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Articles by Jay Ward
The Magarigawa Club
HIGH IN THE FORESTED HILLS of Chiba Prefecture, about an hour southeast of Tokyo, sits a palatial facility and racetrack that feels almost like a mirage to anyone who loves cars: the Magarigawa Club. It may be a tongue-twister to say, but the name perfectly describes what kind of place this is.
2026 Jeep Cherokee Limited 4×4 Review Quick Spin
Ξ posted by Jay Ward Filed under Automotive, Jeep, Test Drives In the 1980s and 90s, it seemed Jeep Cherokees were everywhere. Six generations later, the 2026 Jeep Cherokee Limited 4×4 brings back a familiar Jeep model name, but this is a very different Cherokee, even from the one that disappeared just a few years ago.
2027 Infiniti QX65 Review & Test Drive
Ξ posted by Jay Ward Filed under Automotive, Infiniti, SUV, Test Drives The 2027 Infiniti QX65 represents one of Infiniti’s most important new SUVs in years. Essentially a sleek, coupe-inspired sibling to the three-row QX60, the QX65 is really in the spirit of the original FX crossover that helped define the luxury sport-SUV segment over two decades ago, in 2003.
“Cars” Film Celebrates Major Milestone
Chick Hicks, Lighting McQueen, The King READY FOR A movie fun fact? The Pixar animated classic “Cars” turns 20 years old this summer, and I for one can hardly believe it. The story of rookie racer Lightning McQueen hit theaters in the U.S. on June 14, 2006, and has never stopped racing to stay a beloved fan favorite over the past two decades. The movie became a franchise that spawned two sequels, dozens of shorts, and a countless number of die-cast cars and merchandise.
On the road - Linkage Mag
IF YOU’RE READING this magazine, you are likely involved (or at least interested) in the world of Concours and vintage automobiles. If that’s the case, you’ve also likely heard the name ‘Fritz Burkard’ at some point in the past year. The energetic Swiss car collector made headlines when he surprisingly won Best of Show at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance last year with a very special Bugatti Type 59 racer he entered in the Preservation Class.
Return of the Manx: After 50 Years, the Original Dune…
If I ask you to picture a “dune buggy,” what comes to mind? Chances are you’ve imagined the shape of a Meyers Manx without even realizing it. When sailor, surfer, and fiberglass boat-builder Bruce Meyers created the first Manx, he had no idea he was launching an entirely new type of vehicle — one that would become a ’60s icon of freedom and fun, cemented in cool by Steve McQueen’s beach-blasting antics in The Thomas Crown Affair.
A weekend at the Heritage Invitational
THESE DAYS, IT seems like a shiny new Concours or high-end automotive gathering is popping up on the calendar on a weekly basis. Maybe it’s some bottled-up enthusiasm finally being released in this post-Covid automotive event era, or just die-hard car nuts doing what we do best: Finding a good reason to celebrate the classic automobiles we love. Regardless, we all win when something truly great is born in the process.
Opinion: AI is ruining the liberal arts experience
My mother, who attended a small liberal arts college, used to tease my dad about his engineering degree. “You received training,” she’d say, “but I received an education.” She pushed me to attendOccidental for the same reason: it would teach me how to think, to learn for the sake of learning, regardless of whether it was for a salary. Pretentious, yes, but I knew she had a point. Now, nearly three years into my education here, I am surrounded by the message that thinking is overrated.
During Spring, religious community flourishes in NELA
Temple Beth Israel of Highland Park stands empty as Rabbi Alex Weisz clears away five large balloons from in front of the Ark. The balloons spelled out “Purim” — the name of a Jewish holiday that just passed. The synagogue, one of LA’s oldest, is quiet now, but will soon be busy again as Jewish community members gather to celebrate Passover.
Opinion: Why I can't stop watching a sport that kills
Eight seconds. That’s how long a rider has to stay on a bull in order for it to be considered a “qualified ride.” If you want any chance of winning a Professional Bull Riders (PBR) competition, you must have a qualified ride. That seems like nothing, but depending on how you ride, when that eight seconds is up you could be a millionaire — or, in some extreme cases, dead. Despite the danger, young cowboys work their whole lives to compete in the rodeo.
Metro Micro: The Underutilized Gem of LA Public Transport
A few days ago, just after 2 p.m., I stood beneath a stop sign at the edge of the Occidental campus, reading a book. It was scorching out, but I didn’t mind. I knew that in less than 10 minutes, an air-conditioned van would pick me up and carry me to the pharmacy almost a mile away — and it was only going to cost me a dollar. This van would be one of many vehicles operating as part of the “Metro Micro,” an experimental initiative by the LA Metro.
An Exclusive Interview About Its Return
If I ask you to picture a “dune buggy” in your head, what image comes to mind? Most likely you’ve pictured the shape of a Meyers Manx without even realizing it.
Flame Job: The “hottest” cars were an entirely American invention
When you see the phrase “hot rod,” most likely you picture something like a ’32 Ford painted with flames, known as a “flame job.” Such cars have been part of hot-rodding culture for decades, but I’ve long wondered where the idea to illustrate fire on a car actually came from. Who were the original flame artists, and what inspired them?
2020 Ford Bullitt Mustang Review & Test Drive - Long Live the Bullitt
You’ve probably read the news that Ford has discontinued the Shelby GT350 and 350R for 2021, but there is another passing model in the Mustang stable that I will lament just as much as the GT350s, if not more. The Bullitt came back in its 3rd generation for the 2019 and 2020 model year, and it became a sweetheart of the Mustang faithful, Steve McQueen fans, and even the surliest of automotive press members right away.
2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premier Review & Test Drive
Long on range, low on style As time goes, we are seeing more and more affordable electric cars attempting to kick the Tesla Model 3 off of its throne. The range of pure electric vehicles are no longer limited to a single trip to work and back before desperately needing a charge. But the smallest Tesla with ‘Standard Range Plus’ still touts 263 miles before needing a charge, which is still nearly 100 mores than the 181-mile average range of the other fully electric cars out there.
2021 Mercedes-AMG GLE 63S - Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover
Automotive Loading ... The old saying ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’ has never applied more accurately than it does to the 2021 Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S. At first glance this beauty appears to be just another large luxury SUV, which means it will haul lots of kids and cargo in style, but typically doesn’t have the handling or speed of anything you would call a ‘performance’ vehicle… But in this case, you would be quite wrong.
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