Whether you’re talking about the original 1960s Mini or today’s rebooted Mini brand, the model that started it all is the iconic Photo: Simon Hill, Canadian Auto Press two-door hardtop. For…

2014 Mini Cooper S Hardtop Road Test Review

Whether you're talking about the original 1960s Mini or today's rebooted Mini brand, the model that started it all is the iconic two-door hardtop. For 2014 the modern-day Mini Cooper Hardtop has undergone a ground-up redesign, and while it may look strikingly similar to the first reborn Mini of 2001 it's actually the third generation of the diminutive little four-seater.

The good news is that Mini hasn't spoiled the formula: In Cooper S trim the Hardtop remains an absolute blast to drive, with a responsive engine, impressively agile suspension and lively personality. It gets better, too, because Mini has managed to make the latest version both a little bit more powerful and a little bit more efficient thanks to a pair of all-new engines that will be shared with parent company BMW.

Where the old base Mini Cooper had a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine that produced 121 horsepower and 114 lb-ft of torque, the new base Cooper trades in one of its cylinders for a twin-scroll Read Full Story
The third-generation 2015 Ford Edge made its worldwide debut recently from the familiar surroundings of the company’s Dearborn,   Michigan home, but there was little else familiar about the…

Ford reveals new larger 2015 Edge

The third-generation 2015 Ford Edge made its worldwide debut recently from the familiar surroundings of the company's Dearborn, Michigan home, but there was little else familiar about the all-new mid-size crossover's introduction.

The 2015 Ford Edge introduces several new technologies to Ford's lineup including adaptive steering, enhanced park assist, side parking sensors, and a front camera with washer. It also introduces a pair of new EcoBoost turbocharged powerplants - a 2.0-litre four-cylinder that produces 245 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque, and 2.7-litre V6 that produces 300 horsepower and torque in line with traditional V8s according to Ford. The 2.0-litre EcoBoost engine is the base powerplant, making the 2015 Edge the first Ford product equipped with an EcoBoost engine as standard equipment. A naturally aspirated 3.5-litre V6 rounds out the engine lineup.

All three engines are mated to Ford's SelectShift six-speed automatic transmission with standard-equipment Read Full Story
Since 1949, the Abarth name has been closely associated with exceptional performance. Carlo Abarth founded his eponymous Photo: Fiat company in Italy that year to build racing cars. When it was time to…

2014 Fiat 500 Abarth Road Test Review

Since 1949, the Abarth name has been closely associated with exceptional performance. Carlo Abarth founded his eponymous company in Italy that year to build racing cars. When it was time to choose a logo for his organization, the fiery Italian chose the scorpion because it was his zodiac sign.

Abarth's team quickly became one of the most successful in Italy with drivers like Tazio Nuvolari, one of the greatest racing drivers of all time, in its cars. Like so many racing concerns of the day though, money eventually got tight, so Abarth turned his attention to road cars to help make ends meet. He came up with a performance kit for the Fiat Topolino, one of the most popular cars of the era. It worked, Abarth got paid huge, and when Fiat introduced the 500 in 1959, Abarth saw an opportunity to duplicate that success. Thus was born the Fiat 500 Abarth.

Over the years, Abarth's collaborations with Fiat increased. So much so, the conglomerate bought Abarth's company in 1971, Read Full Story
After only weeks of Audi’s 2015 A7 update, the Ingolstadt, Germany-based premium brand has revealed the latest version of   the sweptback five-door coupe’s sportiest iteration, the 2015…

2015 Audi RS 7 Sportback revealed in Europe

After only weeks of Audi's 2015 A7 update, the Ingolstadt, Germany-based premium brand has revealed the latest version of the sweptback five-door coupe's sportiest iteration, the 2015 RS 7 Sportback.

What's not changing is the car's powertrain, but this was hardly a sore point. The twin-turbocharged, direct-injection, cylinder deactivation-capable 4.0-litre (4.0 TFSI) V8 continues to produce a very healthy 560-horsepower and equally robust 516 lb-ft of torque, while a quick-shifting paddle-shift actuated eight-speed automatic transmission puts all that thrust down to the tarmac via Audi's legendary Quattro all-wheel drive system. The result of all this go-fast goodness is a sprint from standstill to 100 km/h in just 3.9 seconds and a top speed that ranges between 250 and 305 km/h.

Why the difference in top speed? The 2015 RS 7 Sportback will offer two optional Dynamics packages, upping top speeds to 280 km/h or optimally 305 km/h, neither of which will be much use here Read Full Story
There was a time when Acura was North America’s hottest Japanese luxury car brand. Of course, there was also a time when Photo: Acura Acura was North America’s only Japanese luxury car brand.…

2014 Acura ILX Dynamic Road Test Review

There was a time when Acura was North America's hottest Japanese luxury car brand. Of course, there was also a time when Acura was North America's only Japanese luxury car brand. And yes, those two periods did overlap somewhat. During its early years, Acura was so successful it outsold both Mercedes-Benz and BMW by significant margins. In fact, the company did so well right out of the gate, its management team took the amazing step of also introducing a mid-engined supercar-the Acura NSX.

With its image firmly rooted in performance, Acura became the darling of the import tuner crowd. The Acura Integra and its successor the Acura RSX were highly coveted enthusiast-oriented models. Sadly though, after an unprecedented run of success during the 1980's and 1990's the Acura brand became mired in something of an inertial quagmire going into the 21st century. The market shifted, competition became stiffer and more sophisticated, and Honda let its Acura models stay on the market too Read Full Story
Given that Brazil was the last country in the world to produce the classic Volkswagen Kombi microbus, ending production just   last year, it only makes sense that it’s a Brazilian designer…

Brazilian designer creates Nimbus Concept e-Car

Given that Brazil was the last country in the world to produce the classic Volkswagen Kombi microbus, ending production just last year, it only makes sense that it's a Brazilian designer who has come up with the Nimbus.

Eduardo Galvani's Nimbus Concept e-Car interprets the spirit of the original Volkswagen Kombi, but with its own adorably distinct style, plenty of retro-futuristic touches, and thoroughly modern underpinnings.

Powering the Nimbus is an extended-range hybrid electric drivetrain similar to that in the Chevrolet Volt, with a 130 kW (180-horsepower) electric engine drawing energy from a lithium-ion battery. Regenerative brakes and an array of rooftop solar panels help feed energy back into the system, and when the lithium ion battery becomes depleted there's a tiny internal combustion engine that can run a generator to power the system and provide extended range.

The drivetrain offers four modes: Energy Saver, Standard Trip, Faster Cruise and Four-wheel Read Full Story
Now this is one great looking car. I’m starting to see more and more Elantra GTs on the road, and each time one drives by it Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press takes control of my eyeballs,…

2014 Hyundai Elantra GT Road Test Review

Now this is one great looking car. I'm starting to see more and more Elantra GTs on the road, and each time one drives by it takes control of my eyeballs, fixating them on its backside and leaving me wondering why few other brands can manage as attractive a hatchback design.

The problem with the 2013 Elantra GT, the first year of the new model, wasn't its styling, and to be true its 1.8-litre engine was only a problem if go-fast performance was your aim when purchasing. The 1.8 was a good engine with reasonable acceleration thanks to 148 horsepower and 131 lb-ft of torque, but this new 2.0-litre mill is altogether more pleasing. It produces a satisfying 173 horsepower and 154 lb-ft of torque, which, in case you're not a math honours student, results in a gain of 25 horsepower and 23 lb-ft of torque.

Normally the smiles brought on by big performance improvements are turned upside down at the gas pump, but the new 2014 Elantra GT's fuel economy isn't much thirstier than Read Full Story
In a move designed to streamline the service experience and provide every Audi repair facility – and every customer – with   access to the company’s most experienced technicians,…

Audi and the ART of automotive maintenance

In a move designed to streamline the service experience and provide every Audi repair facility - and every customer - with access to the company's most experienced technicians, Audi has developed a new robotic diagnostic tool called ART (Audi Remote Telepresence).

The remotely-controlled ART robot uses cameras and a video monitor to enable Audi Technical Service teams to interact and converse with service technicians at local dealerships, even while physically in a different location. It displays the operator's face on a screen while permitting the ability to move around the vehicle. An attached borescope and handheld camera allow the operator to further inspect engine components and other difficult-to-reach parts of the vehicle.

The telepresence robot was developed by the Audi Technical Support team in conjunction with VGo Communications, Inc., a provider of robotic telepresence solutions for healthcare, education, and the workplace, and is the first automotive application Read Full Story