About Nathan

Nathan · ‎18-01-2022

Couldn't agree more, bradfa. I think the next Ridgeline should match the Maverick in form factor and capability. Hopefully the pricing structure can fall in the same ballpark as well. Thanks for reading!

Nathan · ‎06-01-2022

I keep coming back to the car's longevity too, Air_and_Water. I hope we'll be lucky enough to see the next generation stick to this formula, but in case that changes, I'm glad we have the ND2 to celebrate. It's the one to get, as far as I'm concerned. Thanks for reading!

Nathan · ‎06-01-2022

Here Here! At some point in my life, I'll own one of these little delights. You'll have to pry it from my cold dead hands. Thanks for reading, and enjoy the NC!

Nathan · ‎06-01-2022

I'm right there with you, Inline8OD. I hope Lauren enjoys hers for a long, long time. Thanks for reading!

Nathan · ‎06-01-2022

Funny you should mention that. During our drive, I mentioned that I'd consider paying MORE for a Miata without the screen. Thanks for reading!

Nathan · ‎06-01-2022

I completely understand! My Grandfather has a Z3 and the time I've spent behind the wheel of it has been filled with smiles. Celebrate these little drop-top warriors we shall! Thanks fo reading.

Nathan · ‎18-11-2021

@bradfa I whole-heartedly agree. I didn't mention it in this review, but if I had to pick an LX, I could configure a perfect two-row version of this for some $10K less out the door. I think in a few years, the two-row versions will be the ones to get. To play devil's advocate against that sentiment, however, I'd probably just as soon grab a used GX as I would spring for one of these. The Toyota Land Cruiser is probably the better used buy for this platform. Thanks for reading!

Nathan · ‎15-11-2021

@DeLoreanTech, are you responsible for this build? If so, please reach out to me at npetroelje@hagerty.com. Would love to chat about this build!

Nathan · ‎15-11-2021

I think that's beside the point here. We found this to be interesting precisely bcuase of the choice to use a Stinger engine. Sure, an LS would have fit back there no issues, but there are plenty of those. I think it's worth respecting unique and interesting engine swaps in the waning days of internal combustion. Smile because it happened, etc.

Nathan · ‎15-11-2021

I think it's hard to compare the two, TacoSueno. Nothing will ever touch the rev-happy antics of the late-'90s, early-aughts Integras. As CitationMan said above, modern industry economics dictate that this can't be too different from the Civic. What I'm really hoping for is an Integra Type S with the turbo 2.0-liter four from the Accord, and maybe—if we're lucky—a version of Acura's SH-AWD. Then we're talking a compelling Golf R fighter!

Nathan · ‎11-11-2021

Agreed! Spa is my favorite track in the world, watching the Corvette contend there should be thrilling.

Nathan · ‎29-10-2021

Couldn't agree more! Great call, Gary and CitationMan. That car is truly special. The SL will be faster, but that means the enjoyment of "going places" will be too. Sing me the free-breathing song of Lexus' V-8 until my dying days!

Nathan · ‎26-10-2021

It's certainly porky, and you can feel it when you're on the move. But I don't know that it really detracts from this experience. Through many types of driving, all the weight did for me was add to the rock-solid feeling of the car. Were this a track rat, then yes, this much heft would be sinful. But as a GT proposition, I think it allows for more leniency there.

Nathan · ‎26-10-2021

Will we even have an LC in two generations? The case for a next-gen car has arguably never been harder to make. I agree with the Camry remark, though; it's frustrating that a car this special has something as frustrating to use on it as that interface. The LX 600 has shown us possibly a new direction for the UI in newer Lexus models, however. Maybe they've finally seen the error of their ways.

Nathan · ‎02-09-2021

I'm getting small Can-Am vibes here...

Nathan · ‎21-06-2021

Thanks for that, Flashman. I've corrected the first name.

Nathan · ‎25-02-2021

Hi RH-41, I've checked with our team and we are not finding anything out of order on our end. I'd bet that it's something that's happening on your computer.

Nathan · ‎25-02-2021

Hi RH-41, Glad you enjoy the Daily Driver newsletter! I'm responsible for that product, and I wanted to let you know that I'll look into this issue for you. Thanks!

Nathan · ‎07-01-2021

Hi Bradfa, based on cargo volumes it's not bigger than the current Durango. While FCA tells me that the Grand Cherokee L is on an all-new unibody platform, cargo capacities are right in line with the current Durango. Durango capacities (cu. ft.): Behind third row: 17.2 Behind second row: 43.3 Behind first row (all seats folded flat): 85.1 Grand Cherokee L capacities (cu. ft.): Behind third row: 17.2 Behind second row: 46.9 Behind first row: 84.6

Nathan · ‎10-12-2020

Thank you sir! There is a real, defensible case to be made for this car. They're going to sell a bunch of them. Be sure to check out our other reviews as well for more of this type of analysis!

Nathan · ‎13-11-2020

As far as last hurrahs go, Ben Coombs certainly thought larger than most. An engineer by trade, Coombs decided that prior to selling his Alpine White Porsche 944 , he'd—along with his friend, Laura Reddin—enjoy one final adventure with it. This was no weekend trip with a few six packs and some firewood; for Coombs, his vision would take him much farther afield. When it got to driving time, he pointed the 944's nose south from his home in England—to Cape Town, South Africa. Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/car-profiles/this-wicked-porsche-944-drove-from-england-to-south-africa/

Nathan · ‎03-11-2020

While the GTI might be the most iconic Golf variant, it's not the cleanup hitter in the lineup. That honor belongs to the Golf R, which takes the everything we love about the hot hatch formula and adds all-wheel drive (along with more power). Volkswagen just revealed the fifth generation of the Golf R, one of just two variants of the eight-generation Golf bound for U.S. shores. Read the full story on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/revealed-2022-volkswagen-golf-r/

Nathan · ‎28-10-2020

Whether you're a Dodge fan and prefer Panther Pink or a Plymouth fan fond of Moulin Rouge, the paint code and the result are the same: a shockingly bright hue that was never seen on a car before its January 1970 debut. The FM3 paint code made its way onto the Mopar muscle cars filling showrooms by the early spring. It was gone as soon as it had arrived and only made it onto a few 1971 models after it was removed from regular production in the summer of 1970, by which time it had been selected by only a few hundred buyers. Despite its short-lived tenure, it made a lasting impact on Mopar collectors. In 2010, Dodge offered Furious Fuschia, which is the closest we've seen to the memorable hue since. Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/buying-and-selling/panther-pink-is-still-one-of-mopars-wildest-colors/

Nathan · ‎09-10-2020

Aside from being a supercharged, 702-horsepower, jacked and juiced scud missile ready to eviscerate desert terrain, the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX has one other crucial trait going for it. It's a Mopar vehicle, which means this already wild pickup will have access to a whole catalogue of factory-backed aftermarket parts. Today, Ram announced plans to offer more than 100 factory-engineered accessories for the TRX. Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/the-ram-1500-trx-will-have-more-than-100-factory-backed-mopar-accessories/

Nathan · ‎08-10-2020

Mazda confirmed something that enthusiasts have long been clamoring for, a return of the rotary engine. In a live-streamed event for the MX-30 crossover, Akira Marumoto noted that a rotary-powered range-extender was coming for the MX-30, starting in 2021 for the 2022 model year. The compact crossover was first shown in 2019 and is currently sold as a hybrid in Japan and with an all-electric powertrain in Europe. Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/mazda-confirms-return-of-rotary-engine-for-2021-but-dont-get-too-excited/

Nathan · ‎26-08-2020

This is one of the coolest land speed racing rigs I've ever seen. What an awesome machine!

Nathan · ‎21-08-2020

Today's featured ride is a 1953 GMC 100 panel van. Though these trucks shared their gearboxes and suspension with their Chevrolet siblings, GMC could claim to have the burlier offering thanks to a reinforced frame and a beefier powertrain. In 1950, for example, GMC offered a 228-cubic-inch six-cylinder as the base engine for its half-ton (100 series) trucks; bare-bones Chevrolet trucks made the most of a 216-cubic-inch six. (Each OEM did offer larger powerplants, however.) In 1954, the year after today's featured truck, GMC's 100, 150, and 250 series trucks dropped the base 228-cu-in motor for a 248-cu-in six-cylinder that made 125 hp. Read the full article on Hagery.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/hagerty-community/rides-from-the-readers-1953-gmc-100-panel-van/

Nathan · ‎20-08-2020

Thanks for sharing your story, pdb. I'm sorry about the loss of your wife. Perhaps it's just me, but I feel like the small, cheap cars end up meaning more over the long haul that massive ones. Maybe it's the fact that smaller and cheaper ones are often a larger percentage of one's budget when you buy them. If I learned one thing from this episode, it's that letting go (of the Elantra, in your case and mine) can open the door to new opportunities. I like your ideas of tinkering with something old. As long as that Kia SUV is reliable, I think you should see what's out there. Perhaps, like me, someone is looking for a good, reliable car for not much money. Who knows how much positivity that little car could bring to someone else!

Nathan · ‎20-08-2020

That's a really great point. I'm not a gamblin' man, but if that's the largest bet I ever take, I think i'd be alright. Thanks for the reminder.

Nathan · ‎20-08-2020

The manual was what made it bearable for me too! I appreciate the kind words. Value and logic indeed; even in a hobby primarily fueled by emotion, there's plenty of room for those ideas.

Nathan · ‎05-08-2020

It's an unfortunately familiar refrain these days: Another automotive event has been canceled due to COVID-19. The 2020 SEMA Show, typically held in November at the Las Vegas Convention Center, will not occur this year; neither will the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) that typically accompanies it. Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/sema-2020-is-canceled/

Nathan · ‎31-07-2020

No one's gotten their hands on so much as a Bronco's manual shifter , but Ford's VP of communications has announced that 150,000 people have slapped down the $100 required to reserve a Bronco. Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/bronco-reservations-tally-150000-and-climbing/

Nathan · ‎30-07-2020

Today's featured car is a 1957 Ford Thunderbird ... on the outside, anyways. In its earlier days, when it wore Colonial White, a 400-hp, 389-cu-in Pontiac Tri-Power V-8 sat under its hood, mated to a Muncie four-speed and putting power to the ground via a 4:11 limited-slip diff. To harness all that power, it received oversize station wagon brakes and 15-inch Goodyear Blue Streak racing tires. Unsurprisingly, this car's first owner was a NASCAR driver in his younger days, who then sold the hot-rodded T-Bird to its current owner, Lawrence Kuznetz, for $2500. Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/hagerty-community/rides-from-the-readers-1957-ford-thunderbird/

Nathan · ‎28-07-2020

Today's featured car is a 1968 Datsun 1600 roadster , the Japanese contender in a fight that included MG, Fiat, and Triumph. Though many will whisper that Nissan merely ripped off the MGB, the petite 1600 debuted months before its British competitor. Their similar looks are purely coincidental. You can distinguish the Datsun easily by its stacked taillights and low-profile hood scoop. Produced under the Fairlady name in their home market, these roadsters progressed from 1963–70 from 1500 and 1600 models to a 2000 that became available in mid-1967. Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/hagerty-community/rides-from-the-readers-1968-datsun-1600-roadster/

Nathan · ‎17-07-2020

Few car-related amusement rides were as highly anticipated or publicized as Autopia. Which makes perfect sense, since no amusement park was as highly anticipated or publicized as Disneyland. Sixty-five years ago today, on July 17, 1955, Walt Disney’s dream to create “the happiest place on earth” became a reality when the $17 million theme park opened on 160 acres in Anaheim, California. An invited crowd of 15,000 swelled to nearly twice that size, thanks to party crashers using counterfeit tickets or scaling a fence. Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/automotive-history/65-years-ago-kids-of-all-ages-couldnt-wait-to-get-their-hands-on-the-wheel-at-disneylands-autopia/

Nathan · ‎17-07-2020

The 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 and Chevrolet Corvette Stingray don't have a lot in common. The Mustang has its supercharged, DOHC V-8 in the front and the Corvette has its naturally aspirated, pushrod V-8 in the middle. The Mustang also has a serious power advantage, at 760 horses compared to Stingray's 495. After all that, what they do share is the same Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tire and a similar price tag. Once the Corvette adds the $5,000 Z51 handling package and some interior upgrades by way of the 2LT trim package, it's nearly at the entry price for the GT500, which starts at $74,095 including destination. The guys at Throttle House decided that was reason enough to pit these two against each other in a series of challenges. Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/video/throttle-house-pits-a-2020-mustang-gt500-against-a-2020-corvette-stingray/

Nathan · ‎14-07-2020

Today's featured car is a 1974 Jensen-Healey Mk II. Launched at the 1972 Geneva Motor Show, the Jensen-Healey first set itself apart by its understated exterior; its minimally contoured hood sloped to a simple bumper, with an intake mounted beneath it rather than in the center, like contemporary Triumphs. Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/hagerty-community/rides-from-the-readers-1974-jensen-healey-mk-ii/

Nathan · ‎06-07-2020

In January, we learned that Toyota had restarted production of replacement parts for the third- and fourth-generation Supra. Now, it’s the GT2000’s turn. Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/toyota-gazoo-racing-2000gt-replacement-parts/

Nathan · ‎02-07-2020

Was there really any question that Detroit's resident horsepower factory would celebrate the Fourth of July in noisy, smoky style? No, there really wasn't. So if you're singing to the glorious tune of American-powered burnouts, Dodge has got you covered. Its engineers cooked up another drag-special Challenger to replace the Demon, topped the Charger lineup with a 797-hp Hellcat Redeye model, and, to absolutely no one's surprise, dropped a Hellcat engine into the Durango SUV. Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/dodges-unveils-the-demons-successor-and-a-durango-hellcat/

Nathan · ‎26-06-2020

For those of us who live in snowy Michigan, spring can’t come early enough. Our cars spend their winters under wraps in storage until a good string of 50-plus-degree days comes to pass. Last spring came with an invitation from my buddy Jim Krom and his wife, Joyce, to head down to Tennessee for the Nashville Boogie festival, a rockabilly and country music jamboree over Memorial Day weekend. My girlfriend, Elizabeth, desperate for a few days in the sun and a break from her energetic little ones, eagerly agreed to be my road-trip companion. Days off were scheduled and rooms were booked. The countdown was on until we hit the highway. Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/driving/boogie-or-bust-motown-to-nashville-in-a-finned-fury/

Nathan · ‎26-06-2020

As excited as Ford Mustang fans are about the new Mach1, there ain’t nothing like the real thing, baby. That’s why Chris Lott searched long and hard for a 1970 Mach 1 just like the one his father owned when he dated his mother in the late ’70s. Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/hagerty-community/scoring-this-1970-mustang-mach-1-was-like-finding-a-needle-in-a-haystack/

Nathan · ‎26-06-2020

Contrary to the logic your parents likely used to fend off your teenage plea to own a convertible, a new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reveals that late-model convertibles are no riskier than non-convertibles. Read the full story on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/study-concludes-convertibles-arent-riskier-than-non-convertibles/

Nathan · ‎26-06-2020

Somewhere in a distant and parallel universe, the conveniences and amenities of the modern automobile don't exist. Things like technology, safety, and connectivity simply don't register with buyers; they're only interested in the least amount of "thing" possible to allow them to execute their vehicular needs and goals. Most of them drive a Volkswagen Golf Country. Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/car-profiles/the-volkswagen-golf-country-was-an-all-terrain-hatchback-before-crossovers-ruled-the-roads/

Nathan · ‎26-06-2020

Today’s featured ride is a 2002 Toyota MR2 Spyder. As we wrote a few months ago, when Toyota unveiled the third-generation MR2 Spyder for 2000, Car and Driver gushed over it. While the magazine acknowledged that mid-engine cars are “highly responsive and occasionally verge into outright instability,” it reported that “Toyota took no chances with the new Spyder.” The MR2 was 2.3 inches shorter than the rival Mazda Miata, but its wheelbase was 7.3 inches longer, and the car’s 140-horsepower inline-four engine provided plenty of pep. Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/hagerty-community/ rides-from-the-r…oyota-mr2-spyder /

Nathan · ‎24-06-2020

Ever heard of a 1986 Hyundai Pony worth $150K? Neither had we. So when we saw one online at Brossard Hyundai in Brossard, Quebec, we just had to check it out. After several calls to the dealership, however, we’re still scratching our heads. Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/buying-and-selling/is-this-magnifique-1986-hyundai-pony-worth-150k/

Nathan · ‎24-06-2020

Nearly one year after her fatal crash, Jessi Combs has earned the Guinness World Record title of the world's fastest female. The women's Land Speed Record at 522.783 mph was set on August 27th, 2019, just before her third and final run on that day at Alvord Desert, Oregon. Read the full article at hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/jessi-combs-guinness-record-fastest-female/

Nathan · ‎22-06-2020

Jeep fans are familiar with the brand's tendency to hide easter eggs all over its vehicles. Whether it's the numerical tribute to the Toledo, Ohio, plant that builds the Wrangler, (419) or the Willy's Jeep scaling a mountain that's nestled in the corner of the glass, it seems like there are clever nods to heritage within eyesight at all times. Now, Jeep is tapping into the rabid passion of its fans to decide the next easter egg—and where it should go. Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/jeep-wants-you-to-design-its-next-easter-egg/

Nathan · ‎22-06-2020

Hi @Davidb, thanks for bringing that to my attention. I've updated the article so that it properly reflects the history of what you laid out above. Thanks for reading! -NP

Nathan · ‎08-06-2020

While I agree that Americans designers, especially lately, think bigger is better (The front end of the new Silverado is a perfect example), I think it’s a bit hasty to pin this whole thing on Audi. BMW said that the Chinese market wants larger, more distinctive front ends. That’s part of the story, but in the end it’s more likely to do with BMW just trying out ways to make the style-driven models stand out more.

Nathan · ‎26-05-2020

I'd definitely take a 993 over the Boxster as well. That said, I think Brad and Colin were right to chose the Boxster here; a car that saves a brand from bankruptcy is a really big deal.