Comparo: 2011 Porsche 911 GT3 vs. Turbo S

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Road versus track

Which iconic 911 is the better driver’s car?

By John LeBlanc

CARMEL VALLEY, Calif. – At the dawn of automotive history, the definition of a sports car was pretty cut-and-dry. If it had two doors, a convertible top, and could be driven to the local track for the occasional race on Sunday, you could call your set of wheels a “sports car.” Anything with less than those qualifications was simply just a “sporty car.” Read more

The Crank: When is a “spy shot” not a “spy shot”?

By John LeBlanc

Because you’re reading The Crank you probably want to know about the latest and greatest in the car world, right? Keep track of what’s not only new today, but what’s coming down the pipe as well. It’s the reason why publications will pay big money for so-called “spy shots” of yet-to-be-released models, usually nabbed in “secret” testing facilities or far-off, remote places on the globe. But some automakers have taken it upon themselves to turn the tables on the spies themselves. The latest is Mercedes-Benz, which recently released its own “spy shots” of a refreshed SLK being “tested” in Death Valley (above left), due in showrooms some time in 2011 as a 2012 model. Read more

First Drive: 2011 Nissan Leaf

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Shockingly normal

Driving the world’s first affordable and practical EV surprisingly uneventful

By John LeBlanc

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE — With the launch of Nissan’s Leaf, the theoretical hype over electric vehicles that’s been building for the past few years finally meets the cold reality of today’s new car buyer’s wallet. Like losing weight or quitting smoking, though, will consumers be willing to sacrifice for the Leaf’s feel-good benefits? Read more

The Crank: More than recalls cause of Toyota’s sales woes

By John LeBlanc

Newsflash: Toyota Canada isn’t going to sell as many cars this year as they did last. To be specific, sales last month for the combined Toyota/Lexus brands were down 17.1 per cent from September 2009, in a Canadian new car market that’s up 7 per cent. At this rate—and there’s no reason for Toyota’s sales to rise between now and the end of the year—sales could end up around 175,000 for 2010, down from the just-over-200,000 in 2009, the automaker’s biggest drop since 1993. Read more

First Drive: 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS 550 4MATIC

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Four-door fashion

Second gen of world’s first “four-door coupé” nips at BMW’s ride-and-handling heels

By John LeBlanc

FLORENCE, Italy – It was no coincidence Mercedes-Benz’s new CLS was publicly unveiled during the clothing industry’s twice-a-year Paris Fashion Week. Although the new SLS AMG super sports car has garnered plenty of attention for its looks—mainly for its jaw-dropping “gull wing” doors that pay homage to the ‘Benz 300 SL racecar from the 1950s—Mercedes considers its new, second-generation CLS its most current piece of automotive haute couture. Read more

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