Test Drives, Trends & Events

2009 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe
NADAguides.com 'Car of the Month' for May

Selecting a “Car of the Month” can sometimes be a tricky task. With hundreds of cars on the market, from SUVs to sedans, trucks to minivans, the selection process can sometimes be challenging and this month was no exception. We usually work to target new cars that consumers know little about and try to make our review process simple by providing a quick synopsis of our likes and dislikes for the chosen car.

The featured car for May came with some question marks. During the selection process, somebody on the team threw out the name Corvette. It was immediately overshadowed by the growingly popular and all-new Chevy Camaro. We did some research and, of course, every media outlet has some sort of story that features the new Camaro. The 2009 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe quickly became the right vehicle to spotlight for May.  

The Corvette name is as American as Mom’s apple pie and with a 55-year history, it is without question, one of the best-selling high performance sports cars of our time. With three models for 2009, the standard Corvette competes primarily with the...

The 2008 Audi S5 keeps shining long after the sun goes down.

I am sitting in a 2008 Audi S5 and thinking about the stuff that makes people happy. Personally, I love putting on a brand-new pair of socks. Fresh out of the package and not stretched out yet, a new pair of socks just feels right. Unfortunately, new socks are only new once.

However, for those lucky few who own a 2008 Audi S5 (like the Quartz Gray Metallic one I am driving around in) you can have that feeling every day... More...

The 2008 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is essentially a comfortable and street-legal race car.

I see a Victory Red 2008 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 in the parking lot. I walk up to the car and it senses that I am near, thanks to the keyless entry remote fob in my pocket. I open the door. The seat is more comfortable than I thought it would be. I push down on the brake and make sure the shift knob, which is connected to a 6-speed manual transmission, is in neutral. I press the button marked "ENGINE." The 7.0L V8 LS7 engine snorts and rumbles to life and I now have 505 hp at my disposal. My heart is beating … fast … faster … I put down the parking brake and move the shift knob into first gear and I am now leaving the parking lot … quickly. More...

Gumballers hitting the streets -- not shown is the trailer that carries their wallets. (Photo courtesy of W. Skinner)

Let's play pretend for a minute … Close your eyes and imagine that you are a celebrity/professional athlete/super wealthy person, etc., and you are a little bored at the moment. What would you do if you had access to exotic automobiles and $120,000 burning a hole in your pocket? No … you've already donated enough for tax purposes. (Wow you’re boring!) You would enter the 2008 Gumball Rally!

The Gumball got underway over the weekend with the city of San Francisco providing the starting point. Participating in the adventure are Ferraris, Porsches, Land Rovers, as well as one 60s-era VW bus powered by a Porsche engine. This year's Gumballers are heading on a course that will lead them all the way to Beijing and the 2008 Summer Olympics. [...

2004 Chevy Corvette AKA "Black Beauty"

For many years, my husband spoke Spanish, French, and other languages, and then he learned to speak "Corvette," an interesting dialect of English filled with V8 5.7L/346 350 @ 5200 RPM 360 @ 4000 RPM, and other such terminology.
 
I, on the other hand, was speechless when I first saw "Black Beauty" – our nickname for our black on black 2004 Corvette convertible. It was love at first sight. We had to own this car.

The first time I drove it, I really fell in love with Black Beauty. It was the most amazing drive – so close to the ground that you felt you were part of the road. With the top down, you also felt part of the sky. I loved the "VvvvvRooooommm." I loved driving curves. In fact, I loved everything about the car. More...