First Drive: 2009 Audi A4

Story and photos by John LeBlanc Bowmanville, Ont. – With one-in-two Audis sold in Canada an A4, one doesn’t have to have a degree in economics to understand how important the premium compact sports sedan and wagon are to the German automaker here. Since the first A4 debuted in Europe in 1972 (then known as […]

Comparo: 2009 Audi A3 3.2, BMW 135i, Mitsubishi Evo, Subaru WRX STi

Story and photos by John LeBlanc CALABOGIE, ONT.–Essentially a gussied up Volkswagen Golf, Audi’s A3 started the premium compact genre in Europe 12 years ago. Today, almost every automaker has a compact car with a big car price in its stable. With all the features and performance of larger cars – but in a more […]

Comparo: Audi A3 3.2 Quattro versus BMW 135i

Story and photos by John LeBlanc As higher fuel costs cause midsize luxury sport car buyers to move en masse to smaller cars, automotive industry analysts are predicting that the biggest growth in the Canadian new car market over the next few years will come from premium compacts.

Comparo: Aston Martin Vantage, Audi R8, Porsche 911 Carrera S

Story and photos by John LeBlanc Some find the Audi R8’s victory as the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada’s 2008 Car of the Year a bit hollow. Like winning a Formula One race because Ferrari, McLaren and BMW got lost on the way to the race circuit, with the R8’s real competitors not participating in […]

Road Test: 2009 Audi A5 3.2 Quattro

Story and photo by John LeBlanc Like in “The Hamptons” episode of TV’s Seinfeld — where the doctor calls the baby breathtaking, while Elaine, Jerry and Kramer can’t stand the sight of it — defining what is, and what isn’t attractive, is a purely subjective act. So if beauty truly is in the eye of […]

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