Does the world really need another supercar?

By John LeBlanc

McLaren Automotive officially became a full-on, legitimate supercar maker last week with the launch of its MP4-12C two-seat, mid-engine machine. We’ve already been fed the car’s vital stats. This time, though, the all-new supercar company’s grande frommage, Ron Dennis, went to great lengths to highlight McLaren’s credentials: in Formula One since 1966, winning one-quarter of all races held; making the first carbon fibre F1 car in 1981 and the Mercedes-McLaren SLR, the first production road car with a carbon chassis, yada, yada, yada… Read more

The Straight-GOODS/Hot Hatches

2010 Audi A3 2.0 TFSI quattro

Base Price: $36,900

Driver Must Haves: Sport Package ($3,100)

It’s not as sharp as a Subie WRX265. But think of this classy-looking A3 as the Golf R Volkswagen Canada (shy 80 hp) won’t bring here. The five-door A3 is chock-a-block with all-wheel drive, twin-clutch gearbox, a gutsy 200 hp and 207 lb.-ft. of torque 2.0-litre turbo-four and a magnetic-ride suspension that’s part of a Sport package that includes better seats and 18-inch summer performance rubber. Set said suspension to Sport, and the Audi compact delivers body control, ride quality and balanced handling never before experienced in an A3. Read more

The Straight-GOODS/Sports Sedans

2010 Acura TL SH-AWD

Base Price: $48,490
Driver Must Haves: The ability to ignore the non-German badge

The addition of a new manual gearbox allows the TL into The Goods for the first time. Granted, you have to pony up for the loaded $48,490 SH-AWD Tech to get to the new six-speed stick, but it’s still thousands less than an S4 or BMW 335i xDrive. We think it’s worth it. The small, leather-wrapped gearknob is capped with aluminum to remind you of the S2000. Throws are short and quick. Matched to a 305 hp V6, the stick shaves 0.5 seconds off the slushbox’s 6.0 second 0-100 km/h time. It’s not as nimble as an S4, and there seems to be a slight delay between the horse and the wishes of the rider, but this car can eat long sweepers for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

S-S.com Choice: Grigio Metallic
Cudda Hadda: 1992 Acura NSX
Why Buy?: Bang-for-your-sports-sedan-buck; not of Teutonic heritage; excellent Honda ownership experience. Read more

First Drive: 2011 Toyota Sienna

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Story and photos by John LeBlanc

VICTORIA–As the first new vehicle launched in Canada since the Toyota recall crisis started in January, let’s deal right away with the elephant in the room. Of the several 2011 Sienna minivans I drove during the course of a one-day media event this week, none accelerated unintentionally, failed to stop when I applied the brake pedal or showed any waywardness in its steering. In fact, surprises are few and far between in the latest Sienna, the third since 1998. Read more

Design versus Safety: The ongoing battle

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Photos and story by John LeBlanc

Form versus function. It’s the Battle Royale behind most automakers’ closed doors, fought between the aesthetic wishes of the design team and the slide-rule-wielding safety engineers. Sometimes, the slide-rulers win. Take for instance the 1972 Volvo Experimental Safety Car. Read more

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