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Doug DeMuro’s pitch-perfect take on press cars, judging Porsche’s Nürburgring lap time claims, and singing praises for the Aiways U6 EV. 🎶

Before we get into new EVs with a Prodrive-tuned chassis, wild gear levers, and in-car karaoke (same car), let me first sing the praises of Doug DeMuro, who shines a spotlight into corners of the automotive industry that need to be seen by the car-buying public.

Here in Canada, I took no pride in being a press trip grinch—being in journalism school and testing vehicles at the same time for my college paper meant that turning down freebie gifts was easily adopted from the very beginning of my career.

Paying my own way to press trips, as DeMuro now does, was sadly out of the question. I at least wrote about the trips, talked about it as best I knew on Twitter, donated the “air miles” and began to insist on being flown in coach, where the manufacturer’s staff were also stuck.

I haven’t taken a press trip in at least 5 years; I do miss the relationships built and the wacky stuff that happens sometimes more than I miss poking, prodding, and power understeering the latest, greatest vehicles.