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.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

Look what I just found in the Forza Autovista garage! Don’t know when or how it got there, but it has me wondering what auto reviews might be like in 500+ years. Maybe something like this:

The 2554 AMG Transport Dynamics M12 Wathog FAV is powered by a 12-litre [...]]]>

2554 AMG M12 Warthog FAV

Look what I just found in the Forza Autovista garage! Don’t know when or how it got there, but it has me wondering what auto reviews might be like in 500+ years. Maybe something like this:

The 2554 AMG Transport Dynamics M12 Wathog FAV is powered by a 12-litre hydrogen-injected ICE powerplant. In a standard 1G environment, the Warthog has a 490 mile range and 78 mph top speed, no matter the terrain!

The four wheel drive, four wheel steering M12 FAV features a manual shifted transmission and a steering-wheel linked emergency brake that can turn the Hog on a dime.

It comes with 420/60 20-inch nanotube tires that are practically indestructible with reactive tread compounds that provide unearthly traction. Naturally, its 14-inch disc brakes are made from exotic carbon ceramics found only on the planet Sanghelios.

It’s equipped with a Graf/Hauptman solar/Saline actuator that allows the driver to create hydrogen fuel from any fresh, brackish or salt water source, thus reducing the need to transport bulky and dangerous fuel supplies.

Depending on its use, multi-function displays, vehicle status computers and G-rated impact seats are among the many customizable interior features AMG can install at the factory.

All Warthogs are coated with a programmable nano-prismatic paint to refract colour at any chromacity depending on the vehicle’s destination. A security bit was designed to prevent people from tinkering with the finish.

Pre-order yours today.

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

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

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.

The 2012 CCOTY field gets whittled down from 57 vehicles across 11 categories. There are too many to drive them [...]]]>

As an eight-year voting member of the Automobile Journalist’s Association of Canada, I get to participate in the annual TestFest event, which helps decide the Canadian Car and Utility Vehicle of the Year.

The 2012 CCOTY field gets whittled down from 57 vehicles across 11 categories. There are too many to drive them all and I’m only interested in a fraction of them for my readers anyhow. As has been the case for the past several years now, my assignments included road and track testing the Sports Performance Car (under 50K) as well as the Luxury Car categories.

It’s also a very busy week as more than 70 journalists compete for keys to this automotive buffet that contains everything from the $17,000 Hyundai Accent to the $142,000 Jaguar XKR-S and lots in between, so time for photos is scarce. That said, of the 80 or so shots I did take, I’ve posted a small gallery of sorts for your viewing pleasure.

Visit the gallery here and leave your comments at the bottom of this post.

Subaru will unveil this RWD performance concept at the 2011 L.A. Auto Show

Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI) today announced the world premiere of the “Subaru BRZ Concept – STI” will happen at the L.A. Auto Show in mid November, [...]]]> Subaru’s worst kept secret over the past couple of years has finally been confirmed.

Subaru will unveil this RWD performance concept at the 2011 L.A. Auto Show

Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI) today announced the world premiere of the “Subaru BRZ Concept – STI” will happen at the L.A. Auto Show in mid November, ending years of speculation that Subaru would build a rear-wheel drive performance car.

The Subaru BRZ Concept STI is a concept car based on the Subaru BRZ, an all-new RWD compact sports car developed from an ongoing joint project between Subaru and Toyota Motor Corporation. Built with Subaru’s core technology of the horizontally-opposed boxer engine, this model has a low centre of gravity that realizes a “Pure Handling Delight” driving experience. Combined with motifs of Subaru’s iconic performance brand “STI,” the concept car embodies ultimate performance.

Subaru will unveil this RWD performance concept at the 2011 L.A. Auto Show

Subaru will unveil this RWD performance concept at the 2011 L.A. Auto Show

This year, I entered six photos into the 2011 Pirelli Photography contest and skipped the other award categories altogether. I didn’t win anything [...]]]>

Each year alongside the Automobile Journalist’s Association of Canada’s annual TestFest, AJAC hosts an awards banquet to reward its members in a host of different writing, photography and layout categories.

This year, I entered six photos into the 2011 Pirelli Photography contest and skipped the other award categories altogether. I didn’t win anything with these shots but I sure enjoyed taking them.

As one of the losers, my photos aren’t seen by those in attendance at the event in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, so I’ve once again decided to post them here for your enjoyment and viewing pleasure. Without further a do, here are my submissions in both published and unpublished categories for this year’s competition.

Please enjoy and your constructive comments are welcome.

2011 Pirelli Photo Contest

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

Congrats to all of the winners (and the losers)!

Volkswagen is in the midst of revamping its entire line-up, with none of today’s models older than two years. This year sees four significant launches, including the Beetle, Passat, Tiguan and the 2012 Jetta GLI.

The GLI is the exclamation point on the Jetta range, the sporty version of an otherwise average sedan. With [...]]]>

Volkswagen is in the midst of revamping its entire line-up, with none of today’s models older than two years. This year sees four significant launches, including the Beetle, Passat, Tiguan and the 2012 Jetta GLI.

The GLI is the exclamation point on the Jetta range, the sporty version of an otherwise average sedan. With its 200-hp two-litre turbo mill taken directly from the Golf GTI parts bin, the new compact sedan gets a big boost in performance as well as improvements to the interior. Continue reading my review of the 2012 VW Jetta GLI on Autonet.ca.

Or, go straight to the photos.

Well, AJAC’s annual TestFest event is underway in Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario and I’m here once again to put a number of Modern Sports Cars through their paces on the airport runway test track.

My assignments today included test [...]]]> It has been a while since my last post so I wanted to make this one extra special.

Well, AJAC’s annual TestFest event is underway in Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario and I’m here once again to put a number of Modern Sports Cars through their paces on the airport runway test track.

My assignments today included test driving the Buick Regal GS, Dodge Charger SRT8, Kia Optima SX, VW Jetta GLI, Mercedes-Benz -Class coupe, Honda Civic Si coupe and Hyundai Veloster.

The 2012 Porsche Cayman R was purely for me.

Could this be Canada’s 2012 car of the year?

I dunno, but I shot this photo at about 4:30 on Tuesday, October 25th in Canada. And, despite the rain (perhaps because of it) I got to experience the raw, visceral power of this stunning specimen for a half-dozen end-of-day, wet laps.

T’was a first drive for me actually.  Better when wet? Not likely, but capable nonetheless. Three thumbs up!

Please enjoy the high-resolution version of this photo for your personal desktop. Get it here. (Tip: Right-click this link for more options.)

If you would like a different size or alternate version, please message me with your request and I’ll do my best to accommodate.

The fifth annual Vagkraft show, Canada’s premiere VW and Audi enthusiast event, was recently held at the Brampton Powerade Centre, drawing more than three hundred vehicles from Southern Ontario, the Northeast U.S. and even from as far away as Florida to the home of the OHL’s Brampton Battalion.

The parking lot is dominated by [...]]]>

The fifth annual Vagkraft show, Canada’s premiere VW and Audi enthusiast event, was recently held at the Brampton Powerade Centre, drawing more than three hundred vehicles from Southern Ontario, the Northeast U.S. and even from as far away as Florida to the home of the OHL’s Brampton Battalion.

The parking lot is dominated by Mk5/6 Golfs, VR6 Jettas, ‘90s Corrados and Sciroccos, with smaller numbers of Audis and older VW models like the original Beetle, Hippie Bus and Karmann Ghia. One of the coolest vehicles on display has to be Paul Donaghy’s ‘69 Beetle-based rat rod. It’s like American Chopper, Desert Car Kings and American Restoration all rolled into one crazy-looking ride. Check it out 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.

Mid luxury car buyers are tough to please – they want ‘this’ feature for ‘that’ price; exclusivity, without paying a full out luxury or prestige price tag; good looks, useful technologies, comfort, convenience; they want something in the driveway the neighbours think cost thousands more. This is where the 2011 Infiniti M comes in. [...]]]>

Mid luxury car buyers are tough to please – they want ‘this’ feature for ‘that’ price; exclusivity, without paying a full out luxury or prestige price tag; good looks, useful technologies, comfort, convenience; they want something in the driveway the neighbours think cost thousands more. This is where the 2011 Infiniti M comes in. The M has been around since 2003 in Canada and, for its third generation was totally overhauled in 2010… Continue reading my review of the 2011 Infiniti M37x on Autonet.ca.

Or, go straight to the photos.

All covered in slime, moss, snails and Complete with battle scars, this is as scary a turtle as you’ll see anywhere!

Stay tuned for an [...]]]> Check out this huge old snapping turtle I came across today while out testing the latest Nissan 370Z. He took one look at me and said, “Let’s go, Nismo!”

All covered in slime, moss, snails and Complete with battle scars, this is as scary a turtle as you’ll see anywhere!

Stay tuned for an upcoming feature on the 2011 Nissan 370Z Nismo and a full photo gallery. (P.S. I pushed the turtle off the road with a very long stick. These can take a digit easily!)

There are some key differences that will help 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco owners maximize every penny at the gas pump, despite their car’s having the same efficient 138-hp 1.4-litre turbo four-cylinder gas engine and basic price ($19,495) as an LT Turbo model. For starters, the coefficient of drag is 0.298 versus the standard model’s [...]]]>

There are some key differences that will help 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco owners maximize every penny at the gas pump, despite their car’s having the same efficient 138-hp 1.4-litre turbo four-cylinder gas engine and basic price ($19,495) as an LT Turbo model. For starters, the coefficient of drag is 0.298 versus the standard model’s 0.33, which is a 10% improvement. Continue reading my review of the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco 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