Ron Beasley
Stories written by Ron Beasley
Ron Beasley is the automotive editor for Miami’s Community Newspapers. He may be contacted by calling 305-662-2277, ext. 261, or by addressing email correspondence to LetsTalkCars@aol.com.

Volvo C30 is a compact hatchback that’s fun to drive

Volvo C30 was restyled last year with a new front fascia, fenders, a new honeycomb grille and trapezoidal headlights.

The Volvo C30 is a two-door hatchback compact with a lot to offer. It’s sporty and fast, handles with precision and has a lot of extra standard equipment. Under the hood there’s a 227 hp 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine mated to either a standard six-speed manual transmission or a five-speed Geartronic automatic with the Auto-stick [...]

Infiniti M is a luxury sedan loaded with technology

Infiniti M has a sporty, aerodynamic look, with a long, low hood and a high rear deck.

Every year when I get the opportunity to drive the Infiniti M, I like the car even more than the year before; you might say that it’s a car that grows on you. Given an all-new design in 2011, the rear-wheel drive Infiniti M has a sporty aerodynamic look, with a long, low hood and [...]

Chevy Volt looking good with gas around $4 a gallon

2012 Chevy Volt has bold, sleek styling with wide front and rear tracks, a wheels-out stance and a sculpted belt line.

With gasoline approaching $4 a gallon, it might be time to take another look at the growing number of electric vehicles available today. The Chevrolet Volt should be at the top of your list if you’re considering an electric new-car purchase; it’s safe, economical, has a 379-mile range with its onboard gasoline generator, and it’s [...]

Jaguar XJL is an elegant flagship luxury sedan

Jaguar XJ has a sleek coupe-like profile, a lithe stance and a standard full-length panoramic glass roof.

I don’t think there’s a better highway cruiser than the Jaguar XJL. That’s the long wheelbase version of Jaguar’s flagship sedan. It’s big, powerful and comfortable, and the ride is something like jetting along in a rocket ship, so smooth and quiet you hardly know you’re moving, even at 85 mph. For 2012, little has [...]

2012 Buick Regal GS is a sporty turbo sedan

Buick Regal has a unique grille, decklid spoiler and integrated, trapezoidal exhaust outlets.

Buick fans, rejoice! There’s a new turbocharged stick-shift model available that’s sporty, smaller and really fun to drive. The 2012 Buick Regal GS is a midsize four-door sedan that’s built in Germany and based on the award-winning Opel Insignia platform. You would have to go back to 1987 to find the last turbocharged Buick Regal. [...]

Mazda3 refreshed for 2012, adds SKYACTIV technology

Mazda3 has a bolder stance, a new front fascia and updated five-point grille opening for both sedan and hatchback styles.

Mazda finally has brought its SKYACTIV fuel-saving and performance technologies to North America, adding the innovative equipment to the popular 2012 Mazda3. Redesigned for the 2010 model year, the 2012 Mazda3’s exterior has been refined for a bolder look, and given a new front fascia and an updated five-point grille opening for both the sedan [...]

Chief Hohensee says goodbye; Skumanich named Deputy Police Chief

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Pinecrest said goodbye to its retiring police chief and three other ranking department officials on March 1 with a gala retirement party and dinner at Pinecrest Gardens. At the same time, outgoing police chief John Hohensee named veteran police officer Pete Skumanich to the new position of deputy police chief, the second in command in [...]

2012 Cadillac CTS gets powerful, new V-6 engine

2012 Cadillac CTS has a re-designed “shield” grille and a new Touring Package that adds special wheels, chrome door handles, sport alloy pedals and Recaro performance seats.

It’s hard to believe that the Cadillac CTS Sport Sedan has been on the road since 2002 when it was introduced as a 2003 model. The edgy design was an immediate hit with American consumers and it was pivotal in Cadillac’s re-emergence as a manufacturer of world-class luxury cars. Improvements over the years have helped [...]

All-new 2012 Toyota Camry is the best yet

New Camry is wider and lower, with headlights that merge into the bumper cover and taillight clusters that wrap into the body sides and into the trunk.

You would think that after seven generations, a company would have the idea fine tuned and honed to precision. And that is certainly the case with Toyota and the all-new 2012 Camry. This latest version of the popular front-wheel drive, five-passenger, four-door sedan is simply the best yet and only cements a reputation for safety, [...]

2013 Hyundai Veloster lineup adds hot new 201 hp turbo

Hyundai Turbo Veloster has a unique front fascia, foglights and 18-inch alloy wheels with chrome inserts.

I liked the Hyundai Veloster when I first drove it at the press preview in Portland, OR, back in October. I like it even more after spending a week behind the wheel of the little three-door coupe. It’s nicely designed, very sporty and handles well in traffic and on the highway. My only knock on [...]

Cadillac SRX has beautiful styling and new V-6 engine

2012 Cadillac SRX has a multi-piece shield grille and iconic vertical headlights; a wide stance, minimal overhangs and the wheels are pushed out to the corners.

The crossover Cadillac SRX is the bestselling model in the Cadillac lineup, and there’s good reason for it — beautiful styling, a luxurious interior, a smaller footprint and superb handling. The SRX design is unmistakably Cadillac, with its multi-piece shield grille and iconic vertical headlights. It has a wide stance, minimal overhangs and the wheels [...]

Mercedes offers coupe in C-Class, redesigns sedan

Sleek new 2012 two-door coupe marks the first time Mercedes-Benz has offered a traditional coupe in the C-Class segment.

They told me I was the first auto writer in the southeastern United States to drive the new 2012 Mercedes C-Class Coupe 63 AMG. I can only say that it was a privilege and I am thankful that I got through the week without having to sign some paperwork for traveling a bit too fast. [...]

Chevrolet Camaro marks 45th anniversary with special edition

Camaro 45th anniversary model comes with red and silver rally stripes, 45th Anniversary graphics and fender badges, new 20-inch wheels and a rear spoiler.

The Chevy Camaro marks its 45th birthday in 2012 and the company has produced an anniversary edition of the popular pony car in the form of a juiced-up convertible. This latest incarnation of the celebrated Camaro — the fifth generation of a car that was introduced in 1967 and billed as a “Mustang eater” — [...]

Infiniti M Hybrid Sedan offers power and economy

Infiniti M Hybrid has dramatic sports styling and a comfortable, roomy interior.

Infiniti bills the all-new 2012 Infiniti M35h as a hybrid performance luxury sedan. They say it’s the first true luxury performance “driver’s” hybrid and the only vehicle in its class to offer more than 350 hp and 30 miles per gallon. Infiniti literature further crows that the M Hybrid is the most advanced performance luxury [...]