HJ Pizarro

One might recall that in the early 1980s, Pontiac introduced the Fiero. It was a mid-engine, four-cylinder, small, two-seater car. When the Pontiac stopped producing the Fiero, there was a gap in its lineup. The customers of the niche started to look elsewhere. It was 2002 before Pontiac would try to fill that two-seater gap …

By 2006 the Mazda MX-5 Miata had become the benchmark for affordable roadsters in the United States. It had been on the market for over twenty years, with competitors disappearing in its wake. Then, the Pontiac Solstice appeared on the scene. Shoppers suddenly were forced to consider Miata versus Solstice before making a choice.  Miata Debut The …

Anticipation has grown for the 2021 Ford Bronco since the announcement that it was returning. That was way back at the Detroit Auto Show in 2017. Many renderings from talented people have pushed out since then. Excitement has been building and is almost palpable now. However, it seems that Ford has made one misstep after another since …

In a recent COVID-19 conversation between two auto enthusiasts about the shortage of respirators, a question came up. The answer to the question was shockingly, and comically automotive based, and somewhat cerebral at times in its depth. The question was, what does a respirator do? The simple answer is that it is a device made …

In the first post about this subject, I shared with you how I went on a trip to a beach community and came upon the bright idea of opening a golf cart dealer and customization business, or if not open one on my own, at least get a job at one. In this post, I …

I have recently had an interest in different automotive models that are rated as achieving forty miles-per-gallon or more. In previous posts, I have covered the Toyota models that achieve that goal, as well as those models from Hyundai. Out of curiosity, I started to look around at the big three American manufacturer websites to see how their …

I am an auto enthusiast. As such, I have always had dreams of owning and operating one car business or another. The first limiting factor, of course, is capital to either get the business started or to purchase an already existing one. Also, I recognize that jumping into a full-fledged automotive business without taking steps …

Hyundai has been a company on the move lately. They recently launched the Palisade and demand is booming for it. But, sales are not the only place where Hyundai is moving the needle. The company has been working diligently to increase the fuel efficiency ratings of its vehicles. Slowly but surely, Hyundai has been able to provide more and more …

There are many reasons a person will replace a vehicle. For example, their current vehicle may be facing the end of a lease, or the vehicle may have become a mechanical nightmare, or the car is so old that the vehicle has had its wheels driven off of it. Regardless of the motivation to get …

Every day there is someone somewhere buying a car. Yes, even now, during this coronavirus quarantine period, someone is going to purchase a vehicle online. For those looking for fuel-efficient vehicles as their primary concern, there is a list below that may prove to be helpful. Search criteria vary wildly for car shoppers. Some people look for the …

In the early 1980s, the United States automotive industry had just come out of two oil embargos and also had new smog controls enacted by the government. Consequently, horsepower numbers dropped, and consumers were gravitating toward smaller vehicles that consumed less fuel. Enter the Pontiac Fiero and Toyota MR2. These two small cars would battle it out for …

In the early 1980s, the United States automotive industry was in a period where new smog controls had been enacted by the government, and fuel efficiency was king. In response, in late 1984, the Toyota MR2 entered the small, affordable, fun, fuel-efficient sports car space.  Toyota MR2 Introduction The MR2 was a small, sporty, mid-engined, fuel-efficient, two-seater car with …

In the early 1980s, Pontiac had lost its way a bit. It was dealing with new smog regulations and realizing that the buying public was leaning toward smaller and more fuel-efficient vehicles. In contrast, Pontiac was used to making larger vehicles and pushing the message that V8 power is the king. So, Pontiac would set out to …

Ask an auto enthusiast what a good modern, small, lightweight, open-air, and affordable car would be, and they will probably tell you the Mazda MX-5 Miata. But that was not always the case. The Miata was introduced in 1989. Between then and now, there have been many other competitors. However, the Honda Del Sol was the only real competition. …

The Honda Del Sol was canceled in 1997. There would be no replacement for the 1998 model year. Then in 1999, Honda launched the S2000 for the 2000 model year. It was a larger and pricier, full convertible. The S2000 was received well, but it did not have the attraction for people looking for a little, sporty, …

There’s been a lot of discussions on how people can pass time during their Coronavirus quarantine period. Let’s face it, it’s easy to run out of ideas. Cabin fever might even set in soon if it hasn’t already. So, what are some automotive-based ideas the auto enthusiasts can do? Listed below are five activities that …

Fiat is a name that has popped up in the United States auto industry more than once. They sold vehicles here until 1983 when they shut down. But, you could be forgiven for thinking that the story ended there. The truth is that Fiat came back to the United States. However, analysts are starting to wonder for …

Mention the name MG or Triumph, and people who remember the brands will more than likely think of sporty, small, convertible, British cars, or maybe even a motorcycle. That’s because both brands became popular in the United States shortly after World War II by providing fun, lightweight sports cars that were competitors to each other. One …

On Friday, March 20, 2020, news that famed singer, Kenny Rogers passed away hit the news outlets. He passed away of natural causes at his home in Georgia. As a fan, I had to find a Youtube video of him singing, The Gambler, to refresh my memories again. As a writer for an automotive website, …

Many manufacturers build on their successes and enter additional segments of the automotive market. For example, Tesla’s first automotive offering was a roadster. Then they moved into sedans, SUVs, and now a pickup truck. What about Mini? Will they ever produce a pickup truck? A colleague of mine recently wrote in an article about a modified Mini pickup. That …