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NEWSDAY: More than 450 Classic Car Columns since 2008

6/28/2017

Since 2008, Driveway Media LLC and David Fluhrer have produced over 450 weekly classic car columns for Newsday with lasting, universal appeal and always on deadline.

All are currently available for licensing to your media outlet.

Newsday is one of the nation's largest daily newspapers, with a readership of over 900,000 daily. The newspaper uses these columns to attract thousands of readers to its weekly automotive advertising section, a prime revenue generator.

We focus on a broad range of unusual cars, trucks, motorcycles and their owners. See a sampling of the columns here and learn more about their production here.

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LUXURY LIVING: Aston Martin Keeps Calm & Races On

6/28/2017

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Photo: Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd.

By David Fluhrer
When it comes to carmakers, Aston Martin is a study in contrasts.

Its fantastic machines are a cross between “Downton Abbey” and “Need for Speed,” able to exude understated British elegance and handle a dangerous curve.

Its prosperous buyers spend up to $310,000 per car before options with a manufacturer that’s been insolvent seven times since its 1913 founding.

Its winged badge, a global symbol, has only graced an average of 770 new cars a year, equivalent to Toyota’s output for 40 minutes.

CEO Boosts Production, Lifestyle Offerings
And now, CEO Andy Palmer is boosting production to a maximum 7,000 cars annually. But he also wants you to share Aston Martin’s “lifestyle” of luxury yachts, travel and real estate, with car ownership optional. “We’re a luxury brand; we’re not just a car company,” says Aston spokesman Matthew Clarke of the newer ventures. “They expose our brand to a greater number of people, which is very important.”

So, with dreams of expansion, this quintessentially British enterprise keeps calm and races on, crafting some of the planet’s most desirable performance vehicles as its vaunted name hurtles into uncharted territory.

Cars Still Front and Center
Yet the cars are still front and center. “It’s beauty, styling, exclusivity,” says Aston Martin Sales Manager Cyndi Koppelman of Connecticut’s Miller Motorcars. “It’s understated elegance.”

So coveted are Astons that 90% still exist. Rusty examples can sell into the six figures. Pristine ‘50s and ‘60s models routinely change hands in the millions.

“It really created a brand of both luxury and speed and I think that’s transferred quite well” to the newer cars, says Connecticut Aston expert Kent Bain of Automotive Restorations, Inc. While newer versions retain vintage DNA, they yield not one meter to competitors in terms of craftsmanship and performance.

‘Q’ Bespoke Creates Any Configuration
Imagine body lines of liquid aluminum and hyperkinetic paints in “Cinnabar Orange” or “Frosted Glass Blue.” Appreciate the redolent leathers that appear to be poured over futuristic seats. And if your imagination and wallet permit, you can summon Aston’s “Q” bespoke designers to create any configuration. “’Q’ gives us the opportunity to never say no to a client,” says Koppelman.

There’s a new model planned every nine months through 2020, including a crossover and electric, but Astonistas currently drool over the DB11, a 600-horsepower V-12 coupe reaching 200 miles an hour. AerobladeTM technology moves air through the body so the car stays planted firmly without a rear spoiler. Exotic design themes range from the sprightly “Shanghai Fashionista” to the brooding “Mysterious Sport.”

James Bond to the Rescue
But there’s nothing mysterious about why Aston survives. “It’s James Bond, man,” says marque expert Tom Papadopoulos of Long Island’s Autosport Designs. The brand took off after fictional British agent Bond and his gadget-laden DB5 starred in the 1964 film, “Goldfinger.” Astons were featured in nine more Bond films through 2015.

Credit also goes to the late Sir David Brown (the “DB” of current models), who rescued the company in 1947 with advanced style and engineering, and a successful racing program. And it didn’t hurt when, in 2011, Britain’s Prince William and his new bride took a drive in his father’s DB6, powered by fuel made from “wine wastage.”

Owners Club Breaks Stereotype
But if you can’t join the royals, you can still hoist a pint with Aston Martin Owners Club members, whose North America East division numbers 400. Last fall, Autosport’s Papadopoulos hosted several dozen for a Long Island foliage tour. “People are very friendly, very open,” says division chairman Bob Welch. “It breaks the stereotype that these are posh people who are full of themselves.”

In the meantime, Aston observers are having a chin wag as to whether the brand can be extended and still retain its connection to these legendary, hand-built cars. “As long as the brand stays strong,” says Papadopoulos, “the heritage will never go away.”

This column first appeared in Luxury Living magazine's Spring 2017 issue.

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LUXURY LIVING: The Future is Electric

6/28/2017

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Photo: Rimac Automobili

By David Fluhrer
When Vermonter Thomas Davenport patented his electric motor in 1837, he never expected it to one day rocket his descendants down the road at 200 miles an hour . . . or more.

Yet that’s one performance target for a new breed of all-electric or gas-electric hybrid luxury and sports cars to hit the market by the end of the decade. They’re stylish, brash and, yes, still green when it comes to shrinking carbon emissions. But they also promise lightning acceleration, blistering speed and precise handling to shock their fossil-powered cousins. All of a sudden, going green is red-hot.

Fighting Climate Change
They’re coming to fight the evils of climate change, but they stand out for their amazing torque that pins you back in your seat. Traditional gas-powered drivetrains need to spool up to highway speeds, while an electric motor makes the transformation almost instantaneous and the acceleration, well, electrifying. “Electric drive is a double blessing,” says Porsche. “It will enable Porsche to meet stricter fuel consumption and emission standards in the future. At the same time, it improves vehicle performance considerably.”

With advancing battery technology, these rides aim to cruise 400 miles or more. Yet they’ll be anything but nerdy. They promise 22nd century styling and every variety of automotive posh. They could make even the current expanding crop of luxury hybrids and plug-in hybrids from Audi to Volvo look downright ancient by comparison.

Slim Pickings for Electrics
While the luxury hybrid market grows, current pickings are still slim for high-end electrics. So all eyes are on Tesla, whose Model S sedan and Model X crossover cruise up to 315 miles and cost $73,800 to $138,800 before options and tax incentives. Motor Trend magazine goosed one Model S to 60 in 2.28 seconds, a world production car record. If that’s not enough, founder Elon Musk promises an even more thrilling “next gen Roadster, which is a few years away.”

BMW says up to a quarter of its vehicles will be plug-in hybrid or all-electric by 2025. “The drivetrain mix will ultimately be decided by the customer,” says spokesperson Rebecca Kiehne. Mercedes-Benz plans a dedicated electric lineup and has previewed the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6, an ultra-luxury coupe concept with a “360-degree lounge” interior and four electric motors pumping out 750 horsepower. Jaguar launches the electric I-PACE SUV late next year. Porsche plans the 600-horsepower Mission E sedan, requiring only a 15-minute charge to recoup 80% of its 300-mile range.

Hybrid Hypercars
For now, hypercar marques, such as Bugatti, Ferrari, Lamborghini and McLaren, are sticking with gas-electric hybrids that won’t bat an eyelash at 1,000 horsepower or more. “McLaren has announced that over 50% of the lineup will be hybrid by 2022,” says spokesman John Paolo Canton. “It is partially driven by emissions regulations and partially driven by performance possibilities.” Ferrari is reportedly going all-hybrid by 2019, but is apparently shunning pure electrics.

At the fringes are names such as Faraday Future, Fisker, NIO and Rimac. One ambitious Tesla-fighter is Silicon Valley’s Lucid Motors, whose Lucid Air futuristic sedan due in 2019 will start at $52,500, but reach six figures with the optional 1,000 horsepower and 400-mile range. “It’s taking the electric car -- the car per se -- to a whole new level,” says Peter Rawlinson, Lucid’s chief technical officer as he touts the spacious “executive jet” interior. One cool feature: Lucid’s front headlight bar with 9,700 micro-lenses that mimic the eyes of a fly.

As politicians squabble over environmental policy and the upstarts check their bank accounts, it’s hard to say exactly what the green car landscape will look like in a few years. Right now, automakers large and small remain optimistic. For them, the future is electric.

This column was first published in Luxury Living magazine's Summer 2017 issue.

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LUXURY LIVING: Luxury SUVs can be Wonderful

6/28/2017

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Photo: Bentley Motors

By David Fluhrer
When 20th century screen siren Mae West said “too much of a good thing can be wonderful,” she could have been talking about the white-hot market for luxury sport utility vehicles and crossovers.

That’s because prosperous Americans are shedding their sport sedans and flocking to the
beefy, versatile rides known as SUVs and CUVs. And 16 luxury brands – from Acura to Volvo -- are responding in kind with close to 200 different models, including first-time contenders from Bentley, Jaguar, Maserati and Tesla.

Record SUV/CUV Volumes
“We continue to see the SUV/CUV segment reaching record registration volumes in the U.S. market,” says Tom Libby of industry analysts IHS Automotive. Owners of full-sized luxury SUVs are the most loyal repeat buyers. And IHS believes the trend won’t cool down, even with gas prices up.

Today’s buyer usually expects an SUV/crossover to seat 5 to 8 people with cargo, deliver off-road capability via power to all wheels, and ride higher than a car, even though it should drive like one. The last two attributes are top priorities for well-off Long Islanders, says David Perricone, general sales manager of King O’Rourke Cadillac Buick GMC in Smithtown, New York. “If you’re in a sedan or a coupe and you’re driving behind a sport utility, your visibility is limited,” he says. “So a lot of women, in particular, want the height of an SUV.” Adds Oliver Brodlieb, owner of East Hills Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram in Greenvale, New York: “People want the capabilities of an SUV and they don’t want to compromise on the way it sits, handles or drives.”

Added Prestige, Power, Handling
To meet those priorities, luxury models add more prestige, power and handling, as well as the latest safe-driver-assist and “infotainment” technology. Oh, and let’s not forget the bling, of which there’s plenty. Think supple leathers, exotic woods, metal trim that could pass for jewelry, and even an Orrefors crystal shift lever on Volvo’s XC90. Entry to this elite group starts around $35,000 and maxes out with Bentley’s Bentayga nearing $300,000.

Britain’s Range Rover has been a benchmark for its cachet, elegance and strong off-road performance. But a host of serious European and Asian challengers, such as Mercedes-Benz and Lexus, are clawing their way up the summit from all directions. And let’s not discount iconic American brands Cadillac, Jeep and Lincoln. Perricone says Cadillac’s new XT5 is luring traditional import buyers, as are Jeep’s Grand Cherokee Limited and Summit models, according to Brodlieb. Both anticipate an expanded luxury SUV lineup.

Lovers of hot cars with a family to transport can take cool comfort in Porsche’s lower-slung Cayenne and Macan or the newer Jaguar F-Pace and Maserati Levante. Jaguar calls the F-Pace “the ultimate practical Jaguar sports car,” a theme echoed by Tony Anton, general manager of Jaguar Great Neck in New York. “It’s the only SUV that I’ve ever experienced that drives like a Jaguar,” he says. The new Levante also trades on its sporting heritage and features an aromatic leather interior, plus a silk upholstery option by Ermenegildo Zegna.

Bentley Bentayga is Fastest
Volkwagen Group’s Bentley claims its 187-mile-per-hour Bentayga is “the fastest, most powerful, most luxurious and most exclusive SUV in the world.” But if you need to get to your club a little quicker – and greener – you’ll opt for Tesla’s electric Model X, which hits 60 in as little as 3.2 seconds and cruises up to 257 miles on a single charge. Your golfing buddies will get a kick out of the upward-opening “Falcon Wing” doors.

In this engorged market, luxury brands differentiate themselves with bells and whistles that ultimately find their way to mass-market SUVs. Audi’s Q7 “virtual cockpit” is an all-digital dashboard putting every key function directly in front of the driver. The XT5 mounts a roof camera with a video feed through the rear-view mirror. The Bentayga offers portable touch-screen tablets to control entertainment and other systems.

BMW touts Sports Activity Vehicles
BMW distinguishes itself by labeling its 23 “X” models as sports activity vehicles, or SAVs, because, it says, “the world is full of possibilities.” And perhaps that’s what luxury SUVs and crossovers are all about. You can use yours to haul the kids off to college, climb a mountain, or tailgate at Giants Stadium. At the end of the day, you’ll slip into a gown or tux for a hushed cruise to the charity ball. Whatever the function, these upscale rides can do it all and do it well. They’ll take you anywhere you want to go in high style.

This column first appeared in Luxury Living magazine's Fall 2016 issue.

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LUXURY LIVING: The Ragtop is Here to Stay

6/28/2017

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Photo: Bentley Motors

By David Fluhrer
Forty years ago, they declared the convertible dead.

News reports lamented the last American convertible as U.S. consumers chose the safety, security and comfort of closed cars.

But the exhilaration and prestige of top-down motoring were irresistible. So fast-forward four decades and the convertible is alive and well. Today’s “ragtop” buyers gravitate to luxury brands as mass-market customers seek more practical SUVs or crossovers. And the Germans have taken the lead, with Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz offering affluent Long Islanders over three dozen convertible choices.

All-Season Rides
Current luxury drop-tops are usually all-season rides, combining a wind-in-the-hair experience with the bells and whistles of sedans or coupes. “You can get all the same features as the regular sedans,” says brand specialist Ed Lumer of Atlantic Audi West Islip in New York. “But when people are looking for a convertible, they also want a fun car.” Along with the fun, you get plenty of power, handling and crash protection, as well as folding metal roofs, all-wheel drive and the latest technology. “It’s 2016 and everyone wants more,” says James McCarthy, general manager of Habberstad BMW in Huntington and Bay Shore, New York. “Buyers want everything you can get in one car.”

Premium convertibles slot into three categories: two-seat roadsters, exclusive and exotic models, or the luxury four-seaters often seen in valet parking lots of trendy area restaurants. And like a good bowl of chili, you can order them mild, medium or hot.

Roadsters for Street or Track
Roadsters are often at home on the street or track. Think Audi’s TT, BMW’s Z4, Chevrolet’s Corvette and Mercedes’ SL and SLC, along with serious contenders from Alfa Romeo, Jaguar and Porsche. Even the performance-oriented Corvette now features sumptuous interiors to lure buyers from competing brands, according to Mike Cortigino, sales consultant at Atlantic Chevrolet Cadillac in Bay Shore, New York. “I’ve pulled so many people out of Porsches that I’ve lost count,” he says.

Buyers wanting exclusive or exotic rides turn to Aston Martin, Bentley, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati and Rolls-Royce. The entry fee usually starts around $150,000 and escalates swiftly from there. Plunk down a cool half million on a Rolls Drophead and you’ll luxuriate on blemish-free leather hides from cattle raised high in the Bavarian Alps, far above nipping mosquitos.

Sweet Spot: the Four-Seater
But for many prosperous Long Islanders, the sweet spot is the four-seat convertible serving as prestigious family transportation to the country club or summer home. German brands dominate this segment starting around $40,000, although industry observers expect Japan’s Infiniti and Lexus to return soon with new offerings.

Audi hits the road with the entry-level A3 and up-market A5 and S5 – with features such as upgraded sound systems, torso-hugging sport seats and a sublime, multi-layer acoustic canvas top that rises in 17 seconds. Atlantic Audi general manager Thabiti Lee says the A5/S5 attracts well-off buyers of all tastes. “With the all-wheel drive,” he says, “it’s a car you can drive in winter. And for other people, it’s just a summer car.”

BMW offers a broad range of 17 models in three different series, with cloth or metal roofs and horsepower topping out at 560. The 4 Series “is definitely the most popular convertible we sell,” says Habberstad’s McCarthy. Ragtop buyers can also choose the smaller 2 Series or the larger 6 Series, a confident $84,000 autobahn cruiser that gives drivers a “king of the road” feel.

Mercedes adds Two New Models
For 2017, Mercedes complements its roadsters and E-class convertible with two new four-seaters. The smaller C-class features a new nine-speed transmission, while the S-class is the brand’s first full-sized soft-top since 1971, adding all-wheel drive and up to 621 horsepower. “The C-class should be a great car for us to slot under the E convertible,” says Mercedes-Benz of Huntington’s owner-operator Jim Buzzetta. “When a car is less expensive, it gives us a broader base to sell it to younger people.” He’ll use the S to compete against the ultra-luxury Bentley Continental GT.

What makes a top-down drive so alluring? “The convertibles are kind of the style- and the image-makers,” says Buzzetta. “They’re trend-setting . . . the iconic vehicles.” For older Corvette buyers, “it’s rewarding their success,” says Atlantic’s Cortigino.

Perhaps it’s also the smell of new-mown grass on a breezy North Shore drive or the scent of ocean spray on a balmy Hamptons cruise. Whatever the attraction, one thing is clear: this time around, the luxury convertible is here to stay.

This column first appeared in Luxury Living magazine's Summer 2016 issue.

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LUXURY LIVING: Alfa Romeo is Back!

6/28/2017

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Photo: Alfa Romeo

By David Fluhrer
From grand operas to Michelangelo’s David to a goblet of fine Brunello, nearly everything Italian stirs the human soul. And that goes double for the cars, especially Alfa Romeo. For over a century, this storied marque has thrilled drivers, riders and spectators on street and track with raw power, spirited handling and a motoring sensuality that’s hard to put into words.

Now, Long Island’s Alfisti are rejoicing con molto brio over the decision by FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) to return their beloved brand to America after an almost two-decade hiatus. Two new Alfa dealerships in Patchogue and Westbury, and a third in Manhattan, are among just five in New York and over 100 throughout the U.S.. In limited numbers, they’re already meting out the newest models – the sinuous 4C Coupe and Spider – which start, well-optioned, at around $70,000. Dealers anticipate this summer’s arrival of the Giulia sport sedan, a fluid and lusty BMW-killer boasting 505 horsepower in top-of-the-line Quadrifoglio trim.

Zeal for Things Italian
What makes Long Island ground zero for a fruitful Alfa Romeo launch? High incomes, strong luxury car interest and a zeal for things Italian. Plus, the dealers are already successful at selling other FCA brands, including Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram and Fiat, so Alfa gives them a chance to move up-market.

“We’re trying to capture the customers who are getting the Maseratis or the BMWs,” says Mike Mineo, general sales manager for Alfa Romeo Fiat of Westbury, New York. “Alfa is an up-and-coming brand once again. They have a huge lineup of cars in Italy and we’ll eventually see them come out here,” including an expected SUV and hatchback.

A BMW Alternative
“Whether it’s BMW, Audi, Mercedes, Infiniti or Lexus, those brands do very well on Long Island,” adds Gary Brown, owner of Brown’s Alfa Romeo Fiat in Patchogue, New York. “I thought, ‘Why not have access to those customers and also offer them an alternative?’”

“Alternative” is an apt description of the cars among Alfa buffs. “It’s advanced engineering, beautiful design and just not being part of the pack,” says Dr. Dino Pappous, a Great Neck, New York prosthodontist and president of the New York Alfa Romeo Owners Club.

Art Forms on Wheels
“Most of the Alfas are really art forms on wheels,” adds longtime Alfista and Stony Brook University professor emeritus Dr. Robert D. Cess, whose name graces the school’s annual Concorso d’Eleganza, Long Island’s most prominent Italian car show. “Italians have a capacity for really designing a good-looking car. They also typically handle very, very nicely. Those things put together are what get most people turned on by Alfas: the visual effect and the handling effect.”

The 4C already draws rave reviews from auto writers and club members alike. ““A lot of members feel that it is true to Alfa’s heritage of being a lightweight, small car that is fast and that handles,” says Pappous. At last year’s Alfa Club national convention in Rhode Island, Cess adds, “people were just drooling over the 4Cs.”

‘Mechanics of Emotion’
What’s everyone drooling about? It’s likely the combination of modern technology and Alfa’s legendary driving DNA. Alfa calls this la meccanica delle emozione, or “the mechanics of emotion.”

The 4C’s mass is limited to around 2,500 lbs. thanks to a strong, light carbon fiber frame unusual for cars at this price. Aluminum mechanicals and a fiberglass body also keep weight down. Thus, the Alfa’s 1.7-liter turbocharged engine -- smaller than the average Toyota Corolla’s – wrings out every one of its 237 horses to rocket the 4C to 60 miles an hour in just 4.1 seconds, faster than your basic Porsche 911.

A Car that ‘Hugs the Turns’
Push past the speed limit and the precise steering, taut suspension and huge Brembo brakes will keep you planted firmly on the North Shore’s twisty back roads. “This is a car that hugs the turns and just wants to keep going,” says Brown.

The 4C’s modern package still overflows with gobs of Italian authenticity, including robust exhaust notes, aromatic leather seats and the signature shield grille and “side whiskers,” known as the Trilobo. A single ride in the Spider will transport you back in Italy. You may be cruising the Atlantic coast, but you’re thinking Amalfi Coast. And that’s not Lake Ronkonkoma up ahead. It’s Lake Como.

All you’ll need to complete your fantastic journey is a cool pair of shades and a dashing scarf. In your new Alfa Romeo, la dolce vita awaits.

This column first appeared in Luxury Living magazine's Spring 2016 issue.

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NEWSDAY: More than 450 Classic Car Columns since 2008

LUXURY LIVING: Aston Martin Keeps Calm & Races On

LUXURY LIVING: The Future is Electric

LUXURY LIVING: Luxury SUVs can be Wonderful

LUXURY LIVING: The Ragtop is Here to Stay

LUXURY LIVING: Alfa Romeo is Back!

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