This past weekend, I was lucky enough to attend the Chicago Auto Show. This was my third time, and as expected, nothing compares to seeing a showroom full of cars. Prior to this car show, I was really anxious for the reveal of the third generation 2016 Pilot. My first car was a 2004 Honda Pilot (my sister is currently driving it), and I love it, so as a Pilot owner, I was curious to see whether Honda would continue the blocky styling or go the “mommy SUV” route. And my reaction was…unexpected. Seeing all these wonderful cars in one place, I went into overload with excitement, and all of sudden I could not have the capacity to restrain myself, and as such, I irritated my family because I could not stop talking about cars. Oh well. Please forgive the quality of my pictures as these were taken from an iPhone. Continue reading
RNR Automotive Blog
Just another car guy talking about cars.
Tag Archives: mercedes benz
Car Matchmaker!
Hello Readers,
There is a great television show on the Esquire Network called the Car Matchmaker with Spike Feresten. If you are looking for a new car or contemplating a car purchase, then Car Matchmaker may be for you! Click on the image below and find out what Car Matchmaker is about, and how you can be part of it!
2009 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport Photoshoot
Remember the 2006 Mercedes-Benz S430 that I photographed? Well, the owner hired me to photograph his other Mercedes-Benz: a 2009 C300 Sport. I reviewed the refreshed model in two door form, and while it wasn’t my cup of tea, it was a solid compact luxury car. I did get to drive this 2009, and I found it to be a capable performer. It steers nicely, and the brakes are sharp. To be honest, I do prefer the 2012 face-lift over this styling, but it is still a decent looker. I hope you like the pictures!
2013 BMW 328i Review
As you may know, for the past three years, I drove a Honda Pilot. But my sister drove a 2002 Toyota Camry LE, which got totaled this summer, so she got the Pilot. What I may not have mentioned is that since August, I have been driving a 2010 BMW 328i sedan (It’s my dad’s) . It was quite the change, as I actually have to worry about huge dips and speed bumps and what not. But I embraced the svelte inline six cylinder engine and the sublime handling. The 328i (I named her Gisele) is the last 3-Series they produced with the heavenly hydraulic steering. I know it seems trivial to obsess over a steering system, but that is what makes a BMW feel like a BMW. In other words, the steering is weighty and it is brimming with feedback. That is why when I got the opportunity to review the latest 3-Series, I approached this car with dread as it was going to be hard for me to remain objective. After all, I arrived to do the review in an E90 (3-Series’ are classified by their generation names. E90 is from 2006-2011, and F30 is 2012-present), review a F30, then leave in an E90. But what really made me approach the F30 with trepidation is the fact that the F30 replaces the amazing hydraulic steering system with an electric system. After reading reviews stating the obvious lack of feel in these new electric steering systems, I tried to approach this car with an open mind. I should explain: previous 3’s were not particularly fuel efficient, so BMW saw fit to install an a more fuel efficient electric system in the F30. The 3 series has a long history dating back to 1975 which when the first generation launched. Since the first generation, the 3 series has solidified its reputation as the best compact luxury sedan in the world. For five generations, it has remained supreme in terms of sales despite the emergence of worthy competitors. Now, it is going to be hard not to be biased. But I am going to try to be objective with the review of this car. It is just that I arrived in an E90 to test drive a F30, and I left in an E90. Can’t be that hard to remain objective right? I have reviewed the third, fourth, and fifth and I have loved them all, so hope was high that I would become fond of the sixth generation. Continue reading
2007 Infiniti M35 Review
For the longest time I could remember, the third generation Infiniti M has always been my favorite luxury sedan. Funny thing is, I have never actually driven one. Its sporty looks and the fact that it was based off the same platform as the Nissan Z sports car gave it performance credibility. This generation was a Consumer Reports Top Pick, and it was well received by the press. The strange thing is that the M wasn’t always a luxury sedan. Rather, it was a two door in either a coupe or convertible configuration. In 1989, Nissan introduced its luxury division, Infiniti, to take on the Germans. As one of the first two models to be produced by Infiniti, the 1989 M30 Coupe and Convertible were a rebadged Nissan Leopard. Alas, it lasted only three years in production. According to Wikipedia, it is rumored that less than 12,000 M30s have been sold, making it the rarest Infiniti ever made. It was not until 2002 that the M was revived as a rebadged Nissan Gloria, this time as a luxury sedan. My friend Madison’s father had a silver M45 when I was little, and I remember being fascinated with it. The second generation M was long and narrow, and this gave it a futuristic appearance. The fact that it was powered by a 340 horsepower V8 which was a a lot back then added to its appeal. Sadly, due to its high price and unremarkable handling, it trailed the BMW 5 Series and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Sales were so low that this generation only lasted for two years. This time, Infiniti wasn’t taking any chances. In 2006, it debuted an all new and redesigned M, again another rebadged Nissan sold as the Nissan Fuga in Japan. This time, the Infiniti M was based off the “FM” (front-midship which basically means the engine is pushed behind the front axle for better weight distribution) platform that underpinned the Nissan Z sports car as well as the sporty Infiniti FX SUV and G sedan. In addition to having a chassis derived from a sports car, the M also was powered by Nissan’s well-received “VQ-series” engines. I was both nervous and excited to review this car to see if it really did live up to my expectations. Continue reading
2006 Mercedes-Benz S430 Photoshoot
I was hired to photograph this sweet 2006 Mercedes-Benz S430. My client actually found me through my S55 AMG review. I did get to drive this car, although not enough to warrant an actual review, but it drives similarly to the S55 that I tested. It is slower, but it still drives nicely. As for the styling, I love how it combines elegancy and sleekness and I think that this was one of the best looking S-Classes ever. It is hugely comfortable with supreme leather seats and loads of room. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy the pictures!
1990 Mercedes-Benz 300E 2.6 Review
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class has been around since the late 1950s to 1960s. Adhering to Mercedes-Benz’s W-naming convention for their models, the first E-Class model, the W120 “Ponton”, debuted in 1953. It was noted for its stylish body and its first rate engineering. Fast forward to the fourth generation E-Class, which became the most successful Mercedes-Benz model to date. Over 2.6 million of these were built from 1976-1986. Fast forward to the eighth generation, and the E-Class is now known as a true luxury sedan. I had the opportunity to review a 2014 E350, and my findings were that it was a capable and nice sedan. However, my friend came to me with an interesting car to review: a 1990 300E (in 1993, Mercedes-Benz used a new different naming system where the models would be called the E-Class). He has one of the best jobs a car fanatic can dream of: a BMW dealership valet and delivery driver. He gets to drive cars that only I can dream of. Lamborghini Aventador? Check. Mercedes C63 AMG? Check. Rolls Royce? Check. And many more. Strangely, he said he loves his 300E more than any of those cars. Now that intrigued me, so I had to see why. This generation is dubbed as the W124 which lasted from 1985 to 1996 with a refresh in 1993. While I am not a fan of the latest Mercedes-Benzes, I have always liked the old ones for their elegant design and faultless engineering.
2001 Mercedes-Benz S55 AMG Review
The Mercedes-Benz S-Class has a long history that starts with the first generation debuting in 1972. This generation, dubbed the W112 (Mercedes-Benz used specific chassis names such as this to denote its models), was the first to be officially called the S-Class. As the flagship, the S-Class was loaded with innovative technologies. For instance, the car was styled for safety purposes, and boasted ground breaking safety technology such as headrests that isolated the pressure exerted on the occupants’ heads during a crash, safety padding on the dash, a rain water system that improved visibility towards the rear during rain storms, etc. Two more generations followed with the same focus on innovative technologies while gaining size and fame. This 1999-2005 “W220” generation was the first to receive an official AMG model. As a performance division, AMG got its start as an independent tuning firm for Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Then in the 1990s, Mercedes-Benz took a controlling stake in AMG, and then in 2005, ultimately purchased the performance division as its own. AMG variants feature cosmetic and performance upgrades over the lesser models. Continue reading
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