Practice Makes Perfect _ Driving is a skill that takes many years of learning and practice to master. You don’t become a good driver overnight. Experience – both practical and theoretical – is required. Good vision, the proper seating and steering positions are fundamental. Knowledge of vehicle handling and basic physics are a definite asset. A dose of common sense… Read more →
Vive la C-Klasse! _ The last time I was in France, I experienced glamping for the first time, and drank Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc trackside at midnight while enjoying the symphony of 50-plus race cars zoom into the Circuit de la Sarthe’s final chicane during the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It was one heck of an experience, if not… Read more →
Hello again, Nismo _ It didn’t have the amazing 2015 GT-R Nismo exclusive matte grey paint the Juke Nismo RS had at the New York auto show. And I would have preferred the test car – the 2014 Nissan Juke Nismo RS – come in Sapphire Black or Brilliant Silver. But this Pearl White is sportier than the non-RS model… Read more →
Lustworthy _ The 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG S-Model 4MATIC has that ‘je ne sais quoi,’ that ‘certain swagger’ if you will. Not because it has one of the longest names in the entire Benz line-up, or because it’s packing the powerful 5.5L AMG biturbo V8 with 550 hp and 531 lb-ft of torque. Rather, it’s because this particular bad… Read more →
The Wolf of Mosport _ Walter Wolf stormed onto the Formula One racing scene in the mid 1970s with visions of grandeur. After purchasing a major stake in Frank William Racing Cars and rescuing the defunct Hesketh Racing team in 1976, the Austrian-born Canadian oil baron gave it the old college try and formed Walter Wolf Racing to compete in… Read more →
Cayman’s got bite! _ At the Automobile Journalist Association of Canada’s (AJAC) TestFest event last fall, the 2014 Cayman went up against a host of “all-new” models in the annual Sports Performance car shoot-out. These new or significantly-updated 2014 models include the BMW 435i xDrive (663 pts.), Corvette Stingray (673 pts.), Jaguar F-Type V6 S (637 pts.), Mercedes-Benz E 350… Read more →
Crikey, that’s a big one! _ In one fell swoop, the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray landed itself at the top of my own 2013 Top 10 list. Not by choice, but by merit. Maybe it’s because the Viper GTS hasn’t landed in my lap, but I thought for sure the MP4 12C had that locked up and key thrown away.… Read more →
STImprezive! _ I’ve had an insatiable urge to get completely sideways while driving a Subaru STI since watching Ken Block’s Gymkhana Practice video on YouTube. Five long years have passed, Subaru launched a new model and I even met Mr. Block – who now drives a Ford of course – in person before that would happen. But it did happen,… Read more →
Seeing Red _ During the making of Ignition’s 2014-15 Luxury & Performance New Car Buyers Guide, I found myself reflecting on some of the cooler cars I’ve been lucky to drive over the past 12 months, and some of the most popular questions I’m asked. Besides “What car should I buy?” the two most common are probably: “What’s the best… Read more →
Roush Stage 3 _ This Roush Stage 3 Mustang is the very same one we drove the snot out of in Mid-Ohio. It is the base Stage 3 model – Roush calls it Phase 1 – with a selection of options added to make it more unique. Sitting somewhere between the Ford Shelby GT500 and Boss 302 Mustangs in terms… Read more →
