Following in the footsteps of the BMW Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupe that debuted at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, BMW   has unveiled a similarly forward-looking luxury four-door…

BMW reveals Vision Future Luxury Concept in Beijing

Following in the footsteps of the BMW Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupe that debuted at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, BMW has unveiled a similarly forward-looking luxury four-door concept at the 2014 Beijing International Automobile Exhibition.

The Gran Lusso Coupe was BMW's first-ever collaboration with Pininfarina, and was said to be an "interpretation of a luxurious BMW coupe as seen through the eyes of Pininfarina." The recently unveiled Vision Future Luxury Concept borrows heavily from the coupe's styling cues and interprets them in a four-door form that BMW says "furnishes a long-term outlook on the perception of modern luxury for the BMW brand."

Summing up the concept, BMW's head of design Karim Habib explained that, "the design of the BMW Vision Future Luxury is the messenger of our philosophy of modern luxury, one in which innovative technologies play a key and vital role."

Key to efficiency and performance are lightweight construction techniques, Read Full Story
This is a big year for the Volkswagen Jetta. No, it’s styling remains just as attractive as it was when it endured a much maligned Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press overhaul for the 2011…

2014 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Highline Road Test Review

This is a big year for the Volkswagen Jetta. No, it's styling remains just as attractive as it was when it endured a much maligned overhaul for the 2011 model year, and likewise the new 2014 model's interior looks almost identical the design launched three years ago. After adding extra soft-touch surfaces and other quality improvements since its debut the Jetta has started to gain greater acceptance by traditional VW buyers. Of more importance to VW's performance driving fans, the German brand quickly responded to criticism by returning standard rear discs to the base model for the 2012 version, and now two years later (let us rejoice) a fully independent rear suspension has finally been made standard too.

Before we once again beat up on Volkswagen for its 2011 Jetta and its slow return to previous near premium status, let's remember that the old 2010 Jetta was leagues better than any of its compact competitors (and quite a bit pricier too), most of which didn't offer independent Read Full Story
For those who like the concept of a four-door coupe, but don’t want to spend the big bucks for a Mercedes CLS, Audi A7 or BMW Photo: Simon Hill, Canadian Auto Press 6 Series Gran Coupe, Volkswagen’s…

2014 Volkswagen CC Sportline Road Test Review

For those who like the concept of a four-door coupe, but don't want to spend the big bucks for a Mercedes CLS, Audi A7 or BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe, Volkswagen's everyman solution is the CC, or "Comfort Coupe."

While the CC is based on the Passat (indeed it was originally called the Passat CC) and has the same wheelbase as its more traditional mid-size sedan sibling, it is 27 mm longer, 50 mm lower and 36 mm wider. Combined with its swooping coupe-like roofline this gives it a distinctly sporty and luxurious look compared to the Passat.

The CC carries over into 2014 essentially unchanged from 2013, with three trim levels - Sportline, Highline, and V6 Highline, the latter featuring all-wheel drive. While manufacturers often try to dazzle automotive journalists by putting them into top-of-the line models, Volkswagen took the opposite tack with the CC and set out to impress me with a base Sportline CC.

At first glance it's hard not to be impressed. The CC is a Read Full Story
The whole point of icons is to be iconic, and Dodge appears to be keeping this in mind when it comes to refreshing its heritage-inspired   Challenger pony car. The Detroit builder has been teasing…

Updated 2015 Dodge Challenger revealed at New York auto show

The whole point of icons is to be iconic, and Dodge appears to be keeping this in mind when it comes to refreshing its heritage-inspired Challenger pony car. The Detroit builder has been teasing enthusiasts over the past few weeks with hints about the upcoming changes for 2015, but those who love the car's muscular, old-school looks will be pleased to know that the most dramatic changes are under the hood and in the entirely overhauled cabin.

Externally, Dodge has tweaked the Challenger only slightly, taking some fresh styling cues from the 1971 Challenger to evolve the design by one retro model year (the current Challenger took many of its design cues from the original 1970 model). The new styling cues include a split-design grille surround, split-design taillights, projector headlights with LED halo surrounds, projector fog lights, and a range of new retro and high-impact colours and stripe options.

There are also several new models for 2015, including an R/T Plus Read Full Story
All I can say is, “It took you long enough, North American automakers!” Global markets are filled with handy little compact delivery Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press vans while North…

2014 Nissan NV200 Compact Cargo SV Road Test Review

All I can say is, "It took you long enough, North American automakers!" Global markets are filled with handy little compact delivery vans while North America has simply made do with fuel-hungry full-size haulers for far too long. Ford seeded the market with its little Transit Connect four years ago and then the following year the Ram Cargo Van (which is little more than a Dodge Caravan with blocked rear windows) came on the scene, so now that Nissan has entered the fray we're starting to see some serious competition.

The full-size Nissan NV (1500/2000/2500) paved the way for the much smaller NV200, but it's this little tyke that will mean the most to the majority of small business owners. Whether a home-based tradesman or an organic grocery store with home delivery, the smaller NV may be ideal for your needs. It packs a lot more cargo room than its compact frame alludes to, something I found out while using it for completely cleaning out my 12x20-foot storage locker (thanks Nissan). Read Full Story
Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda recently tasked the company to put passion and excitement back into its products, and it appears the   engineers and stylists are taking his directive to heart. So when the…

Updated 2015 Camry revealed at New York auto show

Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda recently tasked the company to put passion and excitement back into its products, and it appears the engineers and stylists are taking his directive to heart. So when the refreshed current-generation Camry was unveiled at the New York International Auto Show, it was almost like a new model reveal.

Instead of a typical mild mid-cycle update, Toyota jacked up the roof on it's best-selling midsize sedan, stripped the car down to the chassis, and replaced pretty much every body panel in between, together with some 2,000 other parts.

The new bodywork has the same general shape as before, but is 45 mm longer overall and features prominent new character lines including an upward-sweeping line running from the front quarter panel to the rear fender, and new trim connecting the taillights. At the front an all-new fascia and big trapezoidal grille gives the Camry an aggressive look that's reminiscent of the Lexus IS series, especially in the Camry's new Read Full Story
I don’t think I can use the phrase "mini minivan". What really defines a vehicle as a minivan if it isn’t the sliding door(s) or the Photo: Jennifer Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press…

2014 Kia Rondo EX Luxury Road Test Review

I don't think I can use the phrase "mini minivan". What really defines a vehicle as a minivan if it isn't the sliding door(s) or the captain's chairs in the middle row? To me, vehicles such as the Chevrolet Orlando, Mazda5 (the only true mini-minivan available in our market) and the Kia Rondo seem to fit into a mini SUV or car-based small crossover category. This seems to be particularly true of the Rondo. I can understand how it's tricky to classify. The Rondo looks like a small car, seats seven, and has as many features fitted inside as possible. But really, do we have to label it? Can't we live in a society where everything doesn't need to fit into a category? Well, maybe for information's sake I'll stick with car/SUV crossover for now.

The Rondo has been completely updated for 2014. Exterior styling follows Kia's sportier new European-influenced direction that's already transformed the rest of the brand's lineup, a look that upgrades the interior too. Improvements to the Read Full Story
As winter comes to an end and drivers switch to summer tires, Kal Tire staged a timely demonstration to help explain the importance Photo: Simon Hill, Canadian Auto Press of a tire’s speed rating…

Do you know what tire speed ratings mean?

As winter comes to an end and drivers switch to summer tires, Kal Tire staged a timely demonstration to help explain the importance of a tire's speed rating and to illustrate why the rating is really more about performance than speed.

Indeed, given that even the lowest-rated tires can safely be driven at Canadian highway speed limits all day long, Kal Tire suggests that consumers think of the alphabetic code at the end of a tire's size description as being a "performance rating" rather than a "speed rating".

Technically speaking, a tire's speed rating indicates the tire's ability to stay cool when run at highway speeds and, by extension, during aggressive cornering. From a consumer perspective, this matters because of the way heat is generated and the manner in which higher-rated tires combat heat buildup.

Heat is generated as a tire flexes, deforms, and squirms. That's why underinflated tires risk blowouts: with inadequate air pressure to support the tire's Read Full Story