First Drive: 2011 Mini Cooper S Countryman ALL4

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Maximum Mini

BMW pushes the limits of its Mini philosophy with new, larger Countryman

By John LeBlanc

VIENNA, Austria —How much larger can a Mini get before it stops being a Mini? That’s the question parent BMW will be asking new-car buyers less than a year from now when the Cooper Countryman — the largest Mini to date since the modern version was introduced in 2002 and the first to offer five doors and available all-wheel-drive — goes on sale in Canada. Read more

The Crank: Is Russian Polo coming to Canada?

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By John LeBlanc

We already know as part of German Volkswagen Group‘s plans to overtake Toyota and General Motors for the title of World’s Largest Automaker, it needs to shore up its small car offerings in North America. Read more

First Drive: 2010 Acura TL SH-AWD 6M

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Manual labour of love

New six-speed gearbox finally tilts Acura TL to the the sports side of the sports/luxury equation

By John LeBlanc

CARMEL, Calif. – Some driving enthusiasts are coming around to the idea of automated-manual transmissions. The latest dual-clutch setups are able to shift gears quicker than humanely possible, and often get better fuel economy than with a manual. But nothing engages a driver more than needing to use a clutch pedal to change gears. So just as its baby brother TSX adds some variety with a new V6 this year, a manual transmission has returned as an option this year to the 2010 Acura TL lineup. Read more

The Crank: More proof pickups are dumb

By John LeBlanc

I’ve never understood North Americans’ fascination with pickup trucks as daily transportation. They’re too big, too thirsty, and, well, they handle like trucks. But what do I know. Just last month here in the Great White North, Ford’s F-series pickup truck was the most popular new vehicle sold—car or truck. Read more

Top 6 Luxury Cars under $55,000

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By John LeBlanc

Here we go again. Just like my Top 6 Luxury Cars under $45,000, here are my top half-dozen choices for those who have an additional $10k laying around in their new car budget: Read more

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