Dan Neil

Owners of the new
cars reviewed by this
critic give him/her
an overall credibility
rating of:

8.9 out of 10
Critic's Review History

In their published
reviews, this critic awards
an average score of:

81

The highest score
awarded by this critic is:

97

The lowest score
awarded by this critic is:

31

2011 Ferrari 458 Italia

02/12/10
97
100

Overall score awarded to vehicle by this critic. [?]

Reviewed By Critic Credibility [?] Style Reviewed
Dan Neil Dan Neil 8.9 out of 10 2011 Ferrari 458 Italia
Coupe

Perfect? Committed sensualists will miss some degree of adventure. Gone are the adrenaline chinchillas running up and down your spine. The 458 Italia is spooky fast without the haunting of mortality.

2010 Audi R8

01/15/10
95
100

Overall score awarded to vehicle by this critic. [?]

Reviewed By Critic Credibility [?] Style Reviewed
Dan Neil Dan Neil 8.9 out of 10 2010 Audi R8
Coupe

To drive the 2010 Audi R8 5.2 FSI is to mind-meld with an off-world creature of magnificent grace and dramatic pace, a being that can by turns be tender and sophisticated or — once you kick the loud pedal — an unholy freakin’ animal.

2008 Audi S5

11/21/07
92
100

Overall score awarded to vehicle by this critic. [?]

Reviewed By Critic Credibility [?] Style Reviewed
Dan Neil Dan Neil 8.9 out of 10 2008 Audi S5
Coupe

As a real-world investment, the S5 is more accomplished than the Mercedes-Benz CLK, more affordable than the BMW M6, more practical than a Porsche Cayman.

2011 Lotus Evora

01/22/10
91
100

Overall score awarded to vehicle by this critic. [?]

Reviewed By Critic Credibility [?] Style Reviewed
Dan Neil Dan Neil 8.9 out of 10 2011 Lotus Evora
Coupe

I present to you perhaps the most fun available on four wheels: The 2010 Lotus Evora. No, not fun. Joy. Inexpressible, diamond-showering, running-naked-through-a-field-of-virgins ecstasy. Handling perfection. I am going to buy one.

2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe

01/26/10
91
100

Overall score awarded to vehicle by this critic. [?]

Reviewed By Critic Credibility [?] Style Reviewed
Dan Neil Dan Neil 8.9 out of 10 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe
Coupe

In the dram-of-adrenaline-per-dollar equation, the Hyundai Genesis Coupe SE has it all over the Nissan 370Z and the Infiniti G37.

2009 Ford F-150

11/28/08
90
100

Overall score awarded to vehicle by this critic. [?]

Reviewed By Critic Credibility [?] Style Reviewed
Dan Neil Dan Neil 8.9 out of 10 2009 Ford F-150
SUV/Truck

Aesthetic and athletic, with tremendous build quality and dozens of fall-in-love features, the F-150 refutes the easy dismissal of American automaking as somehow feckless and inefficient.

2008 MINI Clubman

03/12/08
90
100

Overall score awarded to vehicle by this critic. [?]

Reviewed By Critic Credibility [?] Style Reviewed
Dan Neil Dan Neil 8.9 out of 10 2008 MINI Clubman
Hatchback

If you were a car designer, you would not want the job of making the Mini bigger, any more than you’d want to add arms to the Venus de Milo. Still, against considerable odds, the Mini guys have made a great car larger, and greater still.

2010 Audi S5

06/12/09
90
100

Overall score awarded to vehicle by this critic. [?]

Reviewed By Critic Credibility [?] Style Reviewed
Dan Neil Dan Neil 8.9 out of 10 2010 Audi S5
Coupe

A $50,000 car should never be this powerful and smooth and fierce looking. The Audi S5 does not so much jolt forward as elegantly uncork, like champagne.

2010 Mazda 3

10/09/09
90
100

Overall score awarded to vehicle by this critic. [?]

Reviewed By Critic Credibility [?] Style Reviewed
Dan Neil Dan Neil 8.9 out of 10 2010 Mazda 3
Hatchback

Here’s a car with room for four adults and one magical halfling; a car with excellent rear cargo storage and good fuel economy; a car with a sticker price within reach of every waiter, barista and entry-level clerical whipping boy in the San Fernando Valley. And it rips.

2009 Cadillac CTS-V

09/18/08
89
100

Overall score awarded to vehicle by this critic. [?]

Reviewed By Critic Credibility [?] Style Reviewed
Dan Neil Dan Neil 8.9 out of 10 2009 Cadillac CTS-V
Sedan

Go ahead, park the CTS-V next to a BMW M3. The BMW looks like it should be delivering dairy products. The CTS-V’s vibe is late-night, supper-club cool. Remember when Cadillacs were laughable and clumsy? Yeah, me neither.

2008 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class AMG

09/12/07
89
100

Overall score awarded to vehicle by this critic. [?]

Reviewed By Critic Credibility [?] Style Reviewed
Dan Neil Dan Neil 8.9 out of 10 2008 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class AMG
Coupe

This is the Car of Sauron, a black-hearted sin of mechanical seduction, an automobile to make you eat all your pretty little words about carbon footprints and warming greenhouses. This stupendous, beautiful two-door has the power to corrupt, oh yeah, absolutely.

2008 Audi TT

02/13/08
89
100

Overall score awarded to vehicle by this critic. [?]

Reviewed By Critic Credibility [?] Style Reviewed
Dan Neil Dan Neil 8.9 out of 10 2008 Audi TT
Convertible

The big-engined TT is more touring car than sports car, more for summer semesters at the Sorbonne than weekends at Willow Springs. The TT makes an exquisite design statement, but it makes it best from the right lane.

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