St. John’s NF—The Subaru Legacy is a bit of an enigma. In the early days of its existence, the very late 1980s, it was the halo car for the brand and the one the company used to contest the brutally rugged World Rally Championship.
But in 1993, with the introduction of the smaller, lighter and sportier Subaru Impreza, the Legacy was moved upscale to become the company’s more refined and less extreme offering. Ever since, the car has suffered a bit of an identity crisis; unfortunately, the introduction of a brand new fifth-generation version may not remedy this situation.
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At last year’s Formula One Grand Prix in Singapore, Renault team driver Nelson Piquet Jr. slammed into the wall, totalling his car and temporarily stopping the race. The incident allowed his teammate, Fernando Alonso, to win everything. Piquet eventually admitted the crash was deliberate — he was told to do so by team boss Flavio Briatore. (Personally, I imagine that conversation unfolding somewhat like an old Bob Newhart “guy on the phone” routine: “Yeah sure, anything, Flavio: You name it. Um, what’s that? You want me to what? No, it’s just, those walls are hard, Flavio…”) According to leaked testimony, Piquet was even shown on a map of the track where to go all crash-test dummy.
The World Motor Sport Council of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) delivered its judgment this morning on “Crashgate”, and it sounds like Renault got off fairly easy:
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Atlanta, Georgia — The regular BMW X6 — with its massive footprint, significant cornering capabilities and relatively soft suspension — feels like it could roll over pretty much anything, including other cars, pedestrians, buildings and the like. The brand new 2010 BMW X6 M, the high-performance version of the X6, is even more of an oddity in the automotive world. Me, I like to call it an urban assault vehicle.
Along with its X5 M sibling, the X6 M is the first-ever all-wheel-drive M vehicle. It’s also the first turbocharged M—a bit of a surprise given that BMW’s high-performance division first began to factory-pimp cars way back in 1978. Over the past 30 years, they have cranked out some of the most desirable automobiles known to man or machine. So the obvious question is: Does this thing do the M badge justice?
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Le Mans, France — Everyone knows that convertibles are chick cars, right? I mean, I’m not sending shockwaves out into cyberspace with this statement, am I? For proof, take a cursory glance at just some of the current convertibles on the market. The Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet. The Volkswagen Eos. The Volkswagen New Beetle Convertible. If these things aren’t chick cars, then I’ll eat the hat I wear to guard against the sun while test-driving these chick cars. (Sorry, Volkswagen.)
Even some higher-end convertibles steer and veer towards the feminine — but not the Aston Martin DBS Volante…
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Yesterday (Thursday, June 9), racing fans lined up in front of the Izod section of The Bay at Queen and Yonge in downtown Toronto for an autograph signing with Torontonian Indycar Series driver Paul Tracy and former driver Al Unser, Jr. The event preceded today’s kickoff of the Honda Indy Toronto. Though the IndyCar Series Race will not take place until Sunday, the festivities — including the Vintager GT race, Firestone Indy Lights Race, and live concert series — will run all weekend long.
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The Zero2OneHundred Review is a snapshot of the latest, greatest and not-so-greatest vehicles powering down our fair highways and byways. The vehicles will be varied, but all the reviews will share a common denominator — in this case, a word count that starts at 0 and finishes at 100.
Here’s what I loved about the original BMW Z4: The look, handling and power of the fixed-roof M Coupe. On the other hand, the styling of the convertible version and the ride over rough roads left me cold. The new Z4 retains the great qualities of the previous generation and adds a swanky new design and a foldable hardtop. The twin-turbo sDrive35i packs some serious punch and the optional 7-speed dual-clutch transmission is hugely fun. Potholes still represent an exercise in damage control, but luckily the Z4 boasts the best steering in the business. There is much to want here.
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Audi Downtown Toronto recently launched its new lifestyle showroom. The facility, located at 328 Bayview Avenue, now boasts 96,000 square feet that include two showrooms, 18 service bays and the Audi Quattro Cafe. The launch party featured a fashion show flaunting an exclusive clothing line by Canadian sportswear label Bustle, followed by an auction of said limited edition duds, with the proceeds going to Sick Kids Hospital.
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Bowmanville, Ont. – Here’s my favourite quote related to the fine art of race driving: “Ricky Bobby is not a thinker—Ricky Bobby is a driver!” This statement (from Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby), relayed by Ricky’s assistant as she attempts to motivate him back to the winner’s circle, works on a few different levels.
Of course, it’s a straight-up joke, a jab at Ricky’s “thoughtless” approach to NASCAR racing. But it also raises an interesting question: Can you think about your driving too much when out on the track?
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The Zero2OneHundred review is a 100-word snapshot of the latest, greatest and not-so-greatest vehicles powering down our fair highways and byways.
Standing in the shadows of the headline-grabbing Toyota Prius, the Toyota Camry Hybrid is, nevertheless, the best-selling eco-warrior in Canada. Makes sense: The Camry offers the fuel-sipping benefits of hybrid power without the uneasy geek-chic look. Read More
Québec City, QC–Contrary to what some people might believe, the Ford Motor Company is on a bit of a roll. Unlike their “Big Three” brethren, they haven’t needed any bailout money from any governments—and they actually have innovative and market-appropriate vehicles arriving in dealerships this year. Case in point, the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid.
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