Down Shift Magazine

Today we leave our offices in Tampa, Florida and head to the west-coast for a week long working vacation which will take us to the annual SEMA show in LasVegas, some 2013 model road testing from Vegas to the Yosemite and a  factory tour with the fine folks at Tesla Motors in beautiful San Francisco, California. Be sure to keep checking the Down Shift Magazine website, Facebook page and Twitter feed for ongoing coverage and updates live SEMA and our west-coast trip. See y’all next week!

SEMA Show 2012 – Tuesday October 30th through Friday November 2nd

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BMW M135i gets its first reviews and they are nothing short of spectacular…

Autocar UK says the M135i is “one of the most entertaining in the entire BMW range, offers truly memorable go for the money and a highly capable and entertaining chassis besides.” Click to Enlarge – 1920×1200

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Having spent a year behind the wheel of our Mercedes SL63 AMG I regrettably must admit that I am left with mixed thoughts regarding the car’s value and build quality.

Next to the SLS We Think the "Sil63" Is Probably the Best Looking Merc On the Market (1920x1200)

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The 2011 Nissan Versa Hatch

Recently I was afforded the opportunity to accomplish one of those motoring dreams I’ve harbored since before I was even old enough to drive; drive the length of the American eastern seaboard. To that end the route was simply laid out as depart from our offices in Tampa Florida and arrive in Burlington, VT nearly a week later  while making stops along the way in Savannah, GA, Washington, DC, Philadelphia, PA, New York City, Boston, MA and Concorde, NH.  The return trip would in turn mirror the journey north and deliver us back to Tampa again. An idealic journey only complicated by the fact it would be accomplished in (2) 2011 model economy cars; the first being the wide-selling Nissan Versa hatchback and the 2^nd being the newly redesigned Hyundai Elantra…oy vey

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Having just spent several days behind the wheel of a 2011 Mercedes C300 sedan I have to say that only one word comes to mind in my immediate reflection on the experience; mediocrity. There is just no way to sugar coat the experience, in spite of its pedigree, sporty aesthetics and seemingly intelligent design the C300 does little more than inspire complacent mediocrity in its driver. The performance and acceleration are simply lack-luster, feeling strained throughout most of the power band. The handling is severely over soft and prone to a great deal of body roll while cornering. Suffice to say in our 2 days spent with the sedan we found few qualities that inspired any sort of confidence or enjoyment in “spirited” driving. Quite simply put, this is a commuter car perfect for comfortably mind numbing rush-hour commutes to and from the suburbs to the business district and not much more. Read the rest of this entry »

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Lexus's All New CT-Hybrid 11

Model: Lexus CT Hybrid 11 (Premium)
MSRP: $30,900.00
0-60MPH: 9.8 seconds
Top Speed: 113 mph
MPG: 40/42
BHP: 135

Having first become aware of the new Lexus Hybrid just over a year ago following the debut of the LF-Ch at the Frankfurt auto show we have been anxiously awaiting a chance to get some hands on experience with the car and log some actual wheel-time in what Lexus credits as a hot-hatch for the Hybrid market. Flash-forward to spring 2011 and we finally have our chance, set amidst the backdrop of Lexus’s new television marketing campaign promoting the new hybrid-luxury-hatch and the buzz off of Sebring and the upcoming Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Read the rest of this entry »

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Mercedes SL63 AMG... Beautifully Fast

Manufacturer: Mercedes Benz
Year: 2010
MSRP: $139,050
HP: 518
Engine:  6.3L V8, 32 valves
Transmission: 7 Speed Manual
MPG: 12 City / 19 Hwy
Curb Weight: 4274lbs

Ridiculously fast, moderately overpriced and a shear pleasure to drive anywhere from the highway to the track we’ve deemed our big Merc the SilSixty3. Read the rest of this entry »

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