Behind The Wheel

We don’t report from the sidelines. We drive it.

The Royal Texan covers the world of automobiles, transport, and motion with the perspective of one who lives it—long drives, hard turns, early engines, and late-night repairs. We write from the driver’s seat, not the press release. What you’ll find here isn’t trend-chasing or clickbait, it’s truth told with experience, elegance (hopefully), and just enough grit to keep things honest.

Each machine is treated with discernment. Whether it’s a hand-built grand tourer or a ranch-worn truck that still smells of mesquite and WD40, if it rolls with intention and carries a story, it has a place here.

You’ll find reviews rooted in firsthand experience, advice drawn from years behind the wheel, and the kind of insight only earned through doing, not guessing. We don’t shout. We guide. And when appropriate, we’ll let the humor idle just above sarcasm.

This is driving as a philosophy. Motion as narrative. And always…always…with integrity.

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Ferrari 512 BB: A Timeless Icon for the Discerning Collector

For those who appreciate the intersection of heritage, performance, and pure driving exhilaration, the Ferrari 512 BB is more than…

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The 2025 Nissan Murano Platinum AWD: A Premium SUV for Everyday Roads 

In this day and age where midsize crossovers are more common than corner cafés, it takes something special to stand…

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The 2025 Lexus TX 350 Luxury 

Room for the Family, Grace for the Journey  There are moments in automotive design when everything simply clicks—when a vehicle…

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The 2025 Nissan Armada PRO-4X 

Built for the Road, Ready for the Ranch  In an automotive market that’s flooded with crossovers trying to pass for…

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2025 Volvo EX40 Dual Motor Ultra 

As a lifelong admirer of Volvo—a brand I’ve owned, championed, and rooted for over the years—I’ll be the first to…

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2025 NISMO Z

Before history had words to shape it, before maps claimed borders and kings named kingdoms, there was only sea. Vast,…

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2025 Toyota Land Cruiser Review: A Return to Roots with Modern Muscle 

Toyota’s Land Cruiser nameplate needs no introduction. It’s a badge synonymous with rugged dependability, global adventure, and a certain quiet…

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Gateway to “the Drive”: The 2025 Mazda MX-5 Miata 

There are few rites of passage as intoxicating—or as enduring—as the first car that really matters. Not your parents' hand-me-down…

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Power with Poise: The 2025 Range Rover Sport Autobiography 

There is a quiet art to knowing exactly who you are and carrying that certainty into the world without apology.…

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2025 Infiniti QX80 Autograph

There are vehicles that arrive with fanfare, and there are those that simply belong—appearing at the end of a long…

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The King is Dead—Long Live the King: A New Era of American Muscle Arrives in the 2025 Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack 

photo credit: Kevin McCauley There’s a rumble—a digital, electrified one—echoing across the American heartland. A proclamation, bold as brass and…

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2025 Range Rover Autobiography

There are vehicles that wear the luxury badge, and then there are those that inhabit it—breathe it in like the…

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2025 Infiniti QX60 Luxe AWD Black Edition – Reserved Luxury, Redefined 

In a world where flash often overshadows substance, the 2025 Infiniti QX60 Luxe AWD Black Edition offers a refreshing counterpoint.…

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Unfiltered Velocity: A Morning With the McLaren Artura Spider in Papaya Spark 

There are few things more indulgent, more viscerally thrilling, than slipping behind the wheel of a McLaren. But doing so…

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Aston Martin DB12

A Symphony of Superlative Craftsmanship and Performance Performance Aston Martin has long been synonymous with automotive artistry and the DB12 takes that…

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Full Review: 2025 Chevy Suburban RST

Nothing says “America” more than wide roads and humongous vehicles. Insert screeching Eagle noise here. When it comes to that,…

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Full Review: 2025 Lexus NX350h Luxury

A Compact Crossover That Exceeds Expectations If you think good things don’t come in small packages, then you’ve clearly haven’t…

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Full Review: 2024 Lexus GX 550 Overtrail

Introducing the 2024 Lexus GX Overtrail, a fresh and exciting take on luxury SUVs that redefines our expectations of what…

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Full Review: 2025 Acura TLX Type S

A Captivating High-End Sport Sedan  In the ever-competitive world of luxury sedans, the 2025 Acura TLX Type S emerges as…

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Full Review: 2025 Genesis GV80

For 2025, Genesis GV80 continues to be a benchmark in the mid-size luxury SUV market, blending opulence, cutting-edge technology, and…

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Full Review: 2025 Mercedes GLC 300

2025 Mercedes-Benz GLC brings new models to the lineup and small updates  The current and second-generation of the GLC has…

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Full Review: 2025 Mazda CX-70

Shooting For The Stars: The All-New Mazda CX-70 In the ever-evolving landscape of the automotive industry, Mazda is changing their image…

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Full Review: Mazda MX-5

DRIVING FOR THE SAKE OF DRIVINGFor driving purists, the Mazda MX-5 (Miata) has long been an icon – a vehicle…

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Full Review: 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre

Electric cars. They’re big, they’re heavy, they’re smooth, and they’re fast. That also happens to be the same way most…

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Full Review: Lexus LC 500 Convertible

As a self-proclaimed, automotive enthusiast, truly compelling vehicles that stir deep emotional chords within me are remarkably rare. While the…

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Full Review: Genesis GV70

"Quiet Luxury"...by definition it is in regards to a style or approach that emphasizes high-quality, refined, and sophisticated products or…

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Maserati GranCabrio

Maserati, the renowned Italian luxury automotive manufacturer, has announced the debut of its latest masterpiece: the GranCabrio. Representing the epitome…

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Full Review: Genesis GV80 3.5T Prestige

Last week I became admittedly smitten with a brand and a car I was relatively unfamiliar with. I had the…

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New EV to Come: Rivian R2

Rivian will take a significant step toward the mainstream when it unveils the R2, an electric off-roader positioned below the…

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Praga Bohema Supercar

A track focused “Batmobile” makes its debut. Now a few can have their cake and eat it too.  Praga, the…