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Teaser: 2009 Ivory White Nissan GT-R

journauto — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 23:34:33 +0000

The full digs on this JDM-inspired dream machine are coming soon to a Sun Media paper near you. I’ll let you know where and when, after I find out.

Featuring AAM Competition GT800-R twin turbo upgrade package and lots more...

In the meantime, a candid photo of car and model at Performance World 2010 by the PAS Nation booth.

Tested: 2010 Mercedes-Benz B200 Turbo

journauto — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:22:59 +0000

“When I picture a Mercedes-Benz in my head, the original SLR gullwing, iconic G-wagon and classic SEL saloons usually dominate the space between.

Now, the B200 Turbo is no SLS AMG; and, for the price of a SLR McLaren, you could have at least a dozen fully-loaded versions in which to scoot around your compound.

To be completely honest though, I’ve never given the B-class much credence, let alone a second glance in its five year run in Canada. That said, the littlest Benz surprises and impresses at every turn during my week-long test.”

Read my review — B-Class has high aspirations — and check out photos at AutoNet.ca.

Tested: 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander S-AWC

journauto — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:23:57 +0000

“The 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander has more in common with the automaker’s current super-performing Lancer Evolution and Ralliart than it does the original that went on sale in Japan nearly a decade ago.

A facelift, more power and the availability of Super All-Wheel Control (S-AWC) with an active front differential (AFD) are the biggest changes to Mitsubishi’s popular compact SUV that is essentially the same vehicle that arrived here in 2007.”

Read my review — Evolution of cool — and check out photos at AutoNet.ca.

Targa Newfoundland Here We Come

journauto — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 21:39:20 +0000

Not long before Christmas, a friend, colleague and fellow AJAC member, Kevin Corrigan, asked me if I would co-drive/navigate for him in the 2010 Targa Newfoundland tarmac rally. Seeing as he’d just purchased a shiny orange fully-built RWD rally car from the UK and I’ve been wanting to do this for sometime now, it was impossible to say no.

Now, it’s not going to be easy and we’ll up against the toughest cars in Targa including the Sprongls Audi Quattro, ACP’s Evo 10 and Millens GT-R! We’re both rookies at this and need to get the proper licenses and first aid training, etc., but, we’re hoping this particular car lives up to its pedigree’s billing as the World’s Greatest Rally car. I should mention it’s a 1971 Ford Escort Mk1 with a Honda S2000 engine and drivetrain.

This is quite the (rare) combination and Kevin and I are eager to get some seat time when springtime arrives–isn’t it here already?–and drier roads prevail. I’m told Toronto Motorsports Park has said we’re welcome to train there, and we’re going to enter a few navigational courses and road rallies for practice. Even still, our goal is to just finish the rally.

You can find the nuts, bolts and other interesting tidbits on this car over at Kev’s CarKeys.ca site where he’s written a fairly extensive feature on this car already. Check it out here.

Our sponsorship kit should be ready by the time March rolls around and if you or someone you know would like to become involved, please send me a message. Kevin can be reached via his website and I through mine.

We’ll have an official team announcement some time in the near future. In the meantime, I felt like sharing the Unofficial Announcement from Facebook. The responses are from several other auto journalists and AJAC members, so the thread is pretty funny! IMO.

For infortainment purposes only.

Dubbing it in the QC

journauto — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:30:02 +0000

Last week I was in freezing c-c-c-c-o-old Quebec to test drive the new 2010 VW Golf family. And, after driving up north to Ste. Jovite in a three-door 2.5-litre gas powered model and the new 2-litre turbo clean diesel wagon with DSG auto and tush warming, it was time for some fun and fast laps to get the blood circulating.

It gets better.

Not only do I get to do this on the Circuit-Mont Tremblant in the new VW GTI Mk6, here to help me eek out every last morsel of performance and learn the track are professional Canadian race drivers Richard Spenard and Patrick Carpentier. Nice!

2010 VW Golf GTI Launch - The Whole Gang

I’ve been a Carpentier fan back since before the Greg Moore days (people have even said I look like Moore actually), so I was quite taken aback by his presence. Pretty sure I met him once very briefly in the Molson Indy Toronto paddock area.

2010 VW Golf GTI Launch - Patrick Carpentier

I’ll get back to him in a second.

Besides getting to drive on this very cool and technical circuit for the very first time, one of the most interesting things I saw on this day was a 2.0-litre turbo engine blow a rod through the block of the car in front of me.

2010 VW Golf GTI Launch - GTI Mk6 Expires

This car was third in a line of GTIs following Spenard during some track orientation laps and only the third lap. Coming out of turn 10 down into the gulch, I was riding shotgun in the car behind when it went ‘poof’ and then pulled off to the grass with smoke spewing from the engine compartment through every available orifice. Not sure what happened and after snapping this photo and heading into the pits, the car was never seen or heard from again.

Spenard is a several time Formula Ford 2000 and Porsche 944 Cup Canadian champ and after I familiarized myself with autocross course not far away, I took advantage of some one-on-one time with him on the North Loop. (There’s a track map at lecircuit.com) Didn’t get any pics (I was driving of course) and besides getting me to brake a bit earlier and smoother in a couple places and turn later into number four, he thought I did pretty well.

I shot the next few photos while Carpentier drove the heck out of this GTI while trying to fend off a super-quick Spenard on the full circuit’s two back straightaways.

2010 VW Golf GTI Launch - Carpentier

Drafting and passing Spenard before turn 10, Patrick got passed coming out of the corner. Most of the time I was hanging on to the holy-shit handle with one hand while trying to hold the camera steady in the other with a five-time CART winner, IRL vet and current NASCAR hopeful seemingly trying to knock me off. He, while I’m hanging on like a monkey, is laughing and giggling inside his helmet so hard it’s tickling me.

2010 VW Golf GTI Launch - Passing Games

It really was a fun day. I hope you enjoy the photos. Oh, and for the record, no other V-Dub’s were harmed on this day.

My preview of the 2010 Golf Family is coming soon to a Sun Media outlet near you. I’ll let you know where and when.

Lexus IS350 C first drive

journauto — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:52:34 +0000

I’ve reviewed countless different makes and models of car and truck over the last decade but, somehow this is my first attempt on video.

Shot on a whim by Claude Gariety for Autonet.ca while on assignment to get up close and personal with a dozen or so Toyota/Lexus vehicles in Kingston, Ontario. Although I haven’t seen it published yet, there is a companion written piece about my time in the IS350C. What a beauty she is!! Let me also clarify that, when I say the three-panel hardtop is a feature not seen on previous Lexuses (Lexi?), I must point out the SC430 convertible uses a two-panel design… got off on a technicality I did.

Tested: 2009 Nissan 370Z

journauto — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 00:04:50 +0000

2009 Nissan 370Z

“…Just before reaching the (Las Vegas) city limit, a black 3 Series BMW that had been in the rear view for some time pulls up next to my graphite silver Z, looks over and gives a thumbs-up. His lips clearly read “nice car.”

The dozen miles of scenic road in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area are chock full of tight twists and elevation changes. Even at, uh, normal speeds the 370Z’s assisted power steering is linear, responsive and pinpoint accurate…”

Man, I can’t wait for my next encounter with the quintessential Nissan coupe!

Read Welcome to Z club and View photos from my first encounter with the 2009 370Z at Autonet.ca.