The Gear Knob

04/29/2022

Insta-Verdict: 2017 Jaguar XE 25t.

•Superb exterior styling courtesy of Ian Callum.
•Interior is below par for the segment. Too many cheap materials, including in some touch locations, like the cheap af shift paddles.
•Great steering. Sharp and very communicative for E-PAS, though not as sharp as the segment defining Alfa Giulia.
•Superb chassis and suspension tuning. Firm enough to feel everything, but never beats you up, even in Dynamic mode.
•Transmission is the industry standard ZF 8-speed. Programming falls short of the competition, but is plenty serviceable with the paddles. Would be better with 3 pedals and a 6 speed.
•Engine is adequate. Doesn't run out of steam at the top of the rev range like most 2.0 turbos. Also revs to 6800, which is also great for a small turbo.
•Limit handling is superb. Even with the small engine, the tail is happy to break loose, but it will only bite you if you specifically ask it too.

Conclusion: A great everyday sports sedan that falls badly short of the competition in terms of Luxury. However, on a twisty, windy, lumpy, bumpy back road, there's very few modern cars with 4 doors I'd rather be driving.

08/30/2021

Spider Veloce. These little roadsters are so iconic in their styling.

07/20/2021

Insta-Verdict! 2021 Porsche Taycan! (Full review to follow.)

If this is the future, than the future is bright!

• 2021 Taycan base RWD, I believe with the 93 kWh optional big battery, this means an equivalent output of 469 bhp and 263 lb•ft of torque.

• You don't understand how transcendent and immediate electric torque is until you experience it first hand.

• I was shocked at how well it road, even with the harsh suspension setting, firm enough to feel the road, but never beating up the occupants.

• Interior is minimalist but high quality, every touch material felt premium. (Physical buttons of the wheel!)

• Spectacular steering and handling, 100% Porsche. Light and accurate with great road feel.

• Perhaps the Taycan's greatest accomplishment is its positively divine control harmony, every imput from the steering, breaks and throttle gives exactly what the driver asks for.

• It's really hard to find criticism, but if I must, while very comfortable, I would have liked a little more bolster to the seats, and while high quality, I would have preferred a little less plastic in the interior at this price point.

Closing thoughts: I've seen a lot of car enthusiasts bemoaning the death of the internal combustion engine, myself included, but this experience makes one thing very clear, the drivers car will not die with our beloved ICE engine. Leave it to Porsche to make an electric car that simultaneously is a pleasant, quiet and refined place to be in traffic, and also absolutely begs to be thrashed on a mountain road! Bravo!

Huge thanks to and for letting me have a go in this superb machine!

07/10/2021

Stopped by to snap some photos. Here's the new Vantage Roadster. Gotta say, that matte paint looks stellar. How do folks feel about Aston switching to AMG drive trains?

11/03/2020

Alright, still editing the full review for the website, but I wanted give a little Insta-Verdict here:

Let's get the bad out of the way first. There's no manual transmission option and I don't really like the engine, the power's not the issue, it's actually the perfect amount of power for a spirited backroad drive. My problem with it is its low red line and lack of soundtrack. I would personally sacrifice a few bhp for a naturally aspirated engine that revs out past 8,000 and sings at the top of the range.
Now the good. The chassis and suspension are beyond class leading. The car oozes charisma in its handling character. Constantly communicating and talking you through every corner, bump and heave in the road. The steering is so light, sharp and responsive it boggles my mind that it's still able to give some real communication about what the front wheels were doing. Move over BMW, there's a new gold standard in the sports sedan segment. Like every sports car must measure up to the bar set by the Mazda Miata, now every sports sedan must be measured against the Giulia.

Bravo Alfa Romeo!

Thanks again to for the drive!

01/21/2020

The first piece of Gear K**b merch is available!

Discover Gear K**b T-Shirt from The Gear K**bs, a custom product made just for you by Teespring. With world-class production and customer support, your satisfaction is guaranteed. - The first piece of official Gear K**b merchandise.

02/18/2019

Had an excellent meeting with some great folks relevant to this page, keep an eye here, big things in the works.

02/05/2019

Help us raise money for a wonderful cause!

Do you love cars and helping people? Well, we have an event for you. The Sacred Race is an event being put together to raise money for A Sacred Place Inc, a charity organisation in Canaan New Hampshire which works tirelessly to combat homelessness in the New England area. Staring with a public...

02/03/2019

So, I sat down and had a rethink, instead of this being a one man show, I am moving forward with producing a program with 2 others. Many exciting things are happening, and I'll introduce you to our new tech wiz (she has an even better mind for numbers and specs than me.) And our own pro racing driver! But first, a huge thanks to Steelbath Graphix for this awesome logo!

01/16/2019

Sorry for the radio silence, exciting things are in the works.

12/11/2018

Very cool things in the works.

10/24/2018

Review of this gorgeous 2015 Maserati SQ4 will be going live with the website. Does anyone have any specific questions about the car?