Author: Alex Martin-Banzer

A Nimble Backroad Whale

Flying all the way from Oregon to Texas to drive a car sounds a little bit crazy, but we’re talking about BMW’s 2014 M6 Gran Coupe — on the Circuit of the Americas track near Austin. Once I reached the track, the BMW instructor waved his arm at the array […]

Alex’s Blog: Toto, We’re Not in Oregon Any More

Espresso bars, cigarettes and the telephone greeting “Pronto!” surrounded me. It was official: I had just stepped off the plane into Italy with the promise of driving restored classic Ferraris on the horizon. It was the quickest 48 hours of my life. A week ago my father, publisher Keith Martin, […]

Alex’s Blog: The Little Alfa That Could

If you ever wanted to teach your daughter how to work on engines, just send her on a 1,000-mile road trip in an old car. Last Sunday I left Portland with my two good friends, Carly Mackie and Carolyn Corl. We cruised down Highway 101 in the Sports Car Market […]

Alex’s Blog: The Mellow Rebel

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to test drive a Hyundai Elantra GT. That car far exceeded my expectations. When its rebel sister known as the Veloster showed up in the garage, I grabbed the keys and took a long lunch, which turned into a long weekend. For […]

Alex’s Blog: Confused Classic-Car Girl

This weekend I made an impromptu drive to Seattle to visit a friend from Kentucky. She just happened to be in the area for a few hours before she headed to Canada. I scavenged the SCM press fleet for just the right candidate. The cherry-red Hyundai Elantra GT won, equipped […]

Alex’s Blog: The Historic Races at PIR

It was one of those perfect summer days in Oregon: 80 degrees, blue sky, with the rumble of vintage cars racing in the air. Portland International Raceway hosted the annual Historic Races this past weekend. With a hotdog in one hand and a Coke in the other, I spent the […]