2010 Detroit: New Focus finally goes global

By John LeBlanc DETROIT – It only took a decade, but Ford has finally delivered a world-class compact car to Canada. Instead of a dumbed-down, decontented North American version, the all-new 2012 Focus is virtually the same car on both shores of the Atlantic—in fact, around the world. And based on the ways it looks, […]

2009 LA Show Highlights

[svgallery name=”2010_LA_Show”] Story and photos by John LeBlanc LOS ANGELES–You can’t ignore the math at this year’s Los Angeles Auto Show. With the auto industry in full contraction – fewer brands, fewer all-new models, fewer pie-in-the-sky concepts and fewer media – these types of events have become pared- down affairs compared to the gratuitous auto […]

2009 LA Show: Mustang finally gets the V6 it deserves

[svgallery name=”11_Mustang_V6″] By John LeBlanc DEARBORN, Mich. – You know we already think last year’s refresh put the venerable Ford pony car at the top of its class. At least in V8 GT form. With the introduction of a new six-cylinder engine for 2011, though Ford has finally fixed one of the biggest weaknesses in […]

Interview: Porsche design head Michael Muaer

Story and photos by John LeBlanc SHANGHAI – Porsche is striking out into virgin territory. Not only is the company debuting a car for the first time outside of Europe or North America here at this year’s biennial Shanghai auto show, the vehicle in question—the 2010 Panamera Gran Turismo—is a totally new type of vehicle […]

2009 Frankfurt: Lapping BMW’s booth in an Isetta. Seriuosly.

FRANKFURT, Germany – Okay. At 280 metres, it’s about 20,520 m shorter than the Nurbrgring’s Nordschleife circuit. But the nice people at BMW let me hitch a ride in some of the BMW museum rides they brought to the show on their indoor track. Like this Isetta. Enjoy.

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