Top 10s: New Hot Hatches

By John LeBlanc
Driving enthusiasts are well aware of the Hot Hatch Formula. Made popular during the first Oil Crisis in the early 1970s, which saw the neutering of the American muscle car and the near-extinction of the V8 engine, the idea of adding a bit of performance to a run-of-the-mill, errand-hopping hatchback made a lot [...]

The Crank: Ford’s New Age 2011 Explorer not all that new

By John LeBlanc
After a series of unmitigated sales flops (2005 Freestyle; 2008 Taurus X; 2009 Flex,) the “all-new” 2011 Explorer will be Ford’s fourth crack in the last decade at a midsize crossover based on the old Volvo S80 chassis from the last millennium.

First Drive: 2011 Ford Shelby GT500 Coupe

How much is that Shelby in the window?

While the rest of Ford’s 2011 Mustang lineup gets all new mills, the topline Shelby GT500 makes do with tweaks. Is it enough?

By John LeBlanc
CALABOGIE, Ont.—If not as big a money maker as his onetime racing car rival Enzo Ferrari, affixing 1960s’ American racing legend Carroll Shelby’s name [...]

The Crank: Is the guard changing in Canadian new car showrooms?

By John LeBlanc
In my weekly Autonews column at Wheels.ca, I reported that last month’s Canadian new car sales suggest the market is starting to be divided in to the “haves” and the “have nots.” However, Canadian auto industry analyst, Dennis DesRosiers has taken a longer view back than just a year ago. And he purports [...]

Top 10s: Grandfather cars

By John LeBlanc
You — or someone you may know — may have a reached a point in your driving life where style, performance or the latest in engineering just don’t matter anymore. Welcome to the little known auto segment called Grandpa cars. Mainly large, serene driving, conservative sedans, these cars are perfect for your Grandpa [...]

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