2011 Detroit: Top 10 Must Sees

By John LeBlanc

DETROIT – Although there were considerably less new concepts and production car debuts during the one day of media presentations at the 2011 Detroit auto show than in previous years, the officially-named North American International Auto Show still offers a staggering amount of fresh metal to peruse. Here are my top 10 must-see cars from the Cobo Hall floorshow: Read more

Feature: The history of the Detroit auto show

The concept for the Dodge Viper first appeared at the 1989 Detroit show, it’s first year as an “international” event.

By John LeBlanc

DETROIT—It’s no coincidence the historical ups and downs of the auto show in Detroit coincide with the city’s association with the industry that defines the Motor City. Whichever face the annual Detroit event has shown to the world for more than 100 years — from austere to ostentatious — it’s also always been an indicator of the health of the American auto industry as a whole. Read more

Top 10s: Worst Show Cars of 2010

By John LeBlanc

This month’s North American International Auto Show — better known as the “Detroit auto show” — is the official kickoff of the 2011 car show season. Before we get ahead of ourselves, though, and get caught up in the latest and greatest concept and show cars that will debut not only in Detroit but also at international venues like Geneva, New York, Shanghai, Frankfurt and Los Angeles throughout 2011, let’s take a look back at some of the less-than-successful debuts I stumbled onto on the 2010 show car circuit. Read more

The Crank: Changing Aveo to Sonic could cost GM up to $100 M

By John LeBlanc

Two thousand and eleven is shaping up to be a big year for little cars. New car buyers will not only get a fresh Ford Fiesta, Mazda2, and Fiat 500 , Nissan Versa, and Hyundai Accent to choose from, debuting next week at the Detroit auto show, General Motors’ Chevrolet will be showing off its long-awaited replacement for its Aveo subcompact, set to go on sale later next year. Read more

Comparo: 2011 Ford Fiesta SES vs. Mazda2 GS

[svgallery name=”2011_Ford-Fiesta_vs_Mazda2_hirez”]

Family feud

Which new supermini hatch warms the hearts of drivers the most?

By John LeBlanc

Small cars are like cod liver oil and sit-ups: Everyone appreciates their virtues, but few of us actually partake. So despite the rhetoric that Canadians love small cars — especially hatchbacks — the sales figures say otherwise. Sales of new subcompacts in Canada are off by almost 20 per cent compared with last year, while pickup trucks are up almost 14 per cent.

But with a desire to attract younger buyers (and lower fleet fuel-consumption averages) automakers have been breeding new subcompacts like rabbits. Two of the most recent are the new 2011 Ford Fiesta and Mazda2. Both the Ford and Mazda have been on sale in Europe for a few years and they share the same platform. So decent road manners are assumed. Which subcompact hatchback, though, is the better small car to drive? Read more

« go back — keep looking »