Forester a perfect Winnipeg pothole pounder

One of the proudest moments in my career as an automobile journalist occurred a couple of years back when my stepfather bought a Subaru.

My mom, Isabelle, and stepdad Jim Ketcheson (Ketch) had been buying bad cars up to that point at an alarming rate.

In fairness, the Dodge Caliber they had before pulling the trigger on their new Subaru Crosstrek wasn’t the worst vehicle they’d ever owned.

Not even close.

Can the Civic tackle winter?

When Kelly Taylor told me we’d be testing a 2022 Honda Civic, truth is I was actually excited to get behind the wheel of a small car again. The chance to save gas money for a week and maybe even have some fun after a long winter was indeed welcome.

Then I looked at the forecast.

I picked up the Civic on the Monday evening before the big blizzard, the spiffy Aegean Blue Metallic paint was a nice contrast to the snow that was starting to blow. I was also pleasantly surprised to see a manual gear shift, normally I joke that shifting gears is only fun when wearing a helmet and riding a motorcycle, but in a Civic it’s a breeze to flick through the gears and with a fresh set of winter tires the drive back to our home just east of Birds Hill Park, despite the emerging storm, was both enjoyable and uneventful.

By the next morning the shiny Civic was pretty much buried in the snow.

Shriners raffling off custom ’67 Chevelle SS

In what has become an annual tradition, Winnipeg’s Khartum Shriners are once again raffling off a collector vehicle to raise funds for the organization’s day-to-day operations and in support of its hospital system.

This year’s raffle car is a stunning Marina Blue 1967 Chevrolet Chevelle SS. The car has been beautifully restored and customized and is ready to drive and enjoy. Under the hood it features a 502 cubic-inch Chevrolet crate motor linked to an automatic transmission. Other highlights include a custom dual exhaust system and a lowered suspension.

“We started raffling off newer cars a few years back, then we had a hot rod one year and it was really popular so we’ve stayed with the older restored vehicles the past couple of years and the response has been great,” says Al Hadley, Winnipeg Khartum Shriners potentate and CEO.

Although the Shriners typically display the car at local car shows and cruise nights, due to the coronavirus pandemic those events have all been cancelled, but Hadley says ticket sales have still been strong. “We have already sold enough tickets to cover the cost of the car,” he said, “and if we sell all the tickets we will be somewhere in the neighbourhood of $90,000 profit, so it’s a very good raffle for us.”

Local company answers call to produce hand sanitizer

Shortly after the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic on March 11, officials from Health Canada began contacting facilities they have licensed to produce health products in hopes some of those companies could also produce hand sanitizer and other personal protection equipment.

Innotech Nutrition Solutions, a Winnipeg based company that has been in business since 2001 and carries a site licence through Health Canada’s natural and non-prescription health products directorate, was among the first local companies to answer the call for help.

According to Innotech’s chief executive officer, Wayne Friesen, thanks to already having many of the systems in place required to make hand sanitizer, they were able to quickly begin production of this much needed commodity.

“Health Canada reached out to us a couple of months ago to make hand sanitizer,” says Friesen, “so in response we began making a really value-added premium hand sanitizer that has been very well received.”

Locally developed product touted as superior to plexiglass in fight against COVID-19

A relatively new Winnipeg company, which experienced tremendous growth right out of the gate, has had its business soar to even greater heights as a result of COVID-19.

RockGlass Window Security System, which is branded online as Unbreakablewindows.com, has developed a clear product that is installed over existing windows and is difficult to differentiate from standard glass — but is 200 times stronger.

Company owner and president Colleen Munro says business has been booming since they began selling the product in September 2019.

The clear security advantages RockGlass delivers over traditional glass resulted in a steady demand for the product from customers who had grown tired of continually replacing broken windows.

Local auto repair shops are doing their best to provide a safe environment while keeping vehicles in top shape

Although the coronavirus has profoundly affected many local businesses, it has had a relatively light impact on a pair of local auto repair facilities.

Dave Litwin, who owns Litwin Auto Body at 2075 Plessis Rd., reports his shop hasn’t been dramatically affected by the pandemic. “March was a really good month, actually one of our best,” says Litwin, who hasn’t had to lay off any of his five employees. “Right now we are busy enough, but we are going week to week.”

Litwin also says the companies supplying parts and shop supplies have been excellent and there has been no discernible change in service.

A measure taken by MPI in which auto body shops can bill the insurer to clean and sanitize vehicles has also been an added bonus. Litwin’s shop gets a flat rate of $50 per vehicle for this service. The car is wiped down by an employee in protective gear as soon as it comes into the shop to protect the employees working on it, and is sanitized again upon completion of the work before returning the vehicle to the customer.

Auto detail shop poised to fight pandemic

Since COVID-19 has taught us to continually wash our hands, and many of us have already cleaned every corner of our homes, it's a sure bet a few of us have also turned our efforts to sanitizing our vehicles.

Your usual Saturday morning ritual of washing your car on the driveway with the garden hose and vacuuming the interior and wiping down hard surfaces with car cleaning products is likely all you'll need to keep your vehicle shiny and safe — but if you know or suspect your vehicle has come into contact with coronavirus, or just want to increase your peace of mind, it may be time to call in a professional.

The majority of auto detail shops, which fall under the same essential services category as automobile repair shops, have remained open during the pandemic.

Tom Segal, 45, the owner of Blue Ocean Auto Detailing in Headingley, has seen it all in the more than 25 years he's been cleaning cars, including dirty diapers, rotten food crammed between seats and rodent infestations, but this is his first pandemic.

Is testing vehicles gone for good?

As I was driving to Jim Pattison Subaru South to drop off the 2020 Subaru Outback we’d been testing it occurred to me it might be a good while before we will be evaluating any new vehicles from Subaru — or any other auto manufacturer for that matter.

Due to the global pandemic caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, most automakers across Canada have suspended the practice of loaning automobile journalists vehicles for evaluation. This of course is a neccesary move required to keep the virus at bay.

Like you, I’m far more concerned about the health and well-being of my friends, family and everyone else including myself during this trying time than I am about my job and my ability to test drive cars.

The pandemic is obviously monumentally more important than the Subaru Outback and how it handles Winnipeg’s pothole covered streets on a sloppy spring afternoon. But, questions about new vehicles from Subaru and all the other brands we test is bound to come up again from our readers at some point in the future — and when these questions return will we be able to answer them?

Winter Mega Run promises big fun

While fairweather fans remain in a holding pattern in anticipation of summer, hundreds of local off-road enthusiasts have been burning the midnight oil in their heated garages in anticipation of the 11th annual Winter Mega Run.

The event, which takes place on Crown land near Seddons Corner, about 15 kilometres east of Beausejour, attracts a wide variety of off-road enthusiasts and their machines for a day of fun in the sun and snow.

In past years we’ve spotted lifted trucks, SUVs, ATVs, snowmobiles, motorcycles fitted with studded tires and even a few highly-modified cars trudging through the terrain.

According to Steve Rempel, the main organizer of the event, it started out as a casual gathering of off-road enthusiasts looking to beat the winter blues, and has since morphed into a full-scale winter festival. This year you can expect additional portable toilets, more bonfires to warm up around, two food vendors and music at both the south pit and Crowsnest areas.

Whole lotta’ Hyundai

Way back in the summer of 1988 I was a sales rep at Bridgeway Hyundai on Nairn Avenue — located on the same lot where Focus Hyundai currently stands. Although only 21, in my young mind I was already an automobile expert and had memorized every feature and option of the entire Hyundai lineup. That was easy though, as there was only three vehicles to choose from, the Pony, Excel and Stellar. The posh Sonata wouldn’t hit the showroom until the fall of ‘88.

The truth is those early Hyundai models, although cheap to buy, were not the greatest vehicles. They were certainly a notch or two above Lada from Russia, or Skoda from Czech Republic, but they paled in comparison to the offerings of the day from Japanese and North American brands.

A few years later as a rookie corrections officer at the Winnipeg Remand Centre, I would sometimes fill in for the storeskeeper, and one sunny morning I opened the rear loading dock door and a lady delivering supplies recognized me as a former car salesman and tore a strip off me over the Hyundai Excel I’d sold her. She lamented the Excel, which had been purchased to use as a courier car, had spent more time in the shop than on the road — and even though it was only a few years old it was practically worthless. I was all kinds of sorry and it was one of those moments I’ve never forgotten. It disapointed me that I’d sold her a lemon, and this incident laid the foundation for a couple of decades of disdain for Hyundai.

2020 feels like a good year to finally get over my contempt for the South Korean automaker and go on the record as a fan of the brand. In the past decade I’ve had the opportunity to test most Hyundai models, and especially in the past couple of years I’ve been particularly impressed with the vehicles they are putting out and can firmly attest to the great combination of the practicality, value and style Hyundai cars and SUVs offer.

Get your motor running

Motorcycles are a huge part of my life, and over the years I’ve owned six different Harley-Davidsons models. My rolling resume includes a 1997 Sportster, 2001 Super Glide, 2010 Wide Glide, 2012 Road King and my current ride, a 2017 Street Glide Special.

All my Harleys were purchased at Harley-Davidson Winnipeg. David and Sheryl Gray, the dealership owners, and their capable crew of enthusiastic staff, always treat me like family. I’m never in a hurry at the shop, there’s so many cool bikes in the showroom and the majority of my wardrobe was also bought there. All my Harleys have been reliable and also held their value much better than the many cars and trucks I’ve owned.

If you’ve been dreaming about owning a Harley-Davidson, but have no idea where to start, here’s a quick lowdown on all the Harley models. If you want to see these beautiful bikes in person stop by Harley-Davidson Winnipeg for a visit, but take my word for it, you’re gonna want to set aside a couple of hours to see it all.

Memories from the highway to heaven

My dad, Dave Williamson, battled colon cancer hard for a few years before it finally got him in 2005 at only 62.

A few months before he passed, when it was apparent the countless surgeries and treatments hadn’t worked and he was on borrowed time, we took a road trip to Pembina Hills to see his buddy, Bill Harrison, who owns Vavavoom Garage — at that time Bill had several hundred vintage cars in his field of dreams.

Uncle Bill’s place is near Carman so it was a perfect day trip.

My dad was the manager of Brunswick Steel and his work truck was a crisp white 2004 Chevrolet Silverado.

Second opinion: Best Jeep pickup ever

Whoa. Maybe pump the brakes a bit there, Mr. Louka. The Gladiator is the new baby in the Jeep lineup, and you don’t just go running around all willy-nilly calling a baby goofy-looking.

Those of us in the Jeep family are quite sensitive about our chosen brand, and the last thing you want to do is get on the bad side of a group so devoted to one another and our vehicles that we actually wave when we spot each other in traffic.

Do you really want to go there?

OK, truth is you’re probably safe. I’m not currently a Jeep owner — at least not yet, anyway — but this extended test drive has me absolutely loving the new Gladiator.

Corvette, Cybertruck created automotive buzz in 2019

It was looking as if the new mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette was the runaway winner for top automobile story of 2019, then last month, Elon Musk debuted the Tesla Cybertruck and had an engineer throw steel balls at its apparently unbreakable glass during the reveal. The windows on the truck not only cracked, the Cybertruck almost broke the internet.

If you’re a regular reader, you know my feelings about the new Cybertruck: I can sum it up with one word — dumb.

But, there’s absolutely no denying it has us talking.

Even folks who don’t pay an oil drop of attention to the auto world were piping in about the Cybertruck. According to Musk, more than 250,000 fans have placed a US$100 deposit on what I’ve called a cross between a DeLorean and a Dustbuster — so clearly I haven’t got a hot clue what is hot these days.

Dreaming of a Jeep Christmas

As a lifelong spoiled brat, there’s been so many amazing gifts under the Christmas tree with my name on them, it’s almost embarrassing.

The greatest gift anyone ever gave me was so huge it didn’t even fit down the chimney.

For Christmas of 1994, my stepfather, Jim Ketcheson, gave me his prized 1988 Jeep Comanche pickup.

Ketch, as we call him, had just bought a new Jeep Cherokee and rather than accept the paltry trade-in money the dealer offered, he consulted with my mother, Belle, and they decided to gift me the Comanche.

Maybe Musk knew what he was doing all along?

In case you missed it — last week, I used this space to throw shade on Elon Musk and have a few laughs at the expense of his new Tesla Cybertruck.

It turns out the joke was on me.

According to Musk, since the debut on Nov. 21, more than 250,000 people have forked over a US$100 deposit in hopes of one day owning what is fast becoming the most polarizing vehicle ever designed.

There is no in-between with the Cybertruck, you’re either among the growing crowd who love it enough to put down a deposit — or you’re among the rest of us, who are shaking our collective heads and simply putting it down.

Decked-out Ram is a truck guy’s dream come true

Not gonna lie, as much as my job testing vehicles is a dream gig, it can get a bit tiresome when the press fleet constantly delivers family sedans and mid-size SUVs.

Sure, it’s fun to evaluate the latest and greatest family haulers and share my findings with you, but the truth is I’m a truck guy.

That’s why my excitement mounted with the news the all-new 2020 Ram 3500 Limited was coming to town. As an added bonus on the week of my test drive, I was on holidays and celebrating my 52nd birthday.

The week prior, I’d been in sunny Ottawa riding Harley-Davidsons with my big brother, Allen, and bragging to him about the $100,000-plus Ram that would be waiting for me when I got home.

2020 Mazda3 is beautiful inside and out

Let’s be honest here, the vast majority of folks who buy the new Mazda3 likely won’t even notice Mazda has abandoned its independent multi-link rear suspension for a torsion beam rear axle setup.

The truth is, with the exception of car nerds like my colleague Kelly Taylor, and that brainy gearhead kid on your street who refers to your Toyota Camry as an XV50, most people don’t take the time to educate themselves on the finer points of automotive engineering.

Most vehicle shoppers typically overlook the mechanical details — focusing instead on important stuff like the quality of the infotainment system, the number of cupholders and USB charging ports and, of course, how a vehicle looks.

Case in point: a few years back, one of my friends bought a beautiful new Cadillac CTS and didn’t realize it was rear-wheel drive until he couldn’t get out of his driveway one snowy morning.

Hyundai brings the bling, but is it over the top?

In the new-car game, it’s all about the family face. If you peeled the brand badges off just about any vehicle sold in North America, any self-respecting auto buff could easily tell you who made it in about two seconds flat — just by simply looking at the grille.

BMW has its twin kidneys, Jeep has its iconic vertical slats and Lexus has gone mad with its spindle grille, which some say looks like a snowplow.

All of the models in these and many other automakers’ lineups are very distinctive and easily identifiable.

Which brings us to the all-new 2020 Palisade. Now don’t get me wrong, Hyundai’s latest and greatest SUV has plenty of good things going for it, but the South Korean automaker’s signature crown-shaped grille, which looks rather innocuous on most Hyundai models, has been amplified significantly on the Palisade.

For the love of all things Porsche

The Red River Region of the Porsche Club of America (PCA) is celebrating its 20th anniversary in grand style on Sunday with its annual Concours d’Elegance car show taking place in the afternoon, followed by a gala dinner and awards presentation in the evening — all of which takes place at the Gates on Roblin.

Although the dinner and awards presentation is a private affair, the public is encouraged to stop by the Gates at 6945 Roblin Blvd. between 4 and 5 p.m. to view what will quite possibly be the most prestigious auto show ever held in Manitoba.

According to Dennis Duncan, a longtime member of the Red River Region PCA and the event’s main organizer, about 50 Porsches will be on display and subject to a thorough judging on their condition and presentation. Porsches on display will range from several newer 911 Turbo cars worth more than $200,000 to classic air-cooled models that have been carefully restored and preserved by their owners.

“The unique thing about this club is it doesn’t matter which Porsche you own. If it says Porsche on it, you’re part of the family,” says Duncan, who owns a stunning silver 2003 Porsche 911 Carrera 2 — a car that sold new for about $110,000.

A fabulous weekend to show and shine

This weekend marks the 25th anniversary of the Fabulous 50’s Ford Club of Manitoba’s annual Flashback Weekend.

The fun kicks off tonight at 8 p.m. with a sock hop social at the Transcona Country Club with live dance band the Dynamics and a silent auction loaded with terrific prizes in support of the Children’s Rehabilitation Foundation.

On Saturday, a car cruise departs from the Garden City Shopping Centre (south parking lot) at 2 p.m. and makes its way to Lockport and the Half Moon Drive In.

The cruise is free to participate in and open to all classic and special-interest vehicles.

McQueen’s Bullitt headed to auction

If you’re in the market for a very famous Ford Mustang with ties to Hollywood legend Steve McQueen, start getting your ducks in a row. And you better have a whole lot of ducks.

One of two Highland Green 1968 Ford Mustang GT Fastbacks used in the 1968 action thriller Bullitt is set to be auctioned off in Florida in January.

Sean Kiernan, the car’s current owner, announced last week on Instagram that it was headed to the auction block.

While attending the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in 2018, I had the opportunity to get an up-close look at the car.

New Corolla Hybrid a Prius in disguise

Truth is, I’ve never been particularly fond of the Toyota Prius. Sure, it will save you a pile of dough at the pumps, and those reduced emissions are certainly good for our frail environment — but my eyes have never quite adjusted to its dorky looks.

Toyota has tried to make the Prius more palatable, and the current model is a gazillion times more stylish than the first version, but there’s no denying it’s still a Prius.

We’ve tested a number of them over the years, and they are fine cars. If you love your Prius, good on you. Who am I to judge? I’ve never walked a mile in your Birkenstocks.

But, and maybe this is something therapy can cure, whenever I’m behind the wheel of Toyota’s ubiquitous hybrid, I’m usually wearing a hat and dark glasses and keeping my eyes straight ahead at stoplights.

Pools are worth it — safety is worth more

Without question, our favourite summer activity is having friends and family gather around our backyard pool for a day of fun in the sun.

Watching the kids swim and play in the water makes all the work associated with pool ownership totally worth it.

Truth is, my wife, Melanie, is in charge of the pool and does a great job keeping the water crystal clear — there’s a good chance the water would be green if it was one of my jobs.

It was my idea to put flowers in the Tonka trucks, though.

The magic wagon lives on

Sure, you love the family SUV, but if you ever owned a minivan, there’s a good chance you miss that handy hauler, especially when it’s time to load up for a summer family road trip.

Most minivans offer seating for seven, fold-flat seats and ample storage, and are easy to climb in and out of for the young and old — and our four-legged companions. They can be loaded with cargo and even tow a small trailer. In a pinch, a minivan can even act as overnight accomodation.

Chrysler wrote the book on minivans with the first Dodge Caravan way back in 1984. It was a game-changer and practically killed the market for station wagons. Families, tradesmen and couriers couldn’t get enough of these vans — Chrysler sold millions of them — and the majority of automakers followed suit with minivans of their own.

In the early 2000s, just about every automaker had a minivan, with as many as 15 different models available.

With new Jeep Cherokee, Fiat Chrysler offers much improvement on old favourite

When the Jeep Cherokee returned in 2014, my initial thought was: “That ain’t my daddy’s Jeep.”

Back in the day, my stepfather, Jim Ketcheson — or Ketch, as we call him — bought himself a shiny new Jeep Cherokee and gave me his battered but beautiful Jeep Comanche pickup. For a young guy with a love of the great outdoors, that Comanche was like a gift from the gods and forged my longtime love affair with the Jeep brand — but that’s another story.

Today, we will remember Ketch’s 1994 Jeep Cherokee — and all the reasons why the new 2019 Jeep Cherokee is about 999 times better than that tank.

Now don’t get me wrong. Back then, we really, really liked that Cherokee and have many fond memories and a couple of funny stories where it plays a central role.

Enthusiast's one-of-a-kind Chevrolet Impala will be featured at Lions Club of East St. Paul Show & Shine

If you happen to spot Will Slota and his custom 1959 Chevrolet Impala on Sunday at the 20th annual Lions Club of East St. Paul Show & Shine, don’t be afraid to ask him a few questions about his prized ride.

Even though he completed the car in 2011, Slota — who lives in Narol, not far from where the show will take place at the East St. Paul Recreation Complex on Hoddinott Road — still enjoys telling the story of how the car, which was owned for many years by his late father, got to where it is today.

“My dad bought this car in 1960 and drove it until 1982,” says Slota, whose father, Nick, passed away in 1986. “When he passed, we put it in the barn for a few years, then when I decided to restore it I came to realize how much money I was going to invest and in the end all I’d wind up with was a four-door sedan.”

Wait a minute, you mean to tell me this beauty once had another pair of doors?

Evolution of the Chevrolet Corvette

Every self-respecting car buff on the planet has been buzzing for the last week about the all-new 2020 C8 Corvette. The biggest news is the engine is now behind the driver for the first time in Corvette production history. 

Some purists are cringing about the layout of the engine, but if the fervour exhibited on social media is any indication, it would appear this new Corvette is a bona fide hit.

Some love it and some hate it, which is a clear sign of a solid design. 

The wise folks in the Chevrolet marketing department haven’t spilled all the beans yet, so there are still plenty of unanswered questions regarding special editions, engine options and final pricing, but one thing is certain: Corvette is just as relevant today as it was when initially released, way back in 1953. 

Cross-country trip in electric vehicle requires planning, patience

A Vancouver man who recently passed through Winnipeg is making a cross-country journey in an electric vehicle — and it turns out it’s exactly the spark he needed.

Harvey Soicher, 65, is driving his new 2019 Audi e-tron 55 quattro Technik across Canada, and then returning home through the United States in an epic journey that, when completed, will have covered more than 20,000 kilometres.

He has named the trip Mary Ann’s Electric Drive, in memory of his wife of 27 years, Mary Ann, who lost her battle with cancer on June 14, 2018.

Along the way he will be driving with, visiting and staying with the couple’s friends and family across the country, and is especially looking forward to his first trip to the East Coast.

Still time to sign up the kids for a kartSTART experience

Spots are filling up fast, but there’s still time to sign up your kids or grandchildren for kartSTART, presented by Toyota Canada — a unique driving-education program designed to give youngsters a real-world understanding of the physics behind driving a motorized vehicle.

The program, led by Russ Bond, a veteran automobile racer, journalist and host of the popular Two-Minute Test Drive segments on TSN’s Motoring TV, will host three days of fun and education at the Red River Exhibition grounds July 17-19.

The half-day courses — a total of six will be held — give kids aged 10 and older driving experience in go-karts. Participants get behind the wheel of a motorized kart under the guidance of qualified instructors. The program, including all the karts and gear, is moved across the country in a semi truck and trailer. Participants are supplied with a Snell-approved helmet and a driving suit, and there is also a catered lunch.

Last summer, a professionally designed go-kart made accessible for kids with physical disabilities was also introduced to the program. The accessible go-kart looks the same as the other karts, but with hand-controlled throttle and braking incorporated into the design of the steering wheel.

Madd Mack’s Maverick delivers smiles

Throughout Manitoba, the popularity of all-terrain vehicles is steadily on the rise, and every weekend, there are a great variety of fun-filled events going on all over the province aimed at celebrating the great outdoors and showcasing the capable machines that bring folks to the heart of adventure.

In addition to the variety of colourful off-road toys and the constant sea of smiling faces found at these events, there is also another steady presence — Manitoba’s undisputed custom ATV king, JP Mack.

Mack, 45, is a former sport quad racer who competed in Canada and the U.S. Following a few bad crashes and the realization he wasn’t healing as fast as he once did, in 2014 he retired from racing and started Madd Mack Motorsports, a company he runs out of his home garage in Sperling, southwest of Winnipeg in the RM of Morris.

Mack specializes in the sales and installation of suspension, driveline, exhaust systems and custom lighting, graphics and sound systems for quads and side-by-sides.

Hybrid remodel takes car from dorky to perfect

If I had spotted Kelly Taylor and Haney Louka gushing over a Honda Insight in the Free Press parking lot back in the year 2000, I’d have probably told them it was about the dorkiest-looking car ever made. I may have even called one of them McFly before roaring away in my gasoline chugging 1986 Oldsmobile Cutlass.

The Honda Insight was the first mass-produced hybrid to hit the streets of Winnipeg, and if it could have talked it would have surely screamed, “Look at me, look at me, I’m a hybrid,” over and over again.

Rumour has it the early Insights came from the factory with a Rubik’s Cube hanging from the rear-view mirror.

That first generation Insight looked like a Honda Civic and a Citroën DS had a love child who grew up to spend inordinate amounts of time making the other vehicles feel guilty about ridiculous sciency stuff like aerodynamics and fuel efficiency.

KartSTART gears up for return to Winnipeg

For the third consecutive summer, kartSTART, presented by Toyota — a unique driving education program designed to give youngsters a real-world understanding of the physics behind driving a motorized vehicle — will roll through Winnipeg.

The program, led by Russ Bond, a veteran automobile racer, journalist and host of the popular Two-Minute Test Drive segments on TSN’s Motoring TV, will host three days of fun and education at the Red River Exhibition grounds from July 17 to 19.

“We can’t wait to get back to Winnipeg for our third visit there,” Bond said. “The people are so friendly and really make us feel welcome. We hope to have all the courses full again this year, and also encourage all the friends we’ve made to come and visit us while we are back in Winnipeg.”

The half-day courses — a total of six will be held — give kids aged 10 and older driving experience in go-karts. Participants get behind the wheel of a motorized kart under the guidance of qualified instructors. The program, including all the karts and gear, is moved across the country in a semi truck and trailer. Participants are supplied with a Snell-approved helmet and a driving suit, and there is also a catered lunch.

Breast Cancer Pledge Ride raises more than $64K

Last Sunday, I was among the more than 450 riders who participated in the 18th annual Breast Cancer Pledge Ride.

This motorcycle charity event takes place every year on the first Sunday in June and is orchestrated by a dedicated volunteer organization that raises funds for CancerCare Manitoba. This year, the ride raised more than $64,000, and to date has raised more than $1 million — with all the money raised staying right here in Manitoba.

The ride kicked off on a chilly but sunny morning with breakfast and registration at Assiniboia Downs, then riders made their way to Winnipeg Beach with a stop along the way in Stonewall to collect cards in hopes of getting the best poker hand.

This year, I rode with my friends from the event’s title sponsor, Adventure Power Products — an ATV, motorcycle, watercraft and yard equipment dealer in Île-des-Chênes that sells Kawasaki, Suzuki and Moto Guzzi motorcycles.

Let the good times roll

It’s a sure bet my wife, Melanie, didn’t believe me back in 2009 when I told her we needed an ATV for yardwork. Believe it or not, though, we have actually done plenty of chores around our acreage in the past decade with these machines.

But the truth is, way more time has been spent having fun in the sun.

Adventure Power Products in Île-des-Chênes, an ATV, motorcycle, watercraft and yard equipment dealer owned by my friends Derek Roth and Frank Cicco, is to blame for my off-road addiction. Roth and I have been buddies for more than 30 years and he treats us like family — so we bought a new Kawasaki Brute Force quad from Adventure not long after they opened in 2009.

Sure, our shiny red Brute Force had a detachable snow plow and a rack on the back which was very handy around the yard, but when summer came along it quickly became my favourite toy.

American drop tops deliver miles of smiles

Let’s be honest here, buying a convertible in Manitoba may not be the wisest financial move, as owning one pretty much guarantees you’ll require a second vehicle for the winter — but for motoring fun in the sun, it’s tough to beat the smile-per-mile ratio that dropping the top and cranking the tunes in a convertible delivers.

While there are indeed a number of new convertibles available on the market — including an assortment of pricey models from luxury automakers such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi and Porsche, and a few cheaper options including the Volkswagen Beetle convertible and the Mini Cooper convertible — if you’re looking for the best bang for the least amount of bucks, with enough room to take the kids or grandkids for an ice-cream run or haul you and a friend and your clubs to a local golf course, the good folks at Ford and Chevrolet have you covered with the always popular Mustang and Camaro.

The rivalry that exists between these two venerable vehicles is both longstanding and fierce. You’re the ultimate winner in this battle, though, as this healthy competition has resulted in a pair of excellent choices.

Now granted, you may be able to haggle with your local dealer, and there may be special factory incentives available, but our mission here was to scour the respective automakers’ websites and determine the MSRP and available features of the most bare-bones convertible models from both the Mustang and Camaro teams.

Good things come in mid-size packages

Fuel prices continue to rise, while room on the road and public parking spaces seem to be shrinking — no doubt leaving more than a few of us big-truck owners seriously considering downsizing to a smaller rig.

We get it, you NEED your truck, but unless you’re towing a massive trailer or hauling heavyweight cargo, there’s a good chance a mide-size truck is capable enough for your needs.

Today, there are more mide-size trucks on the market than ever before. The segment includes the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon, Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger, Nissan Frontier and Honda Ridgeline. Even Jeep is back in the game, with the all-new 2020 Jeep Gladiator, a truck that promises to set new benchmarks for versatility and off-road performance.

If you’ve been thinking about downsizing to a smaller truck, here’s what’s available on the market right now. We’ve only listed the starting MSRP for these trucks, so depending on what options you want, those prices can rise. In some cases, for example, when 4X4 and off-road-specific packages are added, those costs can rise substantially.

Cruisin’ through Winnipeg

Piston Ring’s 45th annual World of Wheels rolled through town last weekend, thrilling locals with a terrific variety of classic and special-interest vehicles.

Although the show had to compete with the Winnipeg Jets on Friday night, according to organizers attendance was strong all weekend at the RBC Convention Centre, which was extensively renovated in time for the 2016 event. Over the years, this venue has proven to be the perfect location for Winnipeg’s largest and most popular indoor car show, and thanks to the spiffy renos which included new LED lighting, it’s now better than ever.

The vehicles on display represented millions of dollars in investment and countless hours of craftsmanship. Show-goers had the opportunity to view more than 250 vehicles, many of which competed for prizes and points as part of the International Show Car Association sanctioned event. There was also a nice variety of exhibitors in attendance, offering automotive-related products and services.

For fans of two-wheelers, Harley-Davidson Winnipeg also presented the CycleRama Motorcycle Show in conjunction with World of Wheels — judging by all the beautiful motorcycles on display this year, it’s fair to say the local custom motorcycle hobby is also alive and well.

Repurpose that tree with pyrography

Well, you just never know what’s going to come out of the woodwork!

And in this context... that’s a good thing.

If you missed last week’s column (and if you did, SHAME on you), I wrote about my plans for having my old, dead oak tree turned into a chainsaw sculpture. It’ll happen.

Got some really interesting feedback in response — ideas for possible sculpture choices and other cool suggestions as well.

Car show on this weekend at RBC Convention Centre

Get your motor running! Piston Ring’s 45th annual World of Wheels is on this weekend at the RBC Convention Centre.

Throughout the winter and across the province, local custom shops and home garages have been humming with activity, as classic and special-interest vehicle owners prepare their rides for the city’s largest indoor car show.

On Monday, we caught up with local car enthusiast Ryan Gobeil, 29, who was putting the finishing touches on his 1980 Chevrolet Malibu, complete with a late-model Chevrolet LS 6.0-litre motor and a turbocharger. 

He’s owned the car since he was 17, and it has seen several changes over the years. But this winter, he went all-in and spent countless hours basically rebuilding the car from the ground up. He did the work on the car himself in his well-equipped home garage.

If you can’t beat them, join them

It wasn’t so very long ago you could spot certain Subaru models on the road from a mile away — which wasn’t necessarily a good thing.

That Tribeca, for example, the one Kelly Taylor refers to as “original” and “unique” in its styling, is in my opinion about the ugliest looking vehicle EVER. Back in 2007, we tested one and somehow in my haste to get it home after work and hide it in the garage, the headlights weren’t turned on and the police pulled me over. Once the nice officer heard my story and was done running my papers, she returned from her cruiser and told me to turn on my lights and have a nice night. But, she had one final question before sending me on my way... and asked it without a hint of sarcasm: “Is this an actual model they are going to be selling to the public?”

Who could blame her for wondering? The grille design was reportedly meant to convey parent-company Fuji Heavy Industries’ glorious history in aviation. Instead, it looked like a sad/angry chicken. To say it didn’t fly is an understatement of immense proportions. Thankfully, the Tribeca received an update to its ridiculous looking grille only two years after its release, but the damage was clearly done and Tribeca was killed off following the 2014 model year.

It wasn’t that it was a bad vehicle; in fact, if memory serves me correctly, we gave it a positive review. As far as driving dynamics and interior comfort were concerned, it was in line with the competition of the day, but Subaru’s apparent need to come up with something that stood out from the crowd was clearly an abysmal failure.

Toyota Tundra stands test of time

In case you missed it, there are all-new 2019 Ram, Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra trucks in showrooms now. These rigs are loaded with the latest technology, offer myriad engine choices and some versions promise fuel economy rivalling many mid-sized sedans.

The second-generation Nissan Titan was all-new for 2016 and even the Ford F-150, the perennial sales leader, which is now in its 13th generation, was all-new for 2015.

The Toyota Tundra, however, made its second-generation debut as a 2007 model and has since then only received one major refresh — which took place way back in 2014.

Yep, you read that right. Aside from a couple of largely cosmetic refreshes, the Toyota Tundra hasn’t been called “all-new” for a dozen years.

Toyota’s 4Runner still the front-runner

Way back in 2010, when the fifth-generation 4Runner was released, it was easy to fall for its rugged good looks.

For me, however, it was what lay beneath its handsome body that really solidified my love affair with Toyota’s go-anywhere SUV.

At a time when most manufacturers were moving away from body-on-frame designs in favour of the more car-like unibody construction, Toyota recognized the 4Runner had a loyal following among off-road enthusiasts and adrenalin junkies worldwide and wisely soldiered on with a full frame.

So why does any of this frame business matter?

Winter Mega Run brings off-road enthusiasts together for a day of fun

Hundreds of hearty souls enjoyed a day of fun in the snow last Saturday at the 10th annual Manitoba Winter Mega Run.

The event, which takes place on Crown land near Seddons Corner, about 15 kilometres east of Beausejour, attracts a wide variety of off-road enthusiasts and their machines. This year’s lineup included lifted trucks, SUVs, ATVs, snowmobiles, motorcycles with studded tires and even a couple of garden tractors fitted with ATV tires for added traction.

Perhaps the most unique vehicle to make the scene belongs to Dave Ostapiw, the star of the popular Ostacruiser YouTube channel, which has more than 500,000 subscribers and a huge variety of supremely entertaining videos with tens of millions of combined views.

Ostapiw journeyed here from Prince Albert, Sask., towing his Sherp, a hulking go-anywhere beast. “They are built in Russia,” Ostapiw says. “They float, so you can drive it across a lake. It can break through the ice, then crawl back out. They are like a cheat code for off-roading.”

New Wrangler Rubicona tribute to 1941 original

The new Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 1941, a special package loaded with Jeep performance parts, is on display now at the Geneva International Motor Show.

Highlights include a two-inch suspension lift kit, snorkel, rock rails, black door sills, black fuel filler door and all-weather mats. The finishing touch to this tough configuration is 1941 graphics commemorating the first year the original Willys Jeep was produced.

In total, more than 200 accessories from the Jeep performance parts catalogue have found a home on the jacked-up Jeep, including a matte black seven-slot front grille, mud guards, off-road lights and mirror caps — all that black contrasts perfectly with the Hella Yella yellow paint. Customization continues inside, with a black-mesh sun shade and front grab handles, as well as unique graphics on the steering wheel and shift knob.

In Geneva, the special 1941 configuration is presented on the Rubicon model. It will also be available, in summer 2019, on both the Sport and Sahara trims.

Brave the elements at Winter Mega Run

Tomorrow morning, a massive variety of vehicles — ranging from lifted trucks, SUVs, ATVs, snowmobiles and even motorcycles fitted with studded tires — will converge on a vast area of Crown land near Seddons Corner, about 15 kilometres east of Beausejour on Highway 44.

Officially known as the Manitoba Winter Mega Run, this year’s event marks the 10th such winter meet in the area.

According to Steve Rempel, the main organizer of the event, it started out as a casual gathering of off-road enthusiasts looking to beat the winter blues, and has since morphed into a full-scale winter festival.

“It’s really a great way to get people out of their winter hibernation, have fun and see some unique and interesting rigs,” Rempel says. “It has become THE winter event in Manitoba for the off-road community.”

Countryman impresses this country boy

A Mini Countryman in winter? My first thought was there is no way that poor little car is going to make it down our rural road.

Thanks to ME, the snow on our driveway is always cleared to perfection; however, the R.M. of Springfield seems content to only occasionally plow our gravel road — to about the width of the average goat path.

Thanks to this particularly snowy winter, the road looks like a war zone most mornings, littered with abandoned vehicles sucked into the snowy abyss and left for dead in the ditch.

Trust me... never the way you want to end a test drive.

New Heavy Duty rigs ready to work

If you’re a fan of Ram trucks, your heart was surely aflutter when the new lineup of 2019 Ram Heavy Duty rigs debuted at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto on Valentine’s Day.

According to Ram, its 2019 Heavy Duty trucks are now the most powerful and capable pickups in the segment and boast a stout towing capacity of up to 15,921 kg (35,100 lb.) and a maximum payload capacity of up to 3,484 kg (7,680 lb.).

Visually, there’s six different new grilles, a new aluminum hood, a new front bumper and a variety of fresh wheel and tire packages.

While a pretty face is certainly important to truck buyers, the big news with the new Ram Heavy Duty models is an industry-first torque rating of 1,000 lb.-ft. from the Cummins 6.7-litre High Output Turbo Diesel engine, which makes all that torque at just 1,800 r.p.m. and delivers 400 horsepower at 2,800 r.p.m. Highlights include a cylinder block made from compacted graphite iron, a new cast-iron cylinder head, new exhaust valves and springs and new rocker arms.

Tacoma gets a makeover to stay in front of competitors

It may be the top dog in the mid-size truck market, but that didn’t stop Toyota from giving its third-generation Tacoma a refresh for the 2020 model year. According to Toyota, improvements include revised styling, expanded multimedia, added comfort and convenience and additional off-road capability for the TRD Pro.

Unveiled last week at the Chicago Auto Show, the 2020 Tacoma will be available in more than 30 configurations and six models, the SR, SR5, TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road, TRD Pro and the top-of-the-line Limited.

It comes as no surprise that Toyota refreshed the Tacoma, as competition in the mid-size truck market continues to heat up with the increasingly popular Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon, as well as the upcoming Jeep Gladiator and the new Ford Ranger on the market.

If you were hoping for a complete redesign, you’ll have to wait. The first-generation Tacoma model sold from 1995 to 2004, the second-generation sold from 2005 to 2015 and the current third-generation version has been on the market since 2016 — so it will likely be a few more years before Toyota delivers a fourth-generation Tacoma.

Beat the winter blues

If all this recent snow has you wishing you could get out on the trail on a snowmobile, but you aren’t quite ready to drop the big bucks on a brand new sled, fear not, here in Manitoba there is always a great variety of good used machines for sale.

According to Patrick Catellier, a veteran power sports technician and the owner of Pat’s Marine in Oakbank, shopping for a used sled isn’t much different than shopping for a used car or truck.

“Budget is obviously going to determine a lot,” Catellier says, “once you’ve figured out how much you can afford and have found a model you like, a visual walk-around of the machine is the first step. You want to look closely for physical or cosmetic damage — this usually gives you a good indication of how the machine has been ridden and taken care of.”

Catellier also recommends you bring along a friend or family member with snowmobile experience who can help check more technical elements of the sled including engine compression, the condition of the clutches, suspension and skis. “Of course, I also want to hear it run and I want to take it for a short ride to make sure everything is operating right,” he says.

Birds Hill Park trails remind Willy of friend who introduced him to snowmobiling

If I shut my eyes, I can vividly see my friend, Marlowe Thomsen, effortlessly drifting his 1982 Ski-Doo Blizzard 9500 through the winding snowmobile trails in Birds Hill Provincial Park — while I try my very best to keep up on my 1977 Ski-Doo Olympique 340.

It was the winter of 1994 and back then, Marlowe and I were young corrections officers at the Winnipeg Remand Centre.

We were also best buddies.

Sadly, Marlowe passed away five years ago, on Jan. 8, 2014, at the age of 49. The last time we spoke before his untimely death, after sharing my sledding antics with him over the phone, he laughed and said, “Boy, I sure miss that park, we have to go for a ride soon.”

Classic Camry for Christmas

They say good things come to those who wait, and that was certainly the case with the latest addition to my collection of oddball vehicles.

Back in the spring, I spotted this seemingly mint 1991 Toyota Camry 4WD LE sitting in the parking lot of my friend Josh Labossiere’s restaurant, Cedar & Main Eatery, in our hometown of Oakbank.

The car had no licence plates on it, and truth is, if not for the 4WD badge on the trunk, I likely wouldn’t have given it a second look. But, upon further inspection, my eyes quickly spotted the crunched hood and grille. The rest of the car, however, appeared to be in amazing condition, especially for a nearly 30-year-old second-generation V20 series Toyota Camry — cars known for their legendary reliability, and legendary rust.

Curiosity got the best of me and when I asked Josh about it, he gave me a sly grin and told me a funny story. It turns out Josh’s father, Hubert, who is also a friend of mine, was now the reluctant owner of the Camry. Hubert, who is a real estate agent, had been helping Josh out, making fries in the restaurant. Following a long day in front of the fryer, Hubert apparently didn’t notice an employee had parked her Camry behind him, and he dropped his pickup in reverse and backed into it. Hubert, not wanting to go through insurance, made the young lady an offer she couldn’t refuse, and became the not-so-proud owner of the crunched Camry.

2019 Ram is perfectly ordinary

This new Ram 1500 pickup, decked out in the Limited trim package, is without question the most refined truck I’ve ever driven. It is loaded with technology, the interior is bank vault quiet, it goes like heck and it makes even Winnipeg’s notoriously horrendous streets seem as smooth as a billiard table.

This is one nice truck!

The funny thing is though, even after more than a week behind the wheel of this luxurious land yacht, no one has noticed it — not a single soul. Despite its behemoth proportions, even when towering over the vehicles around it at a stop light, it is as though the big Ram is invisible. All eyes remain forward in its presence. Not a single gawker. Even the usually talkative kid at the local Esso failed to make mention of the elephant at the pump.

It belies logic a newly designed pickup, with a price tag of more than $85,000, the latest and arguably greatest Chrysler truck to date, does so little to stand out visually from the crowd.

Second opinion: fast and furious, but on a small-scale

Granted I’m not the smallest guy on the planet — but sheesh — I should be able to enter and exit a car without having to call the fire department for assistance.

OK, that’s a bit of a stretch, but the reality is when climbing in and out of the puny 2019 Mazda MX-5 I made sure no one was watching. Let’s just say it wasn’t pretty. Comparing it to a go-kart is actually quite accurate. This thing is SMALL.

None of this is really a revelation, though — even back when it was officially known as the Miata the MX-5 has always been about 3/4 scale when compared to most other cars on the road.

Even in this fourth generation, it is low, it is short, it is narrow and inside, it is cramped. The thing is, though, even at six feet tall, once nestled into the cockpit I was surprisingly comfortable. It is a tight squeeze though.

Motorcycle-shop owner off to good start

Even on sunny summer days, Darcy Epp, the owner of Prairie Iron Motorworks, an independent motorcycle repair shop on Sargent Avenue, doesn’t get many opportunities to ride his own motorcycle — but he’s totally OK with that.

“Watching a satisfied customer ride away happy on their bike after I’ve just serviced it is about the best feeling in the world,” says Epp, who recently celebrated his second year in business.

It’s taken a whole lot of hard work to reach this milestone.

Epp, 43, graduated from the Harley-Davidson technicians course at Grand Prairie Regional College’s Fairview campus in Alberta back in 2004. For about a dozen years, he turned wrenches at several different Winnipeg motorcycle dealerships — and even spent time building custom trikes.

Farewell summer, it was a blast

It was a cool but dry evening for the final Sunday night cruise of the season at Grant Park Pony Corral last weekend.

Every Sunday throughout the summer, hundreds of classic and special-interest vehicle owners displayed their prized rides and thousands of spectators enjoyed the cars and camaraderie.

For the final show of the season, a number of great prizes from event sponsors — including Rondex, Willy’s Garage, Piston Ring Service, Coca-Cola, Coors and Winnipeg Wheels Works — were drawn.

Big thanks to everyone involved — especially all the local car clubs and volunteers and the Pony Corral staff for another terrific summer.

This Odyssey can really take you places

Apparently somewhere along the line I became the resident minivan reviewer here at the Free Press.

While Kelly Taylor and Haney Louka are out ripping around in swoopy coupes and sleek convertibles, I’m left to meander behind the wheel of a class of vehicle generally considered about as exciting as a washing machine.

Truth be told, I’m OK with this.

Sure, sports cars are fun, but I’ve got friends and family to haul around, garage sales and lumber yards to shop at, and scrap metal to recycle. I also occasionally require a comfy place to sleep after rocking out at a rural music festival.

South Beach Show & Shine

More than 1,100 motorcycle enthusiasts rolled into South Beach Casino and Resort last Sunday for the casino’s annual Motorcycle Show & Shine. Hosted by the Winnipeg Harley Riders Association and the Antique Motorcycle Club of Manitoba, this event continues to grow each year.

Cash prizes were awarded to class winners for American, Harley-Davidson, British, European, Japanese, custom, vintage and special interest motorcycles.

Cash was also given away for the Chief’s Choice and People’s Choice awards.

The show was free to enter and participants received a T-shirt, barbecue lunch and a chance at a number of door prizes in appreciation for showing off their motorcycles.

KartSTART karts through Winnipeg

KartSTART, presented by Toyota — a unique driving education program designed to give youngsters a real-world understanding of the physics behind driving a motorized vehicle — rolled through Winnipeg last week.

The program, led by Russ Bond, a veteran automobile racer, journalist and host of the popular Two-Minute Test Drive segments on TSN’s Motoring TV, hosted three days of fun and education at the Red River Exhibition grounds.

This marked the second consecutive year the innovative program has made a stop in Winnipeg.

The half-day course — a total of six were held — gives kids aged 10 and older driving experience in go-karts. Participants get behind the wheel of a professional racing kart under the guidance of qualified instructors. The program, including all the karts and gear, is moved across the country in a semi truck and trailer. Participants are supplied with a Snell-approved helmet and a driving suit, and there is also a catered lunch.

Ain’t no party like a Harley-Davidson party

PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC — Way back in 1903, when Harley and the Davidsons built their first motorized bicycle, they surely could never have imagined the indelible mark their rolling collaboration would one day leave on mankind.

Last week in Prague, I witnessed that mark.

And what a mark it is.

This ancient city in the heart of Europe was the backdrop for Harley-Davidson’s 115th-anniversary party, where an estimated 60,000 motorcycles and a sea of bikers representing nearly 80 countries from across the planet made the scene.

KartSTART back on track for 2018

The kartSTART tour is officially on the road for another season and will make 10 stops in Canadian cities throughout the summer — including a return to Winnipeg from July 19 to 21 at the Red River Exhibition grounds.

Led by Russ Bond, a retired professional race car driver and host of the popular Two-Minute Test Drive segments on TSN’s Motoring TV, kartSTART, presented by Toyota, offers a unique driving-education program designed to give youngsters a real-world understanding of the physics behind driving a motorized vehicle. Since its inception in 2010, the program has helped more than 6,000 kids establish an early foundation for safe and responsible driving.

The half-day course gives kids — 10 years and older — driving experience in go-karts. Participants get behind the wheel of a professional racing kart under the guidance of qualified instructors.

The program, including all the karts and gear, is moved across the country in a semi truck and trailer. Participants are supplied with a Snell-approved helmet and a racing suit, and there is also a catered lunch. Parental supervision is required throughout the program, which runs rain or shine. Last summer, in addition to parents, a number of grandparents brought their grandkids out for a day of fun.

Legendary biker, even greater man

Last Friday morning, news of the tragic death of Robyn Gray hit me like a hammer to the heart. It felt as though I’d lost my brother, my father and my dearest friend all in an instant.

Gray was the 71-year-old man killed in a motorcycle crash on Garven Road last Thursday evening.

My first memories of Robyn date back to about 1982, when I was 15 years old.

My great-aunty Isabelle, whom I often stayed with, lived in the Chateau Guay Apartments across the street from Harley-Davidson of Winnipeg, the then-spiffy new dealership Robyn owned on Goulet Street in St. Boniface.

KartSTART returns to Winnipeg

KartSTART presented by Toyota, a unique driving education program designed to give youngsters a real-world understanding of the physics behind driving a motorized vehicle, will return to Winnipeg from July 19 to 21 at the Red River Exhibition Grounds.

The kartSTART program is led by Russ Bond, a veteran automobile racer, journalist and host of the popular Two-Minute Test Drive segments on TSN’s Motoring TV.

2018 marks the second consecutive year the innovative program will roll through Winnipeg.

“We really enjoyed Winnipeg last summer,” Bond says.

Fan favourite colour top seller for cars worldwide

While Bell MTS Place may be the epicentre of the whiteout, where thousands of Winnipeg Jets fans wear white in support of the high-flying NHL team, local auto dealers have also joined in the fun — displaying white vehicles in the front rows and showrooms of dealerships across the city.

It took some digging on the Regent Avenue strip to determine who in Transcona actually moved the white vehicles up front first.

It turns out Jake Keip, the lot manager at Vickar Chevrolet, holds that honour. He dreamt up the vehicular whiteout about 10 days ago.

“I just thought it would be a great way for us to support the Jets and have some fun,” said Keip. “It took our crew about an hour to move all the white vehicles up front and it didn’t take long for the other dealerships to follow our lead.”

Trio inducted into Manitoba Motorsports Hall of Fame

Since 2006, three new members are inducted into the Manitoba Motorsports Hall of Fame each year when Piston Ring’s World of Wheels car show hits town. Inductees are recognized for their outstanding devotion and contributions to motorsports in Manitoba and come from the ranks of drag racing, oval track racing, motorcycling, fabrication, customizing, the automotive industry and the street rod and hot rod communities.

Special recognition should be given to Don Daley; his dedication to Manitoba’s rich motorsports history is a big reason why the Hall of Fame has been such a great success. Here are edited versions of the bios Daley penned for this year’s inductees.

willy@freepress.mb.ca

Dino CalvertCalvert’s interest in automobiles began as a young boy building model cars. After graduating university he decided a career in auto mechanics would be best for him. He attended Red River College and attained his provincial mechanic’s licence. His specialty was import cars and in the 1970s he worked at shops including Mathon Motors, Lone Star Motors and Marion Motors.

World of Wheels show spins into town

Piston Ring’s 44th annual World of Wheels rolls through town this weekend. New trends will emerge, friends will reunite and a huge variety of amazing vehicles will shine under the bright lights.

Throughout the province, local custom shops and home garages have been buzzing with activity, as vehicle owners prepare their prized rides for the big show.

On Tuesday, drag racer Torin Gruener, 17, a senior at River East Collegiate, got his first look at the new Rat Fink inspired graphics freshly applied by Nitro Graphics on his electric-powered junior dragster. Torin’s uncle, Glen Novakowski, is a longtime drag racer and has passed the bug onto Torin, who now holds the national record for junior dragsters. This past year, he piloted his electric-powered dragster, aptly named The Shocker, an eighth of a mile in 7.9 seconds at 85 m.p.h. The car runs a NetGain Warp 9 electric motor, and features a Tesla-designed Godzilla controller.

It makes 100 horsepower and100 pound-feet of torque.

Big fun at Winter Mega Run

Throughout the winter most Manitoba drivers do their best to avoid getting stuck in the snow, but last Saturday an army of off-road vehicle enthusiasts spent a sunny afternoon buried to the axles in the fluffy white stuff.

The massive gathering, dubbed Manitoba Winter Mega Run, took place near Seddons Corner, (just east of Beausejour), on a vast area of Crown land which has long been a favourite destination for local off-road aficionados.

According to Steve Rempel, the main organizer of the event, this year marked the ninth such gathering in the area — which officially became known as the Winter Mega Run in 2010.

“In 2012 I took over organizing and sponsoring the event,” says Rempel, who was quick to point out the help he receives from his friend Devan Dwyer from YetiFab OffRoad, the crew at Di-Tech Restorations and the event’s main sponsor, Extreme Coatings in Oak Bluff.

Updated Fit genuinely fun to drive

Typically I post a photo of the vehicle I’m testing on my personal Facebook account. It’s a good way to gauge its overall popularity and also allows past and present owners of the same vehicle to weigh in with their experiences. The comments usually balance out and valid points are raised, both good and bad.

However, if that tester is a small car, such as this week’s 2018 Honda Fit, all bets of civility are off.

It would appear my friends, in addition to being ‘hilarious’, aren’t particularly fond of small cars.

For the most part their comments on the Honda Fit focused on their amazement I actually fit in the Honda Fit. There were several other creative attempts at humour, including this comedy classic: “what are you going to wear on your other foot?”

New pickups steal the spotlight at North American International Auto Show

DETROIT— Despite predictions electric and autonomous vehicles would dominate this year’s North American International Auto Show, if the buzz around the show was any indication, it was a trio of trucks from Detroit’s Big Three auto manufacturers, General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler, that stole the show.

On Saturday night, Chevrolet hosted a raucous reveal party for its all-new 2019 Silverado 1500.

When the smoke cleared, it was apparent the new Silverado is visually quite different from the outgoing model, with rounded wheel wells, a taller front grille with functioning air curtains similar to those found on the Chevrolet Camaro and a generally more aggressive overall appearance. It also went on a diet — when comparing Crew Cab models equipped with a V-8 engine, the new truck, despite being slightly larger, is actually 450 pounds lighter than the 2018 model. That weight savings was achieved with a lighter steel frame and the use of aluminum on the doors, hood and tailgate.

Many of the notable changes aren’t simply for appearance. Chevrolet claims to have reinvented the cargo bed, and improvements include an available power tailgate, which can be operated by the key fob, from a switch inside the truck, or by hand; more than 20 tie-down anchors in the slightly wider cargo bed; and optional locking storage bins fitted over the rear wheel wells. The corner steps on the rear bumper have also been made slightly larger, to allow more clearance for work boots — or winter boots for us northern truckers.

Off to Detroit for the international auto show

Tomorrow morning I’ll be up bright and early for a flight to Detroit and what promises to be a whirlwind weekend, taking in all the sights and sounds at the North American International Auto Show.

Since 1965, the Detroit auto show has been held at Cobo Center, where it occupies nearly one million square feet of floor space. Unlike a car show, where classic and special-interest vehicles are on display, an auto show features the latest and greatest new vehicles. It will be my second time attending the big show — I previously checked it out in 2010, and thoroughly enjoyed seeing all the latest vehicles, trends and technology.

Eight years ago, electric vehicles were slowly gaining steam, while self-driving cars were a distant dream. Fast-forward to today and practically every automaker offers a plug-in electric vehicle, and most are dabbling with autonomous driving cars.

Light trucks now account for almost two-thirds of new vehicle sales, meaning pickups and SUVs will surely take up more of the show’s floor space than ever. All of Detroit’s big-three automakers will also have big reveals this year — Chevrolet will officially show us the all-new Silverado on Saturday. night, while next week Ram will reveal its new 1500-series pickup. Ford is also expected to finally reveal the new mid-sized Ranger pickup and its F-Series line of trucks, due to be refreshed for 2019.

Standing the test of time

The all-new 2019 Chevrolet Silverado — introduced at an event last month in Dallas, Texas — will be officially unveiled later this month at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

According to Chevrolet this debut occurs exactly 100 years after its first trucks were delivered to customers. Since 1918, more than 85 million Chevrolet trucks have been built.

Many of those trucks have stood the test of time and remain among the most coveted vintage trucks in the collector market.

I’ll be there in Detroit for the debut of the new Silverado, and as a lifelong Chevrolet truck fan I’m more than a little excited to be among the flock of auto journalists to see it up close for the first time.

Sparky Award recipient taps into his inner Clark Griswold

Sparky was the nickname Clark Griswold’s wife, Ellen, had for him in the classic film Christmas Vacation.

In the spirit of Christmas, our first annual Sparky Award, for the best Christmas display in Winnipeg, is being presented to a man who is clearly in touch with his inner Clark Griswold!

Joanne Gallant nominated her husband, Ken Gallant, for the first-ever Sparky Award — and we can’t imagine a more deserving winner.

This is the fifth year Ken has been entertaining friends and neighbours with his spectacular Christmas light display at the Gallant family’s South St. Vital home, located at 275 Aldgate Rd.

Second Opinion: how much does Nissan’s comparable 370Z cost?

Whoa! Hold on a second here. Don’t get me wrong, I had a riot tooling around in the Toyota 86, but is what Louka’s saying actually true? Does Nissan’s 370Z really cost about the same $30,000 as the Toyota 86?

Never mind the bucketful of additional horsepower (127) the Nissan packs under the hood, in my humble opinion the 370Z is also the hands down winner in the looks department.

It’s not as though the Toyota is unattractive, or overpriced — in fact it’s neither. But that Nissan looks killer from every angle and flat out hauls ass. Frankly, I’m a tad embarrassed at being unaware just how reasonably priced a 370Z is. In fairness it has been a few years since I drove one, but my best guess would have pegged the 370Z in the neighbourhood of more like $40,000. At $30K a 370Z is a real steal.

OK. Now back to the car in question. Like the 370Z, the Toyota 86 is indeed a sports car. I don’t necessarily agree, however, that a Chevrolet Camaro or a Dodge Challenger is a sports cars. Muscle cars for sure, sports cars, not so much. The new Mustang is inching closer to sports car status, and is definitely sporty, but I also think of it more as a muscle car. In fact, if you ask me, comparing those three American muscle cars with the Toyota 86 or the Nissan 370Z is akin to comparing horseshoes to hand grenades. I mean sure, they can all be thrown around, but the results when they land will be abundantly different. Don’t take my word for it; check out the bevy of brutal videos on YouTube highlighting Mustang owners fishtailing out of control and smashing into curbs and other vehicles at car shows. It’s actually quite entertaining.

Safeties made me a better gearhead

A friend of mine who is 30 years old was recently lamenting how easy it was for old guys like me to get a winter beater on the road when we were his age.

He wasn’t wrong.

Before Manitoba Public Insurance made vehicle safeties mandatory we could basically insure anything we wanted. Heck, back in about 1992 I vividly remember trading a guy a case of Labatt Blue for a rusty blue 1975 Chevrolet Nova.

That car was a total piece of crap. It was riddled with dents and had more holes in it than the Blue Bombers defence. But, the heat worked and it was cheap. Real cheap.

Mustang: a history of greatness

First generation: 1965-73The first production Mustang was unveiled April 17, 1964 at the World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows, New York. Although officially a 1965 model, Mustang fans refer to the early production versions as 1964 1/2 models due to the early launch.

The initial lineup included hardtop and convertible variants, with the sleek fastback version debuting in the summer of 1964, also as a 1965 model.

Thanks to the tremendous popularity of the Mustang a new class of vehicles dubbed “pony cars” was born. The competition soon followed with a new stable of sporty but affordable coupes with long hoods and short rear decks — including the Chevrolet Camaro, Pontiac Firebird, AMC Javelin, the revamped Plymouth Barracuda and the second generation Dodge Challenger.

The first Mustang model wasn’t initially branded as being particularly powerful, but when Carroll Shelby got his hands on a 1965 Mustang Fastback and tuned its 289 V-8 engine to 306 horsepower, enthusiasts and Ford took note.

Venerable Suzuki mount puts a smile on your face

Back in the early ’90s, I mentioned to my friend, Joey Pasternak, that I was looking for a cheap used dirt bike to ride around at our cabin, near Grand Beach.

Apparently there was an old Honda in his friend’s barn — and it was probably for sale. The journey led us to Pasternak’s hometown of Ethelbert, located about 370 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg and 60 km north of Dauphin.

We wound up in Ethelbert about mid-afternoon at an old farm with a huge old barn. Pasternak’s friend led us into the dark barn. Way in the back, surrounded by old tractors and a few beat-up pickup trucks, the guy pulled a dirty tarp off an old motorcycle — and angels started singing.

It wasn’t a Honda at all but, rather, a 1974 Suzuki TC185 Ranger.

Snowblower dos and don’ts

Gerry Fenske doesn’t have to look outside to check if it’s snowing — he simply waits for the phone to ring.

Fenske, who, along with his business partner Floyd Monkman, owns and operates Floyd’s Power Equipment on Fife Street, has been servicing snowblowers for the better part of two decades. One thing is certain at Floyd’s — business always picks up when the snow starts falling.

“If there’s a good dump of snow we will typically see as many as 15 snowblowers being dropped off in a single day,” says Fenske, who advised that bad fuel is the main culprit when a machine won’t start. “People leave the gas in them over the summer, the heat breaks down the gas and the carburetor becomes varnished up.”

To avoid this, Fenske advises customers to run their units bone dry of fuel in the spring — and begin every winter with a fresh tank.

Compass Trailhawk 4x4 lives up to its Jeep roots

The compact utility vehicle class is indeed crowded, but what makes the new 2017 Jeep Compass — equipped with the Trailhawk package — really stand above the competition is one key element: it can actually be driven off-road.

I know this because mere moments into my weeklong test drive I clicked the Jeep’s Selec-Terrain system to mud mode and headed out to our 10-acre backyard for some prewinter planning. This past summer, before the rain started falling, my nephew, Josh Passey, moved an old shed deep into our backyard that will serve as a warm-up shack for our snowmobile trail and I wanted to make sure the raccoons hadn’t taken over. Now that the ground is wet and mucky only our Kawasaki Mule, a small but mighty UTV with knobby tires, could make the trip down the swampy trail without getting stuck in the muck.

The Jeep Compass Trailhawk made it there without breaking a sweat. And if there were any raccoons, me laughing out loud like a maniac as I throttled through the muck surely scared them away.

The rugged Trailhawk package is also offered in the Jeep Renegade, Cherokee and Grand Cherokee models, and puts Jeep back where it belongs — playing around in remote spots where most vehicles would surely struggle.

Hybrid minivan feeling futuristic

Throughout my week behind the wheel of the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, North America's first hybrid minivan, I felt more than a little like Michael J. Fox’s character Marty McFly from the hit 1985 film Back to the Future.

It wasn’t because of the spaceship-sounding whir that emitted from the Pacifica’s electric motor, nor the trivial fact the fictional McFly and I are both now 49-years-old.

My flashback fever all stemmed from minivan memories conjured up from way back in the year 2002, when my wife, Melanie, and I bought a 1997 Plymouth Voyager Sport from our friend and neighbour Louis Fontaine.

It was in near-mint condition, with only about 50,000 kilometres on the clock. It was loaded with bells and whistles including aluminum wheels, air-conditioning, power windows and locks, cruise control, a factory CD player and even a power driver’s seat.

Ford Super Duty F-350 Lariat nothing short of luxury

Back in the day, pickup trucks were designed to haul cargo in the bed and tow a trailer. Creature comforts such as air conditioning and power windows weren’t common — and were often deemed unnecessary to truck purists.

My how things have changed.

Nowadays, there are pickups on the market with enough bells and whistles to rival many luxury vehicles.

Trucks initially conceived for utilitarian needs now convey a distinct image of prestige.

Champion crowned in Slingshot Racing Cup

A winner has been crowned in the Slingshot Racing Cup, the world’s first-ever racing championship to feature three-wheeled Polaris Slingshot roadsters.

David Richert, a Manitoba-born professional race car driver, who last year completed a race through the streets of Monte Carlo at the world-famous Formula One Monaco Grand Prix weekend, was crowned the Slingshot Racing Cup overall champion last week after dominating throughout the summer and winning rounds nine and 10 of the unique racing series at Gimli Motorsport Park.

Richert, who helped launched the Slingshot Racing Cup with S.A.R. Sport and Recreation, a Polaris and Husqvarna dealership in Steinbach, enjoyed the win, but was even more happy with the tight results and racing created by the championship.

“I’m unbelievably excited with the extremely close racing produced by the Slingshot and a field of very talented drivers throughout this year,” Richert said in a press release. “It’s been a privilege to work with, and compete against, all of our participants this season.”

South Beach Casino motorcycle show a guaranteed winner

More than 1,000 local motorcycle enthusiasts made the short, but scenic, trip to South Beach Casino and Resort last Sunday for the casino’s annual Motorcycle Show & Shine. Hosted by the Winnipeg Harley Riders Association and the Antique Motorcycle Club of Manitoba, this event has quickly grown to become Manitoba’s largest motorcycle show.

More than $2,000 in cash prizes were awarded to class winners for American, Harley-Davidson, British, European, Japanese, custom, vintage and special interest motorcycles. Cash was also given away for the Chief’s Choice and People’s Choice awards.

The show was free to enter and participants received a T-shirt, barbecue lunch and a chance at a number of door prizes in appreciation for showing off their motorcycles.

Highlights included a bike burnout display, live entertainment from the band Camper Special and more than enough sunshine to make us all forget fall is just around the corner!

Ride for Mom organizers present cheque to Cancer Care

Automobile and motorcycle enthusiasts have been raising money for charity here in Manitoba for decades. In recent years, members of the local ATV community have followed that trail of benevolence.

On Monday, members of the Eastman ATV Association gathered in the spiffy new showroom of Adventure Power Products in Île-des-chênes to present a cheque in the amount of $12,838 to the Cancer Care Manitoba Foundation.

The money was raised June 3 at the second annual Ride for Mom, which took place in the Sandilands area on a 90-kilometre marked trail, the first of its kind in Manitoba located on crown land.

According to Deborah Nicol, president of the Eastman ATV Association, the trail was established by the association over a six-year period and officially opened last June — just in time for the inaugural Ride for Mom. For Nicol, a cancer survivor, planning and participating in the event was not only terrific fun, but also served as a form of four-wheeled therapy.

Snap-on Tools of Triumph Tour will make pit stop in Winnipeg

The Snap-on Tools of Triumph Tour will be rolling into Winnipeg on Tuesday, with a trio of fully equipped transport trailers loaded with tools and a pair of mobile Snap-on garages. The event, taking place in the parking lot of the Grant Park Pony Corral Restaurant, is free and open to the public.

Highlights will include the opportunity to race others in the Snap-on Speedway racing simulator and the chance to test your pit-crew skills against others in the Tools of Triumph Challenge — a timed competition that tests skills on a simulated pit road in which times are stacked up against competitors from across the country.

For nearly 100 years, long before the term “automotive technician” was coined, Snap-on has been the name professional mechanics trust for tools. Founded in Milwaukee, Wis., in 1920, the business began by manufacturing and marketing a set of 10 sockets that would “snap on” to five interchangeable handles. Today the company employs nearly 12,000 people worldwide, is worth about US$9.5 billion and produces hand, air and electric tools designed for professional use in all facets of the transportation industry.

While the growth of Snap-on surely can be attributed to the superior quality of its tools, the way it sells those tools has also played a key role in the company’s success. Following the Second World War, Snap-on developed a business model which allowed salesmen to become independent dealers. Walk-in vans loaded with tools were utilized to market and deliver a growing product line directly to the customer.

Kids’ driver safety program rolling into Winnipeg

There’s still time to sign your kids or grandchildren up for kartSTART presented by Toyota, a unique driving education program designed to give youngsters a real-world understanding of the physics behind driving a motorized vehicle.

The program will be making its first stop in Winnipeg from July 19 to 21 in the parking lot of the MTS Iceplex at 3969 Portage Ave.

The kartSTART program is led by Russ Bond, a veteran automobile racer, journalist and host of the popular Two-Minute Test Drive segments on TSN’s Motoring TV.

The half-day course gives youngsters — 10 years and older — driving experience in go-karts.

Sadie Grimm Ride honours Winnipeg woman who made motorcycling history

Each weekend throughout the summer, countless motorcycle enthusiasts make the serene ride north to Winnipeg Beach.

In the summer of 1914, however, the ride was anything but serene.

Although by then the Canadian Pacific Railway was running as many as 10 trains and 40,000 vacationers to the popular getaway every weekend, the road to the beach was little more than a crude trail, barely fit for a team of horses, let alone the rough-riding cars, trucks and motorcycles of the day.

The lack of a proper road did not, however, prevent 19-year-old Sadie Grimm from becoming the first rider to make the gruelling, nearly 100-kilometre trip aboard her Indian motorcycle.

Ride for Dad co-chair wraps up police career

If you see Motorcycle Ride for Dad co-chair Kirk Van Alstyne riding off into the sunset on Saturday evening, there’s no need to send out a search party.

Following a 30-year career with the Winnipeg Police Service (WPS), Van Alstyne, 54, officially retires Saturday at the rank of sergeant.

Most recently he was manager of the WPS flight operations unit, overseeing the Air-1 helicopter.

Van Alstyne is quick to thank his WPS colleagues for making his career both interesting and rewarding.

KartSTART gets kids on the right track

Boys and girls, start your engines! KartSTART presented by Toyota, a unique driving education program designed to give youngsters a real-world understanding of the physics behind driving a motorized vehicle, will be making its first stop in Winnipeg from July 19 to 21 in the parking lot of the MTS Iceplex at 3969 Portage Ave.

The kartSTART program is led by Russ Bond, a veteran automobile racer, journalist and host of the popular Two-Minute Test Drive segments on TSN’s Motoring TV.

“We are thrilled to be coming to Winnipeg,” Bond says. “It has been on our radar for a while now and with the ability now to set up mobile tracks, Winnipeg was our first choice to add as a new city.”

The half-day course gives youngsters — 10 years and older — driving experience in go-karts. Participants get behind the wheel of a professional racing kart under the guidance of qualified instructors. The program, including all the karts and gear, is moved across the country in a semi truck and trailer. Participants are supplied with a Snell-approved helmet and a racing suit, and there is also a catered lunch. Parental supervision is required throughout the program and it runs rain or shine.

Motorsports hall of fame welcomes three new members

Since 2006, three new members are inducted into the Manitoba Motorsports Hall of Fame every year when Piston Ring’s World of Wheels car show hits town.

Inductees are recognized for their outstanding devotion and contributions to motorsports in Manitoba and come from the ranks of drag racing, oval track racing, motorcycling, fabrication, customizing, the automotive industry and the street rod and hot rod communities.

Special recognition should be given to Don Daley; his dedication to Manitoba’s rich motorsports history is a big reason why the Hall of Fame has been such a tremendous success.

Here are this year’s inductees:

Ringleader behind violent Headingley jail uprising chooses peaceful path

Prior to last month, the last time I had seen Drew Janz was in 1997. We were both locked up in the Winnipeg Remand Centre. Janz was an inmate; I was a guard.

Back then, Janz was a wiry 25-year-old with long hair pulled back in a ponytail. I was a beefy 29-year-old with a buzz cut and polished boots.

Yet, somehow, we established an unlikely friendship.

Unlikely because Janz was labeled with a name reserved for key players in the brutal riot that occurred at Headingley Correctional Institution the year prior.

Experience heaven on wheels

If you’re a fan of all things automotive, the RBC Winnipeg Convention Centre is the place to be this weekend for Piston Ring’s 43rd annual World of Wheels car show.

According to Shelley Ostrove — a longtime local publicist for a wide variety of Winnipeg shows including the World of Wheels — show attendees can expect a terrific lineup with more than 225 vehicles on display.

“Thanks to the wonderful renovation and expansion of our convention centre, the Winnipeg show is bigger and better than ever,” Ostrove said.

“This really is a family show and we do our very best to appeal to everyone.”

Ship ahoy! Boat show ahead

With more than 110,000 lakes covering about 15 per cent of Manitoba — or 101,593 square kilometres of the province’s surface area — it’s easy to see why Manitobans are so crazy about boats.

This weekend that passion will crest when thousands of boating aficionados converge on the RBC Convention Centre for the annual Mid-Canada Boat Show.

According to Dave Amey, show manager of the Mid-Canada Boat Show for the past four years, more than 250 boats ranging from small kayaks that sell for less than $1,000 to massive cabin cruisers that ring the register at more than $150,000 will be on display from a variety of dealers located throughout Manitoba and northern Ontario.

Although wakeboarding and water-skiing continue to grow in popularity, locally, our primary passion for boating revolves around fishing.

Get ideas for your new year’s reno-lutions

Home, sweet home — it’s time for a makeover.

Manitobans refuse to limit “New You” resolutions to the usual aims of getting fit and eating better. The big crowds expected at the Winnipeg Renovation Show, which begins today at noon and runs through to Sunday, will prove that homeowners are ready to take thoughts of home repairs off the back burner as well.

Mike Moore, president of the Manitoba Home Builders’ Association, says Manitoba is the renovation capital of Canada.

“Fifty-eight per cent of Winnipeggers have indicated they have a renovation project planned in the coming year, the highest figure in the nation,” he says. “Manitoba is also the only province in Canada where every year for the past dozen years we have spent more money on renovations than new home construction.”

How to get your Winterpeg ready

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Behind the Wheel with Willy: Lincoln MKX

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Behind the Wheel with Willy: Lincoln MKZ

Mazda finally joins the luxury crowd

Honda has Acura, Nissan has Infiniti and Toyota has Lexus. These spinoff brands have elevated Japanese automobiles to equal, and in many cases higher, status than even the finest offerings from the likes of Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Cadillac.

Posh interiors, smooth powertrains and curb appeal out the wazoo are hallmarks of these luxury Japanese cruisers.

Mazda, meanwhile, continues to chug along as the only Japanese automaker without a luxury brand.

If you ask me, all that changed with the release of the 2016 Mazda CX-9. Our tester, decked out in Signature trim, quickly had me checking off all the boxes required to achieve luxury status. Even if it lacked a panoramic roof and heated rear seats.

Canadian Car of the Year competition getting ready to fire on all cylinders

It’s that time of year again, folks: time for the Canadian Car of the Year (CCOTY) awards program.

Held in Bowmanville, Ont., at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, the five-day event, known in the automotive industry as TestFest, has been running full-throttle since Monday and brings Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) members from across the country together to evaluate and grade 2017 models that are either all new or significantly redesigned for the model year.

Free Press Autos writers and TestFest veterans Kelly Taylor and Haney Louka arrived in Ontario on Monday and have been testing vehicles all week.

While testing new vehicles may sound like a car lover’s dream come true, the reality is there’s a boatload of work that goes into these thorough evaluations.

Tundra TRD Pro worth every penny

On the surface, adding $15,000 in options to a $42,000 truck may seem ludicrous. But to a small percentage of truck guys that’s just a drop in the bucket.

Those big trucks you see cruising around with suspension lifts, beefy tires, pumping sound systems and a throaty exhaust note aren’t cheap.

That suspension lift, along with a good set of shocks can easily cost in the neighbourhood of $5,000. Throw in another $3,000 for decent alloy rims wrapped in rubber, add another $2,000 to upgrade the stereo. Expect to spend another $2,000 to get that exhaust sounding just right and properly tuned to the engine. Long story short — it’s easy to drop $10,000 or more into a brand new truck, and a small but growing number of truck lovers do exactly that.

What Toyota has done with the Tundra TRD Pro isn’t exactly a new concept. Ford makes the venerable Raptor, a beefed up and uber-expensive version of its F-150. Ram offers the Power Wagon package on its 2500 series pickup, with standard equipment that includes a Warn winch mounted behind the brawny front bumper. The Ram Rebel is also a raunchy blacked-out beast with a rumbling exhaust.

Motorcycle Ride for Dad rolls tomorrow

This year marks the eighth for the Motorcycle Ride for Dad in Manitoba, with more than $1 million raised for prostate cancer research and awareness in the province. The event gets bigger each year as more and more Manitobans join the fight. Nationally, more than 300,000 men, women and children have raised more than $18 million to help fight prostate cancer since 2000.

The Motorcycle Ride for Dad is led by a national advisory board, the Canadian Police Association, and volunteer executive committees in each of the event cities. The Manitoba Ride for Dad committee includes members of the Winnipeg Police Association and the business community. Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries is the regional presenting sponsor; Telus is the national sponsor.

Funds are raised by riders collecting pledges. Non-riders assist the cause by making donations to the event, or by supporting individual riders. Sponsors underwrite the cost of organizing the events.

Motorcycle Ride for Dad ready to roll next Saturday

Unless you’ve been hiding in the garage for the better part of the past decade, you’ve surely heard of the Ride for Dad — an annual fundraiser in which motorcyclists raise money through pledges for prostate cancer research and education.

For the past few months, local folks from all walks of life have been gathering pledges for the cause. Next Saturday, more than 1,000 participants riding every make and model of motorcycle imaginable will join a police-escorted parade down Portage Avenue and then enjoy a scenic poker run to Gimli before making the return trip to Winnipeg.

The local leg of the ride has been more popular than anyone could have imagined, and much of that success is because of Winnipeg Police Association president Moe Sabourin and his longtime friend and Winnipeg Police Service veteran Kirk Van Alstyne.

While it takes a small army of volunteers to organize an event of this magnitude, anyone close to the Manitoba Ride for Dad is acutely aware of how much time, effort and love both Sabourin and Van Alstyne have dedicated to it. Throughout the year, this dynamic duo can be spotted at local motorcycle-related events promoting the Ride for Dad, selling raffle tickets, and just generally being standup guys in the local motorcycle community. We should also collectively tip our helmets to local public relations guru and CFL and Winnipeg Blue Bombers Hall of Fame member Trevor Kennerd, who has also done a terrific job promoting the Ride for Dad.

Car scene in full swing this weekend

The grass is green, the streets are clean and this weekend thousands of Manitoba motorheads will finally hit the road with their classic or special interest cars, trucks and motorcycles. Here’s a trio of events guaranteed to kick-start another great cruising season.

On Saturday, the crew at Harley-Davidson Winnipeg, 1377 Niakwa Rd. East, will host their annual swap meet. The parking lot will be filled with a huge assortment of motorcycle parts for sale or trade from both the dealership’s vast stock and local bikers looking to sell off spare parts.

The event is free for shoppers — if you want to set up a table to sell items the fee is $10, if the HD Winnipeg crew set up a table for you it’s $15 (please call ahead to pre-book a table). The swap meet runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information or to reserve a table call 204-254-3974.

On Sunday, the Manitoba Classic and Antique Auto Club hosts its 19th annual Red River Valley Swap Meet. This fun-filled event runs rain or shine from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Red River Exhibition Park. Admission for adults is $5, kids 12 and under are free. If you want to rent space to sell off a few treasures (junk is a four letter word), the fee for vendors is $15. You will need to bring your own table, but thanks to the large area, people can also simply pull up in vehicles and sell goods from the trunk of a car or the bed of a pickup. Vendor set up begins at 6:30 a.m.

Local motoring legends recognized

Since 2006, Piston Ring’s annual World of Wheels car show has been the venue for the induction of three new members to the Manitoba Motorsports Hall of Fame. Manitoba has a rich motorsports history filled with amazing men and women who have left an unforgettable impact on the local scene. Inductees are recognized for their outstanding devotion and contributions to motorsports in Manitoba and come from the ranks of drag racing, oval track racing, motorcycling, fabrication, customizing, the automotive industry and the street rod and hot rod communities.

This year’s inductees include a longtime hobbyist with a charitable heart, a master fabricator and an award winning drag racer and show car painter.

Special recognition should be given to Don Daley; his dedication to the history of Manitoba’s rich motorsports history is a big reason why the Hall of Fame has been such a tremendous success.

willy@freepress.mb.ca

Show time

Piston Ring’s 42nd annual World of Wheels car show is just a week away.

This year the show will celebrate the grand opening of the newly renovated RBC Convention Centre and will feature more than 100,000 square feet of the finest vehicles in the land.

To get the weekend rolling Danny “The Count” Koker from the hit TV series Counting Cars will be appearing with his band Count’s 77 at 7 p.m. Friday night for a special kick-off concert.

In addition to more local vehicles on display than ever before, highlights of this year’s show will include special displays dedicated to antiques, customs, muscle cars, rods, bikes, trucks, and race vehicles.

Going global

With the expectation the cost of produce at the grocery store will continue to climb this year, it’s realistic to expect consumers will pay more for their plant purchases at local garden centres this spring.

The low Canadian dollar is affecting everything from the cost of plastic plant containers that are imported from the U.S. to liner material or rooted cuttings that are grown onto a larger size by Canadian growers a year or two before introduction to the Canadian market. It’s also expected, as evidenced by a local housing market that continues to keep its head above water, combined with our growing population, consumers’ demand for plant material will be as strong as ever.

With the need to stretch our dollar, plants that are multipurpose will be high on homeowners’ shopping lists. Is it attractive? Does it smell good? Can I eat it? Will it attract pollinators?

Why are all these things important? Because it’s 2016. I don’t say this in the Liberal sense of the word. The fact is, plants that have practical as well as aesthetic value help to justify many of our seasonal purchases. We’re not just decorating our landscapes, we are feeding our families. There is a need also to provide food for butterflies and bees that are essential to food production and have a vested interest in what we grow for their own survival.

Return of the hot-rod Lincoln

BACK in 2007, when the first Lincoln MKX hit the streets, I seriously considered packing up all my worldly belongings and heading to Detroit: My goal was simple, to prove to then Ford global vice-president of design J Mays that even a ham-fisted buffoon like me could surely do a better job designing vehicles for Lincoln than the team of seemingly blind squirrels he’d tasked with the job.

Of course, I never did this, but that still didn’t stop me from shaking my head in amazement every time a Lincoln MKX was spotted on the mean streets of Winnipeg, which, due in large part to its lacklustre sales, rarely occurred.

Yep, to say I didn’t like the original MKX is an understatement.

A rebadged variant of the popular Ford Edge, in my eyes the first MKX had it all wrong from the beginning. From the curb it looked like designers had pulled the chrome racks out of the fridge after they’d drank all the beer and slapped those same racks on the front of an otherwise attractive Edge.

New HR-V welcome addition to the Honda family

When the first-generation Honda CR-V hit the North American market in 1997 it was a game-changer. Just the right size, great on fuel, moderately comfortable and affordable for the masses -- the CR-V carried on where the Honda Civic station wagon left off. Young outdoor enthusiasts appreciated its utility, parents and grandparents admired its people- and grocery-moving capabilities, and judging by the number of older CR-V models still on the road today, everyone loved its dependability.

Sure, the CR-V is still popular, but if you ask me, it has lost its way in recent years. It got bigger, posher, more expensive, less utilitarian and somewhat lost in the crowd. You can't really blame Honda for making the CR-V larger and more refined over the years. The customers who bought those first models have grown up too; it was only natural the CR-V evolved with them.

So, what about a vehicle for folks wanting the capability, simplicity and just-right proportions found in those early CR-V models?

Enter the Honda HR-V. Based on the Honda Fit platform, the new for 2016 HR-V is the latest offering in a growing list of subcompact crossovers. Poised to compete against the likes of the Jeep Renegade, Chevrolet Trax, Nissan Juke and Mazda CX-3, the HR-V finds itself smack-dab in the middle of a lightweight tilt.

GMC Canyon getting luxurious Denali upgrade

GMC's upscale Denali package is coming to the Canyon mid-size truck. The 2017 Canyon Denali made its public debut Tuesday at the Los Angeles Auto Show. "Canyon is the segment's first and only premium mid-size truck, offering unparalleled capability and efficiency matched with maneuverability and refinement," said Mike Speranzini, brand director, GMC in Canada. "The all-new Canyon Denali builds on that award-winning combination with the distinctive styling, luxurious interior and elevated content that has defined the Denali nameplate since its introduction nearly 17 years ago."

Like other Denali models, the new Canyon Denali offers a flashy chrome grille. Shiny wheels are also a Denali trademark -- in this case the Canyon will roll on 20-inch ultra-bright-machined aluminum wheels with painted accents. Other exterior bling includes chrome fog-lamp bezels, five-inch-diameter rectangular chrome assist steps and a polished exhaust tip.

The Canyon Denali will be offered in six exterior colours. All interiors will be jet black with leather-trimmed seats -- heated and ventilated up front. A unique instrument panel, console trim, Denali-logo sill plates and floor mats are also standard gear.

Standard technology includes forward-collision alert and lane-departure warning. Additional standard goodies include a heated steering wheel, GMC IntelliLink with navigation, an eight-inch-diagonal colour touchscreen and phone integration, as well as connectivity with a Wi-Fi hot spot.

Gearhead concession: new Explorer not a truck, I’m OK with that

Since I never watched Breaking Bad, failed science and the closest I've ever come to meth is the sweet smell of nitromethane spewing from the exhaust pipe of a vintage dragster, as usual I don't have a hot clue what Kelly Taylor is talking about.

That said, I purely understand his desire to learn more about a TV show that clearly impacted his life. So enamoured am I with James Garner's inimitable portrayal of Hollywood private detective Jim Rockford, on a recent trip to California I scoured the streets of Los Angeles and roared up and down the Pacific Coast Highway in search of any traces of the Rockford Files. To put my infatuation in perspective, our dog's name is Rockford.

While Kelly clearly has an eye for more contemporary trappings, I'm still peering in the rear-view-mirror wondering where the time went. And wondering where the true SUV went.

As much as I wanted to totally adore the refreshed 2016 Ford Explorer, I still haven't entirely forgiven Ford for turning its back on the time-tested body-on-frame platform that made the original Explorer a stellar combination of utility and practicality when it made its 1990 debut. It was back in 2011 when Ford caved to convention and morphed the Explorer into uni-body construction -- making it essentially a tall car. It boggled my mind, yet reignited lacklustre Explorer sales. It seems I'm in the minority who want my SUV to ride like a truck.

You BET!

My first trip to the Twin Cities of Minneapolis-St. Paul lives on vividly in my memory. It was 1976 and my father Dave loaded my big brother, Allen, and I into his 1939 Ford street rod. Away we went on the first of what has since become countless Minnesota adventures.

That inaugural road trip included my very first stay at the luxurious (to my eight-year-old eyes) Holiday Inn. Not only did kids eat free, but there was also a swimming pool right outside of our room and a maid magically made up our room each day while we were checking out the big car show at the Minnesota State Fair Grounds.

Since that first trip I've had the good fortune to travel across America from sea to shining sea, but the Twin Cities has always been my favourite U.S. travel destination. I've returned there annually for the better part of the last 40 years.

One of the biggest reasons why I return is because of the absolutely amazing friends I've made there. Manitobans and Minnesotans may talk a bit differently -- we say EH and they say YOU BET, but we share many of the same interests, including a love of the great outdoors, strong agricultural roots and above all a genuine hospitable nature that greets visitors with open arms.

2016 Chevrolet Silverado more muscular

Chevrolet pickup sales in Canada are up 28 per cent so far this year. Chevy hopes to strengthen this momentum with significant updates for the 2016 Silverado 1500 full-size pickup.

Joe De Stefano, brand manager of Chevrolet Trucks in Canada, said the redesigned 2016 Silverado will feature a more muscular appearance and offer new customer-focused technologies.

"Silverado's new front-end designs with bold horizontal elements, sculpted hoods and dramatic lighting reflect the strength and refinement that have helped make Chevrolet the fastest-growing pickup brand this year." De Stefano wrote in a news release.

Other changes for 2016 will include expanded use of eight-speed automatic transmissions, an updated Chevy MyLink system with support for Android and Apple products and additional safety technologies.

Wheels of life

More than 1,600 local motorcycle enthusiasts will band together tomorrow for the seventh annual Manitoba Motorcycle Ride for Dad (MFRD) in support of prostate cancer research and education. To date, the local leg of this national event has raised more than $860,000, with all proceeds staying right here in Manitoba.

The ride raises funds and awareness for the fight against prostate cancer. The first ride took place in Ottawa in 2000 and has since grown to become the biggest motorcycle fundraising event of its kind, with rides in nearly 40 Canadian cities. Nationally, an estimated 265,000 men, women and children have raised more than $13 million to fight prostate cancer.

According to a recent press release, each ride, including our local leg, is led by a national advisory board, the Canadian Police Association, and volunteer executive committees in each of the event cities. Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries is the regional presenting sponsor and Telus is the national sponsor.

Swap meet set for Sunday willy williamson / winnipeg free press files

THE Manitoba Classic and Antique Auto Club and the Red River Exhibition Association on Sunday present the 18th annual Red River Valley Swap Meet. You can expect to find a huge assortment of automobile and motorcycle parts, collectibles, memorabilia, vintage toys and literature at this massive outdoor sale.

The event takes place at Red River Exhibition Park, rain or shine, on Sunday May 10 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event includes a swap meet, a corral of vintage vehicles for sale, and show-and-shine car show.

Vendor spaces for the swap meet and vintage vehicles for sale spaces are $10 each for the day. Vendor registration will start at 6:30 a.m.

General gate admissions are $5 for the day, children 12 and under are free when accompanied by an adult.

Still sexy at 60

Whether you love them or hate them, there's no denying a Chevrolet Corvette of any vintage is among the most famous cars on Earth.

Case in point is the tremendous amount of attention the newly designed 2014 C7 Corvette Stingray received when it was unveiled a couple of weeks back at the Detroit auto show.

You couldn't walk five feet in Detroit without overhearing someone talking about the new Vette. Opinions ranged from it being the coolest car EVER to complaints that the back end got hit with an ugly stick.

A day rarely goes by in my life when I don't have a Corvette-related conversation. Typically, I'm dreaming out loud about the one I want and how fast it will go. That said, in light of all the recent Corvette fever, it occurred to me there may be a few folks out there who haven't a clue what we Vette-heads are talking about when we start comparing the likes of the Corvette C4 with the C5, or lament how tough it is to find a really clean C3.

DETROIT AUTO SHOW: Motor City rolls out the latest in classy chassis

This was my first-ever trip to the North American International Auto Show, known throughout the auto industry as the Detroit Auto Show.

This annual extravaganza promised the opportunity to lay eyes on the latest and greatest offerings from automakers around the world. An "auto" show is all about the here and now, and also offers a glimpse into the future of motordom. New or updated models that will hit showroom floors in the near future are officially unveiled amid bright lights and throbbing music, and the wraps are taken off concept vehicles that may or may not ever become reality.

The latest technology is bantered about like the weather, and automotive public-relations reps do their very best to sing the praises of their products and how they're poised to alter the automotive landscape. Statuesque ladies who look 10 feet tall and are wrapped in skin-tight dresses flank the vehicles like mannequins, and automotive journalists from around the globe gobble up food, wine and information while weighing in on the good, the bad and the downright ugly.

Cruising through massive Cobo Hall in downtown Detroit, it's easy to get distracted by all the bright lights, loud music, statuesque ladies and the frantic frenzy that seems to surround the unveiling of even the most mundane new vehicles.

Running down the runners

Elwood Blues may have been onto something when he picked up his brother, Jake, from prison in a battered old Mopar police cruiser

"It's got a cop motor, a 440-cubic-inch plant, it's got cop tires, cop suspension, cop shocks. It's a model made before catalytic converters, so it'll run good on regular gas. What do you say? Is it the new Bluesmobile or what?"

Turns out the lighter didn't work and crazy Jake tossed it out the window, but hey, they jumped a drawbridge in that 1974 Dodge Monaco sedan. Ultimately, the Blues Brothers wheeled that beast through arguably the greatest car chase in movie history. That former Mount Pleasant squad car was as tough as nails.

It had to be.

An opportunity to swap till you drop

ON Sunday the Manitoba Classic and Antique Auto Club (MCAAC) will be hosting its 15th annual Red River Valley Swap Meet at the Red River Exhibition Park.

If you love to buy, sell or swap old stuff this is the one event of the year you don't want to miss. In addition to a pile of used car, truck and motorcycle parts, there's always a huge selection of automotive-related memorabilia and a massive selection of antiques for sale.

You can even buy a complete car -- back in 2009 I bought my '49 Pontiac there. The majority of the cool old signs and licence plates that are plastered on the walls of my shop were found there, too. One year I even bought an ancient pair of snowshoes that are now hanging in my friend's log home.

To some it's junk. To many collectors, including yours truly, that's a bad word. I could wander around Walmart all day and never open my wallet, but two minutes into the big swap meet and it's a sure bet you'll find me haggling over the price of a rusty old Texaco Oil can.

Riding for Neil

Last Saturday, a group of more than 300 motorcycle enthusiasts gathered for a special purpose.

They met at the Winnipeg Evangelical Free Church to participate in a Ride for Neil, a fundraiser in support of Neil Klippenstein, a local motorcyclist who was rear-ended by a car on Aug. 31 while he was stopped at a traffic light on his Honda Goldwing.

Klippenstein is now a quadriplegic, and the ride was organized to help his family deal both spiritually and financially with this tragic situation.

My buddy, 'Evel' Dave Radey, and I are proud members of the local motorcycle community and we made our way to the church to support for our fellow rider. Neither of us thought we knew Klippenstein, but that didn't matter -- we cherish the common bond that motorcycle riders share.

Flying high again

Off-road motorcycle racing has come a long way since its humble beginnings more than 100 years ago when riders competed in cross-country (scramble) races in the United Kingdom on machines that were essentially gasoline-powered bicycles.

Nowadays, the sport of motocross is immensely popular around the world -- many youngsters hold professional motocross racers like James Stewart, Chad Reed and Ryan Villopoto in the same light as rock stars.

The popularity of this exciting and gruelling sport has also continued to flourish right here in Manitoba. Practically every weekend throughout the province, hundreds of local motocross racers pack up their bikes and gear and head to one of the many local tracks for their shot at glory in the dirt.

There are tracks in Gimli, Morden, Altona, Grunthal, Beausejour and Pilot Mound. Recently, we checked out the racing action at the newly formed Outback Raceway near Beausejour. The track was designed and is maintained by Kolten Stengel and is located on his family's property. The Saturday races we attended featured nearly 200 racers in a number of classes ranging from tiny kids who needed a boost to climb aboard their bikes to high-flying professional racers and even veteran classes that featured riders over the age of 40.

The joys of summer

Despite a wave of controversy regarding vehicle inspections that threatened to dampen our spirits, it looks like 2011 might just turn out to be the best summer of cruising in recent memory.

Crowds at the many car shows throughout the province have been bigger than ever, and Sunday night cruise events at both the Tavern United in Transcona and the Grant Park Pony Corral restaurant have continued to draw an amazing variety of classic and special-interest vehicles. Wednesday night cruises to A&W restaurants that are organized by the Fabulous 50's Ford Club of Manitoba have also been well-attended.

While it would be easy to credit all of this success to the weatherman, the reality is, generous local businesses and car clubs made up of countless volunteers have continued to offer unwavering support to our hobby. There was controversy, to be sure, but rather than complain, those with a true passion for the car community have stepped up and provided us with awesome venues to showcase our hobby.

They have proved yet again that Manitoba is the cruising capital of Canada.

Dancing in the dirt

Although I've always been a fan of the new Ford Fiesta, the mere thought of ripping through a rally course in one of these compact cuties conjured up images of a kiddie ride in Disneyland.

It's not that there's anything wrong with the Fiesta -- they are packed with technology, offer tremendous fuel economy and are easy on both the eyes and the wallet.

That said, a Fiesta wasn't among my first choice for a rally car. A Subaru Impreza WRX, or maybe a Mitsubishi EVO, or even a decked-out Ford Focus tops my list -- but a Ford Fiesta?

All that changed recently when Ford Canada invited me to participate in a full day of rally-driver training at Tim O'Neal's Rally School & Car Control Centre near Dalton, N.H.

Our motors are running

As far as I'm concerned, the only thing funnier than my friends and I having our own TV series is the fact we got signed up for a second season.

Season 2, officially called Willy's Garage Goes ... is ready for prime time, or actually it's ready anytime you are. Beginning this Monday, it will be available to MTS TV subscribers free of charge 24 hours a day, seven days a week, via the cable provider's innovative Winnipeg on Demand feature.

If you don't want to wait until Monday to see all the action, you can join us tonight at the new Free Press News Café at 237 McDermot Ave. We'll be closing off Arthur Street between Bannatyne and McDermot from 4 p.m. to midnight for a custom car, truck and motorcycle show and showing episodes of the new series on a massive outdoor screen that will be our best imitation of a drive-in movie theatre.

To get you up to speed on how all this came about, back in 2009 MTS TV executive producer Cam Bennett made me the proverbial offer I couldn't refuse. That offer resulted in six episodes of a big-budget (OK, maybe it was a medium budget) TV series that chronicled interesting, amazing and even oddball vehicles that my friend found me to test-drive.

Scope some radical street rods

The Manitoba Street Rod Association's 12th annual Rondex Rodarama Car Show is ready to rumble this weekend at the East End Arena in Transcona. Both ice surfaces will be packed with Manitoba's finest antique, custom and special-interest vehicles.

Regarded by many as Winnipeg's favourite traditional car show, Rodarama will offer fans a huge variety of more than 100 locally owned special-interest vehicles, including street rods, muscle cars, customs, classics and trucks. The majority of the vehicles on display were built in Manitoba by owners in their backyard garages and represent countless hours of hard work and dedication.

Feature cars will include Bill Dixon's 1957 Chevrolet, the MSRA's 2010 Custom Cruiser of the Year. Dixon purchased the car from his pal Doug Hart in 2006 and spent two solid years transforming it into a pavement-pounding cruiser of epic proportions. Highlights include a beefed up Chevrolet 350 engine that makes more than 400 horsepower, a custom interior crafted by Jack Krause and a flawless red paint job applied by Bryant Stevens of J-Max Autobody.

Dixon's heavy Chevy will be displayed alongside Perry Catton's retro-inspired 1930 Ford Model A Tudor sedan. This army-green mean machine won the MSRA's coveted Street Rod of the Year award in 2010. Like many street rods, Catton's Ford was built using parts from a variety of different vehicles, including a Chevrolet small-block V-8 engine, the rear end out of a Chevy S-10 truck, and Acura seats. Even the horn was "borrowed" from another car, a Toyota Echo.

Charity begins on a bike

With a huge variety of amazing charity events that take place all year round, Manitoba auto buffs are well-known for their benevolence.

And, not to be outdone, local motorcycle enthusiasts have also opened up their hearts and wallets in recent years with great events that not only promise a good time but also support great causes.

Here's the skinny on four fun-filled events that will take place right here in Manitoba over the summer. Regardless of what type of motorcycle you ride, make sure to mark these events on your list of things to do this season.

Manitoba Motorcycle Ride for Dad: Saturday, May 28

Motorsport marvels

Since 2006, three new members of the Manitoba Motorsports Hall of Fame are inducted every year when Piston Ring's World of Wheels car show hits town.

Inductees are recognized for their outstanding devotion and contributions to motorsports in Manitoba and come from the ranks of drag racing, oval track racing, motorcycling, fabrication, customizing, the automotive industry and the street rod and hot rod communities.

I am honoured to be a member of the hall's selection committee, along with Don Daley, Ron Lechman, Bob Chubala and Tom Williams.

Special recognition should be given to Don Daley; his dedication to the history of Manitoba's rich motorsports history is a big reason why the Hall of Fame has been such a tremendous success.

Cars are the stars

Piston Ring's World of Wheels kicks off another summer of cruising in Manitoba.

Although my survey wasn't exactly scientific, after asking no less than 100 folks for their feedback on last weekends Piston Ring's 37th annual World of Wheels car show, it is safe to say this year's event was among the best in recent memory.

In addition to the amazing big-money cars that travelled to Winnipeg with the show, there was also a spectacular variety of made-in-Manitoba metal that showcased our homegrown talent.

Show chairman Bob Chubala, who was without question the busiest guy in Winnipeg last weekend, should be commended for the amazing lineup of custom vehicles he put together. In past years the complaint has been that there were too many of the same cars from past years on display, or too many newer cars or too many commercial vendors. The people spoke and apparently Chubala listened.

Rolling into spring

You may think of Piston Ring's annual World of Wheels as a car show, but thanks to the efforts of a local promoter with a long-standing history in the Winnipeg motorcycle community, folks who attend the 37th annual instalment of the big show next weekend will also be treated to a two-wheeled extravaganza.

In addition to an action-packed car show local World of Wheels chairman Bob Chubala has been feverishly planning for the third floor of the Winnipeg Convention Centre, motorcycle enthusiast Robyn Gray has been equally busy getting things ready for the Rolling Thunder "Extreme" motorcycle show on the second floor of the centre.

For the fourth consecutive year, entrance into the Rolling Thunder motorcycle exhibit is free with your World of Wheels ticket. Think of it as two shows for the price of one.

Gray spent more than 30 years selling and servicing Harley-Davidson motorcycles right here in Winnipeg. Nowadays, he's retired from the motorcycle business but he still maintains close ties with all his biker buddies and thoroughly enjoys the yearly opportunity to showcase Manitoba's vibrant motorcycle scene.

SECOND OPINION: Classy-looking Venza one comfy cruiser

When it comes to my favourite new vehicle, the answer may surprise you. The new Toyota 4Runner is everything I want, and more. It's tough on the trail but easy on the eyes, and I'd like to buy a brand-new one and drive it for the next million kilometres.

When it comes to Toyota cars, though, in the past few years I haven't been quite as enthusiastic. It's as though they saved all the cool cars for the luxury Lexus nameplate. Sure, the Toyota lineup may be reliable and sensible, but cars like the Camry, Corolla or Prius do little to turn my crank.

There is, however, one model that's caught my eye. When the Toyota Venza hit showrooms in 2009 it was a runaway hit. They've been selling well, and anyone I've spoken to who owns one has been extremely satisfied with their purchase.

I've had the opportunity to test-drive the Venza a couple of times now, and was impressed with its combination of utility and comfort. In mid-February, I took our most recent tester on a road trip to a vintage snowmobile derby in Roblin, just west of Dauphin, and it really shined.

Snowasis

Whether it's cars, trucks, motorcycles, or in this case snowmobiles, many folks who have made a hobby out of tinkering with vintage machines are often trying to take a step back to a simpler time when their biggest concern in life was finding enough money to buy a few gallons of gasoline.

That sentiment certainly rings true for Peter Mysko, a long-time snowmobile enthusiast from Roblin, a scenic town with a population of about 1,700 nestled between Duck Mountain Provincial Park and Riding Mountain National Park.

"Most of us vintage sled guys are also car nuts too," said Mysko, who is 49. "Not surprisingly, when I went into my fourth decade, I got this strange desire to find and restore some of the sleds that appealed to me when I was a teen."

A few other guys from the area also developed the same interest and the group figured it would be fun to organize a vintage snowmobile ride to not only promote the local vintage sled scene but also to showcase the scenic area they call home.

Imported traction

When GT Radial announced that their new IcePro winter tires are now available in Canada it was a sure bet they'd be popular here in Winnipeg. In addition to our harsh winters, we are well-known for loving a good deal.

GT Radial is the flagship brand for GITI Tire, a global tire manufacturer headquartered in Singapore. The company has seven plants across China and a plant in Indonesia and is presently the 14th-largest tire producer in the world. They offer not only snow tires but a complete range of tires for passenger cars, light trucks, SUVs, buses, big trucks and even high-performance vehicles.

Although GT Radials are clearly marketed with value in mind, I recently had the opportunity to test them out in winter-driving conditions in Quebec City and was impressed with their performance.

When compared to similarly rated Firestone tires in three separate tests, the GT Radial IcePro winter tires were at least as good, and in one test they were marginally better. Normally in these types of tests you would want your tires to be dramatically better than the competition, but when your product is considerably less expensive, even a tie is a good thing.

PREVIEW-2012 FORD FOCUS: Bull’s eye

It's really a simple concept. Build great vehicles, sell a pile of them, then use all the money you made to build even better vehicles and sell even more of them.

While in Los Angeles last week for the North American launch of the freshly redesigned 2012 Ford Focus, it became clear to me that this is exactly what Ford is doing.

It should come as no surprise that the new Focus is a good car. It's Ford's most significant global nameplate with more than 10 million sold in 120 markets since its launch in 1998.

Though tagged as a 2012 model, the new Focus will hit Canadian showrooms before spring with two models on offer, a four-door sedan and a five-door hatchback. There are four trim lines available -- S, SE, SEL and Titanium. The hatchback, however, is not available in the base S trim. There's also a sporty ST model coming soon.

Shifting gears in 2010

Editors note: In 2010, our resident auto writer Paul "Willy" Williamson joined the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) and began writing reviews on new vehicles. It was a bold departure for Willy, who had previously focused exclusively on classic cars and motorcycles. Throughout 2010, Willy test-drove more than 50 new cars, trucks and SUVs. Here are a few of his favourites.

When Free Press Autos editor John Sullivan tossed me the proverbial keys to the test-car fleet, I was both excited and worried. Excited because I'd be getting the opportunity to drive all the latest and greatest vehicles from the world's automakers, and worried because I knew about as much about new cars as I know about brain surgery.

The prospect sounded easy enough, though: Drive a vehicle, shoot a few photos of it and write an objective review outlining what I liked and didn't like. Sometimes the vehicles were available for evaluation right here in Winnipeg, and other times (in the case of freshly launched vehicles), I jumped on a plane and flew to exotic locations such as Nashville, Los Angeles, San Francisco and pretty much every major Canadian city.

Throughout the year, I travelled so much that my dogs Buzz and Boomer forgot who I was and when I was home there were so many different and often pricey new vehicles in my driveway I'm certain my neighbours figured I had won the lottery. It has been an interesting and exciting year, but now that the shine has worn off my frequent flyer card, I'm reminded that all this has really been about one thing.

Ford SUV changes direction

SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- Sometimes when an automaker unveils a "new" model a closer inspection reveals that it's really just an updated version of the previous model with a few more bells and whistles and maybe a new crease here or there to update the body lines.

Make no mistake about it though, the 2011 Ford Explorer is definitely new. In fact, it has been totally recreated from the ground up.

The biggest change is that Explorer now features a unibody construction that replaces the previous body-on-frame platform. In layman's terms this means that the previous Explorer had a ladder-type frame with the body bolted onto it like pretty much every pickup truck in history. With the new unibody construction the body and chassis is now a single unit. Essentially this means that Explorer has firmly left its truck heritage in its rear-view mirror.

It may still look like a truck but it rides like a car, and that's a good thing.

I’m CR-Zy in love

Please leave a message after the beep ...

Mr. Williamson, this is Hans from the

European Health Spa. We have made repeated attempts to speak with you regarding your long-overdue account, but you have chosen to ignore our calls. As a result, we are cancelling your membership and this matter has been handed over to our collection department.

It had been months since I’d stepped foot in the spa, but they still wanted their money. Who could blame them? I’d signed up for their special “lifetime membership” and was on the hook for several hundred monthly payments of $9.99.

2011 BUICK REGAL: Not your daddy’s Buick

Earlier this year, when Motor Trend magazine declared "Buick is back," General Motors liked the headline so much it became the marketing mantra for the brand's rebirth.

Which raises the question: When was Buick ever here?

Before we go any farther, it's important for me to admit that I absolutely adored Pontiac. Buick, on the other hand, not so much.

Hey, don't get me wrong -- there's a few Buick muscle cars from the late '60s and earlier '70s I'd love to get my hands on, and if you have a1987 Buick GNX collecting dust, feel free to give it to me. Those cars are tough. If Chuck Norris was a car, he'd be a Grand National.

Flying high again

Inspirational. It’s the first word that came to my mind the moment I met brothers Jody and Jan Zedril.

The dynamic duo makes up the "Zedril Rally Sport" team, and they've just piloted their Mitsubishi Lancer to a second consecutive Canadian National Rally Championship.

With Jan, 33, driving and Jody, 36, riding shotgun in the equally important co-driver position, the Winnipeg brothers have overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles en route to becoming one of the most respected rally teams in North America.

Together, they have travelled a long and winding road, both literally and figuratively.

Save our cherished hobby

Although the Manitoba cruising season was supposed to be officially over on Oct. 3, thanks to the nice weather we've been having we extended the Sunday night cruise at the Grant Park Pony Corral last week. We'll also be hosting another show this Sunday.

Because it was more of an impromptu show and took place on a long weekend, there were only about 150 cars in attendance, a far cry from the typical Sunday-night circus that saw 500 or more classic and special-interest vehicles pack the Pony parking lot throughout the summer.

This smaller-scale show gave me the opportunity to spend more time with the folks in attendance and talk at greater length about the summer that was, and how it has affected our hobby.

Throughout the summer, the big buzz has been about vehicle inspections and how both the Winnipeg Police Service and Manitoba Public Insurance have been paying close attention to folks who cruise on Sunday nights in Winnipeg. My inbox and Facebook page have been filled with complaints and concerns about how the police are allegedly "targeting" folks in the classic and special-interest vehicle hobby.

Riding to the rescue

An army for animals is coming to town this weekend.

Thanks to the good folks from Hull's Haven Border Collie Rescue, a Winnipeg-based dog-rescue group, the crew from the hit National Geographic television series Rescue Ink will be in the city this weekend.

If you've never seen the show, I'll get you up to speed. Rescue Ink chronicles the adventures of eight tattooed guys on Harley-Davidson motorcycles who rescue abused animals in New York.

It is positively enlightening to witness this group of tough guys stop at nothing (within the bounds of the law) to save animals from desperate situations. They are ex-firefighters, bodybuilders, hotrod mechanics and bouncers, and they're not afraid of using their brawn to bust bad guys who abuse animals.

Life in the fast lane

KENNY Lang is without question Manitoba's most celebrated drag racer. Lang was the 2008 and 2009 IHRA pro-modified world champion and is currently in third place in the standings in the newly formed NHRA pro-modified class. We caught up with Lang last Sunday at the Grant Park Pony Corral where he had his lightning-fast 1953 Corvette pro-modified drag car on display.

Lang started racing when he was just 16 years old at the Gimli Dragway. He advanced over a number of years to his first IHRA pro-modified race in Edmonton in 2005. In only his second year of IHRA professional drag racing he finished in tenth place and the following year advanced to sixth place in the standings. Lang won his first world championship in 2008 and repeated this amazing feat again in 2009. He also set a pro-modified IHRA world record in 2009 with a 5.88-second quarter mile pass at a blistering 244.5 m.p.h. Lang was also voted the IHRA pro driver of the year in 2009.

Although IHRA is regarded as the founder of pro-modified drag racing, in 2010 IHRA has taken a bit of a different direction and pro-mod has become more of an exhibition class similar to a monster truck show. This change prompted Lang to make the move in 2010 to the newly formed and ultra-competitive NHRA pro-modified professional class. Lang won the first-ever NHRA pro-modified professional race at the Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla. in March 2010 and after competing in nine NHRA events this season that have taken place throughout the United States he is currently in the No. 3 spot. The final race of the season is in Las Vegas at the end of October and although the best he will be able to manage is a second-place overall finish Lang is extremely pleased with his team's inaugural season of NHRA racing. "In the spring many of the people we talked to said we would be doing great if we could break the top 10," said Lang, "There are a handful of million-dollar teams that aren't even in the top 10 so we are really proud of what we have accomplished."

Lang also noted that his current race car is a little bit wider than other cars competing in his class and on that note he is currently building a new car based on a 1969 Camaro. "I currently have by far the oldest car on our circuit; everyone's got a car that's within a year old and our car is eight years old," said Lang. "We feel that next year with the new car we can be a real serious contender."

Corvette summer

It was 1984 and I was 17 years old. The all-new Chevrolet Corvette may have been poised to take the motoring world by storm, but I still hadn't seen one in person.

All that changed at the World of Wheels car show. There, under the bright lights of the Winnipeg Convention Centre, was a silver beauty destined to be raffled off later that year by the Kinsmen.

Eyeballing the 1984 Corvette for the first time was one of those moments that will forever be ingrained in my brain. Right there in front of me was without question the most beautiful and amazing car I'd ever laid eyes on. Forget about Ferrari or Lamborghini -- this was 1984 and I was Corvette-crazy.

The clamshell hood was propped open to reveal an engine that was truly a work of art. Thanks to that hood, the massive Good Year Gatorback front tires were also exposed, looking like they belonged on a steamroller. The car's sleek body lines made my knees week.

Fabulous Flashback

Thanks to an amazing turnout last Sunday for the16th annual "Flashback" car show, the Fabulous 50's Ford Club of Manitoba can now lay claim to orchestrating what was surely the largest free car show in Manitoba history.

The gates were open early and by noon more than 1,000 classic and special interest vehicles packed the Garden City Shopping Centre parking lot with an eclectic variety of amazing cars, trucks and motorcycles.

Although the official count stopped at 2 p.m., vehicles were still rolling in from across Manitoba and from as far away as Thunder Bay and Regina to partake in the festivities.

By the day's end, organizers estimated that more than 1,250 vehicles attended the event, which also attracted thousands of spectators. These numbers represent the largest turnout in the events history.

Rev it up

IS it just me or does summer get shorter every year I get older? If memory serves me correctly when I was a kid the summer seemed endless, but now that I'm north of 40 it seems I'm riding my motorcycle one weekend and the next I'm brushing snow off my winter beater. With this in mind my goal for September is to do and see as many car- and motorcycle-related stuff as humanly possible.

I'm going to kick things off tonight with my favourite party of the year, the big Fabulous '50s Ford Club of Manitoba's annual Sock-Hop at the Transcona Country Club on Dugald Road. Normally, my friends and I aren't the country club types, but tonight the place will be transformed into a time capsule that brings us back to our favourite decade, the 1950s.

The social, which starts at 8 p.m., kicks off the 16th annual Flashback Weekend. Highlights will include lively sets from local time travellers Jimmy G and the Doo Wops, and a huge silent auction in support of The Children's Rehabilitation Foundation.

There should still be a few tickets available at the door, call Ticketmaster at 780-3333 or purchase them online at www.ticketmaster.ca. Tickets are $20.

Old Fords never die… They wind up in Tennessee

While on a recent press trip to Nashville for the unveiling of the new 2011 Ford Edge (look for a full report next Friday), fellow Free Press Autos writer Jim Kerr and I discovered an amazing collection of old Fords at a vintage garage named David’s Old Fords.

Ride out the storm

Last Saturday afternoon, I walked the blocked-off streets to get a closer look at all ofthe cool classic and special-interest vehicles on display at the 11th annual Cruz in Downtown car show.

Sadly, it was impossible to overlook all of the vacant parking spots.

Although there were thousands of spectators lining the streets, it was obvious many of the 1,000-plus vehicles on display in past years would not be showing up. In the end, organizers John and Bev Dyck said there were only about 350 to 400 local cruisers who braved the storm to show and shine their cherished rides.

The storm I'm referring to was certainly not due to the weather, as the sun was shining and it was cooking hot. Nope, the storm I refer to is the controversy that has been surrounding the local cruising scene.

Cruisin’ in the core

If you believe the weatherman, it looks like Saturday's 11th annual Cruz In Downtown car show is poised to take the city by storm, and in a good way. With sunny skies in the forecast, organizers are anticipating a fun-filled day for their charity fundraiser and celebration of vintage cars.

Local auto enthusiasts and show organizers John and Bev Dyck will be joined by a sea of volunteers made up of members from Manitoba's more than 60 classic and special-interest auto clubs. Since its inception in 2000, the event has grown to become the premier car show in Winnipeg and features a huge variety of events that appeal not only to auto enthusiasts, but also the entire family.

The event is presented by Piston Ring and kicks off Saturday morning with a parade leaving Canad Inns Stadium at 11 a.m. sharp. The parade will wind its way east down Portage Avenue, south on Memorial Boulevard and east on York Avenue, where the vehicles will park along closed streets in the downtown area.

Once at the site, participants and spectators will be treated to a festival atmosphere that includes a vendor's row, a restaurant row and live entertainment. The Downtown Winnipeg BIZ is one of the key sponsors this year and they will be presenting a free kids' zone complete with a petting zoo, carnival games, inflatable rides and other children's activities.

Can you see me?

If you're like a few of the drivers I've spoken to recently, the cellphone ban has you fuming. You're an experienced motorist with a stellar driving record who can surely navigate your way through city streets while talking up a storm.

I'm certain that's what this lady thought...

There I was on a beautiful Tuesday evening last month, riding my motorcycle home from the Free Press, travelling north down the centre lane of McPhillips Ave, when my life literally flashed before my eyes. Without warning, a green minivan made a sharp lane change directly in front of me. I wasn't riding in its blind spot, but I was clearly invisible to this driver.

Luckily, the traffic was fairly light and I was able to apply the brakes hard and swerve to my right, narrowly missing both the van and the curb.

SMART ELECTRIC DRIVE: Hertz so good

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Despite the fact at least one reader always takes the time to remind me how dumb I am for singing the praises of the miniscule Smart, there is just something about these little cars that always brings a smile to my face.

You may recall last January I participated in the Smart Winter Expedition and drove one of these mini-marvels through the dead of winter from Kelowna, B.C., all the way to Whitehorse, Yukon. It was the motoring adventure of my lifetime, and totally reinforced that the Smart is not a novelty, but rather a bona fide car capable of far more than its diminutive stature would suggest.

Last month, although I was admittedly excited about my first trip to New York, if the truth be told, my inner nerd was even more excited about the opportunity to be among the first in North America to test-drive the all-new Smart fortwo electric drive.

The Smart marketing team invited a gaggle of gasoline-guzzling automobile journalists from around the globe to partake in the North American launch of this electrically powered trendsetter and following a scenic trip from New Jersey to Brooklyn via water taxi we were finally introduced to the Smart Electric Drive.

Two-wheeled tribute

Andy Golebioski's 1942 Harley may only have one seat, but every time he goes for a ride on this freshly restored beauty he's certain that his father is right there with him.

The bike was purchased by Andy's father, Ron, in 1977 for $350. Ron was an avid motorcycle enthusiast and owned several bikes over the years, including another old Harley-Davidson that he rode in the 1960s. Ron rode the 1942 Harley faithfully until 1984 when complications from diabetes forced him to place it in storage, where it sat idle in a shed on the family farm north of Oakbank for more than 25 years.

Sadly, in August of 2009, Ron passed away and Andy's mother, Louise, gave the bike to her son.

"Over the years a number of people offered to buy it, but my dad always graciously declined to sell it," Andy said. "It was in pretty rough shape when I inherited it but, after working on it for three days, I was able to get it running again."

Cruising for a cause

Throughout the summer months, local motorcycle enthusiasts and owners of classic and special-interest vehicles rarely need a reason to hit the open road.

But in recent years there have been a growing number of great events that not only bring folks together to share a passion for their hobbies, but also to raise much-needed money for cancer research, treatment and awareness.

Local motorcycle riders and classic cruisers have raised more than $150,000 in support of the fight against cancer in the last month alone, and they aren't done yet.

Despite the fact that the weather was absolutely horrendous, the Manitoba leg of the Motorcycle Ride For Dad, held on Saturday, May 29, still managed to raise more than $100,000 in support of prostate cancer research and awareness. In just two short years, this event has already raised more than $180,000.

Would you like Fords with that?

If you're the owner of a classic or special interest vehicle or simply like to check out cool cars there are numerous show and shines in Winnipeg and throughout the province every weekend to tempt your motoring mind.

In addition to a great selection of shows hosted by local car clubs and community organizations there are also the popular Sunday night festivities held every week at the Tavern United on Regent Ave. or the Pony Corral Restaurant & Bar on Grant Ave.

For many auto buffs, however, as a result of busy summer schedules or trips to the lake every weekend these fun-filled events are often missed. For the past few years revellers could turn to the weekly Wednesday night cruise at the downtown Pony Corral, but due to the rising cost associated with blocking off a city street every week organizers were forced to put the brakes on this popular mid-week gathering of the gearheads.

That's where A&W Restaurants stepped in. "We are pleased to announce that the Fabulous '50s Ford Club of Manitoba and A&W have joined forces to bring Winnipeggers a series of travelling car shows on a number of Wednesday evenings throughout the summer," said Adrien Poirier, the vice president of the car club and a senior manger with Piston Ring Service. "We were worried that there wouldn't be any formal spot for folks to gather during the week but the good folks at A&W have stepped up and offered their parking lots free of charge at a number of locations around the city."

2010 ACURA ZDX: Welcome to the future

You have one new message. Check unheard message now.

Beep. Willy, this is Darth, as in Darth Vader. I has come to my attention that you are currently testing  out a new vehicle that has my name written all over it. The buzz surrounding this vehicle is impressive, most impressive. I expect a full report on my desk by end of day. Beep.

Thankfully, the Empire's villainous enforcer never left me a voice mail message; in fact, the only supreme commander pushing for a review on this car was my editor, John Sullivan, and although he gets a little bent out of shape if I miss a deadline, he rarely picks me up by the throat.

That said, make no mistake about it: if the Dark Lord were out car shopping, the 2010 Acura ZDX would be on his short list of new vehicles.

The king has spoken

FOR a few glorious hours last Sunday evening the clouds broke and the sun magically appeared over our soggy city just in time for Dennis Gage, the host of the hit television series My Classic Car, to get an up-close look at what cruising in Winnipeg is all about.

Gage, arguably one of the best known car guys on the planet, was brought here by Pony Corral Restaurant & Bar owner Peter Ginakes to join us for the weekly Sunday night cruise festivities. Following a well-attended brunch at the Pony's Pier 7 location, Gage was driven to the Grant Park Pony by contest winner Steve Janz in his vintage Datsun 210. Upon arrival, Gage was greeted by hundreds of local cruisers who kept him hopping all evening signing autographs, posing for photos and talking cars.

When Gage addressed the crowd at approximately 9 p.m., the question that has been on everyone's mind was finally answered.

"After witnessing all of the great cars and fantastic people your city has to offer I can now say with complete confidence that Winnipeg is the cruising capital of Canada," said Gage, amid loud cheers from the crowd. "You have an amazing variety of unique and beautiful cars in your city and the way you folks come together to celebrate the hobby is truly inspiring."

CRUISING with an exclamation point!

When Dennis Gage, the host of the popular television series My Classic Car, rolls into the parking lot of the Grant Park Pony Corral restaurant this Sunday, we have a tremendous opportunity to prove that Winnipeg is once and for all the crusing capital of Canada.

The last time I spoke with Gage, one of the most influential auto enthusiasts in the world, was back in 2003 when he flew in to attend a Sunday night cruise at the old Pony Corral on Pembina Highway. It was a magical night and more than 1,000 cool cars loaded with revellers showed up to greet him.

Gage was a gracious guest who chatted with the crowd, posed for pictures and signed hundreds of autographs. I was a rookie auto writer and he was smack dab in the middle of my beat, so I latched onto him early and held on tight. As we strolled through the packed parking lot Gage told me that he was impressed with how large and diverse our local auto scene was.

When I asked him if we were the craziest car town he'd ever visited , he politely pointed me in the direction of Cleveland, Ohio. Gage's eyes lit up as he described a Saturday night in Cleveland. The picture he painted was of a city that comes alive when thousands of cruisers hit the streets. Apparently even local officials were in favour of the hobby and had to agree that the cruisers were good for the economy and helped put the city on the map for something both unique and positive.

2011 FORD FIESTA: It’s a party on wheels!

San Francisco, Calif. — Last September, auto journalists from across Canada were invited to Toronto to evaluate the reborn Ford Fiesta, the first major product from Ford’s new global product development process.

Never one to pass up the chance to flog a Ford, I was in like a dirty Tempo. The testers we drove were shipped in from Holland and featured far more bells and whistles than the vast majority of small, affordable cars currently available in Canada.

At first blush, it was apparent that Ford was onto something big with the new Fiesta. It was a decent driver with a firm suspension and a reasonably peppy 1.6-litre Duratec 4-cylinder engine.

Thanks to an appealing “dragon eyes” front and nine funky colours to choose from, the Fiesta seemed poised to have mass aesthetic appeal to younger drivers.

Riding for a reason

This may be breaking the code of the road, but it's time to come clean. Riding a motorcycle has to be one of the most selfish things I do. If you've ever witnessed me roaring down the road to nowhere on my bike with a huge bug-eating grin on my face then you've seen a man without a care in the world.

My therapist's names are Harley and Davidson, and they prescribe speed. My friends are no better. Sure, everyone needs to eat, but do we really need to ride all the way to Grand Beach for a hot dog? The truth is, more often than not, we're simply riding for the sake of riding.

Not on Saturday, May 29 though. Nope, on that day we'll be riding for a reason. We'll be riding for dad.

To get you up to speed, Ride For Dad is an annual fundraiser that sees motorcyclists raise money through pledges for prostate-cancer research and education. And, for the second year in a row, it's rolling through Manitoba.

Two-wheeled globetrotter spins tales

In June 2003, Canadian motorcycle adventurer Rene Cormier left Vancouver aboard a shiny new BMW F650GS motorcycle. He returned four years later with 154,000 kilometres on the bike and stamps from 41 countries in his passport. "And none of those small, 'easy' European countries, either," he jokes, pointing to his route map that includes a host of uncommon destinations including Yemen, Iran, Tajikistan and Mongolia.

On Tuesday Cormier will share his exciting journey with local adventure junkies and fellow motorcycle enthusiasts in a free two-hour presentation at Wildwood Sports, Winnipeg's exclusive BMW motorcycle dealer.

Cormier, who recently chronicled his unique travels in the book, The University of Gravel Roads: Global Lessons From a Four-Year Motorcycle Adventure, will read excerpts from the book and share hundreds of photos from his odyssey.

The Edmonton resident is quick to point out there were challenges during his journey. One was at an Ethiopian checkpoint where a drunken border guard, wearing only a wrap-around beach towel, insisted Cormier take a guard with him to the next town, "for safety reasons."

Done like dinner

It has consumed the better part of the last two months of our lives, and there were more than a few moments when we wondered why we were doing it.

But all those long days and nights were rewarded ten-fold when we finally made our maiden voyage in the winnipeg's iconic, freshly resurrected Chickenmobile.

When we left my shop in Cooks Creek on Monday at high noon en route to the Chicken Delight head office on Berry Street, it quickly became apparent that we weren't in just any car.

On the highway, passing motorists gave us the thumbs up and honked their horns. But when we hit the city the reaction was off the dial.

Just skidding around

As the owner and chief instructor of Crossroads Driver Training, Dane Wilson has taught countless Manitobans how to drive. With his latest teaching tool, however, he's poised to take driver training to the next level.

Last summer, Wilson, a retired Winnipeg police officer, purchased a skid-avoidance training platform that miraculously transforms a normally sure-footed Chevrolet Impala into a vehicle that feels like you're driving with bald tires on an ice-covered Manitoba highway.

Essentially, what the platform does is lift the cars tires slightly off the pavement via four hydraulic jacks affixed to articulating wheels at each corner. A controller inside the car allows for adjustments. The result is a serious reduction in traction even at low speed and on dry pavement.

Wilson invited me to participate in the skid-avoidance training course last Sunday morning on an abandoned runway at St. Andrews Airport. The training is typically offered in classes consisting of three drivers, and I was joined by Terry Ortynsky Nissan sales representative Bill Kueneman and fleet/lease manager Tom Nitychoruk.

DO IT IN THE DIRT

Since every waking moment of my life is consumed by the automobile, you may be surprised to learn I have a hobby that has nothing to do with cars.

For more than 30 years I've been tinkering with Japanese dirt bikes.

The seed was planted in 1976 at the tender age of nine when my dad bought me a battered and bruised 1969 Honda Z50 minibike. A couple of years later he bought me a Yamaha GT80 and, by age 13, I was roaring around the outskirts of our neighbourhood (St. Norbert) on a lightning-fast Suzuki RM 80.

My dad may have bought the bikes, but the gas money came from my paper route. I still have the scar on my leg from a mean German shepherd named Axle that lived on Houde Drive to prove it.

World of wheely cool

Let’s be honest here. There may be a few dudes in the local classic and special-interest vehicle hobby who have managed to convince the world that they are responsible adults, but the truth is most of us are simply overgrown children.

To prove this theory, I kept my eyes and ears on more than a few of my fellow cruisers as they strolled through the Winnipeg Convention Centre last weekend for Piston Ring's 36th annual World of Wheels car show.

"Wow, check out that Chevelle," one guy said to his weary-looking wife as he hurried toward the car with lust in his eyes.

2011 TOYOTA SIENNA: Dude, where’s my van?

VICTORIA, B.C. — While it was surely nothing more than coincidence, the Canadian media launch for the newly redesigned 2011 Toyota Sienna minivan coincided with the city of Victoria’s first-ever tattoo convention.

Apparently ink is more popular than ever in these parts. To back this theory up, there are more than a few young snowboarders and mountain-bike daredevils on the island who are covered in tattoos and begin every sentence with the word “dude.”

This got me thinking about what these 20-something hipsters will be driving in the not-so-distant future when full-blown adulthood arrives, complete with a responsible job, love and marriage, and a baby carriage.

The way I see it, one day our enlightened B.C. buddy will be loading a pair of baby seats into his jacked-up 4x4 or his low-down tuner car for a day of snowboarding with his wife and kids when the words will flow like an avalanche.

Cool rolls into town

If you were a kid growing up in the ‘70s and facing a tough choice, there’s a pretty good chance you’d asked yourself: “What would Fonzie do?”

So if you still have a few burning questions for the king of cool, make sure you stop by Piston Ring’s 36th annual World of Wheels car show this weekend, where Henry Winkler, the actor who owned the legendary role of Arthur Fonzarelli in the hit TV sit-com Happy Days, will be appearing all three days.

If you’re like me, the cars are usually the stars at the big show. But this year we’re not talking about a wrestler, a soap-opera star or a child actor who needs a shave. We’re talking about the best mechanic in Milwaukee, the man with the plan ... The Fonz.

As if that wasn’t enough, Winkler will also be joined on the celebrity stage by another TV icon, Catherine Bach, the actress who played Daisy Duke on the equally insightful Dukes of Hazzard series.

Chickenmobile will be back on the road soon

The "Chickenmobile" is ready to roll.

Last summer, my buddy Dave Radey and I bought an old 1958 Ford Thunderbird convertible that was once used as a promotional vehicle for local Chicken Delight restaurants. Shortly after buying the car, the good folks at Chicken Delight contacted us and the wheels started turning to restore this car to its former glory.

We could have spent the entire winter restoring the car, but that wouldn't have been any fun. Instead, we got started less than a month ago.

My friend and neighbour Jeff Copp of MRC Custom Fabrication replaced the badly rusted floor pan and pulled the Ford 289 engine and the transmission. We brought the car back to my shop and did the bodywork there. Ward Schoenborn laid down a thick coat of body filler to get things rolling and, with help from Tyler Sigurdson, Kyle Antosko and Ed Krahn, Radey and I sanded the "Chickenmobile" for so many days in a row that we actually lost count. Radey even claims he lost weight.

Hook up to summer R&R

There I was last Sunday afternoon lounging in a comfy leather chair, warming my feet in front of a cosy gas fireplace while watching a big-screen TV.

The only things missing were my dogs Buzz and Boomer and an ice-cold beer. Considering the fact that I was sitting in a massive travel trailer at the 2010 Manitoba RV Show at the Winnipeg Convention Centre, it was probably a good thing that I left the junkyard dogs and the beer at home.

It had been more than a few years since I'd checked out the latest offerings from the recreational-vehicle world, and after spending a few hours touring the huge assortment of units on display at last weekend's big show, I was duly impressed with the advances that have been made not only in the areas of comfort and quality but also technology.

Gone are the days of flimsy tent trailers with canvas flaps or tinny boxes on wheels with unforgiving mattresses and tacky curtains. Today's RVs put you in the lap of luxury virtually anywhere you are willing to tow.

2011 FORD SUPER DUTY: Superman drives a Ford

Although we never had the opportunity to race any speeding bullets, out-muscle a locomotive, or leap any tall buildings in a single bound, if first impressions are any indication the all-new lineup of 2011 Ford Super Duty trucks are poised to give even Superman himself a serious run for his money.

To further this theory, Ford sent a pack of automotive journalists from across North America to the Arizona desert to see for ourselves just how capable their freshly redesigned Super Duty trucks actually are.

Highlights of this Super Duty desert tour included city and highway driving, the opportunity to tow an array of massive trailers through the mountains, a trip to a rock quarry where we were encouraged to play with a dump truck, and the chance to race one another in the dirt while pulling massive 80,000-pound front-end loaders.

As if all that wasn't enough, we also got to make a few passes through a challenging off-road course that featured roller-coaster inclines and declines, sharp rocks and a deep hole filled with enough muck to keep a baby hippo happy.

Driving the dream

In the summer of 1995, when most kids his age were still chasing butterflies, seven-year-old Dylan Sabatini was chasing a dream.

He wanted to be a race car driver.

The young speed demon had already mastered the go-kart track at Grand Prix Amusements and his supportive parents agreed to sign him up for competitive kart races at the Gimli Motorsports Park.

There was, however, one big problem. The Manitoba Karting Association rules clearly stated that drivers had to be at least eight years old to race. No exceptions.

2010 CHEVY EQUINOX: Tall order

By now you're surely familiar with the newly redesigned 2010 Chevrolet Equinox, the advertising campaign has been massive and although the year is still young, there are already many of them on Winnipeg streets.

When General Motors offered us one of these popular mid-size crossovers for an evaluation my first thought was: "Right on, an all-wheel drive Chevy -- the perfect weapon to battle a week of winter."

That said, I was a bit perplexed when they sent us a front-wheel drive version. Geez guys, there's a reason why they call this place Winterpeg, we need traction, and lots of it.

It occurred to me later that day while barrelling through the dead of winter in the new Equinox that most of the times I've been stuck in a car it wasn't because I wasn't getting traction, it was because there wasn't enough ground clearance. While it certainly isn't a monster truck, that issue is eliminated with the Equinox. Even with power only going to the front wheels it stands tall enough to easily wade through the deep snow that always accumulates at the corner of our driveway without getting hung up, and as an added bonus, when you hit the highway it rides just like a car, in fact a really nice car.

Shine with the Shrine

When you think of Shriners and cars, your mind likely wanders to a formation of matching kit-cars roaring by in a parade while kids squeal in delight.

No worries, they're going to continue doing all that fun stuff, but the Winnipeg Khartum Shriners are also poised to delight one lucky "big kid" later this year when they raffle off a one-of-a-kind street rod.

The car, valued at more than $100,000, is a 1930 Ford Model A 5-window coupe complete with all the hot-rod trimmings. Highlights include an all-steel body, a custom leather interior complete with air conditioning, modern suspension and brakes and a fire-breathing small-block Chevrolet engine with a blower on top.

There are only 2,500 tickets printed and they're being sold for $50. Like all Shriner fundraising efforts, all of the proceeds raised from the raffle will go to support special-needs children right here in our community.

You can drive to the YUKON in a Smart car

THANKS to a combination of passion, planning and patience, man has not only proven that he can walk on fire, but that he can also walk on the surface of the moon.

With that spirit in mind, I like to think that my gas tank is always half full rather than half empty. Anything's possible. What's the worse thing that can happen? I've got life insurance. Buy the ticket, take the ride.

That said, even a perennial optimist like me was filled with doubt when Mercedes-Benz Canada sent me an invitation to partake in a winter driving expedition from Kelowna, B.C., to Whitehorse, Yukon. The itinerary outlined a four-day, 2,500-kilometre road trip to the Arctic that promised to be the adventure of a lifetime.

The only catch was we had to take this expedition in a Smart car.

Prime Time

Last Saturday night, throughout Canada and the United States, millions of car buffs watched the Barrett-Jackson collector car auction on SPEED TV. Here in Winnipeg a group of dedicated auto enthusiasts met up at the downtown Pony Corral Restaurant to watch the auction and raise money and awareness for the Children’s Rehabilitation Foundation of Manitoba.

The concept is simple enough -- just a bunch of local car nuts getting together for a good time and a good cause. By now you probably know all about it; the event was dreamed up by my buddy Pat Kaniuga and me, and we call it Pat and Willy's Barrett-Jackson Bash.

This year, however, there was a twist in the plot. Kaniuga and his wife Sherry were actually in Scottsdale, Arizona, witnessing the auction live. At precisely 9 p.m., while everyone was crowded around the TVs at the Pony Corral, something magical happened.

Just prior to a commercial break, Kaniuga's face miraculously appeared on the screen. He was holding a SPEED microphone and excitedly spoke the following words.

Start the bidding

It’s a buyer’s market at this year’s Barrett/Jackson Collector Car Auction

Sir Nathan Rothschild, who I'd never heard of until last year when my meagre stock portfolio started to unravel, was apparently the quintessential banking opportunist. Even back in the 1800s his financial advice was simple; the best time to buy is when there is "blood in the streets."

Hopefully, there will be no actual blood on the streets of Scottsdale, Ariz. this week for the annual Barrett/Jackson auction but, rest assured, there will be more than a few sellers of classic and special-interest vehicles who will feel as though they've been stabbed in the heart.

The financial crisis in the United States may be improving, but they certainly aren't out of the woods yet. Like the housing market in most major American cities, the current state of the automobile hobby clearly indicates that it's a buyer's market.

ICE ACTION

St. Malo — There were no shortage of excuses when local motocross legend Kim Houde suggested that I hop on his vintage Yamaha dirt bike and rip around the icy track that is carved into the frozen surface of the lake at St. Malo Provincial Park.

My words of protest, however, fell on deaf ears.

"I'm just here to report the facts," I pleaded with obvious fear in my voice. "Nobody wants to see me break my leg, or worse."

As it turned out, if the good natured ribbing I received from Houde and his pack of fellow daredevils was any indication, that's exactly what they wanted to see, and they wouldn't take no for an answer.

Half-century of fabulous vehicles

In 2010 the Manitoba Classic and Antique Auto Club (MCAAC) is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and to kick off this golden milestone, on New Year's Day club members dusted the snow off their rolling relics for a Frostbite Tour. The event certainly lived up to its name, as the temperature hovered around the -30 C mark for most of the day.

Members met up at the Manitoba Legislative Building just before noon and made a frosty tour to The Forks, where they were joined by more than 60 fellow club members who enjoyed lunch at the equally nostalgic Old Spaghetti Factory.

Like the member's cars, MCAAC records have been well preserved and the history books reveal that the first general meeting actually took place way back in 1960 when 30 antique and classic auto enthusiasts gathered in the boardroom of the old Winnipeg Free Press building on Carlton Street. The club was formed so that folks who shared a common interest in pre-war and early post-war North American automobiles could preserve, restore and admire these beauties.

Initially the club catered to vehicle owners and fans of autos that were at least 15 years old, but nowadays the definition of a "Club Car" is a vehicle that is at least 25 years old and appears essentially as manufactured. This means that if you like to chop the roof off your old car and install a modern fire-breathing engine and a stereo system that can wake the dead; this probably isn't the car club for you. Club member's cars are typically only modified for safety reasons or other minor changes that do not significantly alter the original appearance of the vehicle.

Livin’ the dream

Wow, it's hard to imagine that a decade has passed since we partied like it was 1999, and let me tell you, my life has taken more twists and turns in those ten years than I could have ever imagined.

To offer a bit of background, I spent the eve of the new millennium locked up in the Winnipeg Remand Centre. Before you start with the "I knew there was something greasy about that guy" comments, it should be noted that I was working there. In fact, back in those days I was the Institution's street gang coordinator. The doomsday theorists who were running the joint at the time made sure every guard on the payroll was there in case anything weird like total loss of all utilities or the end of the world commenced.

As it turned out, there were likely nursing homes that were more volatile than the Remand Centre on that storied night. Although there was a big part of me that loved that job, I was tired of spending holidays away from my family and friends babysitting a pack of whining criminals who rarely appreciated my benevolent efforts.

I wanted out in the worst way.

2009 SMART FOURTWO: Get Smart

If you plan on buying a Smart car you'd better not be in a hurry.

It's not that the car can't keep up with traffic -- once you get the hang of it, the Smart is actually surprisingly quick.

No, you'll be constantly held up because people will want to talk about this car everywhere you go.

During my week-long test drive of the 2009 Smart ForTwo Passion Coupe, this miniscule machine received more attention than any other vehicle I've ever driven, including vintage hot rods and exotic European jobs. Questions about fuel economy, comfort, safety and how it would handle our winters were accompanied by more than a few wisecracks from friends and family doubting my ability to actually fit in the car.

2010 TOYOTA PRIUS: Gas-guzzling gearhead goes green

IF you’re looking for a comprehensive review of the all-new 2010 Toyota Prius, I’m definitely not a source to be trusted. 

What I can offer you, however, is how it felt for a gas-guzzling gearhead like me to spend a week driving the most popular hybrid vehicle on the planet, here in Winnipeg.

Confession: I was determined to hate this car and everything that it represents. The cars that race through my dreams are sleek, sexy, powerful and more than a little dangerous. Clearly, Toyota didn’t create the Prius with guys like me in mind.

When I climbed into the Prius for the first time I pulled down my hat and, although it was cloudy, I put on my sunglasses. I was actually worried that someone might see me driving this thing. All those years spent trying to outlive my nerdy Star Wars past and here I was behind the wheel of the motoring equivalent of a pocket protector. The force was definitely not with me.

Truck lovers get peek at new Ford Super Duty

Ford would have been hard-pressed to find a more fitting location than the Canadian Western Agribition in Regina to unveil its all-new 2011 Super duty truck to Canada.

The wraps were removed a day after the Saskatchewan Roughriders had just won the western final and were on their way to the Grey Cup in Calgary. Smiling faces, green with delight, were lined up 20 feet deep to get a closer look at the truck many in attendance called larger-than-life.

Just how big is the new 2011 Ford Super Duty truck? Drum roll, please: While I didn't get out a measuring tape, it could easily accommodate 13 deflated Roughriders ... at least, after the Grey Cup.

Forgive my Rider ribbing, but you can just imagine how hard it was to be a diehard Blue Bomber fan surrounded by green and white.

2010 TOYOTA 4RUNNER: Front Runner

As a long-time fan of Toyota trucks, I was unabashedly excited when we arrived at an off-road vehicle-testing grounds in Muskoka, Ontario to check out the freshly redesigned 2010 Toyota 4Runner.

That said, I never imagined for a minute that the nice folks from Toyota would allow me to attempt anything close to the maniacal off-road manoeuvres I've tried in my own rigs.

Boy, was I ever wrong. In an effort to fully illustrate just what this truck can do when the pavement ends, the Toyota team offered up a challenging, and at times downright scary, off-road course that included narrow trails, puddles that were more like small lakes, slippery rock-covered surfaces, steep inclines and even steeper drops.

While I don't typically make a habit of comparing trucks with asses, in this case it's a huge compliment. In fact, the new 4Runner crawled through this course with the confidence of a seasoned pack mule. As an added bonus, on the way back to our hotel the 4Runner's interior had me thinking that I was behind the wheel of a well-appointed luxury sedan.

2010 FORD MUSTANG GT: Ride it like a ROCK STAR

Back when I was a punk kid with a chip on my shoulder, if something was really popular that was usually my cue to turn my back on it. I’ve since grown to learn that this attitude caused me to miss many of the sweet things in life.

Throughout the late 1980s and early '90s no less than six of my friends and football buddies bought Mustangs packed with potent 5.0-litre V-8 engines. The upgrades always included a free-flowing exhaust system and a booming stereo. Their baseball hats were usually on backwards, they strutted in Michael Jordan-endorsed basketball shoes and they wore track suits to weddings.

They were Mustang Boys.

They incessantly bragged about their beloved Mustangs, and often tried to convince me to buy one. For me, even though I secretly wanted one, owning a Mustang was akin to line dancing to country music; it sure looked like fun, but, Aaay, the Fonz only slow dances.

2010 LINCOLN MKZ: Hot Rod

Back in the day, nothing said you'd made it like a new Cadillac or Lincoln in your driveway.

My, how things have changed.

Nowadays there are numerous luxury cars to choose from, so many in fact that a relatively new segment of posh rides has emerged, the entry-level luxury car.

In my eyes these beauties should be loaded with all the bells and whistles and convey a distinct image of prestige. They should also cost no more than $50,000. That may sound like a tall order but the reality is that in addition to Cadillac and Lincoln there are numerous offerings from the likes of Mercedes, BMW, Lexus, Infiniti, Acura, Volvo, Audi and even Hyundai that fit this bill.

2009 INFINITI FX35: You can fall in love with an SUV — who knew?

One of my favourite things about driving has nothing to do with driving at all; I like to check out the other vehicles on the road.

For a car-crazy kid like me, even a trip down a Winnipeg street is akin to an art aficionado spending an afternoon at the Vatican museums in Rome. If I spot an old car or a motorcycle, or something unique or rare, I'll either speed up or slow down to get a closer look. If you're driving something exotic like a Ferrari or a Lamborghini there's a good chance I may even follow you home.

But the sad reality is that very few late-model vehicles on the road today really get my motor running. I know I'm not alone. In my travels, folks often lament that all new cars seem to look the same.

So I would never have imagined that the latest object of my automotive affection would arrive disguised as an SUV.

FIRST DRIVE: FORD FIESTA – Welcome to the party

TORONTO -- In case you didn't notice, Ford has been on a roll lately, and if first impressions are any indication it looks like they may have another winner on their hands.

Next summer, the Ford Fiesta, a new but familiar-sounding small car that has been making considerable waves across the pond in the European market, will finally be available here in Canada.

Automotive journalists from across Canada were invited to Toronto recently to evaluate the reborn Fiesta, the first major product from Ford's new global product development process.

The Fiesta name is not entirely unfamiliar to North American drivers; it was offered for a short time in the U.S. and Canada from 1978 to 1980. Despite its quick exodus from our market, more than 12 million models have been sold worldwide since its introduction in 1976.

FIRST DRIVE: 2010 LEXUS HS 250h — A match made in heaven

They came from Quebec, they came from Ontario, they came from British Columbia, and one guy even came all the way from Saskatchewan.

The reason for their journey to Winnipeg? To witness the unveiling of the all-new 2010 Lexus HS250h sedan.

Earlier this week, more than 40 automotive journalists from across Canada arrived in Winnipeg for the city’s first-ever new-car unveiling. Yep, you read it right: Lexus introduced a new car right here in Winnipeg.

The HS250h is being billed as a groundbreaking luxury hybrid designed for the masses, and if first impressions were any indication, this sedan is poised to take the country by storm.

2009 HONDA RIDGELINE: Everything to Everyone

There has always been a soft spot in my heart for machines that are capable of doing more than one thing.

My favourite example is the dual-purpose motorcycle. These marvels of modern engineering share the characteristics of both dirt and street motorcycles. They are equally capable of cruising down the highway or scrambling through a wooded trail. It's like getting two bikes for the price of one, and many motorcycle riders swear by them.

One can't help but think that Honda had these very folks in mind when they created the Ridgeline.

Make no mistake about it, the 2009 Honda Ridgeline is a truck, but it also offers up a healthy dose of car-like characteristics that results in the motoring equivalent of the Swiss Army Knife.

AutoTown Kia is poised to shine

Local auto dealers Chris Dyck and Evan Titchkosky have been a couple of very busy guys. The dynamic duo, who have owned and operated AutoTown Sales Corporation for more than a decade, have recently purchased Horizon Kia in the Waverley Auto Mall. Effective immediately the dealership will now be know as AutoTown Kia.

When the City of Winnipeg began making plans to purchase their former sales lot, located at 222 Pembina Highway, to make way for the upcoming rapid rail project, Dyck and Titchkosky contacted the owner of Horizon Kia and offered to purchase the dealership. A deal was struck and the pair took possession of the former Horizon Kia on Wednesday. "We have always been in the south end of the city and it was a great fit for us," said Dyck, "we are extremely excited about this new opportunity and are really looking forward to selling and servicing the popular Kia line-up."

The majority of the employees from both dealerships have been retained throughout the merger, and Dyck offered that customers, employees and Kia executives have been extremely supportive throughout the transition. In addition to selling new Kia models that include the exciting new Forte and Soul, AutoTown Kia will also continue to sell and service the full line of Kia vehicles and will offer a large selection of pre-owned cars and trucks. "We anticipate an inventory of approximately 300 new and used vehicles," said Dyck, who is also the vice-president of the Manitoba Used Car Dealers Association.

Despite their young ages, both Dyck, who is 35 and Titchkosky, who is 32, are both recognized as accomplished leaders in the Winnipeg used car market and their youthful exuberance should be a nice fit for the Kia line-up, a brand of vehicles that has been growing rapidly in popularity, especially with the under 40 crowd. "Because of their affordable pricing and versatility Kia vehicles are very attractive to the younger segment of the auto market," added Dyck. "We feel that this is an outstading product and that we are in a great position to forge a long-lasting relationship with our customers."

2009 TOYOTA FJ CRUISER: Confident Cruiser

Folks who own sports cars and classics do it all the time, but when was the last time you hopped in your SUV and went for a cruise simply for the sake of driving?

Last week, with a 2009 Toyota FJ Cruiser in my possession, I found myself doing exactly that: driving for the sheer pleasure of driving. The best part was I didn't even have to leave my own yard.

Playing with trucks in the muck is one of my favourite pastimes, and the FJ Cruiser easily took me to the far corners of our 10-acre property. While it's certainly not the jungles of Brazil, the field we call our backyard features shoulder high weeds and more than a few knee deep ruts left behind from past off-road adventures. Thanks to the wet summer we've had those ruts are filled with muddy water, but the FJ Cruiser rumbled through it all like a team of Clydesdale horses.

The 4.0 litre six cylinder engine, mated to a six-speed manual transmission, pumps out a respectable 239 horsepower and 278 pound-feet of torque. Despite its 1,945 kilogram curb weight, the FJ has more than enough grunt to tackle tough terrain. It features true four-wheel drive with a high-low range shifter and a differential lock. My tester was also equipped with Toyota' s off-road package that included 16-inch aluminium alloy wheels wrapped in beefy BFGoodrich Rugged Trail P265/75R16 tires and trail-tuned Bilstein shock absorbers that softened out some serious bumps. The FJ Cruiser uses a high-mounted, double wishbone front suspension and stabilizer bar, and a 4-link rear suspension with a lateral rod with coil springs and a stabilizer bar. This set-up allows this rig to truly bring home the best of both worlds, it is agile and confident off-road, and surprisingly plush on the highway.

2010 MERCEDES-BENZ E550: Pinch me … I must be dreaming

QUEBEC CITY -- So here I am in Quebec City. Half a Frenchman who can barely speak French. I'm driving a German luxury car. To my right, riding shotgun, is a British-born Canadian automotive journalist.

The absurdity of the scene was not lost on me.

My latest trek to Quebec City was akin to winning the Showcase Showdown on the Price is Right. My pseudo-prize package included a first-class flight to Quebec City, a two-night stay in the luxurious Auberge Saint-Antoine hotel and enough fine French cuisine to gain 10 pounds in three days. Pinch me, I must be dreaming.

All kidding aside, there was a distinct reason for my trip. To test-drive the all-new Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe.

2009 HONDA CIVIC SPORT: A sensible car with a dash of sporty DNA

The Honda Civic is among the most iconic compact cars on the planet. Here in North America, where the Civic made its debut way back in 1972, all other automakers have strived to build cars that do all the things the Honda Civic has continually delivered.

They are fuel-efficient, have decent resale value and, above all else, are extremely reliable.

With the exception of the more spirited Si models, the Civic has long been considered more of a bread-and-butter car than a sports car. That being said, thanks to the vivid imaginations of many Generation X auto buffs, countless Civics have been customized over the years and are largely responsible for the sport-compact craze that took the motoring world by storm in the late 1990s.

When I climbed behind the wheel of the new 2009 Honda Civic Sport sedan for a test drive, it was difficult to imagine that eight years had passed since my last Civic experience.

2010 MAZDA3 SPORT GT-E: Singing in the rain

It was pouring rain when I picked up the 2010 Mazda3 Sport GT-E, but the little fella’ was grinning at me like a character from the hit animated Disney/Pixar movie Cars.

There’s a soft spot in my heart for cartoon cars, but truthfully, I like my machines to have a little more attitude. It took mere minutes to realize that despite the car’s playful grin, there is a bad-boy swagger lurking under the hood.

Before we go any further, let me get this out of the way: Holy crap. You can bounce this car right up to the rev limiter in every gear and it begs for more. On a dry road it hooks up like it’s on Velcro, on wet pavement, you better make sure you hang on, because if you mash the gas pedal hard enough those front tires will spin until they melt right off.

No worries, I wasn’t terrorizing city streets in the ferocious little Mazda, I had the abandoned runway at St. Andrews Airport at my disposal, and for a few spirited moments, I put this fast and furious little Mazda through its paces. Since Greg Young, Mazda Canada’s Director of Corporate Public Relations, had already given fellow Free Press AUTOS writer Haney Louka the green light to tear around the Gimli track in this car with the Winnipeg Sports Car Club, I figured he wouldn’t mind if I had a little fun on the runway. If it sounds like I’m begging for forgiveness instead of seeking permission, it’s because I am.

Classic road trip

If everything goes as planned, by the time you read this I'll be at the Back to the 50s car show in St. Paul, Minn. This year the twist is I'll actually be making the annual pilgrimage to hot-rod utopia in a classic cruiser of my very own.

It's a rusty, dusty and hopefully trusty 1949 Pontiac. More on my new/old car in a minute, but first let me get you up to speed on Back to the 50s.

It has been rolling for 36 years and is billed as the largest classic car show on Earth. Every year since 1973 as many as 12,000 pre-1965 cars and trucks and more than 125,000 spectators pack the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.

The event is presented by the equally massive Minnesota Street Rod Association. The club was founded in 1967 and today features more than 13,000 members.

Takin’ it downtown

Throughout the summer months, there are numerous cruising events to keep even the most energetic local gearheads hopping and bopping every weekend. In addition to countless car shows hosted by local car clubs and communities in Winnipeg and throughout the province, we also have popular Sunday-night events at the Grant Park Pony Corral and the Tavern United on Regent Avenue to tempt our motoring minds. But Winnipeg is, after all, the cruising capital of Canada, so it is only logical that we have a big show during the week, too.

Thanks to Piston Ring and the Fabulous 50s Ford Club of Manitoba, the fun-filled City Lights Wednesday Night Cruise at the downtown Pony Corral Restaurant takes place every Wednesday evening through to Sept. 16.

The downtown Pony Corral, located at 444 St. Mary Ave., is the perfect spot for a mid-week show and shine. The restaurant features a massive outdoor patio that offers a great view of the sea of shining cars and smiling faces that line the street. Thanks to support from the City of Winnipeg, the Downtown Winnipeg Biz, and the Winnipeg Parking Authority, St. Mary Avenue is closed to traffic from Kennedy to Vaughan from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. every Wednesday evening. The event is also sponsored by the Winnipeg Free Press and CJOB.

City Lights Wednesday Night Cruise is free of charge for both spectators and participants, and all makes and models of antique, classic and special-interest vehicles are welcome to attend.

Roaring off to fight breast cancer

Last Sunday, 366 motorcycle enthusiasts participated in the 8th annual Breast Cancer Pledge Ride. The event was created by Georgette Jhass to not only raise money and awareness for breast cancer, but also to promote the hobby that Jhass and her husband Inderaj hold close to their hearts.

"The local motorcycle community is a close knit group," said Jhass, as she showed off her customized 1997 Harley-Davidson Sportster. "We thought that organizing a ride in support of breast cancer would be a great way to have some fun and raise money for this very important cause."

With that simple goal in mind, a star was born. Since 2002 more than $264,000 has been raised -- this year's ride alone raised more than $41,500, and the pledges are still rolling in.

The money raised over the years has stayed right here in Manitoba, and the list of items purchased and the initiatives supported is most impressive. "As a direct result of the ride a mobile mammography screening unit, a cargo van to transport the units, and a molecular imaging system that features a super sensitive camera used to analyze genetic material and proteins from breast cancer tumours has been purchased," said Jhass. "We have also supported the wig program at Cancer Care Manitoba, helped with the purchase of educational materials and self examination cards, and also support the Breast Cancer Centre of Hope, a resource centre for cancer patients and their families."

Ride for Dad message loud and clear

Try to imagine for a moment, yourself, or someone you love, sitting in a hospital gown on the edge of an examination table. The diagnosis is prostate cancer, and it has gone undetected for so long there is nothing anyone can do to help. "If only you'd have been checked earlier," the doctor says with sympathy in his eyes.

Prostate cancer affects an alarming number of people and their families. According to prostate cancer educators, the disease hits men mostly over 40. It is estimated that there are more than one million cases of prostate cancer in Canada, however, as few as 20 per cent of those cases have been diagnosed. One in seven men will be affected by prostate cancer in their lifetime, making prostate cancer the second leading cause of cancer death amongst men in Canada. The sad part is, this just doesn't have to be the case; 90 per cent of prostate cancer cases can be successfully dealt with if caught early enough.

That was the message behind last Saturday's Motorcycle Ride For Dad in support of prostate cancer. The event, a first for Manitoba, was spearheaded and organized by members of the Winnipeg Police Service. The organizing committee was hoping to have 250 riders participate in the event. In a touching Manitoba moment, a total of 445 riders rolled out of the Canad Inns Stadium and followed a police escort west down Portage Avenue. The ride then wound through a scenic tour of River Road, Lockport, Selkirk and Gimli. More than $57,000 was raised in support of this most worthwhile cause.

"We had an overwhelming response," said Ride For Dad co-chair and Winnipeg police officer Kirk Van Alstyne. "We were excited and shocked by the amazing support from everyone involved, including our sponsors, supporters, volunteers, and of course, all the riders who participated. It was an amazing day." The Ride For Dad will surely be making a stop in Manitoba for many years to come, and the general feeling was that despite the great response, in future years this event will only grow stronger.

2009 FORD F-150 LARIAT SUPERCREW: Found on road… Eating Crow

Excluding a sexy Mustang named Eleanor and a certain 1939 Ford hot rod, I have never been mistaken for a Ford fan. That rings especially true when it comes to trucks. I’ve been fishing off either the Jeep or General Motors dock for more than 20 years.

This revelation should come as no surprise to any of my buddies who have had the misfortune of rolling into Willy's Garage driving a Ford F-150.

I actually have a short comedy routine that kicks off with a zinger of a question that goes something like this: "Wow, nice Ford. Did you order the optional heated tailgate so your hands don't freeze when you're pushing it?" I typically follow that gem up with a pair of well-worn acronyms, F-O-R-D... Found On Road Dead, or Fix Or Repair Daily. If the crowd is warming up to my anti-Ford wrath, I may even mention that on a quiet day you can actually hear a Ford rust.

All the ribbing that I've dished out over the years began to creep up on me mere moments after climbing into the all-new 2009 Ford F-150 Lariat SuperCrew 4x4. After a week behind the wheel, it is now apparent that it's time for me to eat some serious crow.

Vive le Fusion

Quebec City — Given the fact that I’m a self-confessed gasoline addict, the irony was not lost on me last week when I boarded a plane destined for Quebec City to test-drive the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid.

If only it was a Mustang GT or a Lincoln MKS, my inner-gearhead declared. After all these years, I finally get to go on a press trip, and it's to drive a hybrid. Geez, I wonder if they'll be serving granola on the plane.

All kidding aside, I was genuinely excited when we touched the tarmac at Quebec City's Jean Lesage International Airport. I'm half a Frenchman, and this was my first trip to the homeland. I'd also never driven a hybrid. In fact, prior to this journey, my only experience with electric vehicles was golf carts on prairie links.

The shuttle-bus ride from the airport to our hotel in "Old" Quebec was both spirited and spiritual. Mountains in the distance, narrow streets lined with brick buildings, winding hills, and, get this, actual French cafés and restaurants. On several occasions I was certain the Mercedes-Benz bus we were piled into was going to scrape the walls of one of those beautiful old buildings. I learned a lot on that short trip. Quebec City is beautiful, that guy could really drive, and Mercedes makes a fine bus.

Like to ride? Do it for dad

This is a call to every person who owns a motorcycle in Manitoba. On Saturday, May 30, you have the opportunity to participate in a monumental event.

Ride For Dad is an annual fundraiser that sees riders raise money through pledges for prostate cancer research and education, and it's coming to Winnipeg.

The event was created by veteran Ottawa broadcaster Garry Janz, who was inspired by a quote from his friend, Kingston educator and role model Charlie Pester. "If I had gotten checked this time last year, I wouldn't be planning my own funeral today." That single sentence has since served as inspiration for thousands of people from across Canada who have raised both money and awareness for prostate cancer through local Ride For Dad events.

In 2000, Janz joined forces with his friend, Byron Smith, of the Ottawa Police Association and the dynamic duo orchestrated a ride that featured 80 motorcyclists and raised $20,000. Nine years later, more than $3.5 million has been raised to fight prostate cancer. This year, for the ride's 10th anniversary, 25 cities from across the country, including Winnipeg, will participate in Ride For Dad.

Best in show(room)

They don't intend to issue any camping permits, but the great outdoors will definitely be brought inside as Terry Ortynsky Nissan on Regent Avenue presents its first Best Dressed Showroom contest. The fun kicked off on Monday evening when members of the Springfield Heights Mennonite Church youth group began decorating a Nissan Altima in the spirit of summer.

The showroom has been sectioned off into three areas, and youth groups from local churches will be decorating the vehicles with different themes, including a camp scene and an off-road theme. The displays will remain up for the next two weeks, and every customer will be handed a ballot to vote on the most creative display. All the participating groups will receive a $500 cash donation from the dealership, and the winning group will be awarded an additional $500.

One ingenious prop already used in the Springfield Heights display was a campfire created by 16-year-old Mathew Hildebrandt, who utilized a glue gun, several logs and an electric fan. Strips of coloured grocery bags blew in the wind and simulated flames. His creation inspired his group to pretend they were roasting marshmallows. "It's a really neat contest that gives us an opportunity to be creative," said Hildebrandt, who is a student at River East Collegiate. "It will also be nice to meet members of the other youth groups."

The Springfield Heights group will be joined in this friendly contest by members of the Sterling Mennonite Fellowship and the Home Street Mennonite Church youth groups.