The Crank: Is Lamborghini losing its mojo?
By John LeBlanc It looks like the Italian super sports car brand that has defined “extreme” and continually won the battle of one-upmanship over archrival Italian Ferrari with, well, more of everything, is caving into the new reality of ever-tightening fuel economy and tailpipe emissions regulations. It’s pure speculation at this point, but a teaser […]
The Crank: Kia’s naming conundrum
[svgallery name=”2010_Kia_Seoul_preview”] By John LeBlanc On a recent trip to Hyundai-Kia Motors world headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, attending media had some time to chat with Kia head pen, Peter Schreyer. While the discussions centred around the brand’s’s new European-influenced (Schreyer is a former Audi designer) styling, inevitably, the topic turned to all the automaker’s […]
The Crank: Will Infiniti ever graduate into the luxury-sport big leagues?
By John LeBlanc You remember Infiniti, don’t you? Nissan’s premium brand that’s been chasing Germany’s BMW since 1989? Now, compared to Toyota’s Lexus—which seems happier chasing disgruntled Buick owners—ever since its original Q sedan arrived over 20 years ago, Infiniti has always wanted you to think of it as a Japanese alternative to the usual […]
Preview: 2011 Kia Sportage, 2012 Optima & Cadenza
[svgallery name=”2010_Kia_Seoul_preview”] By John LeBlanc NAMYUNG, South Korea –As part of the Korean automaker’s aggressive move up market, Kia will have replaced every vehicle in its showroom by 2012. So to give Canadian media a “taste” of things to come, Kia officials bused a dozen of us to its expansive research and design facilities it […]
Feature: Will Kia’s lack of history hinder its upscale brand aspirations?
By John LeBlanc SEOUL, South Korea –It only takes a short visit to the company’s corporate museum to get an idea of the relative youth of Kia Motors as an automaker. Unlike the public shrines built by surviving pioneers like Germany’s Mercedes-Benz or America’s Ford (respectively founded in 1881 and 1903) each becoming top tourist […]
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