Road Test: 2013 Mini John Cooper Works Convertible

Story and photos by John LeBlanc Ever since the early ’70s, small cars have been seen as cheap and low quality — the bottom feeders of the market. The thinking was that small car buyers didn’t have the coin to buy the “whole” car. But that all changed in 2002, when Germany’s BMW launched the […]

Comparo: 2013 Subaru BRZ versus 2011 Subaru WRX STI

Story and photos by John LeBlanc OTTAWA – Let’s be frank, with its multiple World Rally Championship-winning WRX models firmly established with driving enthusiasts for decades now, Subaru doesn’t need the new-for-2013 BRZ to buff up its performance image. So how did the Japanese automaker — a company best known for making turbocharged all-wheel-drive wagons […]

Preview: Volkswagen CrossBlue Concept

Story by John LeBlanc FRANKFURT — The level of secrecy was positively Bond-like. Under a shroud of heavy fog (both of the atmospheric and corporate communications variety), I was being chauffeured in a Secret Service-black Volkswagen Transporter.

Would more European Opels make you buy more Buicks?

Story by John LeBlanc As its traditional customers fade away, General Motors’ demi-luxury brand Buick is looking for new ways to bring in younger buyers. One is the consolidation of GM’s European Opel products with Buicks currently sold in North America and China.

2013 Frankfurt: Volkswagen Group’s Head of Design, Walter da Silva is a busy guy

Interview by John LeBlanc FRANKFURT, GERMANY – You only have to take the long walk from one end of the Frankfurt Motor Show grounds to the other to understand the massive responsibility resting on Volkswagen Group’s Head of Design, Walter da Silva.

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