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Showing posts from 2015

New Road and Driving Rules for Motorists in Canada for 2016

Photo Credit: Chris Nagy In the last days of 2015, many of us in Canada have spent a year negotiating various driving situations. Traffic, snowy winter roads, wet weather, fluctuating prices at the gas pumps and maintenance costs is just a sample of obstacles Canadian motorists have confronted over 12 months. As we prepare for 2016, new or changing driving-related laws and regulations are also a challenge climbing behind the wheel. While some governments have already rolled-out new rules or costs ahead of the upcoming year, 2016 will be the first time where the entire driving public will be impacted by new fees as well as different expectations. The following is a snapshot of changes affecting Canadian motorists in relation to the province or territory they inhabit: Alberta Distracted driving is a menace on today’s roadways. When motorists fail to consider the attention of driving a multi-ton vehicle at speeds far greater than any human can travel on-foot, the results ha

Canadian Pricing Announced for 2016 Chevrolet Cruze

Photo Credit: General Motors Canada Canadians has long gravitated towards smaller, economical cars. Thankfully, the compact car segment is one where high value is now an expectation. Besides fuel efficiency and reliability, the 2016 model year compacts must also fulfil customers with a sense of pizazz. Chevrolet is pressing forward with the redesigned Cruze will build in a relatively respectable first-generation model. Powered by a turbocharged, direct-injected four-cylinder engine, the modernized appearance of the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze sedan will grace dealership showrooms by the spring of 2016. Pricing for the upgraded 2016 model year Chevrolet compact car ahead of its release has been announced for the main trim levels. The entry-level 2016 Cruze L with a six-speed manual transmission will start at $15,995 plus the vehicle's $1,600 destination freight charge. Priced $180 less than the 2015 Cruze Limited model, the new Chevrolet Cruze L will introduce owners to a larger

Star Wars’ Force Awakens in Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

Photo Credit: FCA US Unless you have been living in a cave on Tatooine, you are aware a highly-anticipated motion picture experience will be arriving at theatres next week. Ahead of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, there has been no shortage of cross-promotional tie-ins to the upcoming movie. In some cases, the marketing has been far-reaching in some instances. This weekend signifies another unusual promotional move as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) US will unleash a dark side-driven invasion on the streets of Los Angeles. Patrolling the Los Angeles area from December 11th to December 14th, First Order Stormtroopers and Kylo Ren will be represented by some high-powered performance cars. Consisting of three individual vehicles, the roaming group will be led by a black Dodge Viper ACR resembling one of the main villains in the upcoming Star Wars movie. The force of 645-horsepower is especially strong in the Kylo Ren-themed supercar being the most potent Viper model ever produced

Confession Of A Former Jeff Gordon Anti-Fan

Photo Credit: Chris Nagy Just 400 miles are all that remains of 2015 competition in the top stock car racing series in the world. The conclusion of the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup season at Homestead-Miami Speedway once again guarantees 43 drivers will attempt to take the checkered flag for the last event of the year. Four drivers enter the race with the opportunity of being crowned the series champion, depending on the outcome at Homestead-Miami Speedway. For the majority of the field though, victory or defeat is simply a reason to come back next year. Jeff Gordon has a chance of claiming the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup title but has planned the outcome to this race that will hold a note of permanency to a career of 23 years. Jeff Gordon will be starting this race vehicle’s engine for the final time in competition. The #24 Chevrolet SS fielded by Hendrick Motorsports final drive by the currently four-time champion in NASCAR’s top series is forged with some impressive superstar creden

Karma Plug-in Hybrid Rising From the Ashes with BMW Power

Photo Credit: Chris Nagy The electrified auto sector has moved at a rapid pace in the past five years. Back then, Tesla Motors only attracted attention through the production of the odd all-electric roadster while the Nissan Leaf all-electric car and the plug-in hybrid Chevrolet Volt were only entering the marketplace. Another car garnering attention during the infancy of the electric vehicle renaissance was prepared by a Californian based company Fisker Automotive. A premium vehicle designed by the same person behind the Aston Martin DB9, the Fisker Karma was a plug-in hybrid luxury car was heavily plagued during its short production run. Production itself was delayed by two years with the first sale examples of the Karma arriving in 2011. When the remnants of Hurricane Sandy hit the upper-part of the United States in November 2012, a large quantity of Fisker Karmas was ultimately written-off when they were caught in the massive flood. The vehicle itself was also affected by an

Royal Canadian Mint Enters Fast Lane with NASCAR Medallion

Photo Credit; Royal Canadian Mint Canada's history with NASCAR competition has been a colourful affair. Richard Petty winning his first Cup division series race at the old CNE Speedway in Toronto in 1959, the late Earl Ross' first and currently only Cup victory by a Canadian on the ever-popular Martinsville Speedway in 1974 and Ron Fellows' six road racing wins in two of the stock car racing series' three major touring divisions have been moments the patriotic red and white fans of motorsports have been proud of. This season, Calgary, Alberta native Cameron Hayley's rookie season effort in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and crew chief of the #78 Furniture Row Racing Cole Pearn have shown future greatness is in the cards. As the 2015 NASCAR racing season is nearing a close, the Royal Canadian Mint has put some definition to the popular racing spectacle with the release of a detailed silver medallion. Struck in 1 oz., 99.99% pure silver, the royal Ca

Toyota's Ultimate Utility Vehicle is the Meanest Minivan Ever

Photo Credit: Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. During the early 1990s, the family vehicle market was under the spell of the spacious minivans. Providing enough room for parents, kids, pets and provisions for a weekend, minivans often suffered from a lack of excitement due to underpowered engines as well as bland handling. Drivers demanding a more spirited family hauler were accommodated with a growing crop of sport utility vehicles as well as crossover vehicles in the past 20 years. While the minivan market lost its lustre to some automotive players, Toyota’s Sienna is currently accepted as a gold standard for hauling the typical North American family. Propelled by a 266-horsepower V-6 engine and available with all-wheel drive, the Sienna proves to be a humble performer on the city roads, suburban streets as well as on highways. If participating a trip across harsh North American terrain, something more ultimate may be needed. At the 2015 SEMA Show, The Toyota Sienna can be shown in

Luxury for Hyundai Undergoes a True Genesis

Photo Credit: Hyundai Motor America It's only a human condition to judge ourselves in the company we keep. It is also natural for even comfortable individuals to seek a higher status. For automakers, having a foothold in the general automobile market is often not enough. After-all, why would Cadillac and Lincoln exist when a Chevrolet or Ford is well-suited to most drivers? Entering the luxury car market provides the chance to explore heightened vehicle refinement, greater technology and generally a higher profit margin per vehicle sold. In the late 1980s, Japanese auto companies that made gains as a producer of vehicles demanded by the general driving public entered the premium product genre. Honda created Acura, Nissan created Infiniti and Toyota founded the Lexus brand. Starting in December, Hyundai will become the latest entrant into the premium automobile industry. Hyundai will elevate the name of their Genesis rear-wheel drive sedan to the forefront described as a &#

Honda’s New Baja Race Truck Teases 2017 Ridgeline Styling

Photo Credit: Honda A fundamental goal of every automaker is to prove the endurance of their vehicles to the public. For the toughest vehicles hoping to make an impression with customers, the SCORE Baja 1000 off-road race across the terrain of a Mexican desert is among the most gruelling. A race that has been won by Ford Broncos, Chevrolet trucks and a Volkswagen-powered Meyers Manx , Toyota trucks were also some of the victorious vehicle entrants who inherit some impressive bragging rights to sell their trucks to buyers. Along with measuring the integrity of production-based trucks as well as race-purpose buggies, major auto manufacturers have also found the Baja 1000 event as a proving ground for new ideas. In 2013, Ford tested their2.7-liter EcoBoost powerplant in the competition as an extreme field test ahead of availability on the 2015 Ford F-150 . Later this month, Honda will compete with a prelude to their next Ridgeline pickup truck.   After a two-year absence, the Ho

Rotary Revisited in Mazda RX-Vision Concept

Photo Credit: Mazda North American Operations The Tokyo Motor Show is one of the longest running Asian auto shows, the Japanese exhibition has gained a reputation for showing the world many possible futures for the automobile. Hosted as a biennial event, Japan’s native auto companies is tasked with assembling some bold ideas in concept car forms featuring far-out styling and radical new technologies. Back in 1964, Mazda showed the Cosmo sports car displaying a different engine concept. For the 2015 edition of the Tokyo Motor Show is guaranteed already to be living up to the aspirations days ahead of the doors opening to the public. Among a vast line-up of concept cars premiering in Tokyo is Mazda’s revival of their rotary engine technology. Photo Credit: Mazda North American Operations A front-engined, rear-wheel drive sports car, the Mazda RX-Vision Concept is explored as a continuation to the spirit of the Cosmo as well as the RX-7 high-performance car. Shaped thro

Ferrari's IPO: Bullish about the Prancing Horse?

Photo Credit: Chris Nagy Car collectors enjoy no only the thrill of owning a vehicle but the culture surrounding the popular brands that have driven our passions and emotions. When collecting Ferrari, the love can be enjoyed with the possession of a multimillion dollar classic like a highly rare 250 GTO or something as little as a one dollar die-cast car. Ferrari aficionados also take pleasure the in full range of merchandise surrounding the ‘Prancing Horse’ brand. Hats, jackets, sunglasses, watches and picture frames are just a few officially licensed items offered to collectors of the Ferrari brand. Ferrari is one of the most coveted brands when it comes to merchandising. Now, for the latest collectible item, why not own a piece of the company ambitious founded by the legendary motorsport figure Enzo Ferrari? Selling 10 percent of the Ferrari company in an IPO (Initial Public Offering) release on the New York Stock Exchange, the first shares will be offered at $52 a share s

Toyota Goes 'Back to the Future' to Launch Sales for Hydrogen Fuel Cell Mirai

Great Scott! We've reached October 21st 2015. Where are the flying cars? Why can't I drink a Pepsi Perfect? Why haven't lawyers been abolished? The movie Back to the Future II certainly gave us a wacky prediction of what this day would look like. In late 2015, automobiles are still grounded but that doesn't mean technology has remained trapped in 1985 either. Electrified automobiles existing in many forms is providing a futuristic reality. Even in the movie's version of 2015, Back to the Future II didn't tout alternative vehicle powertrains (Mr Fusion powered by the time circuits of the Doc Brown's modified DeLorean but gasoline was apparently still a mode of propulsion). Hybrid and fully-electric cars are driving the cause but visions of hydrogen being an automotive power source have also given birth to fuel cell research. Toyota has become the latest automaker demonstrating the possibilities of hydrogen fuel cell technology creating the Mirai as a r

Production Starts for Tenth Generation Civic at Honda's Alliston Plant

Photo Credit: Honda of Canada Manufacturing For the tenth generation model of their staple Civic compact car, Honda has made monumental strides insuring the new vehicle's successful  2016 model year release . After getting chastised by the automotive press and some previous owners for being too conservative with the creation of the ninth generation Civic, Honda has now been forced to make a riskier move for 2016. Seeking to regain some of the Honda Civic's lustre as a segment leader in direct tune with the demands of the consumer, the larger vehicle offers a turbocharged engine option, high-tech interior features and last but not least a bold, cutting-edge styling. This week at Alliston's Honda of Canada Manufacturing plant, the all-new 2016 Civic Sedan begins the trek towards new car customers bracing to find a receptive audience. Rolling off the Canadian assembly line on Tuesday, the first production examples of the four-door 2016 Civic came together with celebra

Castrol Pledges 90-Second Oil Changes with Nexcel

Photo Credit: Castrol Ltd. Since the first revolution of an automotive gasoline engine was accomplished, there has been a need for support systems to insure a second, third or, in the case of the vehicles we drive today, several thousand revolutions for minute can be completed. Providing the necessary lubrication for an engine to operate consistently, engine oil remains one of the most important ingredients of a vehicle. Often referred to as the life blood of a car, engine oil routinely needs the automotive equivalent to a transfusion better known as an oil change. For a century, new engine oil had to be poured from a can or plastic container. Oil changes are a simple form of maintenance complicated by the extraction of older oil and the replenishment with new fluid. Recent years, an added wrinkle to older oil has been in adhering to the proper, environmentally-conscious method for disposal. All and all, the typical oil change including the replacement of an oil filter average

Canadian Pricing for 2016 Chevrolet Camaro Coupe Announced

As the Chevrolet Camaro nears it 50th anniversary since introduction, there is excitement created by an all-new version of the vehicle that restated the bowtie’s sports car performance reputation. In the previous two generations of the Camaro, Canada had a major part in bringing the affordable, rear-wheel drive pony car to life. Canadian pricing for the new generation Chevrolet Camaro clearly expresses the cost of pony car aggression for north of the border performance seekers. MSRP (Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price) for the 2016 Camaro will start at $28,245 in Canada. For those interested to know the difference between the Canadian and United States price, there is a $1,550 separation. The base model of the 2016 Camaro is  $2,575 lower than its 2015 counterpart. The addition of a standard turbocharged, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine is a main contributor to the reduced vehicle price tag. The 275-horsepower powerplant replaces the still-available 335-horsepower 3.6-liter V

Brawny Strength Meets Smart Technologies for 2017 Ford Super Duty

Photo Credit: Ford Motor Company A segment appearing on the surface to be working contrary to the modern automobile segment, the extended-duty three-quarter and one-ton pickup truck market has been facing the same type of scrutiny as passenger vehicles. Greater efficiency and improved technologies are almost universal traits sought from the latest vehicles. While passenger cars and crossovers are intent to promote better fuel economy as well as a more enriching commuting experience with infotainment systems, pickup trucks are expected to make the most from a powerful engine for greater towing and hauling strength. Ford Motor Company’s critically-acclaimed rethinking of their highly-popular, half-ton F-150 pickup truck showed a bold departure from the traditions of the work vehicle segment. Creating lighter weight, intelligently-equipped vehicles with the F-150, the 2017 Super Duty is the next chapter in Ford trucks’ new book on building a trusted hauler for the 21st century.  

Dirty Trick by Volkswagen Led to Sale of Dirty Diesels in North America

Photo Credit: Chris Nagy On Monday night, Volkswagen was in New York City wanting focus to be on the premiere of their new 2016 model year Passat sedan. Instead, the German-based auto company was seen largely as the perpetrators of one of the most sinister new-car emission law breaches in current automotive history. Announced on Friday, September 18th, the United States EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) issued a notice of violation to Volkswagen in regards to members of their diesel engine family sold in North America. Diesel versions of the Volkswagen Beetle, Golf, Jetta, Passat as well as the Audi A3 (a premium vehicle based on the same platform as the Golf) produced in model years between 2009 and 2015 are all embroiled in a wild controversy. Altogether, the total vehicles affected amounts to around 500,000 cars in the United States and Canada. Championed by Volkswagen by a "TDI Clean Diesel", these vehicles powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel engine hav