Paris 2010: Station Wagons

By John LeBlanc PARIS – Ford is making a big stink here at the show. And it’s not their Euro-only diesel models. Paris is the first official event where the new family of Focus compact vehicles have been seen together in one place. That includes a four-door sedan, five-door hatch, station wagon, and sporty ST.

Top 10s: Best Sounding New Cars

[svgallery name=”Top_10_Sounding_pics”] By John LeBlanc Eye-grabbing styling, gut-punching acceleration, track-ready handling – these are all qualities that can make or break a driving enthusiast’s new car purchase decision. Yet like a gorgeous supermodel that eventually opens their mouth with less-than-stellar acoustical results, how a car sounds can help you pick your next set of wheels […]

The Crank: Lincoln’s naming strategy missing its Mark

By John LeBlanc I recently got a chance to drive the new 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid sedan and updated 2011 MKX midsize crossover (preview article coming forthwith). All in all, both are pretty solid pieces of kit. Not only is the MKZ Lincoln’s first hybrid, because its based on the excellent bones of the Ford […]

Top 10s: New Hot Hatches

[svgallery name=”Top 10 Hot Hatches”] By John LeBlanc Driving enthusiasts are well aware of the Hot Hatch Formula. Made popular during the first Oil Crisis in the early 1970s, which saw the neutering of the American muscle car and the near-extinction of the V8 engine, the idea of adding a bit of performance to a […]

The Crank: Ford’s New Age 2011 Explorer not all that new

By John LeBlanc After a series of unmitigated sales flops (2005 Freestyle; 2008 Taurus X; 2009 Flex,) the “all-new” 2011 Explorer will be Ford’s fourth crack in the last decade at a midsize crossover based on the old Volvo S80 chassis from the last millennium.

« go back — keep looking »