Road Test: 2010 Volkswagen GTI 3-door DSG

[svgallery name=”2010_VW_GTI_hirez”] Mr. Automatic Does adding a slushbox diminish a hot hatch fave? By John LeBlanc No doubt you’ve heard of Volkswagen’s GTI. Like Chevrolet’s Corvette or Porsche’s 911, it’s one of those instantly recognizable enthusiast car badges that, in spite of the occasional oil crises or economic downturn, has kept its flame burning for […]

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 […]

Road Trip: 2010 Fiat 500 1.4 Sport

[svgallery name=”2010_Fiat_500_road_trip_pics”] Driving la dolce vita Touring Tuscany in the Canadian-bound Fiat Cinquecento Story and photos by John LeBlanc SIENNA, Italy – Zipping by the vineyards that cover central Italy’s Chianti Hills like designer shag carpet, our Fiat 500’s tach freely swinging to its redline, we’re trying to coax the most from the small, Italian […]

Top 10s: Cars not sold in Canada

[svgallery name=”2010_Cars_not_sold_Canada”] By John LeBlanc We Canadians have a lot to celebrate — universal healthcare, poutine and mosquitoes at the cottage. But living in the Great White North isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, sometimes. Take, for instance, Canadian driving enthusiasts being denied access to cars only found in other markets. Now, I’m not […]

First Drive: 2011 Honda CR-Z Hybrid

[svgallery name=”2011_Honda_CRZ_hirez”] Hybrid hottee Is Honda’s new “sporty” hybrid more resurrected CR-X, or Insight coupe? By John LeBlanc MAPLE, Ont.-In today’s hyper-competitive new-car market, it’s a rare occurrence when a newly-introduced vehicle can be called truly “unique” or a “one-of-a-kind.” Yet as a two-seat sports coupe powered by a gasoline-electric hybrid drivetrain, the lineup of […]

« go back — keep looking »