Brian Vance
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Articles by Brian Vance
2028 Czinger 21C Spyder First Look: Downforce Straight to the Dome
Roofless, Ruthless Czinger’s carbon fiber and 3D-printed metal chassis is so stiff that removing its roof structure didn’t necessitate any major architectural changes. The main structural difference is around the windshield and A-pillars, where approximately 22 extra pounds of carbon fiber were added to provide sufficient strength for rollover protection. ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW Coincidentally, the removable roof panel weighs about 22 pounds on its own.
When We Compared Four Hybrid Pioneers, One Left the Others Behind
[This story originally appeared in the May 2004 issue of MotorTrend with the headline "State of the Hybrid Union."] The first two full-fledged gas/electric hybrid cars available in the U.S. were nothing short of technological moonshots, so great was their departure from the established paradigms of carbuilding. We all marveled at the Honda Insight's slippery shape, exotic aluminum construction, and stratospheric EPA numbers.
Lynchburg Memorial Day plans announced
By Brian Vance The Lynchburg Memorial Day event will commence Sunday, May 24 at the Old School Park with parade lineup at noon. Weather pending, a parade will proceed to the cemetery at around 12:30 p.m. that will include civic groups and bagpipes. The keynote speaker will be: Ron Sampson, USAF, Colonel, retired a graduate of Hillsboro High School and The Ohio State University. Sampson retired in June 1997 after 30 years on active duty.
I Finally Raced a Spec Miata. Here’s Why Everyone’s Hooked
We went racing in a $10K 1991 Mazda MX-5 and found the purest form of motorsport. Matt StoneWriterBrian VancePhotographerMar 23, 2026 [This story originally appeared in the July 2004 issue of MotorTrend.] Motorsport sanctioning organizations have come and gone over the last 60 years, but the Sports Car Club of America (founded in 1944) remains the backbone of amateur road racing in this country.
Waymo One Advances the Robotaxi Future
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The Rivian App Turns Software Into an Experience
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Waymo One Advances the Robotaxi Future
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It’s Even Quicker?!
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Don’t Take It Away!
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Lynchburg holds Memorial Day observance
By Brian Vance The annual Memorial Day observance in the Village of Lynchburg was held on Sunday, May 26 at noon. Guest speakers were Suzette Heller, U.S. Army, representing the Save-A-Warrior program in Highland County, currently the number one program in the United States working to prevent veteran suicide, and Elaine Williams of the Lynchburg Historical Society, presenting a biographical history of a local casualty of war.
Lynchburg Memorial Day services set for May 26
By Submitted by Brian Vance The annual Lynchburg Memorial Day services will be held Sunday, May 26, beginning at noon with a parade from the Old School Park to the Lynchburg Masonic Cemetery, where ceremonies will be held. Presentations will be made by Elaine Williams of the Lynchburg Historical Society and Suzette Heller, U.S. Army retired of the Save-A-Warrior Program, with flag ceremonies by Scout Troop 120 and the Highland County Veterans Honor Guard.
Hanford cleanup is mission on national prominence
By Brian Vance Years of dedicated effort led to historic achievements at the Hanford site in 2023, while also laying a firm foundation for another year of cleanup “firsts” in 2024. Beyond our important cleanup effort, the investment of nearly $3 billion in federal funding each year to support the work of our talented and dedicated workforce of more than 11,000 workers continues to meaningfully contribute to the growth of our thriving Tri-Cities community.
2025 Nissan Kicks: A first look at a working-class hero with top-tier touches
We’ve seenthe all-new 2025 Nissan Kicks, and on the surface at least it seems Nissan has developed a compact crossover SUV with a clean and cohesive exterior design — a far cry from the previous Kicks. Like the outgoing model, the new 2025 Nissan Kicks will be available in S, SV, and SR trims, with optional premium offerings at the SV and SR levels.
2025 Nissan Kicks: A first look at a working-class hero with top-tier touches
We’ve seenthe all-new 2025 Nissan Kicks, and on the surface at least it seems Nissan has developed a compact crossover SUV with a clean and cohesive exterior design — a far cry from the previous Kicks. The outgoing kicks has been around since 2018, with arefresh coming along in 2021.
2025 Nissan Kicks: A first look at a working-class hero with top-tier touches Original
We’ve seenthe all-new 2025 Nissan Kicks, and on the surface at least it seems Nissan has developed a compact crossover SUV with a clean and cohesive exterior design — a far cry from the previous Kicks. The outgoing kicks has been around since 2018, with arefresh coming along in 2021.
Leesburg Masonic Lodge hosting April 19 fish fry
By Brian Vance, For the Leesburg Masonic Lodge On Friday, April 19, Leesburg Masonic Lodge will open their doors for a fish fry and public open house. The Lodge is located at 364 W. Main Street in Leesburg, and it will hold this event from 4-8 p.m. Anyone who would like to know more about Freemasonry or is just curious and would like a peek inside may attend while Lodge raises money though the fish fry. Members and their families are also invited to come share the day.
Lynchburg Masonic Lodge to host fish fry, open house April 13
By Brian Vance, Lynchburg Masonic Lodge On April 13, Lynchburg Masonic Lodge will open their doors for a fish fry and public open house. The Lodge is located at 131 S. Main Street in Lynchburg, and it will hold this event from 4:30-7 p.m. Anyone who would like to know more about Freemasonry or is just curious and would like a peek inside may attend while Lodge raises money though the fish fry. Members and their families are also invited to come share the day.
Mowrystown welcomes the season with parade
By Brian Vance, For The Highland County Press The Village of Mowrystown welcomed the season Saturday with its annual Christmas Parade and Craft Show. The Grand Marshal of the parade was Chuck Wait, who recently celebrated 40 years in business. The parade was sponsored by the Mowrystown Lions Club, who awarded cash prizes for the winners of three categories: Best of Theme, Best Decorated Vehicle and Judge's Choice.
Annual Lynchburg Village Christmas set for Dec. 8-9
By Brian Vance, For The Highland County Press The annual Lynchburg Village Christmas will be held Friday, Dec. 8 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 9 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Participating village residents will open their homes and offer a variety of homemade crafts. Participating businesses will offer extended hours, and the firehouse and Lynchburg-Clay High School will be home to many vendors who do not live in the village.
Contractor Tips: Polymer Selection for Drilling Fluids
Polymers and additives enable drilling contractors to match drilling fluids to soil conditions to maximize performance, efficiency and success. Polymers were first used with drilling fluids in the 1930s when drillers added cornstarch was added to fluids to enhance filtration control and provide better borehole stability in coarse soil conditions.
2021 Kia Seltos Yearlong Review: The Verdict Is In!
kia seltos Full Overview We'll admit that when our 2021 Kia Seltos S Turbo entered our long-term test fleet we weren't sure what to make of it.
Polymer Drilling Fluids for Small-Diameter HDD Bores
Typically, for most drilling applications circulating a drilling fluid, we recommend a bentonite-based fluid. Such fluids check all the boxes when it comes to ideal characteristics. There are times, however, when contractors may not want to use bentonite. For us, it is about matching the right drilling fluid system to the application. This holds true especially for small-diameter, short-distance HDD bores. Crews can reduce mixing and clean-up time using a polymer-based fluid.
The Pros and Cons of Driving a Kia Seltos: Quick Hits From Our Yearlong Review
kia seltos Full Overview The 2021 Kia Seltos is not the right SUV for everyone, but in general it checks more boxes than most small SUVs and looks good while doing it. After almost a year in our Seltos, we thought it'd be a useful exercise to go through the pros and cons of daily-driving a new Kia Seltos. Kia Seltos Pros: A Punchy Engine Our Seltos' 1.6-liter turbo charged I-4 is one of the most sorted powertrains of the subcompact SUV market.
whoisbriantech
1st ever Brian Nance Official Release was June 6th 2011. The release nName was a track that was signed by a very influential pioneer of house mMusic; we're talking about Chicago's oOwn Jesse Saunders. He signed Brian Nance official first release track called Da Mental Groove under the alias Briantech. This track was on Jesse Saunders Above the Clouds compilation series.
Know What the Kia Seltos Reminds Us Of? The Original Toyota RAV4
kia seltos Full Overview I had an epiphany the other day while staring at the back of a first-generation Toyota RAV4 in a car wash line: our long-term 2021 Kia Seltos is in a lot of ways a modern interpretation of Toyota's original compact crossover SUV. Toyota's first RAV4 went on sale in the mid 1990s and quickly became one of the most popular SUVs of the era. The original RAV4's popularity was largely due to its respectable amount of cargo space, and the fact it was fun to drive and ride in.
It Turns Out the Kia Seltos Makes a Fine Ski Gondola
Clever packing and ditching our own skis at home turned the AWD Seltos into a winter-weather shuttle. Brian VanceWriterMotortrend StaffPhotographer Mar 29, 2022 kia seltos Full Overview This winter, California saw record snowstorms leaving behind 10 feet of snow in some parts of the state. That meant as the bad weather cleared out, the ski resorts beckoned, so I convinced the family we needed to ditch work and school and go indulge in the deep, deep snow.
The History of Japan’s First Supercar: The Nissan Skyline GT-R
From Hakosuka to Godzilla, a definitive breakdown of the Nissan Skyline GT-R. Edward LohWriterBrian VancePhotographerMar 25, 2022 Ayrton Senna helped Honda develop the NSX , this is true.
2020 BMW 228i Gran Coupe Yearlong Test: A Quick Tale of New Run-Flat Tires
A pandemic-related tire shortage leads us to Tire Rack for a solution. Brian VanceWriterMotortrend StaffPhotographer Feb 3, 2022 bmw 2-series Full Overview Hard driving, aggressive tire wear, and a new set of non-OEM run-flats—the text came in from our test fleet manager, Erick Ayapana, describing the need to source new tires for the 228i xDrive because the current ones were worn beyond safe use. I told him I had recently driven the vehicle and hadn't seen any sort of excessive tire wear.
The BMW 228i Gran Coupe's Wonky Shifter Is a Car Wash Nightmare
home cars bmw 2 series 2020 The BMW 228i Gran Coupe's Wonky Shifter Is a Car Wash Nightmare Finding Neutral in our long-term BMW sedan requires a very delicate touch.
Department of Energy Hanford: A year of significant progress in the face of unprecedented challenges in 2020
Workers at the Hanford Site made final connections between a pipe sticking up out of one of three aging underground structures being stabilized and a grout delivery system. Courtesy Department of Energy The Hanford Site team has consistently supported our nation during unprecedented times, and this year has been no different.
2020 Kia Soul Yearlong Review: The Verdict
home cars kia soul 2020 2020 Kia Soul Yearlong Review: The Verdict It’s got Soul and it’s a soldier. Brian VanceAuthorMotorTrend StaffPhotographer Apr 29, 2021 Kia Soul Full Overview Lost in the hoopla of awarding the Chevrolet Corvette MotorTrend's 2020 Car of the Year was that one of the other podium finishers was the Kia Soul.
2020 Kia Soul EX Long-Term Test Update: The Track Data Is In
© Motor Trend Staff 2020 Kia Soul EX front three quarter 1 Spend enough time driving any vehicle, and you're sure to get a good, solid perspective of its performance dynamics and capabilities. We've been spending plenty of time with our 2020 Kia Soul crossover tooling around town, putting miles on the odometer during its long-term test evaluation, yet there is no substitute for proper test track data to objectively evaluate a vehicle's real competencies.
The Perfect Kia Soul? We Combine the Best Bits from Every Trim Level
© Motor Trend Staff 2020 Kia Soul EX rear three quarter 3 Kia offers no less than six trims in the Soul lineup, most with their own unique exterior styling themes, and some are bolder than others. After a recent browsing of all the variations on Kia's build site—spanning the entry-level LX, S, GT-Line, X-Line, EX, and GT Turbo—I started daydreaming about swiping bits and pieces from the other five trims in an attempt to achieve a custom look for the mid-range, straight-shooter Soul EX.
This Box Handles Better Than You Think
home cars kia soul 2020 The Kia Soul Handles Better Than You Think This slick-shaped box steers with confidence. Brian VanceWordsMotorTrend StaffPhotos Aug 14, 2020 Although its cubelike shape suggests otherwise, the Kia Soul EX has better handling than we expected, making it more fun to drive than one might assume.
2020 Kia Soul EX Long-Term Update 2
home cars kia soul 2020 5 Simple Joys That Make the 2020 Kia Soul EX So Good Brian VanceWordsMotorTrend StaffPhotos Apr 30, 2020 Shunning some unnecessary complexities for pragmatic value, the Kia Soul EX is full of thoughtful design touches. Here are a few I've come to appreciate in my time behind the wheel of our long-termer. A Clever Key Fob Yes, the key fob. There are three Soul key fobs available depending on trim, but the EX (and GT-Line Turbo) get the best one.
DOE Richland Operations Office and Office of River Protection: Hanford project of the century and a team effort
Hanford is one of this country’s greatest public works projects, both during a national security mission that lasted for more than four decades in the last century and during its current cleanup mission. Just as our Hanford workforce overcame challenges to deliver for our nation in the past, we are proudly delivering safe, efficient and effective cleanup progress and risk reduction today through teamwork, dedication and innovation.
2020 Kia Soul Long-Term Review: Why Does it Look Like a Range Rover?
home cars kia soul 2020 Is the 2020 Kia Soul Designed to Look Like a Range Rover? Long gone is the Soul’s cute hamster body armor, in its place sheetmetal that will confuse your neighbors Brian VanceWordsMotor Trend StaffPhotos Mar 6, 2020 This article does not mark the first time the Soul's new styling has been likened to a Range Rover. In fact, MotorTrend has pointed out the resemblance more than once in previous coverage of the new Soul, as have other outlets.
Why Does it Look Like a Range Rover?
This article does not mark the first time the Soul's new styling has been likened to a Range Rover. In fact, MotorTrend has pointed out the resemblance more than once in previous coverage of the new Soul, as have other outlets. But this does mark the moment when, once I saw the likeness, I became unable to unsee it. It was my neighbor who brought it to my attention. He noticed the Soul parked outside my house and eventually texted me with, "That Kia you're driving, did Range Rover design it?
DOE Richland Operations Office and Office of River Protection: Hanford gears up for treating waste while progress across site continues
Work Progressing. Aerial view of the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant complex, which is working toward treating waste by 2023. David Wyatt Courtesy DOE Hanford I’m honored to provide a Hanford Site update this year from my expanded role as the Department of Energy (DOE) manager of both the Richland Operations Office and the Office of River Protection.
2007 Mitsubishi Raider
Specifications Price (MSRP) $ 23,020 Value Rating N/A Engine Name Engine: V6, 3.7 Liter Transmission Name 4 Speed Automatic w/Overdrive Trim LS (Auto) 2WD Extended Cab Class Compact Pickup 2WD Horsepower 210@5200 Standard MPG 15 City / 20 Hwy Body Style Truck Drivetrain 2WD Fuel Type Unleaded Regular Seating Capacity (Std/Max) 3/5 Convenience Pkg INCLUDES: Bumper, Color-Keyed Front; Power Door Locks; Keyless Remote Control Entry System; Floor Mats; Fog Lights; Dual Power Mirrors; Sirius Radio...
2018 Honda CR-V LX FWD Long-Term Arrival
Free Price Quote From a Local Dealer No Obligation, Fast & Simple Free New Car Quote Being crowned Motor Trend’s 2018 SUV of the Year means that the fifth-generation Honda CR-V will be spending a year in our fleet. And we don’t mean the 2017 CR-V Touring AWD that visual assets manager Brian Vance has been chaperoning for the past 11 months. “My” CR-V is different.
2017 Honda CR-V Touring AWD Review - Long-Term Update 5
Free Price Quote From a Local Dealer No Obligation, Fast & Simple Free New Car Quote We’re closing in on a year with the Honda CR-V Touring. Here’s a quick rundown of small things that stand out, plus a couple that don’t. The Standouts: Capless gas filler Time and time again I am relieved and delighted to open the fuel filler door and find a capless fuel filler. Not only does this make filling up easier and faster, but it also means I never forget to put the cap back on.
2017 Honda CR-V Touring AWD Review - Long-Term Update 4
Just as the odometer rolled past 15,000 miles, the CR-V’s Maintenance Minder’s little wrench lit up on the dash with a message that the CR-V had about 10 percent of its oil remaining and that some of its routine maintenance was due soon. Coincidently, a few days later, the CR-V started struggling upon startup, as if it’s battery wasn’t fully charged.
2017 Honda CR-V Touring AWD Review - Long-Term Update 3
Fresh off being named the 2018 Motor Trend SUV of the Year and with many more miles in the pilot’s seat on roads more stimulating than L.A. freeways, it’s clear that Honda has developed the CR-V’s chassis and steering to exhibit lots of confidence on scenic back roads and winding country highways. On such roads the CR-V tracks straight over bumps, and although the ride is tightly controlled, the impact harshness is concealed well.
2017 Honda CR-V Touring AWD Review - Long-Term Update 2
On all 2017 and 2018 CR-Vs at or above the EX trim level, the Honda Sensing suite is standard equipment. Honda Sensing includes a series of cameras and sensors that actively help the driver pay more attention to the road and traffic. Attempting to prevent accidental lane departures or fender benders, Honda Sensing is also paying attention when the driver neglects to do so.
2017 Honda CR-V Touring AWD Long-Term Update 1
It’s been noted that Honda has made a significant leap in performance dynamics with this fifth-generation CR-V and that it’s handling is largely improved over the previous model. But so far during my long-term journey with it, my wheel time has been spent commuting in the thickets of L.A.’s most famously congested freeways, unable to explore the CR-V’s evolved capabilities.
2016 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen S 1.8T Review - Long-Term Update 6
The more seat time, road time, and overall real-world exposure I get with the 2016 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen, the more surprises I’ve found inside its smart, uniquely utilitarian interior. Here are seven interior details that surprise and delight. The air conditioning is piped into the glove box.
2017 Kia Niro Hybrid First Test Review: The Quicker, Safely Styled Hybrid - Motor Trend
The latest attack on the Prius comes from Kia, whose Niro hybrid undercuts the Toyota in price but unfortunately isn’t as efficient. What the Niro brings to the increasingly crowded under-$30,000 hybrid segment is an exterior design that will revolt no one and a spacious interior. After spending time with a 2017 Niro LX hybrid in the real world, we took the crossoverlike tall hatchback to the track, where its quickness impressed, but the car fell short of the competition in another metric.
2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD 4WD Z71 LTZ First Test Review - Motor Trend
The greatest analogy I ever heard to sum up the nuclear arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union was that the Americans and the Soviets were two men standing waist deep in gasoline, one holding five lit matches and the other holding six. One match would’ve easily set the fuel alight, yet both rival superpowers were constantly battling to have a numerical advantage over the other.
2016 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen S 1.8T Review - Long-Term Update 5
A significant amount of rain and snow fell on California this winter, inspiring me to put this wagon’s snow-handling abilities to test. And despite knowing full well the OEM tires alone would limit snow traction, I was curious by how much, so I loaded my skis and poles and headed to Lake Tahoe.
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