Radio review at The Pirate, FM-104.7, featuring George Gray and Matt Arguello:
Machine gray paint with “greige” leather seating for 5, heated front buckets, weighs 3,318 lbs. and is 183.5” long, 18” black finished aluminum wheels and 215/45R18 Bridgestone radials, pushbutton/remote start, navigation, dual power seats, leather wrapped and heated steering wheel, trunk spoiler and moon roof, wireless phone charger, head up display and Android / Apple integration, 8” multimedia infotainment screen with backup camera and 12 speaker Bose XM/AM/FM premium sound system, cruise control, lane change alert, rear cross traffic alert, and blind spot warning, 2.5 liter turbo four with 250 horsepower, six speed automatic transmission and all wheel drive, $34,015.00.00list price, built in Hofu, Japan, fuel economy (32 mpg highway, 23 mpg city, 27 mpg combined),13.2 gallon tank with 422 mi.range
Pirate Radio review featuring DJ’s George Gray and Matt Arguello:
Alpine white metallic paint with Cognac Vemasca 5 pass. leather upholstered interior – heated front buckets, 2 liter twin power turbo 4 with 255 horsepower zero to 60 in 5.8 seconds – 185.7” long, 112.2” wheelbase, 4,038# weight, 10″ touchscreen infotainment with head up display, 13.2 cubic ft. cargo capacity trunk, navigation system, radar cruise control, moon roof, andpremium 205 watt stereo with 10 speakers. gas mileage ratings is 28-combined – 10.6 gallon tankElectric range is 22 miles – 35,000 chargers nationwide, floor mounted electronic gear shift – Eight speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters, lane change alert, blind spot monitor and cross traffic alert, 19” black and silver ten spoke wheels with 225/40R19 all-season Bridgestone Turanza radials, $59,645.00 M.S.R.P. – $5,836.00 Federal tax credit – Car is built in Munich, Germany
Radio review at Pirate radio with George Gray and Matt Arguello:
Blue Streak metallic paint with Midnight black metallic painted top and black five passenger leather upholstered interior – heated front buckets, 192.7” long, 111.2” wheelbase, 3,395# weight, 10 “touchscreen infotainment with head up display, 15.1 cubic ft. cargo capacity trunk, navigation system, radar cruise control and moon roof, JBL premium stereo with 9 speakers, gas mileage ratings are 34-hwy./25-city/28-combined, range is 537 miles with 15.8 gallon tank, floor mounted gear shift, eight speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters, lane change alert, blind spot monitor and cross traffic alert, 17” black five spoke wheels with 235/40R19 all-season radials, 205 horsepower 4 cylinder 2.5 liter engine, $39,635.00 M.S.R.P., built in Georgetown, Kentucky
George Gray and Matt Arguello – Pirate Radio review:196″ length – BluePrint blue paint – All-wheel drive – 2.5 liter four with 205 horsepower – Eight speed automatic – JBL 14 speaker stereo – Cognac leather interior with seating for five (four heated seats) – 16 cubic ft. trunk – 14.4 gallon tank provides 490 miles of range with 34 MPG highway rating Moon roof – Head up display – $44,728.00 MSRP – built in Georgetown, KY
Radio review at Pirate Radio featuring George Gray and Matt Arguello:
The Toyota Corolla XSE that I was recently able to test came in a pleasing Blueprint blue metallic paint scheme and featured black SofTex seating surfaces.The Toyota Corolla, one of the best-selling nameplates of all time, has moved over 45 million cars onto driveways around the world (well, mostly driveways), and the car is in its twelfth generation configuration, having been around since 1966.
The 2021 front wheel drive Corolla sits on a 103.9” wheelbase, is 70.5” wide, 57.1” high, and weighs 3,060 lbs.The way that Greeley and Ft. Collins have grown, it seems you are always poking around looking for parking space, so with a car that’s 172 inches long, it is not too difficult with Toyota’s Corolla.
Acceleration, handling, visibility and guidance were all acceptable for the Corolla. The power was supplied by a 2 liter, 4 cylinder engine, putting out 168 horsepower through a continuously variable (CVT) transmission. Silver and gray ten-spoke alloy wheels were fitted with P225/40R18 all-season radials on the car.
The 5 passenger interior of the Corolla was comfortable and the seating was supportive and looked good. The car had a backup camera, 8″ touchscreen, cruise control, power windows/locks/mirrors, tilt/telescope steering column, and keyless entry. M.S.R.P for my test Corolla came in at $29,289.00, including freight. The biggest item added to its $25,725.00 base price was a premium audio/navigation package ($1,715.00) consisting of a JBL stereo and dynamic navigation.
The Corolla did a super job for me during the test in Northern Colorado. The slick styling caught a lot of eyes, the car kept pace at the stoplights, and with the 38 mpg highway mileage rating, I spent a nominal amount of money on gas. I’d say it is a good value.
Tornado Red paint with Titan black leather seating for 5, including heated buckets – Weighs 3,127 lbs. and is 168” long – 17.3 cubic ft. of cargo capacity in hatchback area – 18” Ultra Silver five spoke aluminum wheels and 225/40R18 Bridgestone Potenza radial tires – Lane keep assist, forward collision alert, radar cruise control, rear vision, and automatic emergency braking – 8” infotainment screen – navigation, ambient door sill lighting and Fender 7 speaker AM/FM premium sound system – Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, wireless phone charger, head up display, aluminum sport pedals, leather steering wheel – 2.0 liter, turbocharged 228 horsepower four cylinder engine with six speed manual transmission, start stop technology and front wheel drive – $37,415.00list priceBuilt in Mexico – Fuel economy (Highway – 32 mpg) (City – 24 mpg)14.9 gallon tank with 477 mi.range
This reviewer has been test driving cars for ten years, but my love of them started in western Nebraska when I was fifteen and got my learner’s permit.That is fairly typical for a young man, and as George Strait renders in his 2000 hit “Best Day”, a teenager’s dreams “revolve around four spinning wheels”.Mine sure did, and as a rule back then I dreamt of a Chevy or perhaps a Pontiac.A BMW?That was something driven through town by a visiting city dweller.
But a dreamy BMW was indeed the test car I received just in time for a birthday (mine) ride all over Weld and Larimer counties recently.The model was a 228i painted Storm Bay metallic (gray) and featured Mocha perforated Dakota leather seating for five.The moniker “Gran Coupe” sounds fancy, but generally a coupe is a 2 door with a sloping roofline.BMW, however, has elected to name this four door as such, and the practice of doing so seems to have been popularized with several other manufacturers.
My test car qualified as a subcompact (178.5” long), and the interior provided supportive seating for two of the passengers, a large moon roof, a 10.3” dandy infotainment screen, and an electronic shifter that I struggled with a little bit.BMW’s always offer the operator a solid, Teutonic feel and sensation, and this 228i was no exception.All of the safety features such as lane change alert were on hand, but the cruise control did not have the radar system that prevents the driver from running up on a slower moving vehicle.The customary cruise control suited me fine, however.
The styling of the 228i is terrific, and neighbors and motorists sure did notice Ruth and I as the day progressed.Power is provided by a turbocharged four with 228 horsepower and the transmission is an eight speed automatic coupled to the all-wheel drive system underneath. Zero to 60 mph can be arrived at in 5.1 seconds and highway fuel economy is rated at 33 mpg.
The M.S.R.P. for my test vehicle worked out to $47,845.00 with all the options.
It was a blast to drive the BMW for the week that I had possession, and I would have to rate my experience driving around in it on my birthday as the “Best Day” of 2020, so far.
In Dan Seals’ 1985 hit song “My Old Yellow Car”, the singer describes the dilapidated condition of his ride by referring to the stained back seat as the place where “Larry and Sandy could no longer wait”.The song, often heard on K96.9FM, has as its provenance the fond memories that the singer has for the old days riding around in his junky vehicle.
When I received notification that I would soon be receiving a “New Yellow Car”, specifically a 2020 Lexus GS-F, I could no longer wait for its arrival, but unlike Larry and Sandy, had to do so for a few days.I’ve always had a fondness for yellow cars, and that fact along with the specifications of the GS-F caused my elevated anticipation.
The 2020 Lexus GS-F rear wheel drive sedan sits on a 112.2” wheelbase, is 72.6” wide, 56.7” tall, and weighs 4,034 lbs.In some ways I was disappointed that I did not test the Lexus during the heart of the pandemic while the roads were vacated and I could have let the GS-F flex its muscles.
Muscular is indeed what the GS-F is, featuring a 5.0 liter V-8 with 467 horsepower and an eight speed sport shift automatic with paddle shifters along with the floor stick.Top speed is reportedly 168 mph and zero to 60 acceleration takes 4.5 seconds.That acceleration, along with the handling and guidance, were exceptional, and the tires were summer-only staggered Michelin Pilots mounted on deluxe 19” aluminum wheels.
The 5 passenger interior of the Lexus was sumptuous with high-back heated and air conditioned buckets up front and ambient interior lighting that was dim or bright based on whether the GS—F was parked or in motion.All other expected interior appointments were on hand to include navigation, moon roof, and even aluminum racing pedals.The trunk holds 14 cubic ft. of cargo on this unit and the fuel tank holds 17.4 gallons (24 mpg highway rating = 418 miles of range).
TheM.S.R.P. of my test Lexus came in at $89, 510.00, including freight and a 17-speaker Mark Levinson surround sound stereo.I had a lot of car in my hands for seven days and like Dan Seals, created a few present day memories of my own with it.
Radio review at The Pirate, FM-104.7, featuring George Gray and Matt Arguello:
infotainment screen with backup camera and 12 speaker Bose XM/AM/FM premium sound system, cruise control, lane change alert, rear cross traffic alert, and blind spot warning, 2.5 liter turbo four with 250 horsepower, six speed automatic transmission and all wheel drive, $34,015.00.00 list price, built in Hofu, Japan, fuel economy (32 mpg highway, 23 mpg city, 27 mpg combined), 13.2 gallon tank with 422 mi.range 
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