Dave Pratte
Contributor Some say he’s closely related to Bigfoot and that he’s a former Canadian Touring Car Champion. All we know is he’s the AutoGuide Stig! A thesis defense away from being your intellectual superior he’s a professor of vehicle handling dynamics. The part-time touring car and time attack racer is faster (much faster) than your average auto journalist.Dave's Recent Reviews
2014 Honda Civic Si Coupe Review
Has Honda gone far enough with the 2014 revisions of the Si coupe to transform it into a true driver’s car?
2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Z51 Track Test
The all-new Corvette Stingray, equipped with the Z51 Performance Package, blows our minds with its incredible pace, poise and noise around the AutoGuide test track.
2014 Porsche 911 Turbo vs Audi R8 V10 Plus
We kick Old Man Winter to the curb by spending a day at the track with two of the finest all-weather sports cars (lotsa) money can buy.
2014 Ford Fiesta ST vs. Subaru BRZ
Is the Ken Block-approved Ford Fiesta ST hot enough to outpace the purest sports coupe $25k can buy?
2013 Subaru BRZ vs 2013 VW Golf GTI
We test a YouTube theory. Or at least we try to.
2014 Porsche Cayman S vs 2013 Audi TT-RS
Our latest track shootout pits mid-engine vs. front-engine, RWD vs. AWD, naturally aspirated vs. turbocharged and automatic vs manual.
2014 Mazda MX-5 Review
Even in its old age, the Mazda MX-5 is spry and fun inspiring.
2014 Lexus IS 350 F Sport vs 2013 Cadillac ATS 2.0T
Can Japan or America challenge the Germans when it comes to delivering the ultimate sports sedan?
2014 Jaguar F-Type V6 S Review
The F-Type is so good and so fast that its closest rival is the Porsche Cayman S. Just how close these two are may surprise you.
2013 Honda Civic Si vs 1998 Acura Integra Type R
Front wheel drive performance coupes. 1998 vs 2013. Is newer always better?
2013 Ford Focus ST vs 2013 Mazdaspeed3
After dominating the hot hatch segment in North America for years, has the Mazdaspeed3 finally met its match in the European-inspired Focus ST?
2013 Mazda2 vs Mazda2 B-Spec Race Car
With just 100 hp it might seem like the Mazda2 has no place on a race track. But add a few race-ready upgrades and prepare to be impressed.
Dave's Recent News Posts
AutoGuide Under $30,000 Performance Car Shootout – Part Three: And the Winner is…
Yesterday we eliminated five cars from the 2014 AutoGuide Under $30,000 Performance Car Shootout. That leaves the final three, which are all completely different takes on affordable fun. Weren’t we surprised when the numbers were tabulated and the top cars included not just all-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive and front-wheel drive rivals, but a hatchback, a…
AutoGuide Under $30,000 Performance Car Shootout – Part Two: Track Test Elimination Round
Yesterday we took eight fun-to-drive performance vehicles under $30,000 and put them through their paces on the street. After much deliberation, we chose the 2014 Ford Fiesta ST as the king of the street. Despite a somewhat harsh ride, nothing else matches the raw, hilariously fun driving experience behind the wheel.
Camaro ZL1: A Street Legal Race Car With the Podium Spot to Prove it – Video
In an unprecedented move, General Motors lent AutoGuide a Camaro ZL1 from the press fleet to race competitively against track-prepped cars with race tires. This is the story of how some good ‘ol American muscle earned more than just a podium finish; it earned respect.
Ford Racing and Team O’Neil Driving School Team Up to Create Fiesta Rally School
As Ford Racing just announced, they will be supplying 43 Fiestas to the Team O’Neil Rally School in New Hampshire in order to create the Fiesta Rally School. The O’Neil Rally School will outfit each Fiesta with a roll bar, rally suspension, and off-road tires so that aspiring rally drivers can safely learn the Scandinavian…
A Video Every Car Photographer Can Relate To (NSFW language)
For any automotive photographer out there who’s shot feature cars for magazines or websites, this video will seem eerily familiar. You might even say it’s a classic case of art imitating life. And for you non-photographers, we’re pretty confident you’ll still get a good chuckle out of this animated short. Just be warned, there are…
BFGoodrich Tires Launches “Bolt On” Ad Campaign Inspired by the Animal Kingdom [video]
BFGoodrich Tires, a company well known for its innovative and action-packed TV commercials, has drawn inspiration from the animal kingdom for its latest “Bolt On” ad campaign. As you’ll see in the video (after the jump), in the first installment it’s the grip of a tree frog that’s used to illustrate BFG’s point about bolting…
NHRA’s Nightmare Season Continues: Mark Niver’s Crash is Third Fatality of 2010
Mark Niver, a 60-year-old native of Phoenix, AZ, died on Sunday when his Top Alcohol dragster crashed at Pacific Raceways in suburban Seattle during the final day of the NHRA Northwest Nationals. According to the NHRA, the crash happened in the shutdown area, where Niver deployed his car’s parachutes to rapidly slow down after crossing…
GST Motorsports Dominates Redline Time Attack Rd. 6 at Willow Springs [video]
GST Motorsports and their venerable 1996 Subaru Impreza “L” had a perfect weekend at Round 6 of the Redline Time Attack Championship at Willow Springs Raceway (Rosamond, CA), claiming the Super Modified AWD class and Overall victories with a blisteringly fast lap of 1:20.759 (just 0.3-seconds off the AWD track record set by the Sierra…
Italian Superstars Series Brings V8 Heavy Metal to the Race Track [video]
If “regular” Touring and GT class race cars are just too small and too low budget for your taste, then you need to check out the Italian-based Superstars Series, which pits the heavy metal of Grand Tourers against each other in a 10 race season at some of Europe’s (and South Africa’s) greatest racing circuits….
Win a Factory Tour and Test Drive the SLS AMG Supercar? Yes, Please!
As part of their series of SLS AMG ‘Rare Experience’ contests, this time Mercedes-Benz is giving you a chance to win an exclusive guided tour of the AMG factory in Affalterbach, Germany along with the opportunity to drive the SLS AMG supercar after watching it come together on the assembly line. And if that’s not…
iRacing.com Launches Virtual Mustang Cup with Ford Racing Mustang Challenge FR500S [video]
As we reported a few days ago, the Mustang Challenge Driver Shootout is a great way for drivers to win the opportunity to drive in the season finale Ford Racing Mustang Challenge race at Miller Motorsports Park, and now iRacing.com and the Ford Racing Mustang Challenge have cooked up another even more accessible way for…
VW Buying Spree Rumored To Include Alfa Romeo
According to Car & Driver Euro-based blogger Jens Meiners, more than one of his sources within the Volkswagen Group suggest that they would like to take over Alfa Romeo from Fiat. According to Meiners, this move would allow Alfa to reach its ambitious sales targets, given that a takeover by VW would virtually guarantee class-leading…