Andy Jensen learned to love cars during the dark ages; the 1980s. Power and performance weren’t available, but questionable styling was everywhere, so of course his first love was a black Trans Am named KITT. His first ride mimicked his grade school days, when he purchased a 1991 Pontiac Firebird and jumped onto modding. From there, he never really grew up.
Educated as a reporter, he freelanced for a while, but luckily the economy wasn’t there, so he went on to other work. From Air Force aircrew, to sales, offset press, tele-work, freight, and social services, he found his most satisfying work in automotive writing. It allows truthful storytelling about an ever-changing and fascinating subject involving science and art. Outside Provectus Media websites, his experience covers everything from ghostwriting the Haynes Manuals blog to covering Volvo for Jalopnik.
Although raised on American performance, he enjoys a little bit of everything. A dream garage would have: 1992 Firehawk Comp R, Lancia Stratos HF, Mark III Mini, MK1 Supra with 2JZ swap, R34 Skyline GT-R Z-tune (needs a longer name), Aston Martin DB9, Saleen S7, Ultima GTR, RX7 FD with LS7 swap, 1971 GTO, 1969 Trans Am RAIV, Pagani Huayra, and a Lotus C-01. The warehouse garage would have more.
Dream Cars: Pagani Huayra, 1992 Firehawk Comp R, Aston Martin DB9, Saleen S7, Ultima GTR
Faster than a freshman asking AI for an essay.
It seems all the big news happened in 2020, including huge automotive news. The mid-engine eighth-generation Corvette launched at peak ’rona to rave reviews, extreme shortages, and markups that would prove prophetic for the rest of the new car market. While the Stingray was big news then, even more important than the base model is the ...
Bigger is better, right? From houses and cell phones, to American waistlines and consumer debt, everything keeps growing. So too does our everyday vehicle choice, with the midsize crossover reaching ever larger sizes. VW’s Atlas, Subaru’s Ascent, and now the Kia Telluride all tell the tale of limited success with limited size, therefore a larger size should lead to larger success, right? ...
Enter the 2020 Jeep Gladiator before a cheering crowd. Cue Russell Crowe screaming “Is this not why you are here?!”
Er, sorry, we’ll lay off the Gladiator quotes (a bit). Jeep pretty much prints money these days, which is good news for the rest of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA). After winners like the Chrysler 200 and Dodge Dart, the Fiat 500L that no one bought, and Alfa Romeos that ...
Since pretty much forever, vehicles in the US offered a manual transmission in every model built. It was so common, the manual trans was known as “standard” shift, since it was the default choice. Now, less than 3% of cars sold in the US have manual transmissions, according to a recent report in the LA Times. Everything from high-end sports cars to base model economy crapcans are doing away ...
There’s a lot of doom and gloom in the automotive press about the end of the manual transmission. Automakers are obsessed with gas mileage, EVs, and autonomous vehicles, so there’s a certain sad logic to the stick shift eventually going away. Still, that kind of thinking ignores the great options available right now. While there are currently 40 new vehicles offering a manual in the US, ...
When I think of the late ‘90s, it seems like just six or seven years ago. In reality, we’re looking at two decades. While Pokémon has unfortunately held its value, and Will Smith’s music career sounds like the cheerful stuff we need right now, the automotive landscape has been turned entirely upside-down since then. Nowhere is this more apparent than the new Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE.
The ...
List of Groovy, Righteous & Far Out Cars that defined the 1970s.
The 1970s seemed like a bad time for the automotive landscape, what with rising fuel and insurance costs, plummeting engine power, and some seriously questionable styling. Still, the ‘70s laid the groundwork for what would happen in the coming years. The first Cannonball Run took place in 1972, and Japan invaded with ...
There’s a lot of cars that become legendary in their own time, and then fade from prominence, remembered only by their enthusiasts. Some are too great to forget, and get a second chance at production, like the Acura NSX and Ford GT. For every great car that makes a comeback, there are a dozen worthy rides that will never again see the factory. Here’s our picks for the greatest cars that ...
The phrase “bat shit crazy” comes up a lot these days, whether talking politics, business, or celebrity scandals. It also applies to cars of a certain age. The space race seems to have driven everyone mad in the 1960s, and car designers, and the car buying public, bought up lots of weird and wonderful rides. Here are the most iconic quintessential cars of the 1960s.
Ford ...
Smart phones can offer so much more than just Facebook and Twitter. Especially while driving, you should put that tech to use, making your drive a better, more efficient, safer experience. Of course we don’t want you playing Minecraft or Pokémon GO while driving, so keep your eyes on the road, and use these car apps in the background, while you focus on driving. Here’s our list of the best ...
