost Volkswagen Beetle-grade specs made it unstoppable in snow. It wasn’t fast, the heater was…