About

This website is the online home of Canadian automotive journalist and sport tuning lifestyle writer and photographer Shaun Keenan.

Some people know me by my online name: journauto. Either way, that’s me and this is my blog. [dramatic music] Thanks for visiting! I live not far from the northern shoreline of Lake Ontario just west of Toronto with my wife Lisa and our two boys, six and and one.

I like adventure and have canoed several times the interior lakes and rivers of Algonquin Park in Northeastern Ontario.

In September 2008, Lisa and I trekked the high-altitude Inca Trail for four days to get to see Peru’s Machu Picchu in all it’s glory, first from the Sun Gate, then up close and personal! It was awesome and we had an amazing time–an incredible place! We can’t wait to explore many other corners of the Earth and see wonders of the world together.

I love to ski. Unfortunately, I don’t get to ski much these days, though I’ve been to Whistler/Blackcomb and did the steep Couloir Extreme and deep in Seventh Heaven. I’ve also done the Dew, as well as the Delirium Dive at Sunshine Village, and have hiked into the Purple Bowl at Lake Louise near Banff, Alberta. First tracks in Fernie, BC’s Cedar Bowl is still a favourite of mine, but Colorado’s Aspen and Snowmass tracks are pretty memorable too. One day I hope to visit the Alps. And, I don’t care which ones or where, just as long I can ski ’em. I’ve always wanted to ski in Chile too. Fingers are crossed.

I am the former Group Managing Editor for Toronto’s Performance Publications Media Group (PPMG), publisher of several automotive enthusiast consumer magazines, including Ignition Luxury & Performance, Performance Auto & Sound and Tuning Essentials by PASMAG.

I have road-tested driven hundreds of new and high-performance cars, and contributed exclusive first-peeks, high-performance track evaluations, design showcases and all sorts of original automotive articles in both print and online, with several photography, writing and print design awards to my name.

I’m a 15-year (former) member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada. Every year, my peers and I gathered for our annual “Test Fest” event that decides the AJAC Canadian Car of the Year. Visit the AJAC website to access a wealth of free new car buying info.

I’ve covered dozens of international auto shows, including Detroit, Toronto, and the huge-normous SEMA and CES trade shows on several occasions and consider myself an authority in most facets of the aftermarket tuning world. I don’t have much hands-on technical experience, but I know plenty of people who do and am always willing to get my hands dirty.

After graduating from Wilfrid Laurier University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications in 1999, I got my first break with Performance Auto & Sound magazine as Senior Editor. A few years later, I held the same post for a pair of popular enthusiast magazines–Modified and Luxury & Exotics–before finally jumping into the freelance waters in 2005. After 7.5 year of that, I took on a management position at PPMG.

I encourage your comments and constructive criticisms. If I don’t respond quickly, hopefully that means I’m either hot-lapping in something fast and four-wheeled, shushing down a mountain on my two planks, or maybe even kicking up a muddy wake on my hardtail mountain bike.

I’m no stranger to the shortest, fastest line possible, but I do hate poachers! Stay tuned because fresh content is inbound.

Click here to see my driving abstract click here.