Feature: Will Kia’s lack of history hinder its upscale brand aspirations?

By John LeBlanc SEOUL, South Korea –It only takes a short visit to the company’s corporate museum to get an idea of the relative youth of Kia Motors as an automaker. Unlike the public shrines built by surviving pioneers like Germany’s Mercedes-Benz or America’s Ford (respectively founded in 1881 and 1903) each becoming top tourist […]

Top 10: Show cars for 2010

By John LeBlanc The wrapup of last week’s Chinese auto show in Beijing brings an unofficial close to the 2010 international car show season – a round-the-world tour that started with yours truly making stops starting last September in Frankfurt along with Los Angeles, Detroit, and New York. The 2011 season will kicks off this […]

Top 10: Future Collectibles

[svgallery name=”Top_10_Future_Collectibles”] By John LeBlanc A new vehicle — no matter how rare, technically exotic, historically significant, or blindingly quick — is an investment. In the short term at least. Who would have thought, however, back in 1953 that those first 300 hand-made polo white six-cylinder Chevrolet Corvettes would become one of the most collectible […]

Top Six under $45,000

[svgallery name=”Best_$45k”] By John LeBlanc Do you have $45 big ones burning a hole in your car account? Want a ride that’s well-made, fun-to-drive and a good value? Alphabetically, here are my top half-dozen choices, whether you’re looking for a spots car or a people mover:

Stuff: Convertible history

[svgallery name=”1971_MB_Cab”] Wind-in-your-hair motoring through the ages A recent drive in some older ‘Benz convertibles highlight the evolution of the open-air car By John LeBlanc MALLORCA, Spain – Completely unlike what’s available in new-car showrooms these days, at the dawn of the automobile age more than a century ago, virtually all cars were convertibles. The […]

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