2011 Detroit: Worst in Show

By John LeBlanc DETROIT – As recently as 2008, the annual Detroit auto show offered a plethora of goodies for car lovers that it took three media days to cover it all. The fact the 2011 show’s offerings were able to be presented in one day, gives you an indication of the lack of excitement […]

2010 in Review: My Worst Driving Experience

[svgallery name=”2011_Smart_Electric_NYC_pics”] By John LeBlanc Range anxiety. It’s a term you’ve probably heard about if you’ve been reading Wheels recently. It’s the stress electric-vehicles owners experience due to the lack of real-car range from their EV’s batteries, and the lack of proper recharging stations.

The Crank: Mercedes’ don’t-call-it-a-wagon CLS Shooting Brake a go

By John LeBlanc After trotting it out as a “Vision” concept (code for “we’ve already signed-off on the tooling”) at this year’s Beijing show, to no one’s surprise, Mercedes-Benz confirmed that its CLS Shooting Break, above, would go on sale in 2012.

The Crank: When is a “spy shot” not a “spy shot”?

By John LeBlanc Because you’re reading The Crank you probably want to know about the latest and greatest in the car world, right? Keep track of what’s not only new today, but what’s coming down the pipe as well. It’s the reason why publications will pay big money for so-called “spy shots” of yet-to-be-released models, […]

First Drive: 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS 550 4MATIC

[svgallery name=”2012_Mercedes_CLS_hirez”] Four-door fashion Second gen of world’s first “four-door coupé” nips at BMW’s ride-and-handling heels By John LeBlanc FLORENCE, Italy – It was no coincidence Mercedes-Benz’s new CLS was publicly unveiled during the clothing industry’s twice-a-year Paris Fashion Week. Although the new SLS AMG super sports car has garnered plenty of attention for its […]

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