It seems that BMW is on a roll with new model introductions these days. Fresh from the Detroit auto show, where the German   marque introduced its new 2 Series Coupe, the latest-generation M3 sedan,…

BMW reveals new 4 Series Gran Coupe

It seems that BMW is on a roll with new model introductions these days. Fresh from the Detroit auto show, where the German marque introduced its new 2 Series Coupe, the latest-generation M3 sedan, and its new M4 Coupe sibling, BMW has now announced that yet another all-new model will be debuting at the Geneva Auto Show in March, and heading to North America for the New York International Auto Show in April.

For those who've been following BMW's new model lineup closely, the latest car is at once puzzling and inevitable: It's the 4 Series Gran Coupe, a swoopy-roofed four-door hatchback version of the 4 Series Coupe.

Now, this is puzzling because BMW just finished dividing the long-standing 3 Series lineup into four door sedan models (which remain 3 Series cars) and two-door coupe models (which become 4 Series cars). And now we have a 4 Series sedan, which logically you might expect to be called a 3 Series hatchback.

On the other hand, the new car was also inevitable Read Full Story
If you’ve already read my BMW X5 article from a few days ago, you should know when Land Rover introduced the Range Rover   Sport back in 2005 the market success of the BMW was one of the catalysts…

2014 Land Rover Range Rover Sport Road Test Review

If you've already read my BMW X5 article from a few days ago, you should know when Land Rover introduced the Range Rover Sport back in 2005 the market success of the BMW was one of the catalysts driving its development. The BMW X5 and Porsche Cayenne had demonstrated one-percenters would go for a luxury SUV with outstanding power and handling on the street. Further, those models had demonstrated-for a certain segment of that demographic-off-road capability was truly secondary.

Of course, prodigious off-road capability is an integral aspect of Land Rover's DNA; no way the company was going to do a fast SUV that wouldn't hold its own on Telluride's Imogene trail or Moab's Poison Spider Mesa, let alone the 65,000 acres of unspoiled nature in the heart of Quebec's Laurentian Mountains that surround the Fairmont Le Château Montebello where Land Rover Canada houses its off-road driving school. Thus, the original Range Rover Sport was engineered to scream on the street just as Read Full Story
With only a week to go before the opening of the Chicago Auto Show, Subaru decided to get a jump on the excitement by offering   a sneak peak at its new Legacy sedan. The sixth generation of Subaru’s…

Redesigned Subaru Legacy teased ahead of Chicago

With only a week to go before the opening of the Chicago Auto Show, Subaru decided to get a jump on the excitement by offering a sneak peak at its new Legacy sedan. The sixth generation of Subaru's mid-size four-door will debut at the show on February 6.

The teaser image was accompanied by only the briefest of statements, indicating that the "the all-new Legacy offers a sleeker, more coupe-like profile with a faster windshield rake angle and narrower A-pillars that create a sporty and modern sedan."

What is clear from the teaser image is that the production version will stay very close in profile to the Legacy Concept shown at the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show, and will also get flared wheel arches similar to the Concept. Less clear is whether it will also retain the Concept's aggressive front end treatment with its "hawk-eye" headlights and hexagonal grille.

The Legacy's update comes just in time for the all-wheel drive sedan's 25th anniversary. The Legacy is Read Full Story
While the marketing team at Mercedes-Benz is eagerly referring to the 2014 E-Class as a redesign, we’re a bit reluctant to go   along with them in that regard. See, while the mechanical changes…

2014 Mercedes-Benz E250 BlueTec 4Matic Road Test Review

While the marketing team at Mercedes-Benz is eagerly referring to the 2014 E-Class as a redesign, we're a bit reluctant to go along with them in that regard. See, while the mechanical changes are relatively minor and the reworked styling is largely a refresh rather than a major revision, we're more apt to label it an update. With that said, this is a considerably significant update however.

E-Class sedans and wagons get the styling refresh, while the coupes and convertibles remain unchanged. However, all models do get new interior design elements, and there are new engines across the board too. OK, so maybe the MBZ team is more on target than we initially gave them credit for. You decide.

However you slice it, the E-Class is one very important model line for Mercedes-Benz. Given that one quarter of all cars the company sells have an "E" on their trunk lids, and when you consider Mercedes offers some 13 model ranges, that's a huge statement. Essentially, the E-Class Read Full Story
For the second time in recent years, Toyota has taken the drastic step of halting sales of most of its U.S. lineup while it addresses a potential safety issue. But unless the National Highway Traffic…

Toyota halts U.S. sales over fire hazard

For the second time in recent years, Toyota has taken the drastic step of halting sales of most of its U.S. lineup while it addresses a potential safety issue. But unless the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration orders otherwise, Toyota says it doesn't plan to recall vehicles already sold.

North of the border, Toyota Canada has not halted sales but is instead consulting with Transport Canada to have the problem deemed inconsequential to safety, with no further action required.

The stop-sale announcement covers six high-volume models equipped with electric seat heaters, including the Camry, Sienna, Tacoma, Avalon, Tundra and Corolla. The problem is that some of the soft material underneath the outer seat upholstery doesn't comply with U.S. safety standards and could potentially catch fire in the event of a short circuit in the seat heating pad. In all, 36,000 cars, trucks, and minivans are affected - about 13 percent of the U.S. dealer inventory.

Toyota Read Full Story