To show my support for the Ohio-based team, I’ll be giving away these [...]]]>

Hey Forza fans! Following Insight Racing’s solid start to the CTSCC season in Daytona last week, I’ve made virtual replicas of both BMW race cars for road racing and Forza fans alike to drive and enjoy in Forza Motorsport 4.

To show my support for the Ohio-based team, I’ll be giving away these designs for free for the duration of the 2012 Continental Tires Sports Car Challenge season. That’s right, free!

Driven by 2011 CTSCC rookie of the year Ryan Ellis and Tyler McQuarrie, the real #18 car scored its first top 10 of the season in round one of the 2012 CTSCC. The faster #19 car, driven by Jeff Westphal and Martin Jensen, finished the BMW Performance 200 at Daytona in 15th position.

To download the liveries, load up your copy of Forza and search the ‘STOREFRONT’ for the designs to download yourself. You can find my storefront by searching gamertags for “journauto”.

For the #18 car, search for “BMW 135i” designs with any of these keywords: #18 INSIGHT RACING BMW 128i COUPE ST CLASS REPLICA 2012 CONTI TIRES CHALLENGE

For the #19 car, search for “BMW E92 M3″ designs with any of these keywords: #19 INSIGHT RACING BMW E92 M3 COUPE GS CLASS REPLICA 2012 CONTI TIRES CHALLENGE

There is no 128i model in the game, so the #18 car uses a 2009 BMW 135i Coupe, which you can get in the game or online auction house, with HRE 445R wheels* painted black to match. The #19 GS racecar requires you to have the 2008 BMW M3 Coupe E92 with black HRE 546R wheels*.

Insight Racing will also compete in the 2012 Blancpain Endurance Series in Europe this year with a new Ferrari Italia 458 GT3. It doesn’t yet have a livery…

*Purchase in wheels section of Forza Motorsport 4 “Upgrade Shop”.

Xbox Live Gold subscription, video game and internet connection required.

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Didn’t think I’d ever get to drive a “new” NSX but my odds of doing so just got a whole lot better…

Acura today unveiled the NSX Concept at the 2012 North American International Auto Show. Showcasing a mid-mounted V6 engine mated to Acura’s innovative new Sport Hybrid Super Handling All Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) [...]]]>

Didn’t think I’d ever get to drive a “new” NSX but my odds of doing so just got a whole lot better…

Acura today unveiled the NSX Concept at the 2012 North American International Auto Show. Showcasing a mid-mounted V6 engine mated to Acura’s innovative new Sport Hybrid Super Handling All Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) hybrid system, the dynamically-styled NSX Concept is expected to debut in the next three years.

The new Acura supercar will be developed by an engineering team led by Honda R&D Americas, Inc., and manufactured in Ohio, at a yet to be named facility.

Utilizing a unique 2 Electric Motor Drive Unit with a Bilateral Torque Adjustable Control System, the all-new hybrid all-wheel-drive system can instantly generate negative or positive torque to the front wheels during cornering. Acura anticipates the new Sport Hybrid SH-AWD® will deliver handling performance unmatched by previous AWD systems. In addition to the handling benefits of the Sport Hybrid SH-AWD® system, a powerful next-generation VTEC® V6 engine with direct-injection works in concert with a dual clutch transmission with built-in electric motor to create supercar acceleration while offering outstanding efficiency.

“This Sport Hybrid SH-AWD system will make NSX the ultimate expression of Acura’s idea to create synergy between man and machine,” said Takanobu Ito, president and CEO of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. “The NSX will make the driver one with the car to enhance dynamic driving abilities without getting in the way.”

While most supercars opt for brute force delivered from a large engine, the NSX Concept champions the true racing philosophy of an extremely favourable power-to-weight ratio.

“Like the first NSX, we will again express high performance through engineering efficiency,” added Ito, who led the development of Acura’s first NSX supercar. “In this new era, even as we focus on the fun-to-drive spirit of the NSX, I think a supercar must respond positively to environmental responsibilities.”

Acura NSX Concept Dimensions
Length: 4,330 mm
Width: 1,895 mm
Height: 1,160 mm
Wheelbase: 2,575 mm
Wheel size, in: 19×9 (front), 20×10 (rear)
Tire size: 255/35R19 (front), 275/30R20 (rear)

Toyota has sold more than 5.5-million Yaris subcompacts worldwide since the first generation model launched in 1999. It was called the Echo when it arrived in Canada in 2003, however, it changed to Yaris when the second gen launched in 2005. More than 84,000 units have been sold here since, with more than 53% [...]]]>

Toyota has sold more than 5.5-million Yaris subcompacts worldwide since the first generation model launched in 1999. It was called the Echo when it arrived in Canada in 2003, however, it changed to Yaris when the second gen launched in 2005. More than 84,000 units have been sold here since, with more than 53% of those in Quebec.

Though it’s been stretched by 75 mm (to 3,900 mm) and given a more dynamic exterior, vis-à-vis a new face and sleeker profile, Yaris is still the shortest vehicle in its class. The front pillar is farther forward for better visibility and the body structure is stiffer and more responsive for better handling. Continue reading my review of the 2012 Toyota Yaris on Autonet.ca.

Or, go straight to the photos.

Outlander sits between the RVR compact crossover and Mitsubishi’s Endeavor full-size SUV. With a choice of four- or six-cylinder power, it’s suitable for just about anyone’s daily needs whether it’s in the city or out in the Styx.

A 168-hp 2.4-litre inline-four and front-wheel drive come on the $25,498 base ES model. All-wheel drive [...]]]>

Outlander sits between the RVR compact crossover and Mitsubishi’s Endeavor full-size SUV. With a choice of four- or six-cylinder power, it’s suitable for just about anyone’s daily needs whether it’s in the city or out in the Styx.

A 168-hp 2.4-litre inline-four and front-wheel drive come on the $25,498 base ES model. All-wheel drive adds roughly $2,500 to the sticker. A 230-hp 3.0-litre V6 AWD is standard on the LS and XLS trims, but if you want the closest thing you can get to the rally-bred Lancer Evolution in a SUV, the latter is your ticket. Continue reading my review of the 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander V6 S-AWC on Autonet.ca.

Or, go straight to the photos.

It’s not that the Hyundai isn’t a good choice. It has a fuel efficient engine and six-speed [...]]]>

Russ Bond’s calling and he wants me to explain how the Veloster won best new sports performance car under $50,000 in AJAC’s 2012 Car of the Year competition. As if I had something to do with it.

It’s not that the Hyundai isn’t a good choice. It has a fuel efficient engine and six-speed manual transmission. For $22,499, it looks great, has a nice, functional interior and sports plenty of value. All nice qualities, none of which make it a sports car.

Following a particularly enthusiastic lapping session driving the fast and agile BMW 1M coupe on our airport runway test track during TestFest, it feels barely faster than a Prius out here on the autocross-style cone course.

Sure, it’s nicely balanced and turns well (slowly, of course) but, after a single lap, the 280 mm (11 in.) front brakes prove just how inferior they are compared to those on a real performance car such as the 1M. The Veloster can’t match the stopping power of the 360 mm (14.2 in.) front discs and four-piston calipers, and plows wide through the last turn, taking out a family of cones. One is so badly wedged into the undercarriage I’m forced to pull over so the PR rep sitting in the passenger seat can get out and extricate it for me.

The $54,000 BMW handily won the sports performance over 50 class and rightly so. It might even be the best car at TestFest. However, almost all 200 allotted for Canada are already spoken for, so buying one might be next to impossible since it’s only available in a single model year. It’s still in the running, though unlikely to be named car of the year.

Comparing the 138-hp Hyundai to a 335-hp 1M is like comparing a small handgun to an assault rifle, but you don’t need a PR rep to tell you the ECU is calibrated for fuel economy and not performance. It’s obvious.

It’s performance hasn’t been lost in translation, it was never there to begin with. Dynamic testing by AJAC reveals the Veloster is by far the slowest of the six cars it beat out in its car of the year category, sports performance under 50 grand. Zero-to-100 km/h takes 9.7 seconds (Prius V is 11.6) and seven seconds for 80-to-120.

Braking scores put it mid-pack – stopping just two metres shorter than more powerful and faster VW Jetta GLI and Kia Optima SX entries, which place second and third in this category, respectively – thanks to simple physics (slow-moving objects take less time and space to stop).

Fuel economy is the only objective score from TestFest the other contenders can’t match. Interestingly, the scores given for emissions are sevens across the board (Buick Regal GS being the black sheep with 7.5) despite the range of powerplants – from Hyundai’s puny four-cylinder to the hulking 6.4L Hemi V8 with 470 hp and torque in the Charger SRT8 – under review.

Also of interest, four of the five other entries in this category are turbocharged (the Si isn’t); and, looking at the overall interior scores, Veloster is a solid fifth.

First runner-up is the Jetta GLI. Sporting the same two-litre turbo engine as the GTI hot hatch, it makes 200 hp and 207 lb-ft and does zero-100 in 7.6 secs, and 80 to 120 in 5.1. The cockpit is superior and space for people and things more than adequate, though the aft cabin isn’t finished as nicely as the front. It has electronic limited slip technology but no way to turn off the traction control to really enjoy the superb chassis and suspension tuning. Left-foot braking helps, but the seats are slippery so it’s hard to pull off.

Kia Optima SX takes second runner-up. Its interior is even nicer than the VW’s. Its two-litre turbo four makes 274 hp and 269 torques and still gets decent mileage. It can hit 100 km/h in 6.8 seconds, makes the pass in 4.2 seconds and, on the test track, handles even better than expected with exceptional steering, stable chassis and defeatable traction controls. Despite having the second longest wheelbase, overall length and the second-heaviest curb weight (behind only the SRT8 in all three) it responds well to driver inputs and can be tossed into corners for more enjoyment.

By my tally, the RWD four-cylinder turbo-powered Mercedes-Benz C250 coupe blew away the category in every aspect with the optional $1,900 sport package. But there’s no AMG badge and no stick shift. The expensive premium options, metallic paint and media interface upgrades don’t really add anything (except for $4,275 to the as tested price). It’s relegated to fourth place.

Next, the Honda Civic Si is a performance bargain for $25,990 with its 201 hp/170 torque 2.4L four-cylinder engine with iVtec offering a near-perfect blend of performance, economy and reliability. A mechanical limited slip differential, superb steering, well-tuned suspension and on/off traction controls make this chassis the most responsive and fun to drive. The six-speed manual is crisp and the Si powerband robust enough to enjoy this car to its fullest on lapping days, and yet not too aggressive for the daily grind. Had Honda done more to improve the interior quality and materials (instead of just technology and ergonomics) on the ninth-gen Civic, it would’ve finished higher than fifth.

The Buick Regal GS is one point behind the Veloster (fourth and fifth respectively) by my scorecard, yet claims sixth place. Its got some balls, is surprisingly smooth on the track and is sporty enough for consideration. It just doesn’t look very sporty.

The SRT8 is a great car with tons of performance and character straight from the showroom. It even has updated SRT performance pages (accessible via the huge touchscreen monitor) to keep track of various acceleration and braking timers, as well as g-forces and steering angle. It reaches 100 in 5.3 seconds and the Hemi has a sport mode as well as cylinder deactivation, so it does the Jekyll and Hyde thing well. Despite placing last, the SRT8 has more performance mojo in its tiny computer brain than the Veloster has total.

The real kicker here is that it might very well be the next Canadian car of the year. Of the eight remaining finalists, three wear the Hyundai badge – other two are the $16,599 Accent and $22,699 Elantra – and I have no doubt one of them will win it all. If fuel economy really is the new performance, the Veloster is a shoe-in.

Hey Russ, can you hold the line? Hyundai’s calling – they’ve just announced a 204-hp 1.6L four-cylinder turbo will be available on the 2013 Veloster. Doh!

What should have won this category? If not the Mercedes, then the Honda Civic Si hands down.

2012 Hyundai Veloster

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Visit the gallery here to check out the other cars in the “Sports/Performance (under $50,000)” category and leave your comments at the bottom of this post.

For the past week-and-a-half I have been in Newfoundland, Canada competing in the 2011 Targa Newfoundland. This is a week-long 2,200-kilometre tarmac rally held annually throughout eastern and central portions of the province of Newfoundland.

The route is made up of approximately 40 competitive Targa stages where the road is closed to public traffic. [...]]]>

For the past week-and-a-half I have been in Newfoundland, Canada competing in the 2011 Targa Newfoundland. This is a week-long 2,200-kilometre tarmac rally held annually throughout eastern and central portions of the province of Newfoundland.

The route is made up of approximately 40 competitive Targa stages where the road is closed to public traffic. The stages are linked by non-competitive Transit sections where provincial vehicle traffic laws apply. It is one of three internationally recognized Targa events and quite possibly Canada’s most-grueling motorsports event.

The car, owned by Kia Canada, features a 2.4-litre four-cylinder 16V DOHC engine, six-speed manual transmission, high performance exhaust, cross drilled and vented brakes, Toyo R1R tires and an interior roll cage that puts us in the Targa Modern division.

I have assembled a section here based on my original day-by-day articles on Autonet.ca. I have also uploaded every photo that I personally shot while in Newfoundland on this great adventure. I just wish there were more.

After the provisional results for Targa Modern were made official (after Brian O’Kane/Andrew Comrie Picard’s car disqualification was overturned) on September 26th, we placed 11th overall in the division. And, sixth in our division. Not bad for a $21,000 Kia. For more results, visit the Targa Newfoundland website.

Packing a vehicle tightly with gear and suitcases, filling it with people, pets and sustenance, and heading out onto the open road for hours at a time is as Canadian as the Loonie or the CN Tower.

Upon picking a 2011 Volkswagen Golf Wagon TDI, my wife and I jump on the 401 East [...]]]>

Packing a vehicle tightly with gear and suitcases, filling it with people, pets and sustenance, and heading out onto the open road for hours at a time is as Canadian as the Loonie or the CN Tower.

Upon picking a 2011 Volkswagen Golf Wagon TDI, my wife and I jump on the 401 East and head straight for Montreal for four nights before heading on Quebec City to visit my sister. The suspension is tuned well for this kind of travel and soaks up the road well enough. Continue reading my review of the 2011 VW Golf Wagon TDI on Autonet.ca.

Or, go straight to the photos.

The second generation Impreza is still popular amongst enthusiasts – who laud the robust Subaru boxer engine, full-time symmetrical all-wheel drive and excellent year-round performance.

In 2008, the third generation Impreza launched with an emphasis on pleasing the North American mass market, watered down with a smaller engine and CVT. Were it not for [...]]]>

The second generation Impreza is still popular amongst enthusiasts – who laud the robust Subaru boxer engine, full-time symmetrical all-wheel drive and excellent year-round performance.

In 2008, the third generation Impreza launched with an emphasis on pleasing the North American mass market, watered down with a smaller engine and CVT. Were it not for the great-looking five-door model and the WRX and STI models, many Sube loyalists would’ve been lost on the regular Impreza’s vanilla-ized exterior and decreased performance. Continue reading my review of the still-to-come fourth-gen 2012 Subaru Impreza on Autonet.ca.

Or, go straight to the photos.

“Whereas most ordinary vehicles would be able to reach the trail head only to have to turn back, with a few button presses the 2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon is ready to boldly go wherever it’s pointed.”

Today, that’s climbing a very steep loose dirt trail 1.3 klicks long and strewn with massive North Oregon [...]]]>

“Whereas most ordinary vehicles would be able to reach the trail head only to have to turn back, with a few button presses the 2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon is ready to boldly go wherever it’s pointed.”

Today, that’s climbing a very steep loose dirt trail 1.3 klicks long and strewn with massive North Oregon Coast Range boulders, cavernous ruts and decaying Douglas Fir stumps along with some man-made obstacles such as staggered holes, rock gardens, log bridges and, my favourite, the dirt hot tub (pictured). Continue reading my review of the 2012 Jeep Wrangler on Autonet.ca.

Or, go straight to the photos.

I’m at the O’Neil Rally School and Car Control Center in moose and bear country to experience the Ford Fiesta in a way many never people will get to experience it, sliding sideways through muck and muddy puddles while being in complete control. The school is owned and operated by Tim O’Neil, a five-time [...]]]>

I’m at the O’Neil Rally School and Car Control Center in moose and bear country to experience the Ford Fiesta in a way many never people will get to experience it, sliding sideways through muck and muddy puddles while being in complete control. The school is owned and operated by Tim O’Neil, a five-time U.S. and North American rally champ, who taught more than a few successful rally drivers. Andrew Comrie-Picard, Antoine L’Estage, Dave Mirra, Travis Pastrana, Ken Block, just to name a few… Continue reading my Fiesta Rally Experience with Team O’Neil on Autonet.ca.

Or, go straight to the photos.

En Français?

Want more? Okay, fine…..

If you’ve never driven a sporty convertible on a sunny day, put it on your bucket list. Simply opening the top to see a cloudless blue sky can be a sublime experience; but, it’s the feeling of wind tossing your hair and zipping past your eardrums, the sound of the engine as you kick [...]]]>

If you’ve never driven a sporty convertible on a sunny day, put it on your bucket list. Simply opening the top to see a cloudless blue sky can be a sublime experience; but, it’s the feeling of wind tossing your hair and zipping past your eardrums, the sound of the engine as you kick down into a lower gear and stomp on the gas, and the smell of nature and hot rubber mixing together that’s considered driving nirvana to many. Continue reading my review of the 2011 Ford Mustang Convertible on Autonet.ca.

Or, go right to the photos.

From Autonet.ca, my assignments from the press preview days at the 2011 New York International Auto Show at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Manhattan.

Ford – 2013 Ford Taurus

Chevrolet – 2013 Chevrolet Malibu

Nissan – 2012 Nissan Versa and LEAF

Volkswagen – 2012 VW Beetle

Chrysler – 2012 Chrysler 300

Rolls-Royce – [...]]]>

From Autonet.ca, my assignments from the press preview days at the 2011 New York International Auto Show at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Manhattan.

Ford – 2013 Ford Taurus

Chevrolet – 2013 Chevrolet Malibu

Nissan – 2012 Nissan Versa and LEAF

Volkswagen – 2012 VW Beetle

Chrysler – 2012 Chrysler 300

Rolls-Royce – 100th Anniversary Edition

That was day one in a nutshell. On to day two:

Mini – KISS does MINI

Mazda – 2012 Mazda3 and CX-5 Concept

Lotus – 2011 Lotus Evora IPS

Mitsubishi – i MiEV

Moving into a new house means there’s no shortage of things to do. Of course, having the right tool means you can get jobs done better and quicker. That said, this 2010 Dodge Ram 2500 HD is just what I need for some heavy lifting. Specifically, it’s been enlisted to transport a heavy load [...]]]>

Moving into a new house means there’s no shortage of things to do. Of course, having the right tool means you can get jobs done better and quicker. That said, this 2010 Dodge Ram 2500 HD is just what I need for some heavy lifting. Specifically, it’s been enlisted to transport a heavy load of scrap wood (formerly a 10×10 tool shed base) to the local dump (at a cost of $50!). Continue reading my review of the 2011 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty on Autonet.ca.

Or, go right to the photos.

Nearly two dozen Chevrolet Volts (U.S. production models) are charged up and ready to go. My co-driver picks a black one, it looks the nicest because the black rear fascia blends in with the rest of the vehicle. I’m in town for the 2011 North American International Auto Show and GM Canada has arranged [...]]]>

Nearly two dozen Chevrolet Volts (U.S. production models) are charged up and ready to go. My co-driver picks a black one, it looks the nicest because the black rear fascia blends in with the rest of the vehicle. I’m in town for the 2011 North American International Auto Show and GM Canada has arranged some seat time in the recently anointed 2011 North American Car of the Year. Continue reading my review of the 2012 Chevrolet Volt on Autonet.ca.

Or, go right to the photos.

Classic Minis fascinate me to this day, but, today, I’m driving the newest Mini Cooper. I’m not sure why it’s called the Countryman, or why Mini considers it a crossover SUV (because it is quite far removed from a SUV in the traditional sense), but it does have five doors (a first for Mini), [...]]]>

Classic Minis fascinate me to this day, but, today, I’m driving the newest Mini Cooper. I’m not sure why it’s called the Countryman, or why Mini considers it a crossover SUV (because it is quite far removed from a SUV in the traditional sense), but it does have five doors (a first for Mini), a longer wheelbase, more interior space and better ground clearance compared to the second largest Mini, the Clubman. Continue reading my review of the 2011 Mini Cooper Countryman on Autonet.ca.

Or, go right to the photos.

My test 2011 Hyundai Equus didn’t show up at my doorstep via the free 24/7 valet service. It wasn’t whisked away on a flatbed for free maintenance service (thank goodness). I didn’t even get the free iPad Hyundai gives its new Equus owners either (pre-loaded with the car’s owner’s manual). Continue reading my review [...]]]>

My test 2011 Hyundai Equus didn’t show up at my doorstep via the free 24/7 valet service. It wasn’t whisked away on a flatbed for free maintenance service (thank goodness). I didn’t even get the free iPad Hyundai gives its new Equus owners either (pre-loaded with the car’s owner’s manual). Continue reading my review of the 2011 Hyundai Equus Signature on Autonet.ca.

Or, go right to the photos.

On AutoNet.ca, I drive the 2011 Ford Explorer up, down, over, around and through some pretty tough country in San Diego County. And, after feeding some lions, a tiger and saying hello to a bear (no really!), I drove the newest Ford on what can only be described as an expert off-road course where [...]]]>

On AutoNet.ca, I drive the 2011 Ford Explorer up, down, over, around and through some pretty tough country in San Diego County. And, after feeding some lions, a tiger and saying hello to a bear (no really!), I drove the newest Ford on what can only be described as an expert off-road course where it wore its stripes proudly. Click here to read my review of the sixth-gen Explorer.

Don’t forget to visit the photo gallery too!