Car FYI

The economic climate in Oshawa has been rather unsettled in recent years. The Canadian city's long-time main employer General Motors has been mum on their plans for the Oshawa Assembly Plant as future production remains uncertain. Providing some relief to Oshawa, General Motors Canada today announced a significant investment into their Engineering Centre. Pledging a new mandate related to the development of connected car systems, environmental and urban mobility solutions, General Motors Canada formalized plans that will lead to more than 100 new jobs in the software and controls engineering sector. Choosing their Canadian Engineering Centre as a innovation hub for future technologies in the automotive industry, General Motors Canada also fortified their support for the cold-weather testing facility in Kapuskasing, Ontario (located approximately a hundred kilometers north of Timmins). The Canadian En...

When an auto company goes racing, they are always quick to draw correlations with the vehicle on the track influencing the product for the street. Sometimes it seems to be purely a reach of reasoning when an stock version of an automobile differs so greatly from the race version. NASCAR is arguably one example of this when a front-wheel drive Ford Fusion powered by four-cylinder or six-cylinder powerplants is represented by a rear-wheel drive, V-8-powered stock car. Audi often touts the technology residing in their prototype sports car as transitioning to the production cars but the R18 e-tron quattro racing in the FIA World Endurance Challenge incorporates far-out mechanics such as a hybrid electric turbocharger . Thankfully for those motorsport purists who want to see race cars resemble their showroom stock counterparts, the GT classes of sports car racing can be trusted in providing a faithful mix of street and track perform...

With every generation, we find new ways to channel our love. From letters to telegrams to emails to social media, the methods of connection to objects of affection has changed but the emotions behind them remains a romance. Ever since the creation of the automobile, devotion to the vehicles has definitely adjusted to the growth of media technologies. Earlier this month, supercar builder McLaren Automotive's debut of the 570S at the 2015 New York International Auto Show was accompanied by a free mobile application. For those unable to see the stunning 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 powered McLaren 650S in person, the app allows the 562-horsepower vehicle to literally leap off the page. Added to Google Play marketplace on April 7th, the McLaren 570S Sport Series App allows Android smartphones and tablets allows supercar lovers the chance to explore the new vehicle i...

Starting this Friday, the 2015 Barrett-Jackson auction in Palm Beach will move a host of classic, custom and rare vehicles. While the Palm Beach is not as glitzy and record-setting as the sale in Scottsdale, Barrett-Jackson's second auction in their yearly calendar does feature a docket of automobiles enthusiasts would crave. 1930s street rods, extravagant machines from the 1950s, muscle cars of the 1960s and the amusingly sought-after Volkswagen 21-window bus is represented at the exciting car sale held within the South Florida Fairgrounds. As is customary with most Barrett-Jackson auctions, the Palm Beach event occurring between April 17th and the 19th will also feature a handful of purchasable items that will benefit more than the buyer and seller. Six charity listings will be part of the 2015 edition of the auction. Topping the charity auction list for Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach is the chance to purchase the first retail exampl...

This year marks the 50th year that Toyota has operated in the Canadian marketplace. In the decades that followed the introduction of the Crown and Land Cruiser, the auto brand's line-up has become a common sight on Canadian roads. Since 1988, the Toyota corporate entity has been greatly integrated with Canada when they commenced production in Cambridge, Ontario of their popular Corolla. Today, it has been announced a new direction for their North American manufacturing that involves removing production of the Corolla from Canada by 2019. Described corporately as a realignment of North American manufacturing, Toyota's movement of vehicle production will send production of the Corolla to a plant in Mexico. Part of a billion-dollar investment the Mexican state of Guanajuato, Toyota's commitment for producing the Corolla in the country follows a late-2012 decision to co-produce the Canada's Yaris and the United State's i...

    How many off-road adventurers have been waiting for the 2017 model year vehicles to roll onto dealership lots? The impending arrival the EcoBoost powered next-generation version of the F-150 based Ford Raptor the probably fueled the dreams of many who are attracted to the roads less traveled (or do not exist at all). The 2017 Raptor will be Ford's attempt to better its 411-horsepower off-roading pickup truck. Though Ford decided to create an all-new vehicle, Shelby American's Baja 700 conversion awakens the 2011 to 2014 model year 6.2-liter V-8 engined vehicle. In addition to the purchase of a 2011 to 2014 model year Ford SVT Raptor, Shelby's Baja 700 equipment package equates to a $45,000 investment. Not the first Ford SVT Raptor given the Shelby treatment, the respected Las Vegas based company enters a bold new performance realm. Exhibiting the same tenacious quest sports car excellence as the AC Cobra and GT350 version of the Ford Mustang, the limited edition...

    It has probably been decades since the Cadillac nameplate's presence on a large sedan meant world-class luxury. The large luxury sport utility Escalade allowed Cadillac to once again be seen as a mammoth showcase of the brand's premium taste but their flagship business has not seen the same level of enthusiasm. Part of complete revitalization of their business that included a brand-new line-up of vehicles and a new corporate headquarters located within New York City, Cadillac pledged to define the upper echelons of motoring with an all-new sedan for 2016. At the 2015 New York International Auto Show, the CT6's introduction is a big and bold presentation to the world that Cadillac is ready to take back its luxury crown with force. The Cadillac CT6 had been billed as a six-digit priced super luxury sedan. From what is visible with its introduction at the 2015 New York International Auto Show, the car seems like a replacement to the XTS. ...

Being April 2 nd , today is World Autism Awareness Day. There are probably two questions you are waiting to ask as to why am I writing about this day. First of all, you may be wondering what is Autism? To describe it most accurately would require way too much time. However, putting it in the simplest explanation, it’s a situation or condition where social interaction and communications is hindered. Triangulating the cause of Autism has resulted in several possible root causes (including the preposterous and discredited vaccine avenue). Now for the second question. Why am I sharing this information? Because I can despite the fact I was diagnosed with Autism. If you have been Carfyi.ca, xslspeedreporter.com and what has been several other I have written for, you'll understand in how much high regard I hold automobiles but have no idea I practically starting a race 10 laps down. It was my interest in automobiles that served as my initial guiding light out of darkness. It w...

Automobiles are an emotional expression of what harbours inside us. While this moth's scene at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show was full industry-driven passion, no amount of marketing or focus groups can capture how a customer falls in love with their vehicle. Sometimes it is through understanding the feelings of a vehicle's designer when we can grasp what makes us love our beloved. Car FYI's Car of the Month award recognises this heartfelt connection residing in this culture. Earlier this month, I had the privilege of attending a feast of automotive expression at Toronto's International Centre. The 2015 Motorama Custom Car & Motorsport Expo featured the coming together of expression and speed. Familiarized with the new car world where automotive creativity is defined by items manufactured in hundreds of thousands in some cases, the show was a chance to witness some rare and one of a kind vehicles. For this article, I must single-out one creation that made it s...

The Japanese have long been a driver for the implementation of new technology. Transistor radios and CD players  are just a few items immediately coming to mind when thinking of Japan's push to make certain technology's a part of our everyday life. Today, Honda has unveiled a special version of their HR-V compact crossover provides greater integration into lifestyles where we enjoy sharing our use of technology. Entering into a "beta-test" stage, the Honda HR-V SLF is designed to allow self-portrait making (better known as selfies) to be snapped. A hands-free system using 10 different cameras positioned around Honda crossover's interior and exterior, the SLF edition model was created recognizing research indicating one-third of all images taken by people between the ages of 18 and 24 are selfies. Responding to the technology, the HR-V's brand manager Gazo Enijinia says, “Honda is embrac...