Comparo: Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster vs. Porsche 911 4S Cabriolet
Story and photos by John LeBlanc
Let’s assume 18th century math geek, Sir Isaac Newton, wasn’t a “car guy.” Yet his Third Law rather nicely sums up why Aston Martin’s V8 Vantage exists: It’s the “opposite reaction” to Porsche’s forceful 911 Carrera.
Until the two-seat V8 Vantage Coupe came along in 2005, Aston had only larger, and exponentially more expensive, 2+2 GT coupes selling in boutique numbers. That’s why one of Ulrich Bez’s first projects, when the former Porsche bigwig came over to the British brand in 2000, was to create a less expensive Aston to expand the brand’s appeal and sales. Read more
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Comparo: Honda Accord vs Mitsubishi Eclipse vs Nissan Altima
Story and photos by John LeBlanc
Rear-drive coupes like the new Dodge Challenger or the upcoming Chevrolet Camaro and Hyundai Genesis are getting their 15 minutes of fame. But fans of sporty two-doors who are afraid of rear-end slippage in bad weather have plenty of front-wheel-drive versions to choose from.
All new for 2008, coupe iterations of the Honda Accord and Nissan Altima offer aggressively styled exteriors to further separate themselves from their sedate sedan siblings. Mitsubishi’s Eclipse 2+2 soldiers on as well, at least until a new Lancer-based version arrives in a couple of years.
All three offer similar power in V6 form. But which one delivers the most smiles from the driver’s seat? Read more
Comapro: BMW X6 vs Infiniti FX50 vs Porsche Cayenne S
Story and photos by John LeBLanc
Marketed as the ultimate combination of the oxymoronic attributes of SUV practicality and sports sedan driving dynamics, this trio of mid-sized, sporty SUVs was judged solely on the driver’s needs.
For those who shy away from the bold statement about conspicuous consumption an SUV makes, we also offer sports wagon alternatives: Read more
Auto Shows: 2008 New York Wrapup
Story and photos by John LeBlanc
NEW YORK—Sporty and fun-to-drive vehicles dominated the debuts here, making it the first time in a few years that environmentally friendly or utility vehicles didn’t grab all the headlines at a major auto show. Read more
First Drive: 2009 Dodge Challenger SXT
Story and photos by John LeBlanc
ENGLISHTOWN, N.J.–Going against everything your mother taught you, Dodge served up a healthy portion of dessert first by introducing the top-of-line SRT8 version of its new-age Challenger muscle car last spring.
By now, all 500 Canadian examples of those 2008 high-performance SRT8 Challengers have been gobbled up by enthusiasts and religious Mopar zealots – some having made deposits at dealers as far back as 2005 when rumours of a reborn Challenger started floating around.
But for the 2009 model year, it’s time for Chrysler Canada to offer the main course of Brampton-built Challengers with three, more-affordable models to better match the lineup of its only rival so far, Ford’s Mustang. Read more
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