Jalopnik Reviews: 2006 Lexus IS 350, Part 3

It s faster than a BMW 330i and looks sharp enough to draw blood. Driving a 300-horse sports sedan without adequate chassis control or progressive brake feel is like dating a bulimic supermodel. · Speed Merchants: · Fashion Victims: · Treehuggers: No · Mack Daddies: No · Tuner Crowd: ·...

May 20, 2024

Jalopnik Reviews: 2006 Ford Five Hundred SEL AWD, Part 1

The Ford Five Hundred s doors are the cheapest feeling portals I ve experienced outside of a high school stage set. If closing an Audi is like slipping on a pair of Ugg slippers, concluding a 500 is like wedging your foot into rented skates. There s nothing particularly wrong...

May 20, 2024

Jalopnik Reviews: 2006 Ford Five Hundred SEL AWD, Part 2

It s an Audi innit? By riffing on a relatively bland Euro-design, Ford obviously chose to play it safe with its mainstream mainstay. It s a bit of shock not be to be shocked, what with the Taurus in the rear view mirror and the bad-ass Chrysler 300C somewhere in...

May 20, 2024

Jalopnik Reviews: 2006 Ford Five Hundred SEL AWD, Part 3

The Five Hundred is exactly what middle America needs: an old school Yank tank with reasonable gas mileage and laudable safety. If you re in the cop or carriage trade, or have a wife whose idea of packing light squares with Joan Collins , the Five Hundred s cavernous trunk...

May 20, 2024

Jalopnik Reviews: 2006 Porsche Cayman S, Part 1

After driving the new Porsche Cayman S, I reached one inescapable conclusion: it s woefully underpowered. Don t get me wrong: Porsche s mid-engined marvel is a crushingly competent sports car that laughs at its direct competitors and smirks knowingly at the heavy hitters. The German/Finnish two-door goes like stink,...

May 20, 2024

Jalopnik Reviews: 2006 Porsche Cayman S, Part 2

The Cayman is more color sensitive than Constance Ramos. In silver, it looks like a baby Boxster wearing a bowler hat and a pair of bell bottoms. In black, she s a bad-ass pocket rocket in skin tight 501 s. Saying that, in any hue, the Cayman s front angle...

May 20, 2024

Jalopnik Reviews: 2006 Porsche Cayman S, Part 3

The Cayman S is the world s safest, best handling sports car. The Cayman S is not quite sexy enough to win your heart and not nearly enough powerful enough to exploit its inherent capabilities. Corvette s significantly faster and identically priced (once options are factored in) Z06 and BMW...

May 20, 2024

Jalopnik Reviews: 2006 BMW 325ix Sport Wagon, Part 1

Normally, I couldn t care less whether or not a car has four-wheel-drive. The weight penalty exacted by all those extra bits and pieces only affects the performance of the most anemic vehicles. Even if buyers only use the extra traction provided by variable four-corner oomph to rocket out of...

May 20, 2024

Jalopnik Reviews: 2006 BMW 325ix Sport Wagon, Part 2

Thanks to Bavaria s blingtastic Bangalization, the 325xi Sports Wagon s perceived size and aesthetic appeal depend entirely on the viewing distance, angle and time of day. It looks big, then small, then sporty, then clunky It s the MC Escher of lifestyle station wagons. Is that a good thing?...

May 20, 2024

Jalopnik Reviews: 2006 BMW 325ix Sport Wagon, Part 3

You live in a world of snow, sleet, rain and loose gravel; you love BMW s, you don t have kids, you don t drive fast and you re never, ever going to sell your car. The 325ix may get you out of/through the muck, but it drives like an...

May 20, 2024

Jalopnik Reviews: 2006 BMW M5, Part 1

Interstate 95 from Warwick to Providence is cop alley. The RI state police headquarters lies just off the highway; troopers can nip out, nab a pad of speeders and still have time to get a proper cup of coffee. Discretion being the better part of staying out of jail, I...

May 20, 2024

Jalopnik Reviews: 2006 BMW M5, Part 2

The Brits call them Q-cars, after the WWII's Q-ships: civilian boats equipped with hidden firepower. The Q-car s real world realization — a nice normal everyday sort of vehicle that Jolly well isn t — offers definite advantages to the points-challenged driver. Well, it looks as if B has jettisoned...

May 20, 2024

Jalopnik Reviews: 2006 BMW M5, Part 3

The new M5 is a supremely capable corner carver with epic thrust available at the top of the rev range. It s as close as you ll get to a four-door Ferrari — at least until the Aston Rapide and Porsche Panamera blow into town. The gearbox blows. · Speed...

May 20, 2024

Jalopnik Reviews: 2006 Mercedes E350 4Matic, Part 1

Beige. For me, beige is the color of death. It s the color of all the OAP s (Old Age Pensioners) I encountered during my 16-year English adventure: beige jackets, beige trousers, beige skirts, beige shoes and yes, beige socks, shirts, handbags, scarves and caps. I reckon only a person...

May 20, 2024

Jalopnik Reviews: 2006 Mercedes E350 4Matic, Part 2

What a drag it is getting old. You go for something sensible and safe and people call you a fuddy-duddy. You go for some fresh and funky and flame-surfaced and people call you a barbarian. Mercedes plays it straight down the middle with a classically proportioned three box design. It...

May 20, 2024