Thats the real trick, brands like BMW are built on enthusiast credibility. Switching strategies and focusing on mainstream tastes can work in the short term (it did for BMW 10 years ago) as companies can ride the coattails of their reputation but make enough silly crossovers and baroque luxo-barges and the credibility…

It would be awesome if Ray were interested in occasionally writing for Jalopnik as a sort of Jalop emeritus. I’m sure he would have some stories to tell and would fit in perfectly with the motley assortment of characters.

Leave it to the Dutch to put a wooden shoe up the Russian bear’s ass!

Phoenix is a terible, awful, horrific nightmare of a place. You wouldnt like it here, please don’t ever come and please make sure to tell everyone in California who can’t afford a house how terrible it is, they won’t like it either!

Good observations, crossovers really do mirror the average American: spacious, kinda slow, doesn’t handle very well, and lacks a sense of style.

Helmsman was playing Battleship on his iPhone.

But are they overnighted from Japan?

I’m all for Russia and China expending vast amounts of treasure developing complex weapons systems that we already have somewhat effective and constantly improving countermeasures for.

He and David should team up to start a hoopty cannonball run.

The clear line is the underlying design. A vehicle designed as a passenger car can never be a SUV given it’s design priorities are comfort and fuel economy. The 4wd system and ride height are only a small part of the equation honestly. Unsexy components like steering racks, axle shafts, brakes, transmissions and…

True SUVs are purpose built, heavy duty vehicles designed to withstand frequent off road driving, towing, etc. Traditionally SUVs have had frames but some do not like the old XJ Cherokee and to a lesser extent the current Grand Cherokee which occupies a weird middle ground between CUV and true SUV.

I usually go with Napa parts as a good middle ground, cheaper than OEM but usually a bit more expensive than Autozone or other discount parts stores. Napa seems to take a bit more care in selecting suppliers for their house brand parts.

It’s unbelievable thay these two idiots would try to apprehend this guy with guns drawn in the middle of a crowded car dealership. It is a miracle that no bystanders were hurt or killed.

Is there some sort of retrofit that can be done to install modern engines?

I think this will happen...eventually, but it won’t be started by companies like Tesla or the other major manufacturers. It’ll be led by low-cost Chinese companies looking to break into the American market that don’t have the resources to manufacture an entire vehicle - so of course they will need a common interface…

Lotus doesnt have much if any brand recognition outside of sports car and racing enthusiasts. The average yuppie yoga mom that is in the market for an upscale crossover likely doesnt know Lotus exists and therefor such a vehicle would fail to impress her social circle. Hopefully Lotus will stick to sports cars, the…

Liverwurst quartz...actually kind of makes my stomach turn.

Americans only like small cars that are as tall as they are long.

How about something classic? Plymouth Roadrunner? Roomy enough for a family, will stand out in silicon valley, and relatively reliable. Should be able to find a very nicely restored daily driver for that money.

I’m joking around, I don’t own any of that stuff. I just think it is funny that people are 100% certain that they treated a certain way solely based on their age/sex/clothing/perceived wealth/etc espcially since anyone who has worked in sales for more than a day knows that those who go out of their way to look “rich”…