that's one way to get around

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Tesla Roadster in Chicago, Illinois

Tesla might be in some trouble if the Model S doesn't come out soon.

I almost didn't realize this was anything special until I noticed the absence of sound when it pulled away from the light. This is one electric car that's got some grunt to it.

Isuzu NPR City Van in Chicago, Illinois

"6 miles to the gallon if you're lucky." What I was told when I asked about the gas mileage.

I'm not sure why this thing isn't a diesel. Bouncy ride too.

Maserati GranTurismo in Chicago, Illinois

Like I said before - Maseratis can be sexy machines. Not my cup of tea though.

Maserati Coupé and Porsche Boxster in Evanston, Illinois

First, let's talk about the Porsche. It's light, nimble, and fun to drive. Stick shift only please. Both underrated and overrated, it's a great car in the right hands.

As for the Coupé (yes with the accent over the e), it seems that people in Chicago really love their Maseratis. Yes, they are beautiful. But for the price, I'd much rather have a Ferrari that sounds like heaven and handles like it's on rails. When you're spending this kind of cash, please do some research before you drop 150k on something because it's a status symbol.

BMW M5 in Chicago, Illinois

Dear BMW. See note about the X6. Sticking a V10 in a sedan does not a world class sports sedan make. You should really do some market surveys about who's buying your M5's. Hint: not true performance oriented enthusiasts.

Audi RS4 on I-94 in Michigan

Big direct injected German V8. I was doing ___ mph, and it still blew by me. No sweat.

BMW 335i Coupe in Evanston, Illinois

The 3.0L twin-turbo setup in this BMW makes me so happy. Doing more with less - this is how it should be.

Also, that's my Accord on the left. You never forget your first.

Subaru WRX in Evanston, Illinois

Love the black rims. The old WRX was a good car, but the current one is even better. Can't beat the amount of performance you get for the price. Lots of aftermarket parts as well - as you can see here.

Porsche 911 Cabriolet in Evanston, Illinois

Another rant. The 911 is an amazing car. The everyday supercar. Affordable (relatively), fast, clean, and efficient.

So why would you chop off the roof and add more weight to make up for the decreased rigidity? There was a great chassis, and then you crippled it. I know there's a market for this kind of car - 50 year old retired bankers who want to drive automatic transmissions and have the roof open - but do you really have to offer this? Porsche, you have a great motoring heritage. This is a horrible example of how business decisions drive engineering.

This isn't to say that I'm against all convertibles. Small, lightweight cars like the Boxster and MX5 were designed from the onset to be great handling open top roadsters. There's a tradition there, and it's great fun. I'm just saying, don't mess with perfection for the sake of making money.

BMW X6

Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. BMW, I know you can build a great engine. I know you can build a great chassis. I know you (pre- and post- Bangle) can sculpt a clean, elegant design. But do you really have to make this abomination?

I'm in love with the lines and the stance. It looks good. It's got presence. It sounds great. But it's so damn heavy. xDrive or not, it's really hard to make up for extra mass. When you need to throw millions into R&D to fix a problem that you created by making something too heavy, you're abusing the skills of your engineers. Let's keep it simple and continue to build some good cars like the 135i.

Subaru WRX STi in Evanston, Illinois

We already saw one of these trying to have some fun, but I thought it'd be better to get a picture where you could actually see the car. Form following function as it should be. But I do have to say, it is possible to get form and function to meld together quite nicely (see Audi R8).

I think it's pretty obvious at this point, but I do have a thing for homologation specials. Nothing like seeing a manufacturer build a car to perform in competitions... and then offering it to the public for use on public roads.

Double Rainbow and Beautiful Sunset in Chicago, Illinois

Chicago, you really know how to charm even the most zealous car enthusiasts.