First Drive: 2011 Audi TT 2.0 TFSI Quattro

[svgallery name=”2011_Audi_TT_hirez”] By John LeBlanc INGOLSTADT, Germany—All the cultural signposts are there to suggest these are troubling times if you’re in the business of making sports cars. The economy’s still recovering from one of the worst downturns of this generation, politicians want us to be driving antiseptic electric pods, plus the burden of having to […]

First Drive: 2010 Acura TSX V6

[svgallery name=”10_Acura_TSX_V6″] The Lexus of Acuras New V6 adds more luxury to Acura’s compact sports sedan By John LeBlanc Pebble Beach, Calif. – From its inception, we’ve always liked the European Honda Accord-based TSX. Despite being a front-driver in a sea of rear and all-wheel-drive entry-level sports sedans (like the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, […]

First Drive: 2011 Mercedes-Benz E Class Cabriolet

[svgallery name=”2011_MB_E_Class_Cab”] The Anti-Convertible Mercedes’ latest four-seat cabriolet attempts to eradicate that wind-in-your-hair feeling from open-air cars By John LeBlanc MALLORCA, Spain – When was the last time you felt that cherished “wind in your hair” feeling? My guess, not recently. The desire to save our precious craniums means no one rides a bike in […]

First Drive: 2011 Toyota Sienna

[svgallery name=”2011_Toyota_Sienna_hirez”] Story and photos by John LeBlanc VICTORIA–As the first new vehicle launched in Canada since the Toyota recall crisis started in January, let’s deal right away with the elephant in the room. Of the several 2011 Sienna minivans I drove during the course of a one-day media event this week, none accelerated unintentionally, […]

First Drive: 2010 Acura RDX

[svgallery name=”2010 Acura RDX”] Story and photos by John LeBlanc PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – In a down-turned economy that’s created a drop in new car sales, one of the few segments to grow is the compact luxury crossover. The promise of car-like handling and interior features, the utility of a hatchback and a modicum of […]

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