Road Test: 2011 Chevrolet Camaro SLP ZL585

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Z28 in waiting

New Jersey’s SLP steps in to juice up Chevy’s muscle car

By John LeBlanc

The growl of a hibernating grizzly bear after poking one of its eyes with a sharp stick. The thundering fury of California’s San Andreas earthquake fault line, as it opens itself up and swallows you whole. These were only two of the sensations my addled brain could conjure up the first time I stomped on the 2011 Chevrolet Camaro SLP ZL585’s throttle. Then I grabbed second gear… Read more

First Drive: 2011 Smart ForTwo Electric Drive

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An EV for two

How smart is it to go electric in ‘Benz’s ForTwo city car?

By John LeBlanc

BROOKLYN, New York – Driving in a large metropolis like New York City creates all kinds of anxieties when behind the wheel—maniacal cabbies, aggressive bike couriers, and wayward pedestrians, to name a few. But as I approached the ominously steep incline of the Manhattan Bridge from the Brooklyn side of the East River, heading northwest towards NYC’s Chinatown, I began to experience what every electric-vehicle driver fears: “range” anxiety. Read more

Top 10: Most underrated new cars

By John LeBlanc

Between now and the end of 2010, you’ll be inundated with a plethora of This- or That-Car-of-the-Year awards. Some, more credible than others. Unfortunately, though, most of these types of trophies go to “all-new” cars coming into the market. And with more than 300 new models available today, some cars — inevitably — get left behind in consideration. Read more

First Drive: 2010 Acura ZDX

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FTD SUV

Acura’s so-called coupé SUV offers more form than function

By John LeBlanc

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – You probably don’t “need” the new 2010 Acura ZDX, an SUV that’s had most of its utility removed because of its coupé (Acura’s word, not mine) styling. Like its chief rival, BMW’s X6 Sports Activity Coupe, the ZDX coupé SUV is all about promoting your non-utilitarian lifestyle. The kind you can afford when you don’t have kids, cargo, or anything to tow. With a useless rear seat, towing capacity no more than a Honda CR-V (680 kg), and less cargo space (1,580 litres) than a subcompact Honda Fit, the ZDX’s appeal will always be rare. But that seems to be okay with Acura. Read more

The Crank: Toyota officially confirms its the luddite of the auto industry

By John LeBlanc

I bet Toyota can’t wait for 2010 to end. It started with the ongoing unintended acceleration meltdown that saw over 12 million Toyotas recalled, a crisis that brought back down to Earth the Japanese automaker’s perceived superior reliability and quality image. Read more

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