Comparo: BMW Z4 sDrive35i vs. M Roadster

[svgallery name=”2009_BMW_Z4_hirez”] Old versus new How does the hottest third-gen Z4 compare against the hottest second-gen BMW roadster By John LeBlanc When the second-generation 2009 BMW Z4 Roadster had its coming out party at last January’s Detroit auto show, the usual superlatives flew from most seasoned observers on hand. What was there not to like? […]

Road Test: 2009 Mercedes-Benz CL 550 4MATIC

[svgallery name=”2009_MB_CL550_hirez”] The Gentlemen’s Express Mercedes’ big—and rare—full-size coupé carries on a vanishing auto genre By John LeBlanc As a two-door, hardtop version of the relatively more ubiquitous Mercedes-Benz S Class full-size luxury sedan, the CL coupe is a rare bird. Mercedes only sells a few every year. Teutonic rivals BMW and Audi don’t have […]

Bye-Bye 2009: Worst New Car of the Year

Story and photo by John LeBlanc Of the more than 100 new vehicles I drove this year, I have to admit none could outdo last year’s Dodge Nitro for outright ineptness. But then, perhaps thinking that it was concerned about a repeat award, Chrysler didn’t make one of its four-cylinder Sebring sedan’s available for me […]

Bye-Bye 2009: Best Driving Experience of the Year

Story and photo by John LeBlanc My best driving experience during 2009 had nothing to do with one of those fancy-pants press junkets that we auto writers are spoiled with on a regular basis (Mrs. Automotive Journalist’s words, not mine). Nope. Instead it was some personal driving time in and around the Italian Chianti region, […]

Road Trip: 2009 Audi S8

[svgallery name=”Road_trip_09_Audi_S8″] Story and photos by John LeBlanc CALABOGIE, Ont. – Driving enthusiasts know that a great car to drive is only half the equation. You also need a great road to drive on. And in these days of congested traffic and road designers addicted to the grid system, a good road is hard to […]

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