Road Test: 2010 Mini Cooper S Camden

[svgallery name=”2010_Mini_Camden”] One Mouthy Mini BMW’s small car company rolls out its first talking Mini By John LeBlanc While parent BMW has introduced a convertible, the stretched Clubman wagon, and the über-performing John Cooper Works iterations to the original three-door Mini Cooper hatchback, the basic front-wheel-drive, ball-of-fun subcompact configuration hasn’t been messed with since its […]

First Drive: 2011 Mini Cooper S Countryman ALL4

[svgallery name=”2011_Mini_Countryman_Vienna”] Maximum Mini BMW pushes the limits of its Mini philosophy with new, larger Countryman By John LeBlanc VIENNA, Austria —How much larger can a Mini get before it stops being a Mini? That’s the question parent BMW will be asking new-car buyers less than a year from now when the Cooper Countryman — […]

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:

Will going electric ever make automotive sense?

By John LeBlanc We’re hearing — and seeing — a lot this year about the electrification of the car. And not just from boutique, low volume companies like California’s Tesla, which has only sold about 1,000 copies of its $125,000 Roadster since going on sale two years ago. Huge, mainstream global automakers like Toyota, Mitsubishi, […]

The Straight-GOODS/Hot Hatches

2010 Audi A3 2.0 TFSI quattro Base Price: $36,900 Driver Must Haves: Sport Package ($3,100) It’s not as sharp as a Subie WRX265. But think of this classy-looking A3 as the Golf R Volkswagen Canada (shy 80 hp) won’t bring here. The five-door A3 is chock-a-block with all-wheel drive, twin-clutch gearbox, a gutsy 200 hp […]

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