Automotive Showcase
View 90 day Archive of previous Automotive Showcase stories.
2009 Lexus IS F
-
Very naughty, very nice
Please allow me to introduce myself
I'm a man of wealth and tasteThe Rolling Stones' Sympathy for the Devil may have been misunderstood as some form of Satanic worship, but the parable about the devil living in each of us is strangely resonant now that I've driven the Lexus IS F.
Jekyll and Hyde, The Devil Inside -- either way you slice it, that's the soul of the IS F. Mild-mannered Lexus by day, track-chomping, tire-shredding, adrenaline-spiking sports car monster by night.
<Continued> -
Thunderstruck
Classic Cruising - Larry D'Argis The 1956 Thunderbird was built using the same bodyshell and frame as the '55 model but with the addition of some unique changes. To alleviate heat in the cockpit, cowl vents were placed on each front fender. Small wind wings appeared on the side of the windshield to help deflect air and make the passenger compartment quieter and the largest change was the arrival of a continental rear tire carrier. In response to comments about the spare tire taking up most of the room in the trunk, Ford crafted a new rear bumper and tire carrier to free up space for luggage and golf clubs. <Continued> -
Willy goes surfing
By Paul Williamson When folks start talking about the latest television shows I'm generally a little lost. I always felt it was kind of pretentious to announce that I don't watch a lot of TV, but the reality is I don't. I'm certainly not bragging though. <Continued> -
Passing problem a steady pain in '94 Sable
Backyard Mechanic - Jim Kerr QUESTION -- I am having problems with no passing power on my 1994 Mercury Sable. It has a 3.8 L engine and high mileage. The car has pickup at the start, but in second gear when you accelerate, the car's r.p.m. ramp up to 4,000 r.p.m. with no pickup. Then it slowly accelerates. If you don't push it, the car will shift through the gears and slowly accelerate. <Continued> -
New Subaru Foresters come with new low price
Subaru Canada recently announced pricing for the all-new third-generation Forester, which went on sale in Canada on April 19, 2008, as a 2009 model. Even with the new design and additional features the MSRP of every Forester will be lower than its predecessor. <Continued> -
Your car is your money -- protect it
By Joel Schlesinger When it comes to automobile maintenance, 24-year-old Natalie Dionne is seemingly out of step with her age demographic. <Continued> -
Happy birthday M1
It is probably the most iconic of BMW sports cars, if not quite the rarest. <Continued> -
Rabbit jumps to top of list
FOLLOWING tests of six vehicles for the June issue, the Volkswagen Rabbit has emerged as Consumer Reports (CR) top-rated affordable hatchback. <Continued> -
How to keep noise levels down while driving
Auto Tech - Jim Kerr Auto manufacturers do a lot of research to incorporate noise-reducing designs into automobiles. Drive a new vehicle and you quickly become aware of the quiet atmosphere that allows normal voice conversations or listening to audiophile sound systems. Noises that we didn't hear before, such as the wind blowing past a rear view mirror, now seem to be much louder, but only because everything else has become much quieter. Perhaps that is why when a noise does occur while driving, it becomes so annoying. <Continued> -
Canucks bolster car sales
WHEN it comes to the U.S. auto industry, it seems all we read and hear about in the news is doom and gloom, yet according to Canadian auto analyst Dennis DesRosiers, April was a great month for vehicle sales in Canada. <Continued> -
It's the Dean thing
By David Booth I must confess I never got the whole James Dean thing. His entire legacy is based on three films -- East of Eden, Giant and Rebel Without a Cause. I'll put my antipathy toward his performance in East of Eden down to not liking the movie. But I actually like Giant, save for his acting, which I found wooden. I thought he was OK in Rebel, but one movie is hardly the stuff of legend. Still, Hollywood has long worshipped moody actors and nothing guarantees celluloid immortality more than a moody actor dying young. <Continued> -
Holy tire smoke: Chevy unveils power rating for the new Corvette ZR1
When it was introduced at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January, the 2009 Corvette ZR1's power was estimated at 100 horsepower for each of its 6.2 litres of displacement. <Continued> -
Around the world in 80 Nissans
By Gabriel Gelinas CASCAIS, Portugal -- Imagine walking up to any of the vehicles that Nissan and Infiniti manufacture for all the various car markets worldwide, getting in, firing up the engine and hitting the road. That is the basic concept for the second edition of the Nissan 360 event, where journalists from around the world get to drive and evaluate whatever they are interested in from the 59 different models available to them. <Continued> -
X6 marks the spot...
By David Booth There are only two things you really need to know about BMW's new X6. <Continued> -
Ford colours its future in shade of green
By Graeme Fletcher TORONTO -- Last week, Ford laid out its plan to ensure a sustainable transportation future and a cleaner environment. The plan involves three steps. <Continued> -
Little Giant
By Malcolm Gunn How does $2,500 for a brand new automobile sound? And, where do you sign up? Not so fast. <Continued> -
Ratan Tata
By Steven Reive Who's the guy behind the car that costs less than a big-screen TV? Who's the man behind the brand that is now ranked No. 57 in the world in terms of overall value? Or the gentleman who is one of the hardest to track down for an interview, yet is the most talked about person in the automotive world? <Continued> -
Greasing the way to a green drive
Twists and Turns - Alan Sidorov This past September, Dianne and I were part way through a tour of the Atlantic Provinces. We pulled up to the ferry line-up at Woods Islands, Prince Edward Island. To a casual onlooker, our rented Chrysler minivan must have looked stereotypically suburban. Not that I mind. The right vehicle can be a good disguise, and I have no objection to going largely unnoticed. My Volvo turbo wagon, for example, is quick, but has nothing visible to distinguish it from the average grocery-getter. The van, with its Stow and Go seats, had actually been a decent camper unit. Stuffed in back were sleeping bags, a cooler, and the ubiquitous Coleman stove. <Continued> -
Caught in a Spyder's web
Willy's Garage - Paul Williamson It only took Free Press photojournalist Boris Minkevich an hour to spot Greg McTavish tooling around town on Winnipeg's first 2008 Can-Am Spyder Roadster. It should be noted, however, that Boris spent 10 minutes of that hour trying to catch him. <Continued> -
Volvo PV 444, 544
By Malcolm Gunn In hindsight, I should have tried to salvage my badly smacked-up 544 sedan, the car that gave Volvo its worldwide fame and fortune. <Continued> -
King of the Road?
By David Booth SALT LAKE CITY -- We are about to find out just how much Carroll Shelby's name is worth. <Continued> -
Dragon slayer
By Gabriel Gelinas ESTORIL, Portugal -- It is one of the most anticipated sports cars in recent history and it is gunning for all the established brands and nameplates in the performance world. The Nissan GT-R is here and the race is on. <Continued> -
Hell, no, this car won't go
By David Menzies Squeak, squeeeak, squeeeak. Squeeeak. Talk about the sound and the fury, even though I drive a Honda not a Plymouth -- an old Honda that is. Fifteen years old to be exact. What is that, 105 in human years? <Continued> -
The Gremlin: both goofy and great
By Bill Vance Following the Second World War, the Nash Motor Co. was ahead of its time in producing smaller cars such as its successful 1950 Nash Rambler. <Continued> -
Exhaust Notes
Chicago cops pick a wiener for ticket
<Continued> -
In Gear
Easier street
<Continued> -
Car Club Calendar
May
<Continued>
