For most of its lifetime, the Chevrolet Corvette has been something of a bargain in the realm of ultra high performance automobiles.   Roundly celebrated for this fact, contemporary Corvettes have…

2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stringray Road Test Review

For most of its lifetime, the Chevrolet Corvette has been something of a bargain in the realm of ultra high performance automobiles. Roundly celebrated for this fact, contemporary Corvettes have also been routinely lambasted for having interior treatments of such low quality it was half-jokingly said Chevrolet contracted Fisher Price, makers of the Playskool line of plastic toys, to craft the passenger compartment of the Corvette.

Characterized by overtly plastic-looking materials, uninspired designs, ill-fitting parts, squeaks and rattles, the maladies went on and on and on. And yet, with every preceding generation of Corvette, we've been told this problem has been corrected; each new Corvette has been said to have more attention lavished upon its interior treatment than any previous model. Thing is, they were all so bad, even with extra attention lavished upon them, they still came out poorly-until now.

The 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray has a world-class interior Read Full Story
If you were expecting a radical styling departure for Audi’s sleek four-door coupe, hopefully you won’t be disappointed with the   subtle upgrades made to the upcoming 2015 model. After…

New 2015 Audi A7 Sportback unveiled

If you were expecting a radical styling departure for Audi's sleek four-door coupe, hopefully you won't be disappointed with the subtle upgrades made to the upcoming 2015 model.

After five years on the road, the Stefan Sielaff-designed A7 Sportback will get a modernized version of Audi's trademark single-frame horseshoe-shaped grille up front, along with revised headlights and a reworked lower fascia, while the car's sharply edged profile will remain identical. Its aft quarters will continue to slope gently rearward in the hatchback configuration that gives the model its "Sportback" designation, culminating with an upgraded bumper and newly fashioned exhaust tips, however the taillights will maintain the same size and mostly the same shape as the current model, albeit with new lenses.

Those lenses will feature de rigueur LEDs, as will the lamps up front, but the DRLs within the headlight clusters will be available with optional Matrix Beam LEDs that "light the road Read Full Story
Back in 2011, Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda revealed plans for a new way of thinking at Toyota, a way of thinking he called Global   Vision. Now the first tangible application of that vision has been revealed…

2015 Toyota Yaris revealed

Back in 2011, Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda revealed plans for a new way of thinking at Toyota, a way of thinking he called Global Vision. Now the first tangible application of that vision has been revealed in the form of the latest Toyota Yaris.

What makes this Yaris special is that it was designed and developed in Europe, in cooperation between Toyota Motor Europe's Product Planning Department and Research and Development Division, based in Brussels, Belgium, and the company's European Design Centre, based in Nice, France. This represents the first time the two divisions have worked hand-in-hand to develop a product destined for markets far outside regional European borders.

The new Yaris gets a restyled front fascia that draws from Toyota's "Keen Look" detailing and "Under Priority" design concepts, giving it a family resemblance to the new Corolla and Camry. At the back there's a redesigned bumper that incorporates a diffuser for a more planted look, and inside there's Read Full Story
By now, most people familiar with the MX-5 know the initialism PRHT represents power retractable hardtop, making this version   of the world’s best selling sports car a two-seat coupe and a…

2014 Mazda MX-5 Road Test Review

By now, most people familiar with the MX-5 know the initialism PRHT represents power retractable hardtop, making this version of the world's best selling sports car a two-seat coupe and a roadster.

The power hardtop retracts into its own storage well, so no intrusion upon the MX-5's admittedly meager trunk space is required. Cargo capacity is constant whether the top is raised or lowered (good thing too, as there are only 150 litres available). Retraction or deployment of the roof can be accomplished in 12 seconds. Releasing a single catch at the header and pressing a button atop the centre stack does this.

Power is the same as with all other versions of the car. This means you'll find a 167-horsepower 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with an aluminum block and head, capable of generating 140 ft-lbs of torque happily whirring under the diminutive two-seater's hood. Transmission choices for directing its thrust to the rear wheels are a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic Read Full Story
Pity the poor Viper. Even with its greater performance potential, the Viper is all but doomed to be forever thought of as the “other”   American sports car. While there’s absolutely…

2014 SRT Viper Road Test Review

Pity the poor Viper. Even with its greater performance potential, the Viper is all but doomed to be forever thought of as the "other" American sports car. While there's absolutely no denying the Corvette's higher profile is what causes most people to envision it when you say "American sports car", the fact of the matter is Viper and Corvette are also as dissimilar as night and day.

Yes, both are lightweight two-seat sports cars with hugely powerful engines, but the philosophy behind each car is completely different. Corvette is sophisticated in a manner approaching Europe's finest GT cars, while the 2014 SRT Viper is…

Well, let's put it this way, if Corvette and Viper were actresses, Corvette would be Sandra Bullock and Viper would be Melissa McCarthy. Both are fun, but they have distinctly different personalities. Which, in turn, leads us to say that we admire the awesome Viper too.

Nothing looks like it; nothing sounds like it, and nothing else goes Read Full Story
Since its introduction for the 2012 model year, enthusiasts have praised Scion’s FR-S sports coupe for its direct, responsive, rear-wheel   drive handling. Now for 2015, the FR-S is getting…

2015 Scion FR-S gets suspension and appearance updates

Since its introduction for the 2012 model year, enthusiasts have praised Scion's FR-S sports coupe for its direct, responsive, rear-wheel drive handling. Now for 2015, the FR-S is getting a few appearance tweaks and some suspension upgrades that should give it even better handling than before.

The suspension changes include retuned rear shocks for less body roll, and more rigid front suspension mounts that improve steering feedback, especially near the limits of adhesion.

In terms of appearance, the 2015 FR-S will get larger, flush-mounted exhaust pipes at the back and an aerodynamically-efficient shark-fin antenna on the roof. Inside, there are new carbon-fibre motif trim panels and automatic headlights. There's even, wait for it … a restyled key.

The changes aren't huge, but they play to the car's strength, which is its dynamic character. "There is no reason that development should stop, only because the vehicle has gone on sale," said chief engineer Read Full Story
For a few years now Mini has been talking about replacing its slow-selling Coupe and Roadster models with a more aggressive   standalone sports car that can take on the popular Mazda MX-5. Now, in…

Mini reveals gorgeous Superleggera Vision Concept

For a few years now Mini has been talking about replacing its slow-selling Coupe and Roadster models with a more aggressive standalone sports car that can take on the popular Mazda MX-5. Now, in cooperation with Italian design house and coachbuilder Touring Superleggera, Mini has revealed a stunning concept that may offer a sneak peak at the new sports car.

The Mini Superleggera Vision, which will debut at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este 2014, combines classically elegant Italian lines with familiar Mini design cues to create a car with timeless aesthetic appeal.

"It elegantly perpetuates what the Classic Mini started 55 years ago: reduction to the essentials," explains Anders Warming, Head of Mini Design. "Its energetic, minimalistic design embodies the dynamic essence of an automobile."

Construction of the one-off Superleggera Vision Concept was undertaken using classic coachbuilding techniques, with large sheets of aluminum shaped by hand to create Read Full Story
Every time we come away from driving a BMW automobile, we are left marveling at their refinement and sophistication. From   the exceptionally fluid operation of its engines, to the way its suspension…

2014 BMW 435i Cabriolet Road Test Review

Every time we come away from driving a BMW automobile, we are left marveling at their refinement and sophistication. From the exceptionally fluid operation of its engines, to the way its suspension systems absorb pavement irregularities while simultaneously offering spirited handling, driving a BMW is an experience everyone with a driver's license should have at some point.

For most people, if you say BMW, they'll envision the company's highly successful 3 Series model. In the past, the 3 Series was offered in coupe, convertible, sedan, and sport wagon body styles. For the 2014 model year, the coupe and convertible were given a new nomenclature; they are now referred to as the BMW 4 Series. Thus, the subject of this review, the 2014 BMW 435i Cabriolet, replaces the 2013 BMW 335i Cabriolet.

Based on the same new design applied to the 2014 3 Series sedans, the 4 Series Coupe and Cabriolet are also larger than the 2013 models they replace. Additionally, ride comfort is Read Full Story