First Drive: 2011 Mercedes-Benz E Class Cabriolet

[svgallery name=”2011_MB_E_Class_Cab”] The Anti-Convertible Mercedes’ latest four-seat cabriolet attempts to eradicate that wind-in-your-hair feeling from open-air cars By John LeBlanc MALLORCA, Spain – When was the last time you felt that cherished “wind in your hair” feeling? My guess, not recently. The desire to save our precious craniums means no one rides a bike in […]

Road Trip: 2010 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG down Mexico way

[svgallery name=”2010_MB_SLS_hirez”] By John LeBlanc OAXACA, Mexico—Before I was handed the keys to a shiny new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG “super” sports cars, officials from the German automaker warned me that driving here would be different. Especially given that our planned route was a section of Mexico’s historic La Carrera Panamericana road race, an event the […]

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 […]

The Straight-GOODS/Sports Sedans

2010 Acura TL SH-AWD Base Price: $48,490 Driver Must Haves: The ability to ignore the non-German badge The addition of a new manual gearbox allows the TL into The Goods for the first time. Granted, you have to pony up for the loaded $48,490 SH-AWD Tech to get to the new six-speed stick, but it’s […]

First Drive: 2011 Toyota Sienna

[svgallery name=”2011_Toyota_Sienna_hirez”] Story and photos by John LeBlanc VICTORIA–As the first new vehicle launched in Canada since the Toyota recall crisis started in January, let’s deal right away with the elephant in the room. Of the several 2011 Sienna minivans I drove during the course of a one-day media event this week, none accelerated unintentionally, […]

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