Sergio Marchionne, the executive hailed as the man who heroically prevented the death of two ailing companies and transformed them into Fiat Chrysler, an automotive behemoth selling automobiles that have distinct, individual identities apart from their competitors who pulled two ailing carmakers from the brink of collapse and led the improbable transformation of Fiat Chrysler into an automotive, giant, died on Wednesday in Zurich. He was 66.
Mr. Marchionne was the chairman of CNH Industrial, the chief executive officer of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, the chairman and CEO of FCA US LLC, the chairman and CEO of Ferrari, and the chairman of Maserati. John Elkann, the chairman and chief executive of Exor, the holding company controlled by the Agnelli family, which founded Fiat in 1899, announced the death in a statement.
By Donald Hammonds
Which car company gets the gold for the best mid-sized SUV?
For many buyers and journalists alike, Hyundai’s Palisade takes it. It is a vast improvement over the Santa Fe XL, which I think suffered from identity issues with consumers.
The Palisade is a solid value in its class, and I think one of the biggest selling point for it will be the incredibly lengthy and up to date safety technology and other features which you simply cannot find on …
By Don Hammonds
There is an automotive revolution underway–by a company that is making waves to upend the notion that everyday cars cannot be stylish, distinctive, and head turning.
That car company is Mazda, one of the few automakers that still seems to care about good design–not three box designs for sedans and four box looks for its crossovers.
Just within the last few months, Mazda has revealed some real lookers that stand apart from everything in their market slots. The all-new CX30 …
2020 Volkswagen GTI Autobahn
Four door, front wheel drive, five passenger compact sports sedan
Price as tested: $38,215
Performance:
Absolutely top notch. The GTI Autobahn’s only serious competition in terms of handling, acceleration and braking in the compact sedan segment are the Honda Civic sports models and of course, Subaru’s WRX. The GTI’s ace, however, is that you get all that bravado and acceleration without a back breaking ride, harsh performance on uneven, potholed streets and roads, due in part to an adaptive suspension …
[caption id="attachment_10391" align="alignnone" width="638"] 2020 Telluride[/caption]
By Don Hammonds
Every year, auto riders and car geeks alike pick one car that stands out from every other, showering it with adoration, curiosity, and of course, clamoring to see it on the road whenever they can.
This year, there are two–Chevy’s awesome new mid-engine Corvette…
And the one pictured above, the 2020 Kia Telluride SUV. You may not exactly clamor to see it on the road, after all–that honor belongs to sports cars, ultra luxury models, …
2020 Kia Soul GT-Line 1.6 Turbo
Price as tested: $29,055
Performance:
Sparkling! Acceleration is instant, and with only six or so seconds required to hit 60 miles per hour, you’ll want to keep a close eye on the speedometer. You can get carried away in a flash–seriously. The steering was so crisp and responsive, and the brakes so powerful that you’ll think you’re driving a bonafide sports car around town. Handling was just about flawless with sure footed stick-like-glue behavior around corners. Altogether–Bravo! …
