Have a Happy National Donut Day, and Dance Like Nobody's Watching

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

It’s supposed to be about celebrating sugary rings of fried dough, but automotive enthusiasts know what National Donut Day is really about.

Our vehicles, for the most part, put up with a life of endless drudgery. Driving stoplight to stoplight, hunting for parking at Walmart, putting up with a general lack of maintenance from most owners — it’s a hard, mostly thankless existence.

Sometimes, though, our cars get a chance to break free (well, at least their back ends) and come alive for the pleasure and enjoyment of everyone around. (Minus the police. Police do not like this). Doing a donut — or as the Australians lewdly call it, “circle work” — is an act of free-wheeling rebellion that guarantees a smile, at least until the driver hits something they didn’t see.

Rather than show you fancy driftwork in a purpose-built supercar, we figured undervalued people carriers deserved some limelight. So, check out these tired old mares kicking up their heels before they’re sent off to the glue factory:

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • David C. Holzman David C. Holzman on Jun 04, 2016

    What a wonderful take on a national day of commemoration which I thought was bogus, but is actually real, and began long before anyone realized that donuts are artery pavement, "as a fund raiser for Chicago's The Salvation Army. Their goal was to help those in need during the Great Depression, and to honor The Salvation Army "Lassies" of World War I, who served doughnuts to soldiers." (Wikipedia) I can certainly get behind all that. My favorite of the videos by far was the last one, starring the Volvo 240.

  • Pb35 Pb35 on Jun 05, 2016

    I rented an LS3 Camaro SS last October. I did unspeakable things to it in the empty parking lot of Compuware Arena after taking in a hockey game. USA!

  • EBFlex Interesting. We are told there is insatiable demand for EVs yet here is another major manufacturer pivoting away from EV manufacturing and going to hybrid. Did these manufacturers finally realize that the government lied to them and that consumers really don’t want EVs?
  • Kwik_Shift_Pro4X What's worse than a Malibu?
  • MaintenanceCosts The current Malibu is poorly packaged; there's far more room inside a Camry or Accord, even though the exterior footprint is similar. It doesn't have any standout attributes to balance out the poor packaging. I won't miss it. But it is regrettable that none of our US-based carmakers will be selling an ordinary sedan in their home market.
  • Jkross22 You can tell these companies are phoning these big sedans in. Tech isn't luxury. Hard to figure out isn't luxury.This looks terrible, there are a lot of screens, there's a lot to get used to and it's not that powerful. BMW gave up on this car along time ago. The nesting doll approach used to work when all of their cars were phenomenal. It doesn't work when there's nothing to aspire to with this brand, which is where they are today. Just had seen an A8 - prior generation before the current. What a sharp looking car. I didn't like how they drove, but they were beautifully designed. The current LS is a dog. The new A8 is ok, but the interior is a disaster, the Mercedes is peak gaudy and arguably Genesis gets closest to what these all should be, although it's no looker either.
  • Ajla My only experience with this final version of the Malibu was a lady in her 70s literally crying to me about having one as a loaner while her Equinox got its engine replaced under warranty. The problem was that she could not comfortably get in and out of it.
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