The Exception of the Year, So Far.

   The 2011 KIA Optima is redoubtably the stand out star so far this year. Since the brand's meager beginnings in the mid 1990s, KIA has truly reinvented itself. Like Jaguar and Lexus, KIA has started to produce cars that will really excite people.
   The Optima does it best, however, and for a bargain. The SX shown above starts at only $25,000, and includes everything from a panoramic sunroof to iPod connectivity on the fly. It has a turbocharged engine and the exterior to match. The body of the car is all new, too, which is even more impressive once you realize many manufacturers recycle body parts and brand them as new year after year.
   KIA practices similar beliefs on the idea of a floating roof, but while Jaguar failed miserably to make the   roof smooth and streamlined, KIA opted to take a simpler approach. The roof of the Optima is just as you might have guessed, all black.
   Conclusion: The Korean made Optima has set the new benchmark for Honda, Toyota, and all of those other Japanese Automakers.

Jaguar Makes a Second Appearance on AI

   I know what you're thinking, what could I possible say about the New XK. There really isn't much to be said about the new car because it basically looks the same as it has for the past decade. Jaguar of late has introduced a couple of fully redesigned vehicles, but the XK just gets a face lift.
   The new model gets headlights that resemble a lazy jungle cat, and vents all over the place to expel the heat, but simple facial changes aren't necessary, a totally new car is. Jaguar as a brand has recently risen to the likes of BMW, Mercedes-Benz, but the XK is the only model that truly cant compare.
   They have added more power to the feline, but the looks and stance of the current car are no longer adequate, it's time for the XK to get serious.
   Solution: The New XK sets on a great platform, but the appearance is dated. The answer then is turning the grand touring XK into the race bred monster like the rest of the lineup would imply. There have been hundreds of great concept drawings on the web, and I would seriously recommend Jaguar take one and run with it. Take a look..

A Shot to the Heart

   This newest post is truly paining to my ego. Acura has manufactured its first lemon, the 2011 TL. There are just too many things going on with this car, and it has received greatly mixed reviews. Acura has always put out high quality, highly intuitive, good looking vehicles, but this one only meets 2 of 3 requirements. It doesn't look like the Acura we have all come to love and respect.
   I personally own a 1992 Acura Legend LS coupe. This creates a certain bias because I feel the Legend truly represents the ultimate Acura of the future. Even in 1992, it had power heated seats, rear power windows (in a coupe), and a monster of an engine. Well, the Legend died in 1995 here in America, and it has never returned.
   The Acura TL is the closest thing left, and while it still contains the very best in amenities, it offers nothing in way of style. The sculpted body lines make it fat, and the bird beak grill make it offensive. The 2008 TL had style, and it was simple. Sharp lines and the impression of aggression offered no room for argument.
   Solution: Acura, you're down but you're not out. Get rid of the gargoyle styling and bring back the subtle beastliness of the Legend. While you're at it, please bring a coupe back to the lineup!

Newest New Old Beetle

    Here it is, the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle. This new installment to the VW lineup replaces the New Beetle that was squashed sometime in 2008. VW has updated may features of the car, including a chopped roof design and slightly more powerful engine options.
    It is still based off of the Golf chassis, so it has a very similar stance to other models we have seen from VW. What is truly a disappointment about this car, then, is that it took nearly 4 years to reintroduce a car that basically hasn't changed.
    When I visited the New York Auto Show in April, I inspected the 2012 Beetle with a fine tooth comb. It just hasn't changed in the way true enthusiasts expected. Even the original Beetle of the late 1930s possessed  a sense of light hearted fun, while still being a practical grocery getter. The new design is sportier, sure, but the 2012 VW Beetle fails to channel the lightness and utility of the original.
    Solution: As many automakers are going retro and reintroducing new old models, such as the Charger below, they just aren't following the rules. The idea behind retro design should cater to the needs of the orignal landscape, while updating and transplanting modern technology. The 2012 Beetle should have come out in 2009, and this year VW should have released a true icon that really captures the essence of the original hippie hauler.

New Dodge Charger is Pretty, Ugly.

    Do you remember those terrible muscle cars from the late 1970s? Well, the new Dodge Charger resembles all of those things. First and foremost, where did the idea to add these non-functional side moldings come from? Sure, I remember using Microsoft Paint as a kid, and sure, I added a few unnecessary lines and scoops to my own designs, but nothing of the hideous magnitude that the new Charger achieves.
    My father used to own a black, 2008 Charger R/T, and it was a Brut. It looked heavy, and when the cops got a hold of it, it looked menacing. This Charger, however, doesn't own that kind of identity. It is slimmer, and more angular, but is that a good thing? In my opinion, the 2011 Charger looks like a first attempt, and the 2006 looks like the second.
    Solution: Fill in those scars and supplement a little beef in the New Charger's diet. More importantly, though, remove the rear doors and follow the original landscape of the 68' Charger, you won't go wrong.

Note: The Charger could look like this.