All posts by budwells

About budwells

Born at Wray, Colo., graduate of Sterling High School, attended Northeastern Junior College, began work at Sterling Journal-Advocate in 1956, began work at The Denver Post in 1968, resides at Greeley, Colo. Bud and wife Janice are parents of three sons and two daughters.

Oh, those Chevys! Put dent in “T,” just kept going

'BACK-THEN' Articles, Auto Reviews
The ’58 Chev Impala, one of best-looking autos. (Chevrolet)

During my boyhood, I developed a strong loyalty for brands of Ford/Mercury and Chrysler/Plymouth, for which my father, Dale Wells, had franchises at Wray. Chevrolet, I knew, was chief rival, and I perhaps was a bit aloof to the rosy reports on both style and sales on the Chevy side, particularly in 1955, the year I graduated from high school.

I carried a more balanced mindset as I began writing of automobiles and automotive events 50 years ago; and Chevrolet personnel and products very quickly earned my respect, regard and admiration.

The headline, borrowed from a chapter in my book, “2,600 Cars and a Dog Sled,” refers to the fact Chevrolet passed the aging Ford Model T sales way back in 1926-27 and has been a constant strong competitor.

Here are a few of many Chevrolet-related events and associations I’ve been involved with:

A Chevy Monza Coupe out west on Colfax at Chuck Stevinson’s Chevrolet store on a spring day in 1978 was, under my control, turned back to the east all the way to Lincoln and on to Union, Neb., for interviewing one of the few remaining Studebaker dealers. With Jan beside me and 13-year-old son, Brent, in the tight rear seat, the quality of the Monza ride was okay. A 4-cylinder engine, 4-speed manual transmission and 29 miles per gallon, and only $4,085.

A piano-hauling trip to Texas in April 1980 provided a test for an ‘80 Chevrolet half-ton pickup with a 250-cubic-inch inline-6-cylinder engine and 3-speed automatic transmission. It also was loaned by the Stevinsons. The dirt was blowing on the climb over Raton Pass, the wind trying to remove the plastic cover over the piano. With the load in the back, the wide-seated C10 rode good through New Mexico and Texas. Destination was Fort Worth, where daughter Kim was employed. Fury in the form of a Texas-sized windstorm bucked the pickup on the return from Fort Worth to Amarillo. The truck’s fuel mileage ranged from 12.8 to 17.2, depending on the wind. Unleaded-fuel price was highest at Amarillo,  $1.21.8.

Snow and ice and subzero temperatures at Christmastime 1990 were perfect for testing the downsized ’91 Chevy S10 Blazer, a highlight of the 1½ years I spent at the Pueblo Chieftain. Engage the front axle, the Blazer becomes sure-footed and a persistent road-hugger.

Just before Thanksgiving 1997, the snow was soon measured in feet, rather than inches, as I drove a ’98 Blazer four-door I had picked up earlier from Lisa Fleischman at Luby Chevrolet. An electronic push-button made it easy-shifting into and out of four-wheel drive mode. Insta-Trac’s 4-Lo got us away from the house, through 2½-foot-deep snow and into the middle of the street; 4-Hi got us through 1½-feet in the driving lanes. I averaged 12.8 miles per gallon in four days of deep-snow driving.

Turn-of-the-century, Jan. 1, 2000, the 1958 Chevy Impala Sport Coupe was revealed as “best-looking car of all time” in a contest I conducted in the Rocky Mountain News.

A.J. Guanella in Chevrolet showroom. (Chevrolet)

“I’d be happy to provide all the local historical material and photos for a special section of our own for Chevrolet’s 100th anniversary in October 2011, if there is interest from Automotive Advertising (in The Denver Post), I suggested in a note to my superiors. There was interest, and I included the all-time favorite Chevys of A.J. Guanella, who worked more than 70 years for Burt Chevrolet, first for the Burt family, then for Lloyd Chavez, finally for Todd Maul after the John Elway name went in place of Burt. Guanella’s choices were 1941 Chevy coupe, ‘51 Chevy pickup, ‘60 Impala coupe and ‘68 Corvette.

Tromp it, the ‘12 Chevy Camaro ZL1 will quickly approach 3-digit speed while still in 3rd gear. We were out east in July 2012 on some fairly wide-open highways, testing the 580-horsepower, 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 with 6-speed manual transmission. Shifts and throttle response from a revised short-throw shifter were smoother than most performance models with manual trannies.

The 2014 Chevy Corvette Stingray. (Bud Wells)

In out of the rain in January 2013 at the old Russell Industrial Center in Detroit for unveiling of Chevrolet’s seventh-generation 2014 Corvette. “The soul of our company is sitting right here tonight in the seat of this new Corvette,” said Mark Reuss, president of General Motors North America. A half hour later, during a “strolling dinner” as part of the Corvette splendor, I bumped into Bob Lutz, former top car guy for GM, who asked immediately upon seeing me, “How is Dean Singleton,” (then publisher of The Denver Post). Lutz, Singleton and I had enjoyed lunch together nine years previously at the Brown Palace in Denver.

The chance to drive the famed, 7th-gen Vette came 19 months later, August 2014, a two-passenger coupe finished in velocity yellow tintcoat. A drive-mode dial selector in the center console lends the Corvette Stingray driver access to five modes, including weather, eco, tour, sport and track. Sticker price: $62,465.

The ‘23 Chevy Colorado ZR2 midsize pickup. (Bud Wells)

The updated ‘23 Chevy Colorado ZR2 midsize pickup, driven in early September 2023, was my selection as Truck of the Year for its improved power and suspension. The performance boost came from the turbocharged, high-output 2.7-liter 4-cylinder engine, shared by Chevy’s big truck, the Silverado.

Death of Mike Cervi

Non-Auto Articles
Mike Cervi, nationally recognized rodeo stock producer.

From Beth Martin at Pepper Pod:

We are all heartbroken at the Pepper Pod Restaurant. Truly thankful for the 50 years of memories and friendship and so very grateful for your never-ending loyalty. Thank you for everything. We know you are home and all is well with you. But we are heartbroken.

Tooke Bucking Horses

rsdnooSeptg 0811h55t7c13l a6a201Ptlt 430c07th a0Mr133M32f:0f 

Thoughts to the Cervi crew…

ProRodeo Hall of Fame stock contractor Mike Cervi, who was named the 2022 Legend of ProRodeo, passed away Wednesday, March 19. He was 88 years old.

Mike’s history with PRORODEO dates to the 1950s when his family purchased their ranch near Sterling, Colo. Mike began work as a foreman, but by 1964 was purchasing cattle from across the country, including a herd from Oregon that was reportedly the biggest livestock sale ever in Colorado at the time. He took another step in his career in PRORODEO in 1974 when he purchased Billy Minick Rodeo Company, which is now known as Cervi Championship Rodeo.

Mike quickly became one of the top stock contractors in PRORODEO, servicing some of the biggest PRCA rodeos across the country. He routinely provided stock for Albuquerque, Nampa, Idaho, and Waco, Texas. In 1983, Mike was named the PRCA Stock Contractor of the Year. He received the same honor in 2001.

Along with providing stock, he also played a role in producing large rodeos across the U.S., including RodeoHouston, the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo in Denver and the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo. Mike was inducted into the inaugural class of the RODEOHOUSTON Hall of Fame on March 17, 2024.

Mike’s animals have become a mainstay at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo for many years. Some of the original Cervi horse bloodlines are still being passed down today at the Cervi Ranch.

The family is responsible for some of the biggest star-studded horses in PRORODEO history. Descent, one of Mike’s top horses in the 1960s, was a six-time Bucking Horse of the Year. Descent is in the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. Most recently, Womanizer was named the 2020 PRCA Saddle Bronc Horse of the Year and still makes trips to the NFR.

Mike’s accolades didn’t stop there.

Mike received the Ben Johnson Memorial Award from the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in 2015. In 2022, he became the 17th person to be named Legend of ProRodeo. Others include household names in PRORODEO, including Jake Barnes, Jim Shoulders, Clem McSpadden, Harry Vold, Larry Mahan, Shawn Davis, Dean Oliver, Donnie Gay, Benny Binion, Mel Potter, Neal Gay, Michael Gaughan, Keith Martin, Cotton Rosser, Bob Tallman and Clint Johnson.

Mike’s passion for PRORODEO extended well beyond providing stock. For 21 years he served on the Board of Directors for the PRCA. He was also inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 2003, allowing his legacy and all he contributed to the sport to live on forever.

Much of the knowledge Mike gained over the course of his more than seven decades in rodeo was passed down to his two sons, Binion and Chase.

The two boys took over Cervi Championship Rodeo over two decades ago. Binion serves as the Executive Director. Chase, a two-time NFR Pickup Man of the Year, ensures the health and safety of all the stock at Cervi Ranch.

“Mike loved the Western world and did it his way on his own,” Binion said in a text.

Mike was preceded in death by his eldest son, Mike Jr., who was married to Sherry Cervi. He is survived by his sons, Binion Cervi (wife Hannah) and Chase Cervi (wife Carley); His sister, Carla Cervi, and his cherished granddaughters, Reagan (6), Reese (3), and Clay (3 months).

Cle Cervi Symons, who was married to Bill Symons (who I worked with at The Post and it was at Bill and Cle’s home in east Denver that longtime Post editor Len Smith suffered heart attack and died during a party of Post persons Jan and I attended years ago) Cle died Dec. 20, 2024, a sister of Mike.

2nd-gen Rivian offers 3-motor trim, gear tunnel

Auto Reviews
The 2025 Rivian R1T electric truck in Sunrise Canyon. (Jan Wells photo)

Impressive performance and style, to a higher degree than I expected, shone brightly as the second-generation 2025 Rivian R1T all-electric pickup was delivered to me in February.

Rivian, based in Irvine, Calif., with manufacturing plant in Normal, Ill., was launched as an electric-car company in 2018.

Coming my way was the Rivian truck’s Ascend Tri Max trim, with a three-motor setup of 835 horsepower and 908 lb.-ft. of torque, standard all-wheel drive, air suspension and oval-shaped headlights.

As good as it was, I was somewhat perplexed by the intricacy of the learning curve to drive such a new vehicle as this. No buttons, no switches, “anything you need to know, adjustments, etc.,” are in the touchscreen, I was told as I was handed a key card used to unlock the driver’s door and to start the pickup. Need to adjust a side mirror? Scroll through the touchscreen. The key card unlocked the driver’s door on first try about half the time.

Drive time, though, was a delight. After an overnight charge in our garage created an expected range of 351 miles from the lithium-iron-phosphate battery pack, we drove the new midsizer on Monday west on U.S. 34 through Loveland and into the foothills. We jogged to the right a bit into Sunrise Canyon, where the truck handled the smaller, tighter roads very smoothly. A turnaround took us back through Masonville, then east with the Riv remaining well-planted with sharp steering and excellent grip into and out of the many curves and twists, thanks to its low center of gravity. We passed by the former town of Stout, continued through Fort Collins and on home to Greeley.

The Gear Tunnel extends though the width of the pickup. (Rivian)

A standout feature is the Gear Tunnel, which runs full width of the pickup beneath the rear seat of the cab and the lower front of the truck bed, offering 11.7 cubic feet of space. It will haul luggage, skis, camping gear, hunting gear, fishing gear, or an overload of groceries from Costco. It can be unlocked from inside the truck (find it on the touchscreen).

The truck bed is small, 4.5-foot length, though a front trunk (or “frunk”) provides 11 cubic feet of storage. The truck bed, with a power tailgate, has a tightly fitted tonneau cover. R1T’s tow rating is up to 11,000 pounds.

Sticker price on the R1T is $101,900. Cheaper trims are dual-motor models at $72,000 and $85,000. Rivian officials have said they expect to offer three new models in the $50,000 range in 2026.

The ’25 Rivian R1T is rated tops in its class by U.S. News & World Report, followed, in order, by Ford F-150 Lightning, GMC Sierra EV, Chevy Silverado EV, Hummer EV and Tesla Cybertruck.

Honda’s 1st electric SUV, the Prologue, tied to GM

Auto Reviews
The Honda Prologue faced cold and snow. (Bud Wells)

A collaborative effort with General Motors, which put the 2024 Honda Prologue into the U.S. auto market a generation earlier than would have been possible otherwise, paid immediate dividends to the Prologue’s Japanese carmakers.

From its introduction last March to its end-of-year sales boom in December, the Prologue was one of the five best-selling electric SUVs in the country.

While its styling was by Honda’s design studio in Los Angeles, the midsize SUV EV was based on GM’s Ultium architecture and BEV3 platform, shared with the Chevrolet Blazer EV, Cadillac Lyriq and Acura ZDX.

The partnership has since been dissolved, though will continue production of the Honda through the first generation.

The Prologue delivered to me is the standard two-row with seating for five, a third row is optional. It operates smoothly and quietly, handling impressively.

The all-wheel-drive Prologue uses an 85-kWh battery pack with dual electric motors generating 288 combined horsepower. Twice last week, I charged the Prologue overnight, producing a fully energized battery pack of an estimated 271 miles of range. Following the first charge we drove to Sterling and back with temperatures in the 20s and low-30s, some light winds and rain on the return leg. We drove 208 miles, using 250 miles off the battery pack. Half the distance was on state highway (65 mph), the other half on Interstate (75 mph).

The move to a lever for shifting the electric is an improvement; Honda’s current push-button shifter for its internal-combustion models is a bit awkward, never seemed intuitive.

With most all safety features, including lane-change assist, the 2024 Prologue AWD Elite carries sticker price of $59,295. Its MPGe is 99 city, 84 highway, 92 combined. It is built in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico.

Longtime Denver metro car dealer Dean Dowson dies

Auto Reviews
Dean Dowson received Time Quality Dealer Award for Colorado in 2001. With him is Howard Steele of Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. (Time photo)

Dean David Dowson, 81, a highly regarded Denver-area automobile dealer for more than 50 years, died at his winter residence near Ocala, Fla., Sunday, Feb. 2. Services were planned for Feb. 21 at First Presbyterian Church, Golden, followed by a celebration of life at Rolling Hills Country Club, Golden.

Dowson was a national Time Quality Dealer award recipient for Colorado in 2001 and was among the first class of inductees into the Colorado Automotive Hall of Fame in 2021.

Born March 2, 1943, in Denver to Harry and Halcyon Dowson, Dean spent four of his teen years at Wentworth Military Academy in Missouri, then attended the University of Denver with hopes of becoming an attorney. His father, however, redirected him to the family business of automobiles.

Harry Dowson and Ralph Schomp were sons-in-law of Roy J. Weaver, and joined Weaver in the 1930s and ‘40s in operation of Oldsmobile dealerships he brought to Denver after opening his first auto store in Pueblo in 1912.

Dean Dowson and his older brother, Stephen, and cousin Lisa Schomp beginning in the 1960s and ‘70s, followed their fathers Harry Dowson and Ralph Schomp and made successful careers of the car business, with Oldsmobile, Honda, Nissan, BMW and other brands.

Dean served on the National Dealer Advisory Board, was president of the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association, spent many years as a Rotarian, was a member of Round Up Riders of the Rockies and was a volunteer at Copper Mountain Ski Resort.

He is survived by his wife, Tracy, and his son, Roy (Kristen).

I enjoyed a good visit with Dean several months back at a book-signing event by Tim Jackson in south Denver.  

Honda Civic Hybrid, Ram 1500 I-6, Kia EV9 highlighted ‘24

Automotive Industry
2025 Honda Civic Hybrid near Peaceful Valley in October. (Jan Wells photo)

Three new models which have remained in my mind as among the most outstanding for 2024 are the 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid Sport Touring four-door, the ’25 Ram 1500 Crew Cab with the Hurricane 3.0-liter inline-6 twin-turbo engine and the ’24 Kia EV9 seven-passenger SUV electric crossover.

A twin-turbo, I-6-powered Dodge Ram 1500 in Grover in October. (Bud Wells photo)

The Honda Civic, 3 inches longer and 300 pounds heavier, averaged 47.5 miles per gallon from its 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine with two electric motors. The Ram 1500’s I-6 engine, replacing the famed Hemi V-8, has equaled the bigger block in power and exceeded it in fuel efficiency in drives I made in Poudre Canyon and out east to Grover. The Kia EV9 electric displayed amazing instant torque from its high-voltage battery and dual-motor powertrain, was very effective with firm lane-correction and assist, and carried us in bumper-to-bumper traffic to Buc-ees in its opening week in March.

As we head into Year 2025, here are a few other highlights from the past year:

The ’24 Kia EV9 electric at the Buc-ees opening in March. (Jan Wells photo)

Most affordable – The Buick Envista, built in South Korea, with a 120-horsepower, 3-cylinder engine and 6-speed automatic transmission, at $29,215.

Priciest – The Mercedes-Benz EQS 450 SUV 4Matic electric, $121,765.

Most powerful – Hyundai Ioniq 5 N electric, 641 hp, 0 to 60 in 3.2 seconds.

Crunch sound – The noise of the minivan’s tires breaking through an icy snow cover, occurring on a bitter-cold 7-below-zero night in late January 2024 aboard the new Toyota Sienna AWD hybrid van. The Sienna churned steadily on through the crusted snow and provided good grip on cornering.

Book signings – Fun gatherings at my two former hometowns; an Alfa Romeo Stelvio carried us to Sterling in February and a Mercedes-Benz EQE 350 electric made the run to Wray in September. These were for the book, “2,600 Cars and a Dog Sled, Bud Wells’ 67 Years in Newspapering and Automobiles.”

The 2024 Subaru Ascent in Palm Desert, Calif., in February. (Dale Wells photo)

Booking closed – Projected to be the biggest signing session of all at the Colorado Convention Center in April for the Denver Auto Show, it ended with a thud when I passed out 10 minutes into the event. I was driven to St. Joseph Hospital emergency, treated and released.

Timber!!! – The Warn Zeon 10-S winch at the front of the Ford Bronco Everglades 4WD sport ute let us fell a tall aspen tree in June at the corner of our residential property in Greeley. The project was directed by Bill Allen and Dale Wells.

Lifetime achievement – I had no idea who was being honored when Mary Conway began talking of the award at the annual Christmas party of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press in December; when she mentioned the “Sterling Journal-Advocate in 1956” I knew and was thrilled and will cherish this all my remaining days.

Hall of fame – It was my privilege to nominate Tom Botterill for induction into the Colorado Automotive Hall of Fame; he was one of the first prominent car dealers in Denver, serving the city for more than 40 years until retiring in the mid-1940s. Others honored in 2024 were John Bowell, Ed Bozarth, Mike Feeley, Art Stapp and Steve Taylor.

Out of state – Driving the Subaru Ascent at Palm Desert, Calif., vacationing with Kim, Missy, Dale and Sandy.

Jan’s favorite – The Honda Civic Hybrid.

Best greeting – Happy New Year!

5 decades of minivans

'BACK-THEN' Articles, Auto Reviews, Automotive Industry

From this. . .

The Dodge Caravan in 1984. (Chrysler Corp.)

                              . . .to this

The 2025 Honda Odyssey. (Jan Wells)

Time-tested into a fifth decade, four remaining automotive brands producing minivans are waging keen competitiveness for the shrunken market in the U.S. Most of the kinks have been straightened, many following suggestions from among the millions of “soccer moms” who’ve, since the early1980s, hauled their kids here and there in 2nd and 3rd-row seats.

The entry and exit of minivan occupants, due to lower step-in height, are much easier than today’s popular, high-riding SUVs and full-size pickups, and they’ll carry loads of luggage or groceries or a lawnmower, in addition to the youngsters.

I’ve spent the first week of the new year in the 2025 Honda Odyssey, highlighted by a smooth-shifting 10-speed automatic transmission and a relatively simple access of the 3rd row of seating.

The fancied-up Chrysler Pacifica, for the third year in a row, led the four minivan brands with 107,356 sales in 2024, followed by the Odyssey with 80,293, Toyota Sienna 66,547 and Kia Carnival 49,726.

The 303,922 minivan sales in 2024 were a slight decrease from the 310,789 in the year previous. A total  of 550,000 minivans were sold 10 years ago and more than 1.1 million were sold 20 years ago in 2004.

Delivered to me was the well-finished Odyssey Elite, sticker-priced at $52,275.04 (every penny counts for Honda). Lesser-equipped trim levels are EX, EX-L, Sport and Touring. The Honda, by an inch or two, is the longest of the four minivans sold in the U.S. It is 205 inches overall on a wheelbase of 118 inches, with curb weight of 4,590 pounds.

The Odyssey performs adequately in highway passing from its 280-horsepower V-6 engine and is noticeably precise in its steering, with firm handling. Second-row seats can slide sideways, clearing a path for climbing into the 3rd row.

The Odyssey is built at Honda’s Lincoln, Ala., plant; the Toyota Sienna is assembled in Princeton, Ind., the Chrysler Pacifica in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, and the Kia Carnival in Seoul, South Korea, and West Point, Ga.

Word from a reader

Bud, I hope all is going well for you and Jan. During your book-signing at Wray in September, I took from one of your comments that you perhaps were wanting to retire at the end of 2024.  God knows you have earned it if you choose to fully retire. Thus, I was really tickled to find your column in today’s Post (January 4). I’m glad you’re continuing to write, and when you choose to step aside, my congratulations for a job well done. – Tim W., Wray.

Thank you, Tim, a few more columns yet. 

For ordering the book The book, “2,600 Cars and a Dog Sled, Bud Wells’ 67 Years in Newspapering and Automobiles,” can be ordered through BudWellsBooks.com or [email protected] or by phoning or texting Bud at 303-549-4464.

’25 Audi Q7 quattro faces challenge of GLE, X5

Auto Reviews
The seven-passenger 2025 Audi Q7 quattro. (Bud Wells)

The Audi Q7, based in Germany and built in Bratislava, Slovakia, is perhaps the finest midsize luxury SUV crossover sold in the U.S. Stiffest challenge to that honor comes also from Germany – the Mercedes GLE and BMW X5.

My drives in the autumn of 2024 were aboard a samurai gray 2025 Q7 55 TFSI quattro, sporting redesigned headlights and new grille up front. It is barely a half-inch short of 200 inches in overall length; that is noticeably longer than its BMW and Mercedes competitors.

Parking and other low-speed maneuvering tasks are assisted very ably by the Audi’s all-wheel steering, in which the back wheels turn up to 5 degrees in the opposite direction to the front wheels. The $1,350 optional cost is a worthy one.

An earlier Q7 caught my attention seven years ago with its leading technology in lane guidance; this new one is far beyond that today with advances in adaptive cruise, pre-sense forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking and rear cross-traffic warning.

The Audi Q7 55 trim level gets excellent, smooth performance from combining turbocharging and direct fuel injection in its 335-horsepower, 3.0-liter V-6 engine and 8-speed automatic transmission with quattro all-wheel drive and a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. It is particularly more quickly controlled when sport mode has firmed up the air suspension for improved handling. A downside to this setup is the EPA fuel rating of 18/23 miles per gallon. I averaged 21.4 during my week with the Q7.  

A Q7 lower trim level uses a 261-hp, 4-cylinder, but it lacks the guts to adequately move the big, seven-passenger SUV, which weighs just a few pounds under 5,000. Audi’s permanent AWD system delivers between 40 and 60 percent of available torque to the front or rear axle.

The new Q7 offers a quiet ride in a nice, elaborate interior, with Bang & Olufsen premium sound, heated/ventilated/massage front seats and heated steering wheel. Space is tight in the third row, which is most suitable for kids.

Loaded with options, the sticker price for the Q7 reached $83,890, about $15,000 higher than the model I drove seven years ago.

The Audi’s dimensions are 117.9-inch wheelbase, 199.6 overall length, 77.5 width, 68.4 height.

Chrysler became nameplate 100 years ago

Automotive Industry
Walter P. Chrysler with his 1924 Chrysler Six Model B-70. (Chrysler Museum)

Chrysler as an automotive nameplate was established in this country 100 years ago.

The first car of that name, the Chrysler Six Model B-70, was unveiled in January 1924, by Walter P. Chrysler and his Maxwell Motor Co. Mr. Chrysler continued to build cars of the Chrysler name, though waiting into the next year before reorganizing his company into the Chrysler Corporation in June 1925, the year in which the Chrysler brand is expected to base its centennial references.

Two significant innovations of the first Chrysler automobile in 1924 were a powerful, high-compression engine and the first use of four-wheel hydraulic brakes in a moderately priced vehicle ($1,565). Features also included replaceable oil and air filters, shock absorbers and an internally-lit dashboard with temperature gauge.

With the Chrysler car well-received since its debut, the year 1928 served as a springboard to corporate success when the company purchased Dodge Brothers and introduced two new products – Plymouth for the low-end market and DeSoto as a medium-price choice.

One of the original Chrysler dealerships in Denver sat at 1000 Broadway, Cullen-Thompson Chrysler, which operated from 1925 to 1963. The near-40-year reign of Cullen-Thompson as Colorado’s premier Chrysler dealership came to an end when F.C. Cullen sold to Fo Farland and Temple Buell Jr. Cullen’s partner, Ward J. Thompson, had passed away in 1954.

I (Bud Wells) was inside the famed dealership in Denver with my father, Dale Wells, in 1945 at 8 years of age, and again in 1953 at age 16 with an older brother, Armor.

My family’s association with Chrysler dated back to 1935 when my father was awarded franchises for Chrysler and Plymouth automobiles at Wray, Colo. Dad also acquired Ford and Mercury franchises for Wray in 1939. My oldest brother, Gene Wells, operated a Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth operation at Holyoke, Colo., from 1952 to 1988.

Mazda3 turboed hatch is competitor, and, oh, that sound

Auto Reviews
The 2025 Mazda3 turbo hatchback in a setting north of Longmont. (Bud Wells)

Somewhat exhilarating it is to drive the 2025 Mazda3 Premium Plus hatchback with its 250-horsepower, 2.5-liter turbocharged 4 and the 6-speed automatic transmission with paddleshifters. Sport and manual modes add to the quickness and handling capabilities, the emit from the high-compression SkyActiv engine sounds so good and the soul red crystal metallic finish is perfect for the little speedster. It is of all-wheel-drive configuration.

Though a bit longer in overall length and 200 pounds heavier than the Volkswagen Golf GTI, the Mazda with underhood turbo matches up fairly closely in performance with the VW. Among other competitors are the Honda Civic Type R, the Toyota GR Corolla and the Hyundai Elantra N Line.

While the ride is not especially smooth, the driver remains in place from the form-fitting, bolstered seats, trimmed in leather. If a smooth ride is of high priority, check out the big Mazda – the XC90 and its boulevard-tuned suspension.

After numerous in-city drives last week, a run to Longmont and back on Monday lifted the overall fuel mileage average to 24.5 mpg, lower than the rating of 23 city/31 highway/26 combined.

The Premium Plus with turbo and AWD is a high-end trim and with optional items of 360-degree view monitor, navigation, traffic-sign recognition and rear cross traffic with braking brought the sticker price to  $38,865. Standard items included lane-keep assist, 18-inch black alloy wheels, heated steering wheel and Bose premium audio with 12 speakers.

Regarding the Mazda3 series, more than 28,000 have been sold in the first nine months of 2024, a healthy increase over the same period of last year, when 23,000 had been sold. The Mazda3 models are built in the factory in Hofu, Yamaguchi, Japan.