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. Share:

First Drive: 2011 Buick Regal

[svgallery name=”2011_Buick_Regal_pics”] Finally Regal enough Buick goes to Germany to deliver on its global aspirations By John LeBlanc OSOYOOS, B.C. – How many times have we seen this before – the folks running GM’s Buick brand going into near-catatonic shock when they realize the majority of their customers are approaching the age of their golf […]

Road Test: 2010 Mini Cooper S Camden

[svgallery name=”2010_Mini_Camden”] One Mouthy Mini BMW’s small car company rolls out its first talking Mini By John LeBlanc While parent BMW has introduced a convertible, the stretched Clubman wagon, and the über-performing John Cooper Works iterations to the original three-door Mini Cooper hatchback, the basic front-wheel-drive, ball-of-fun subcompact configuration hasn’t been messed with since its […]

First Drive: 2011 Mini Cooper S Countryman ALL4

[svgallery name=”2011_Mini_Countryman_Vienna”] Maximum Mini BMW pushes the limits of its Mini philosophy with new, larger Countryman By John LeBlanc VIENNA, Austria —How much larger can a Mini get before it stops being a Mini? That’s the question parent BMW will be asking new-car buyers less than a year from now when the Cooper Countryman — […]

Preview: 2011 Kia Sportage, 2012 Optima & Cadenza

[svgallery name=”2010_Kia_Seoul_preview”] By John LeBlanc NAMYUNG, South Korea –As part of the Korean automaker’s aggressive move up market, Kia will have replaced every vehicle in its showroom by 2012. So to give Canadian media a “taste” of things to come, Kia officials bused a dozen of us to its expansive research and design facilities it […]

« go back — keep looking »