The Crank: Do stripes make BMW’s Minis go faster?

By John LeBlanc Automotive legend has it American road racer Briggs Cunningham put the first ever stripe on a racing car.  After his white 1951 C4-R was seen with the contrasting pair of blue stripes that ran across the car from trunk to hood, a trend was quickly started, one that eventually migrated to production […]

Autonews: Honda Civic rated least toxic car

A Honda that won’t make you gag; glass-half-full automakers; aging car fleets; a new Mini van; a fleet of new S-Classes; and a hint of Kia’s next compact—it’s all in my weekly Autonews column at Toronto Star Wheels, or after the jump.

From the Fleet: 2012 Mini Cooper S Coupe

FROM THE FLEET are brief synopses of manufacturer-supplied rides that happen to end up in my laneway – John LeBlanc Like in the fashion industry, if the seasons have changed, it must be time for a new Mini model to hit the runway. Last spring saw the new arrival of the VW Golf-sized Countryman—the largest […]

Best 2011 Performance Car for <$50k

By John LeBlanc As the new 2012 models start to infiltrate new car showrooms, here are my top picks of remaining 2011 models that may still be lingering on dealer lots:

2011 Frankfurt: What’s Coming to Canada

By John LeBlanc FRANKFURT—If you’re in the process of looking for a new car, you may want to wait. This year’s Frankfurt auto show provided plenty of glimpses of what will be arriving in Canadian new car showrooms in the near future.

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