2009 LA Show Highlights

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Story and photos by John LeBlanc

LOS ANGELES–You can’t ignore the math at this year’s Los Angeles Auto Show. With the auto industry in full contraction – fewer brands, fewer all-new models, fewer pie-in-the-sky concepts and fewer media – these types of events have become pared- down affairs compared to the gratuitous auto orgies we’ve witnessed in the past. Read more

Top 10: Dumbest Halo Cars

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Story by John LeBlanc

By definition, a “halo” car in the auto industry is supposed to beam a positive light, or image, about its maker. Or, for more pragmatic reasons, simply get people into empty showrooms filled with less exciting vehicles. Historically, the Dodge Viper is considered the most successful halo car of all time. It solidified Dodge’s role as Chrysler’s “performance” brand, and drew people into dealers who may have been only interested in a Neon, but wanted to check out the $100,000 hottie. But, of course, not all halo cars have been seen as gems. Read more

Pre-owned: FTD AWD Cars

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Story by John LeBlanc

Winter’s coming, and the awful (snow, sleet, ice, wind) driving conditions that go along with that. So like most Canadians, a vehicle with all-wheel-drive (AWD) makes a lot of sense for your next pre-owned purchase. Read more

the straight-GOODS/Sports Coupes

2010 BMW 135i Coupé

Base Price: $42,900
Driver Must Haves: “NOT A CHICK CAR” bumper sticker.

Let’s pretend the secretary special 128i doesn’t exist, OK? And if BMW makes a convertible 1 Series, I’m drawing a blank. That leaves the 135i Coupe for car zealots, stuffed to its firewall with the same twin-turbo 3.0-litre straight-six found in the 335i. Except for a tighter body, the 135i is basically a more nimble 3 Series, with a standard sport package that includes a firmer suspension, grippier tires and BMW’s class-leading sports seats. If not the match of an E46 M3 in on-track performance (BMW’s dialed in too much understeer for that), the 135i offers a nice blend of ride and handling for on-road fun. Read more

Video: 2009 Nissan GT-R vs. Porsche 911 Turbo

Read the full article: 2009 Nissan GT-R vs. Porsche 911 Turbo

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