Autoblog Canada http://ca.autoblog.com Autoblog Canada http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/ca.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog Canada http://ca.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[McLaren P1 guru spills more info on his hypercar]]>http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/05/22/mclaren-p1-guru-spills-more-info-on-his-hypercar/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/05/22/mclaren-p1-guru-spills-more-info-on-his-hypercar/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/05/22/mclaren-p1-guru-spills-more-info-on-his-hypercar/#comments

We know the McLaren P1 is pretty much ready to fly into lucky owners' underground bunkers by the latter part of fall 2013. We should get a go at an early production version by late June, we are told, and as you would imagine, we can't wait.

The main facts remain the same: The P1 runs off a twin-power hybrid powerplant good for a combined 903 horsepower and 663 pound-feet of torque. Thrusting thrills are provided by both the push-button operated Drag Reduction System (or DRS), chopping drag by 23 per cent by flattening the rear wing, and by the push-button operated Instant Power Assist System (IPAS) feeding instantaneous added electric-motor oomph through the gearbox straight to the drivetrain. The slingshot from 0 to 300 kilometers per hour (186 miles per hour) happens in less than 17 seconds.

Shivers. While at the Geneva Motor Show where the P1 showed itself in full production trim and in screaming picture-hogging yellow, we chatted about further details with the P1's chief of engineering design, Dan Parry-Williams. To all the specification fodder we already have on the P1, Parry-Williams added some chum. Scroll down to read the highlights.

Gallery: McLaren P1






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McLaren P1 guru spills more info on his hypercar originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Wed, 22 May 2013 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dan parry-williamsexotichybridhypercarmclarenmclaren p1parry-illiamssupercarWed, 22 May 2013 12:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Quick Spin: 2014 BMW Z4 sDrive35is]]>http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/05/15/2014-bmw-z4-sdrive35is-quick-spin-review/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/05/15/2014-bmw-z4-sdrive35is-quick-spin-review/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/05/15/2014-bmw-z4-sdrive35is-quick-spin-review/#comments2014 BMW Z4 sDrive35is - front three-quarter view, top down

The BMW Z3/Z4 roadster has never really had a truly widespread following because it has either been too humble and small a roadster (albeit with some fun and very low-volume M editions) or it has been - in this E89 generation - too casual an image leader with no racier aspirations. The current 480-hp Z4 GTEs don't count, since they are as stock a Z4 as today's Pamela Anderson is the same blonde actress we knew as Heidi on Home Improvement. You know, sort of like those ever-so-slightly modified Toyota Camry coupes competing in NASCAR.

The ultimate highpoint for the BMW Z roadster franchise was at the very start of its life in the mid-90s, in the James Bond film GoldenEye with Pierce Brosnan. The Stinger missiles that Q's team installed behind the Z3's headlights were never fired, and BMW never even offered this self-defense package as an option. Yet another case of the ol' bait and switch.

And in all these subsequent years of Z3s and Z4s strutting their long-hooded stuff, the little sporting Bimmer could really have used a live Stinger missile or two to spice things up. The current Z4 exists, it is pretty dang sexy, and BMW seems content to let it linger there. We just drove the new midlife version of the roadster near BMW headquarters in Munich, and it served to reinforce our feelings.

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Gallery: 2012 BMW Z4 sDrive28







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2014 BMW Z4 sDrive35is originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Wed, 15 May 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2014 bmw z42014 bmw z4 sdrive35isbmwbmw z4bmw z4 sdrive35isquick spinquickspinz4Wed, 15 May 2013 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[First Drive: 2013 Audi S3]]>http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/05/13/2013-audi-s3-review-first-drive/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/05/13/2013-audi-s3-review-first-drive/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/05/13/2013-audi-s3-review-first-drive/#commentsComing Soon To Our Shores With Two More Doors And A Trunk



The Audi S3 is not exactly a sales juggernaut, despite it being a bit of a legend for passionate fans of the small German premium genre. In most markets outside of Europe, people may consider such setups as the S3 three-door tested here, look at the price, and then think maybe they should just get a nice A4 sedan with greater practicality for similar cash. That certainly has been one reason Audi has never officially brought the S3 hatchback to Canada. And the 335-horsepower RS3 Sportback? Forget about it nearly everywhere but in Germanic regions, Switzerland and the UK.

All of which automatically turns the new S3 hatchback into an unattainable object of desire for many fans of the four-ringed brand. The good news, of course, for many markets not on the three-door or S3's dance card is that most of us will get a shot at buying the new S3 sedan that will be powered by the same drivetrain tested here. We reported heavily on the sedan version from the recent New York Auto Show and are convinced that there is much for North American shoppers to like.

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2013 Audi S3 originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Mon, 13 May 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 audi s3audiaudi s3audi s3 reviewfeaturedfirst driveFirstDrives3Mon, 13 May 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[First Drive: 2014 Maserati Quattroporte S Q4 [w/video]]]>http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/05/10/2014-maserati-quattroporte-s-q4-review-first-drive-video/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/05/10/2014-maserati-quattroporte-s-q4-review-first-drive-video/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/05/10/2014-maserati-quattroporte-s-q4-review-first-drive-video/#commentsThe First Maserati To Run Full-Time On All Fours

2014 Maserati Quattroporte S Q4

About six months ago we tested the all-new 2014 Maserati Quattroporte GTS and its 523-horsepower 3.8-litre bi-turbo V8 engine, the latter being built in Maranello, Italy, by Ferrari. There were comments on both sides, mostly positive though, and we came away impressed by the sixth-generation Maserati sedan. This despite the fact that both we and you couldn't seem to get past the questionable aesthetics of the 20-inch Crono alloy wheels slapped on all of the test cars. Awkward looking they are, or is "distinctive" the word we're seeking?

For both the crucial North American market and the rest of the world, the most important version of the latest Quattroporte is bound to be the less powerful (and less expensive) bi-turbo V6 model we have just driven here in northern Italy; both rear-wheel-drive and Q4 all-wheel-drive versions. We spent nearly all day in the 404-hp 2014 Maserati Quattroporte S Q4, and found a lot that we prefer in the six-cylinder powertrain versus the champing aggression and more expensive price tag of the GTS bi-turbo V8 model. These long and lanky executive-style statements traditionally thrive on the V8 mantra, so it will be interesting to watch how Maserati's need to use stronger and more efficient V6 engines is received by its six-figure customers.

It's a cynical thing to discuss so matter of factly, but descending into five-figure pricing for these rides actually damages their sales potential. It's bizarre, but keeping every trim of the Maserati Quattroporte north of $100,000 was crucial. So, is the 2014 Maserati Quattrporte S Q4 at a projected US$108,000 base price worth it? To this stratum of clientele, apparently it is. Even the rear-wheel-drive S with this bi-turbo V6 will come in around US$102,000 when it arrives in North America in mid-2014. (Or mid-2015, as yet to be decided.)

Continue reading 2014 Maserati Quattroporte S Q4 [w/video]

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2014 Maserati Quattroporte S Q4 [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Fri, 10 May 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2014 maserati quattroporte2014 maserati quattroporte s q4featuredfirst driveFirstDrivemaseratimaserati quattroporteFri, 10 May 2013 11:57:00 EST<![CDATA[First Drive: 2014 BMW M6 Gran Coupe]]>http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/05/08/2014-bmw-m6-gran-coupe-first-drive-review/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/05/08/2014-bmw-m6-gran-coupe-first-drive-review/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/05/08/2014-bmw-m6-gran-coupe-first-drive-review/#commentsIs This A Great Idea For An M Model?

2014 BMW M6 Gran Coupe

The BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe is already an issue of large debate. The essential business case for the car is that it's more distinctive than a straight 5 or 6 Series, and has much of the sense of space and luxury of a 7 Series. It has the wheelbase of a 5 Series, the relative width of a 6 Series, and an exterior length close to the standard wheelbase 7 Series. And, as we reported in our drive of the 640i Gran Coupe in May 2012, the 6 Series Gran Coupe costs pretty much the same as the 7 Series, engine trim for engine trim. The sedan (coupe?) is therefore a proposal clearly meant for an extremely particular clientele. There's no news yet on how well exactly the 6 Series Gran Coupe is selling in its chief markets, but we are curious. The Germans frequently tend not to break out their sales figures that way, mixing sales of the Gran Coupe in with the two-door 6 Series.

And, so, we have now arrived at the inevitable point where the M version must be introduced. Say howdy to the $127,900 2014 BMW M6 Gran Coupe. That's $3,000 more than the also highly priced M6 coupe. Let the vehement debates begin. The upcoming 2014 Audi RS7 should be priced right at this level as well, and the Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG (perhaps with an S iteration in the next allotment we get in Canada) should go for roughly the same.

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2014 BMW M6 Gran Coupe originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Wed, 08 May 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2014 bmw m6 gran coupebmwbmw m6bmw m6 gcbmw m6 gran coupefeaturedfirst driveFirstDrivem6reviewWed, 08 May 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[First Drive: 2015 Volkswagen GTI [w/video]]]>http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/04/26/2015-volkswagen-gti-first-drive-review-video/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/04/26/2015-volkswagen-gti-first-drive-review-video/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/04/26/2015-volkswagen-gti-first-drive-review-video/#commentsThe 911 Of Hot Hatches Takes The Compact Game To New Levels

2015 Volkswagen Golf GTI - front three-quarter view, in motion

North American car buyers get a bit of a slap in the face when it comes to delivery schedules for new the Volkswagen Golf and pumped-up GTI models. We'll just repeat the old chestnut: It's worth the wait... even though it still stinks. This time around, Western Europe is taking deliveries of the new Golf as we speak, and GTI deliveries start between May and July. North America doesn't get any Mk7 Golf or GTI until about July of 2014.

So we approached our first drive of the new GTI with this chip on our shoulder: "You're making us wait? Well, then at least give us the exact car we'll be able to buy. No compromises, mein Freund." And so it was that we extracted nearly all of our drive impressions from behind the wheel of what, for Canada, will technically be a model year 2015 two-door Volkswagen Golf GTI Performance with the standard six-speed manual.

This time around, Volkswagen in Wolfsburg and in Herndon, Virginia, explain the wait in very practical terms. Whereas before it was just a long wait while Volkswagen slowly realized it needed to properly invest in North America, the wait this time is because VW needs to get its Puebla, Mexico, factory completely on-line to build all of North America's Golfs and GTIs. The deadline for this happening is... July 2014. We're still gonna whine about it though, because that's how we roll.

Continue reading 2015 Volkswagen GTI [w/video]

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2015 Volkswagen GTI [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2015 volkswagen gti7th gen golf7th generation golffeaturedfirst driveFirstDrivegen 7 golfvolkswagenvolkswagen golfvolkswagen gtivwvw golfvw gtiFri, 26 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[First Drive: 2013 Audi RS6 Avant [w/video]]]>http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/04/24/2013-audi-rs6-avant-w-video/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/04/24/2013-audi-rs6-avant-w-video/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/04/24/2013-audi-rs6-avant-w-video/#commentsLatest, Greatest Autobahn Bomber Will Not Be Denied - Except To Us

2013 Audi RS6 Avant

Back in 2008, I was fortunate enough to test the second-generation Audi RS6 Avant in southern France on the supremely well-sorted circuit at Le Castellet, a.k.a. Paul Ricard. I was thrown out there with the 572-horsepower bi-turbo 5.0-litre V10-equipped behemoth behind one of Audi's DTM pros and was convinced in short order that the flaming hippo in my hands was going to get the better of me on one or another of the track's tight esses. I made it out alive and invigorated, of course, but knew that that RS6 Avant was the heaviest that these thunderwagons should ever be allowed to get. At around 2,109 kg (4,650 pounds) with driver aboard, it was just way more lateral momentum at speed than any pilot needs on a track - or for that matter, on a favourite hot curving road.

Now it's time for the 2013 Audi RS6 Avant to lay us out with a flying scissor kick from the corner ropes. This version of the highway and byway marauder from Quattro GmbH is a decidedly greater piece of work than was the car I drove in 2008. This time, there will only be the Avant body configuration - no RS6 sedan - and, as with the previous generation, North America won't be at the receiving end when deliveries start at the end of July this year.

I can only whine loudly about what a pity that is; the new RS6 Avant with its 4.0-litre bi-turbo V8 is the absolute best Audi RS model I have tested in over a decade. It weighs in 100 kg (220 pounds) less than its predecessor, loses 20 horsepower, gains 37 pound-feet of torque, and torches the previous car's acceleration time to 60 miles per hour (96 km/h) by seven-tenths of a second, or in other words, it needs only 3.8 seconds. That's seriously hair-brained action in a family-car wrapper. There are a few reasons as to why it's that much quicker, but one key is the greater 17.4 psi (120 kPa) of boost pressure from each turbocharger versus the 10.2 psi (70 kPa) per unit on the last generation's spec sheet. Then there are the tighter ratios of the eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox against the six-speed Tiptronic of 2008.

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2013 Audi RS6 Avant [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Wed, 24 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 audi rs6 avantaudiaudi a6Audi RS6audi RS6 Avantfirst driveFirstDrivers6RS6 AvantWed, 24 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[First Drive: 2014 Fiat 500L [w/video]]]>http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/04/05/2014-fiat-500l-first-drive-review-video/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/04/05/2014-fiat-500l-first-drive-review-video/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/04/05/2014-fiat-500l-first-drive-review-video/#commentsPracticality From The Italian Ministry of Cute

2014 Fiat 500L

As seen in the correct Italian/European light, Fiat is rightly dubbed a small car kingdom. This is not the marque's whole story, though, and it's certainly not a way Fiat appreciates being pigeonholed. But even the brand itself sort of has to admit that, in the end, without clever and right-priced smaller cars in its lineup, it might not even exist today.

Between the early 1980s and the dawn of the 21st century, however, the Fiat brand seemingly did everything it could to wreck itself and its core compact-car reputation by producing a series of certifiably unamazing cars that mostly looked drab and behaved below average. Just go have a gander at the Ritmo, the Uno, the Duna, the 1992-98 Cinquecento, 2004-07 Seicento/600, and the most recent European mega-flop, the Stilo, discontinued in 2008. Thankfully, almost right out of the gates since the mid-aughts, however, that has no longer been the case.

Jammed in this self-inflicted Catch-22 of small-car dependence, Fiat finally started capitalizing on the millstone hanging around its neck and turned it into a positive with the introduction of the new 500 back in 2007. The 500 and its wildly popular Abarth interpretations have allowed Fiat to at last create good premium-subcompact profits because these cars have become personalized trend and fashion statements worldwide.

Now I've driven this cheeky 2014 Fiat 500L mini-MPV, which should arrive in North America by the end of June. It's the next chapter in the Fiat brand's rise from the ashes and re-entry in North America. The latter has been perhaps a much slower rise than desired due to the Great Recession and a European car market that continues to collapse in on itself in pretty scary fashion, but there is now light at the end of the Fiat tunnel. After a whole week of normal day-to-day with child and friends and stuff and many kilometres traveled, I was genuinely convinced by the 500L after not really knowing at all what to expect.

Continue reading...

Gallery: Fiat 500 GQ Edition: Geneva 2013



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2014 Fiat 500L [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Fri, 05 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2014 fiat 500l500 l500lcinquecentofeaturedfiatfiat 500fiat 500lfirst driveFirstDrivereviewFri, 05 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Review: 2013 Audi S8]]>http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/04/04/2013-audi-s8-review/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/04/04/2013-audi-s8-review/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/04/04/2013-audi-s8-review/#commentsItaly To Monaco In Audi's Crushing Performance Saloon

2013 Audi S8

I had an engagement a while back with the Audi RS5 Cabriolet in Monaco, and getting me from my lair in northern Italy by plane connection is an utter waste of time since the first flight is always to either Paris, Zurich, or Rome, three cities not at all on the way to Monaco. So I phoned Audi Italia about a quick loan of a car for the three-hour-ish drive to this event, and they were simpatici enough to propose that I keep whatever they gave me for two weeks. And what they gave me was a loaded Audi S8 with properly chosen 20-inch Dunlop SP Winter Sport treads attached.

This was about to be a much cooler two weeks than I had planned.

On the other hand, several colleagues looked at me and then at the car, and then said, "You'll love the thing until it's time to fill it." I was determined to show them all that the 90 litre (23.8-gallon) capacity of premium fuel would not break my will to love the S8 as though it were my own in everyday driving over the next fourteen days.

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2013 Audi S8 originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Thu, 04 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 audi s8audiaudi s8car reviewfeaturedreviewreviewss8s8 reviewThu, 04 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New York: Audi S3 Sedan boasts SAE 296 hp, 0-60 in 4.7 seconds]]>http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/03/27/audi-s3-sedan-new-york-2013/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/03/27/audi-s3-sedan-new-york-2013/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/03/27/audi-s3-sedan-new-york-2013/#comments

The last time Audi gifted the world with a small sport sedan was way back when the A4 wasn't an entry-luxury executive car costing relative gads of dough, so maybe since the mid-1990s. In a company decision reversal, we're now officially getting the new A3 Sportback starting later this year, but that's a five-door hatch and not a big volume attraction for most markets. And there's no guarantee we'll get the S3 Sportback version yet. So, what to do?

An S3 sedan is what. Audi was nice enough to usher us in to a private audience with this hotly awaited model in a westside Manhattan pier warehouse prior to the official unveil at the New York Auto Show today. Here is just a knee-jerk reaction to lead off... She do look damned fine, kids.

This heartier version of the new smaller notchback sedan from Ingolstadt is set to launch in western Europe as of December this year (after the A3 sedan in September), and North American deliveries will begin during summer 2014. North American bound S3 sedans come standard with a sunroof, 18-inch wheels, full leather, Sirius satellite radio, the three-spoke sport steering wheel with shift paddles for the also-standard six-speed S-tronic, and fully automated adjustable sport seats. Unfortunately, no six-speed manual shifting will be offered.


Gallery: Audi S3 Sportback

Continue reading Audi S3 Sedan boasts SAE 296 hp, 0-60 in 4.7 seconds

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Audi S3 Sedan boasts SAE 296 hp, 0-60 in 4.7 seconds originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 new york auto show2015 audi s3audiaudi a3audi s3autoshow2013new yorknew york auto showWed, 27 Mar 2013 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[First Drive: 2014 BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo [w/video]]]>http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/03/21/2014-bmw-3-series-gran-turismo-w-video/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/03/21/2014-bmw-3-series-gran-turismo-w-video/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/03/21/2014-bmw-3-series-gran-turismo-w-video/#commentsBMW Gets Much Closer To The GT Look And Feel It Seeks

2014 BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo

The 2014 BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo is being launched to a pretty cynical automotive press brigade. You know it. We know it. Heck, even BMW knows it. We've just returned from driving it on the rather unforgiving and sometimes nasty roads of Sicily, and even before we got behind the wheel, many of our media colleagues were busying themselves doubting the 3 GT's very raison d'être. So, despite the always excellent Sicilian hospitality, the day's atmosphere was kind of fragile.

While the press in attendance seemed determined to nail every product expert to the wall for having been even tangentially associated with the larger 5 Series Gran Turismo, it seemed that BMW decided ahead of time to not introduce such a sensitive discussion topic. That strategy would do little to smooth things over as everyone started digging for dirt on BMW's so far clumsy Gran Turismo franchise.

As it turns out, we like the 3 GT despite so many packaging and design cards being stacked against it just by association with the 5 GT precedent. Automotive journalists are sometimes wrong en masse and this case of prejudice toward the 3 GT is one of those times.

And besides, much in the way the entire Buick brand still exists because China fell in love with it (entirely to General Motors' dumb-luck surprise), the 5 GT has somewhat thrived due to similar circumstances. The odd-duck 5 Series version - arguably the least appealing design ever to roll out of the halls of BMW - has found its savior almost exclusively in the Land of Confucius. After driving this new 3 GT, we have no reason to doubt it will find far more favour not just in China, but in all of BMW's major markets.

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2014 BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Thu, 21 Mar 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2014 bmw 3 series gran turismo3 gt3 series3 series gran turismo3 series gt3gtbmwThu, 21 Mar 2013 11:57:00 EST<![CDATA[First Drive: 2014 Mini John Cooper Works Paceman All4]]>http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/03/14/2014-mini-john-cooper-works-paceman-all4-first-drive-review/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/03/14/2014-mini-john-cooper-works-paceman-all4-first-drive-review/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/03/14/2014-mini-john-cooper-works-paceman-all4-first-drive-review/#commentsThe One Mini Should Have Taken Rallying

2014 Mini John Cooper Works Paceman All4

It needs to be said: Mini using the Countryman as their World Rally Championship racer's bodystyle of choice has done them no favours on the marketing front. And that's what it's all about in motorsports these days: marketing and image. We have just driven the 2014 Mini John Cooper Works Paceman All4 through Frankfurt's surrounding rural areas, and even in thick snow where few souls dared to tread, it has singularly rekindled some faith in the John Cooper Works sub-brand - a glorious name whose credibility has been threatened by portly and somewhat pointless products like the JCW Countryman.

The JCW Paceman is a little quicker than its Countryman relative, a little lighter, hunkered down lower, and better looking. We can't say we're crazy anymore about the stock Chili Red details and black exterior they keep showing us at these launches, but that's just paint. Then there's that projected pricing of $39k-plus that puts us on the verge of yelling "¡No mas!" But the All4 system on our 215-horsepower Paceman worked extremely well when paired with a set of exceptional Pirelli Sottozero Winter 210 Serie II tires (sized 205/55 R17 91H all around). The combination of all-wheel drive and good rubber encouraged us to gradually up the average speed and enthusiasm the further we drove along.

And the JCW hunkers four-tenths of an inch lower on its standard sport-tuned dampers and springs. This is just the start of why the hip point and yaw point - and all those other points - render the Paceman JCW's driving so satisfying. Whereas the electro-assisted steering on some of the lower-slung Minis has suffered slightly since the very first incarnations of those models, the Paceman seems to work with it. We were forcing oversteer coming into several of the day's curves, and the steering and sheer physics of the chassis readily obliged. Just get your inner ear in sync with the Mini's 1,475 kg (3,252-pounds) of lateral momentum and you're golden. The odd center handbrake is calibrated not to really snap the car around at will, but we learned to muscle it and deal with the onboard chorus of chimes warning us that we were using the handbrake as a handbrake.

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2014 Mini John Cooper Works Paceman All4 originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Thu, 14 Mar 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2014 mini paceman john cooper works all4first driveFirstDrivejcwminipacemanpaceman jcwpaceman john cooper worksThu, 14 Mar 2013 11:57:00 EST<![CDATA[First Drive: 2014 Volkswagen XL1 [w/video]]]>http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/03/11/2014-volkswagen-xl1-first-drive-review-video/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/03/11/2014-volkswagen-xl1-first-drive-review-video/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/03/11/2014-volkswagen-xl1-first-drive-review-video/#commentsWorld's Most Efficient Car Impresses, Not Without Compromises

2014 Volkswagen XL1

Among performing our many duties at the recent Geneva Motor Show, we were offered a pretty exclusive drive in the new Volkswagen XL1 hyper-efficient plug-in diesel hybrid. There is so much that is interesting about a car like this reaching production from a major automaker that it's tough to know where to begin.

First off, you should know that - at least for this generation - there is absolutely no chance in that this "1-litre vehicle" (i.e. a vehicle that can burn just one litre of fuel to travel 100 kilometers) will ever make it into the hands of North American customers. We, too, were having trouble imagining an XL1 in typical North American traffic, surrounded by comparatively massive pickups and SUVs. The driving experience had us recalling a couple of weeks in 1999 when we drove the then-revolutionary Honda Insight hybrid in North America. We keenly remember the feeling of being very small and vulnerable, even as we felt proudly green in our 3.8L/100km (61-mpg) Tochigi pod. Thing is, the Volkswagen is smaller still, and nearly as light despite its more complex drivetrain and safety features.

In fact, the VW XL1 drive experience itself is very much like what we experienced in the Honda. Start talking about those details, however, and the XL1 reveals itself as a new way of seeing ultra-efficiency at work. The main technical difference is that the XL1 runs off of the parallel combination of a 27-horsepower electric motor that derives its current from a 5.5-kWh lithium ion battery pack, plus a 47-hp 800-cc turbocharged and direct-injected two-cylinder diesel engine. The whole parallel powertrain is located in back, while the 12V battery for ancillaries and the lithium-ion assembly, which can be charged via plug and gets some energy through brake recuperation, is positioned up front.

Continue reading 2014 Volkswagen XL1 [w/video]

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2014 Volkswagen XL1 [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Mon, 11 Mar 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2014 volkswagen xl1first driveFirstDrivevolkswagenvolkswagen xl1 imagesvolkswagen xl1 reviewxl1Mon, 11 Mar 2013 11:57:00 EST<![CDATA[First Drive: 2013 Volkswagen Golf R Cabriolet]]>http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/03/07/2013-volkswagen-golf-r-cabriolet/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/03/07/2013-volkswagen-golf-r-cabriolet/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/03/07/2013-volkswagen-golf-r-cabriolet/#commentsThe Golf VI's Last Hurrah Is Pure Niche



This was in the heart of the ultra-chic Côte d'Azur during winter. The car to be tested was the not-for-North America 2013 Volkswagen Golf R Cabriolet. Prevailing weather conditions here this time of year are bizarrely pleasant, as though a dome of Swarovski crystal has been placed over the entire region to protect it from any real winter spoiling things. And the zippy Golf R Cabriolet is a sports car designed precisely for this area's preciously narrow winding streets, as well as for the lofty budgets of its property owners.

So then why was it snowing like we were in northern Ontario? The weather front hit from the north like a swift kick to the Jordaches. The roof was open on this Candy White Golf R Cabrio and I, as is my wont, was determined through thick or thin to keep it retracted. It had been raining and sometimes sleeting like the End of Days, but I kept the lid cracked because the 261-horsepower cabrio - the most powerful convertible ever built by Volkswagen - was snipping along nicely as the bad weather blew over my head and wetted only the rear headrests.

Continue reading 2013 Volkswagen Golf R Cabriolet

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2013 Volkswagen Golf R Cabriolet originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Thu, 07 Mar 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 volkswagen golf r cabriocabrioconvertiblefeaturedfirst driveFirstDrivegolfgolf rgolf r cabriogolf r cabrioletvolkswagenThu, 07 Mar 2013 11:57:00 EST<![CDATA[First Drive: 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 Sport]]>http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/03/06/2014-mercedes-cla-250-sport-first-drive-review/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/03/06/2014-mercedes-cla-250-sport-first-drive-review/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/03/06/2014-mercedes-cla-250-sport-first-drive-review/#commentsMercedes-Benz Makes A Mighty Little Sedan



We got overexcited when the W203 Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan came out in 2001, calling it the "Baby Benz" when it really wasn't. We knew that, too, but our enthusiasm for a model more like the old 190 of the '80s was so strong that we were willing to stretch this unquenched desire to fit that first-gen C-Class. Today, the C-Class has done what all German premium cars do: grown in size to satisfy the market intentions of the previous E-Class.

There was the tall A-Class launched in 1997, but we never considered that a serious small Benz in the proper spirit - consider its front-wheel-drive layout and less than glamorous looks. Regardless, we've been craving a smaller, premium, sexy sedan.

As you read this, Mercedes-Benz has just unveiled with great fanfare the production CLA-Class at this year's Geneva Motor Show. We saw the car at the Detroit Auto Show in January, and the Concept Style Coupe that led to the CLA was first seen in China at the 2012 Beijing Motor Show. The CLA - a.k.a. "the baby CLS" - is finally here and we've driven it.

Continue reading 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 Sport

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2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 Sport originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Wed, 06 Mar 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2014 mercedes-benz cla 250 sport2014 mercedes-benz cla-classcla-classcla-class imagescla-class reviewfeaturedfirst driveFirstDrivemercedes-benzWed, 06 Mar 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Exclusive: GM reveals new factoids on 2014 Corvette Stingray]]>http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/02/28/more-corvette-stingray-factoids-vanishing-panel-gaps-and-26-mpg/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/02/28/more-corvette-stingray-factoids-vanishing-panel-gaps-and-26-mpg/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/02/28/more-corvette-stingray-factoids-vanishing-panel-gaps-and-26-mpg/#comments

During January's Detroit auto show, we managed a longer than expected wandering tag-team interview with C7 Corvette chief engineering exec Tadge Juechter (pictured above), and LT1 engine boss Jordan Lee (pictured below). They are, quite honestly, two of the very nicest bigshot lads to ever walk the engineering corridors of an American manufacturer. Both are enthralled by what they're doing for a day job. So are we.

We've followed the pre-sale anticipation for the 2014 Chevrolet C7 Corvette Stingray like an Oreck vacuum yanking every speck of dirt from a well-trampled carpet. Everything is reportable and contains a grain of further knowledge about this dramatically important and cheered-for car, as it continues to be pressured into representing all that is superior about the American automotive dream. The Corvette wears one heavy cloak.

So, most of what was talked about has been expertly reported already right here on Autoblog Canada. But, looking through our notes again, both Jeuchter and Lee added facts to the buzzing mix.

Click here to learn a few things you may not know about the 2014 Corvette.


Gallery: 2014 Chevrolet Corvette - Canadian Reveal Event

Continue reading GM reveals new factoids on 2014 Corvette Stingray

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GM reveals new factoids on 2014 Corvette Stingray originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Thu, 28 Feb 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 detroit auto show2014 chevrolet corvette stingrayautoshow2013chevroletchevycorvettecorvette fuel economycorvette mpgjordan leelt1stingraytadge juechterThu, 28 Feb 2013 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Quick Spin: 2013 Jaguar XF Sportbrake]]>http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/02/28/2013-jaguar-xf-sportbrake-quick-spin-review/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/02/28/2013-jaguar-xf-sportbrake-quick-spin-review/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/02/28/2013-jaguar-xf-sportbrake-quick-spin-review/#comments2013 Jaguar XF Sportbrake

The last wagon attempt from Jaguar was the X-Type, built between 2003 and that model line's unceremonious end in 2009. That X-Type and its legacy represent a real dog of a chapter for Jaguar, and for the Halewood factory where the barker was built. It was the final joke told prior to the brand's proper rebirth phase - a phase we're enjoying the heck out of today.

Current magnanimous Jaguar owner Tata can be thanked for this new wagon, the XF Sportbrake. Like all newness coming from Jag these days, this new wagon also feels lightyears more serious an offering, ready to compete squarely with established premium wagon makers across Europe. A Jaguar wagon in North America is a far-off priority for the company, frankly. Still we deserve to know what we're missing for the time being from this (sometimes overly) cherished British firm.

I was given a right-hand-drive 3.0-litre turbodiesel XF Sportbrake. Jaguar currently offers only diesel powerplants in the wagon due to the European market buying nearly 100 per cent of its wagon bodies with the far more efficient powerplants. And on the 64 kilometres (40 miles) from Welshpool over to Bala at the edge of Wales' Snowdonia National Park, there's some driving to be done.

Hit the jump for a closer look and driving notes from our time spent with the Jaguar XF Sportbrake.

Continue reading 2013 Jaguar XF Sportbrake

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2013 Jaguar XF Sportbrake originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Thu, 28 Feb 2013 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 jaguar xf sportbrakefeaturedjaguarquick spinquickspinxfxf sportbrakeThu, 28 Feb 2013 15:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Quick Spin: 2014 Mazda6 Skyactiv-D Wagon]]>http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/02/21/2014-mazda6-skyactiv-d-wagon/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/02/21/2014-mazda6-skyactiv-d-wagon/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/02/21/2014-mazda6-skyactiv-d-wagon/#comments2014 Mazda6 Skyactiv-D Wagon - profile view

This was sort of a quirky surprise drive opportunity. I've been over here in Italy for a while now, and Mazda Italia contacted me seemingly out of the blue to drive test some version of the Mazda6 with a diesel engine. Supremo. The Mazda6 is a sexy everyday beast and I have been digging their SkyActiv-D engines for a while now. Very spirited units.

My contact phones me the day of, and says he can come by with the car, and then we'll head off to some sort of special spot for dynamics testing and technical conversation. Nice deal, say I.

My guy Ernesto pulls up outside of the house and - lo and behold - it's a dang Mazda6 station wagon with the very most recent 2.2-litre SkyActiv-D motor good for 148 horsepower and healthy 280 pound-feet of torque. The wee four-banger with 14.0:1 compression ratio hauls this 1,478 kg (3,260-pound) wagon around with the best of them. A decent 0-to-60-mph (0-96 km/h) time of 8.7 seconds, too.

Best touch? This one had the standard six-speed manual gearbox. We at Autoblog know how we bend a few noses the wrong way with our open cravings for exactly this sort of un-North American car setup. But, oh my, did we have a good day together.

Driving Notes
  • First off, the Mazda6 sedan we just tested is a fine-looking conveyance. But if you like wagons like I do, this 2013 Mazda6 wagon is even finer. To my eyes, it doesn't overdo it like some Infiniti models or the Nissan Juke, and any references to the swoopy Fisker Karma soon fade away. Mazda's "Kodo" ("Soul of Motion") design approach just works.
  • I was so geeked that this was a wagon. And the six-speed manual mated with the SkyActiv-D engine just took it over the top. Before hopping in, I noticed the optional set of really nice 19-inch wheels wrapped in Bridgestone Turanza T001 treads, the latest vintage of this fine rubber.
  • Ernesto tells me that I am the very first in all of Italy to drive this engine trim outside of the company testers. "What about the Italian journos?," I ask. He smiles and shrugs, meaning, "Too bad for them, I guess."
  • This revvy and strong 2.2-litre turbodiesel is not the 173-hp tune that arrives in the North America later this year in the sedan, but it would do just fine on North American roads. If the hp bump seems modest on the trim we'll get, well, the torque bump is also a mild 30 lb-ft. Acceleration to 60 mph (96 km/h) will be only a half-second quicker and fuel use will increase, though it will still be good at about 30 miles per gallon (7.8 L/100 km) city and 40 mpg (5.9 L/100 km) highway EPA.
  • We pulled up outside of a go-kart track I know out in the middle of the northern Italian flatlands. Ernesto tells me this is the place. Seriously? Yes, seriously. Ever whipped a front-wheel-drive family wagon with manual shifter and small diesel engine around a karting circuit? Me either.
  • The terrific Turanza tires were smoking freely under the cranking enthusiasm of the 2.2-litre four. All of the torque was there at 1,800 revs and the action of the manual shifter proved smooth and precise. It was easy to heel-and-toe at all times - this, on an extremely tight kart track, not an open road with time to think built-in.
  • The wagon handled my induced-oversteer moves well, with superb steering and exceptional weight transfers exceptional. (It's like this on almost any hopped-up wagon I've driven even a little like this. For instance, I prefer the Mini Cooper S JCW Clubman on a hot circuit versus the hardtop for this very reason).
  • All traction nannies were off and Ernesto and I were having a little more fun than I think his bosses had in mind. I started in with the Scandinavian handbraking, a technique that invariably enters the equation on such tracks, and we were giggling like school girls in short order.
  • The Mazda6's rear suspension setup's lateral arms do not, as many do, err forward and higher than the wheel hub. Instead they attach low, below the wheel center. This results in an extremely sporting attitude over twisty roads as the arms push at the rear wheel down lower and closer to the center line. This was most noticeable on track.
For the moment, no wagons are promised for North America, sadly. That's a serious bummer for all of us; this Mazda6 wagon is a brilliantly executed design. Pretty damn good on a kart track, too.

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2014 Mazda6 Skyactiv-D Wagon originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2014 mazda62014 mazda6 wagondieselfeaturedmazdamazda dieselmazda6mazda6 wagonquick spinquickspinskyactiv-dThu, 21 Feb 2013 14:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Quick Spin: 2014 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S 4Matic [w/video]]]>http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/02/20/2014-mercedes-benz-e63-amg-s-4matic-w-video/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/02/20/2014-mercedes-benz-e63-amg-s-4matic-w-video/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/02/20/2014-mercedes-benz-e63-amg-s-4matic-w-video/#comments2014 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S 4Matic - on the road, at speed

Maybe you saw our recent blog snippet on a bunch of US journos getting pulled over in the middle of nowhere in Catalunya, Spain for driving a bunch of new 2014 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG models. By all accounts, they weren't speeding - which makes me softly guffaw. I was there in that group, yet I had taken the more direct route into the mountains from Barcelona so that I could... well, so that I could go faster. No one hassled me and I had the Autovia all to myself. And it was the goodniks - the team players - who got nabbed because Spain had decided to suddenly enforce the never enforced "must carry an international driver's license" clause of the highway code.

The departing E63 AMG with 518 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque from its M157 5.5-litre biturbo V8 hasn't exactly been poorly received. It isn't as crisp as, nor as pleasantly evil as its C63 AMG kid brother, but we generally accept that the heavier and larger car will always feel, well, heavier and larger.

As part of the 2014 E-Class mid-cycle redesign, Affalterbach decided to give its E63 AMG more power and torque for the occasion. The base car now gives off 550 hp and 531 lb-ft, while the hotter S version I tested (formerly the AMG Performance Pack) produces 577 hp and 590 lb-ft. The other big novelty is that E63 sedans will be available with both rear- and all-wheel drive, while all North America spec E63 wagons will be 4Matic equipped.

Driving Notes
  • All S-trimmed AMGs come standard with 4Matic all-wheel drive, as well as an AMG-specific 4Matic clutch pack integrated neatly to the rear of the 7G-Tronic gearbox housing. This unit really alters the game of the E63.
  • While the pumped-up standard E63 with rear-wheel drive now reels off 0-60 (0-96 km/h) runs in an estimated 4.2 seconds, this E63 S with AMG 4Matic can straight-line to 60 mph (96 km/h) in just 3.6.
  • Not much has been altered for the chassis and suspension layout, so the ride and handling on the 19-inch Pirelli PZero treads - 255/35 front, 285/30 rear - and AMG sport suspension is entirely familiar. Merc knows how to coddle me Euro-style, even in an AMG model.
  • Things do get pretty hardcore due to the constant fore/aft torque split per centages of 33/67 via the AMG-specific 4Matic. (Non-AMG 4Matic E-Class models run a default 45/55 split, and it varies depending on road and driving conditions.)
  • Along with a completely new front axle to accommodate 4Matic and a more aggressive front wheel camber, there is a quicker 14.0:1 steering ratio versus standard E-Class models at 17.4:1. The more hardcore AMG setup is programmed to be 25 per cent heavier feeling than the Sport settings of the series car.
  • The steering action while driving along those Spanish curves was impressive, assisted by the rear axle mechanical differential lock that is standard on S models. This, coupled with the throttle's newfound urgency, makes for a far more aggressive E-Class AMG than I've ever experienced. It's almost more along the lines of a C63 Black Series, honestly, yet more predictable at the hardest speeds.
  • The few tunnels that I shot through were perfect opportunities to shamelessly downshift and listen to the four-tip sport exhaust with the windows cranked down. (See our Short Cut video below.) The twin turbos make for a lower 6,500-rpm redline, but the rumble is as good as what we've come to expect from anything wearing an AMG badge.
  • My only trouble came from the AMG Speedshift version of the 7G-Tronic semi-automatic transmission. In Sport Plus or Manual modes, this transmission as programmed is awkward at times. The trouble is the ultra-conservative settings for upshifts, downshifts, and throttle response when called upon to punch hard from low speeds or in transitions. It is reassuring that Benz promises they are working hard on exactly this issue.
  • All of the redesigned E-Class AMG models will arrive in August, and while Mercedes-Benz does not yet have exact pricing to announce, the rear-wheel-drive sedan should not vary greatly from its current price of $99,700 due to "current sensitivities in the marketplace."

Continue reading 2014 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S 4Matic [w/video]

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2014 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S 4Matic [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Wed, 20 Feb 2013 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2014 mercedes-benz e63 amgamge-classe-klassee63 amgfeaturedmercedes-benzquick spinquickspinWed, 20 Feb 2013 14:58:00 EST<![CDATA[First Drive: 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class [w/video]]]>http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/02/20/2014-mercedes-benz-e-class-first-drive-review/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/02/20/2014-mercedes-benz-e-class-first-drive-review/http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/02/20/2014-mercedes-benz-e-class-first-drive-review/#commentsThree-Pointed Cash Cow Gets Significant Updo

2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class - front three-quarter view, silver

On sale since 2009, with some enhancements already done in early 2011, the eighth-generation W/S 212 Mercedes-Benz E-Class has once again been put under the knife to stay in step with the automaker's never-ending desire to be the world's Number One purveyor of premium motors. Whereas the smaller C-Class is the best-seller worldwide for Mercedes-Benz, the E-Class pulls in oceans of dough per sale, also at immense volumes.

Beyond a reworking of the overall engine strategy in this second midlife massage, a majority of the E-Class' exterior panels have been redesigned. Additionally, many of the assistance systems to be offered on the next S-Class are being introduced to the E-Class segment for the first time. Occasionally, these sorts of comprehensive refreshes nearly create a new generation of the car, and this freshened E-Class comes damned close to that.

While Mercedes-Benz wants to talk a lot about the new engine lineup and the S-Class-style convenience and safety systems, we were struck immediately by the redesign. Frankly, to our eyes, these past few years of the Mercedes family look could have used a little more finesse and less knife-slice coldness. That general feel of chilled sharpness on the E-Class is set to be history in short order. Even the chiseled "haunch" line is gone from the rear bodyside - the sort of sheetmetal change you almost never see on a mid-cycle update.

Continue reading 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class [w/video]

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2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Wed, 20 Feb 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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