We'll start with that time GMC loaned me a heavy-duty pickup — with a snowplow! It arrived right after a big blizzard, but by then the snow had melted. I did have some fun attacking icy snowdrifts.
Nothing odd about the Tesla Model S — except for that time I took one on a road trip and "ran out of gas."
Some years back, I reviewed a Smart ForTwo, the smallest production car I think I've ever tested. It was a nifty little thing that could be parked anywhere in New York City, but on the highway is was absolutely terrifying.
The Ferrari GTC4 Lusso is without question the most offbeat high-performance machine around. It's a "shooting brake," and a $350,000 one. That's a two-door station wagon.
The Mercedes Sprinter is the world's greatest commercial van. I tested a 16-passenger version!
The Honda Odyssey is also a great van, of the mini-persuasion. What was offbeat about this family hauler was ...
... the Shop-Van vacuum in the cargo area!
The Chevy SS, now discontinued, was the last of a dying breed. It's not everyday that you get to drive an Australian Holden-based mass-market sedan with a massive V8 engine and a six-speed stick-shift!
Speaking of discontinued, how about the VW Beetle? Specifically, the Dune Beetle, a throwback to ...
... the "Baja Bug" of the 1960s.
The Rogue Dogue is an almost totally one-off Nissan Rogue that's been modified for canine caretaking.
The Jaguar XE Project 8 was a wild, $188,000 British muscle sedan. Yes, that's a thing.
The Ford F-Series Super Duty was, at the time it filled my driveway, the largest vehicle Business Insider had ever tested.
I had a difficult time filling the bed.
The Rolls-Royce Phantom was, at $500,000, the most expensive vehicle we had ever tested at that point. It actually had curtains in the back seat. But no Grey Poupon.
The Fiat 500x, while stylish, as a little too offbeat. It's the worst car I've driven in the past six years.
There's nothing weird about the Corvette ZR1 — it's just that the 755-horsepower mega-car completely terrified me.
I just couldn't wrap my head around the BMW X6 M — an M Sport upgrade to a bimmer SUV.
The Mercedes G-Wagen is off because it's so, so purposeful. The vehicle hasn't been updated much since it was first deployed as a military machine.
The mighty Polaris Slingshot! Get ready for a run of the three-wheelers I've sampled.
The Arcimoto SRK was a $12,000 electric trike.
The Elio had three wheels, ran on gas, and was rather challenging to drive, as I recall.
Electra Meccanica let me borrow their $15,000 three-wheeler for a few hours of exploring New York City.
I had a great time testing the Vintage Electric Tracker S, an electric bike that evoked the earliest days of motorcycles with its throwback styling.
Finally, the extended-range version of the BMW i3 is an electric car with a small gas motor that kicks in when the battery is drained. Hilariously, I took it on a long road trip that exceeded its electric range and had to stop every 30 miles or so to splash a gallon or two of gas into the tank.
