Road Test: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG

Story and photos by John LeBlanc In the quarter century separating the new-this-year C63 AMG and the first factory hot rod baby ‘Benz, Mercedes’ smallest super sports sedan has certainly grown up. First seen at the Frankfurt auto show in 1983, the inaugural AMG-tuned ‘Baby Benz – the 185-hp four-cylinder 190 E 2.3-16 – was […]

First Drive: 2009 BMW 750 i/750 Li

Story and photos by John LeBlanc DRESDEN, Germany–It was a textbook display of understatement: at the launch of the new 7 Series, BMW’s sales and marketing head Ian Robertson conceded that the styling of the previous version of the company’s flagship luxury sedan was “not without controversy.” No kidding.

First Drive: 2009 BMW 335d

Story and photos by John LeBlanc MUNICH–If you’re a fan of fast, fine-driving, yet frugal automobiles, you should be thanking 19th-century German chemist Friedrich Wohler, best-known for his artificial synthesis of urea without the use of kidneys from man or dog. Urea, naturally found in mammalian and amphibian urine, as well as in some fish, […]

Road Test: 2008 Chrysler 300C SRT

Story and photos by John LeBlanc Chrysler’s 300C is a full-size sedan with rear-wheel-drive proportions typical of American cars circa 1955, and its face – a combination of intimidating grille and headlights hung under furrowed brows – fills up other vehicles’ rear-view mirrors like a grizzly bear peeking into a camper’s tent. And, of course, […]

Comparo: 2009 Audi A3 3.2, BMW 135i, Mitsubishi Evo, Subaru WRX STi

Story and photos by John LeBlanc CALABOGIE, ONT.–Essentially a gussied up Volkswagen Golf, Audi’s A3 started the premium compact genre in Europe 12 years ago. Today, almost every automaker has a compact car with a big car price in its stable. With all the features and performance of larger cars – but in a more […]

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