Don’t make the racers be the losers in this fight

In 1994, after years of being patronized and ignored and insulted, Tony George started the Indy Racing League to compete for teams, sponsors and drivers affiliated with the established Championship Auto Racing Teams, better known as CART.

George, who inherited ownership of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, had high hopes for his new championship but didn’t succeed in doing anything other than completely screwing up IndyCar racing in North America for the next 10 years. The so-called civil war finally ended but IndyCar (which succeeded the IRL and CART) has never regained its stature.

In more recent years, the Pro Modified Racing Association was one of the most successful drag-racing organizations in Canada. PMRA-sanctioned events attracted upwards of 70 entries.

One winter, another guy, who was experienced in the ways of the drag-racing world, decided he could do better. He knew everybody, was a good guy and convinced many of the racers to join him. Two things happened: the PMRA was sufficiently crippled that it couldn’t continue in business. And the guy who ran the new organization soon found out he didn’t know as much as he thought he did. The result? No winners and the racers lost big.

You can see a pattern here.

There is an established road-racing series in Canada that has been running for the last 15 years called the Canadian Touring Car Championship (CTCC). Started in 2007 by John Bondar, a former racer and Canadian Automobile Sport Clubs (CASC) administrator, the CTCC was geared to fill a gap in Canadian motorsports following a substantial lull in professional-level racing.

In my Monday Morning Racing Roundup on wheels.ca two weeks ago – Feb. 1, to be exact – I reported that Chris Bye, a former race driver who is best known in the automotive community these days for his company’s handling of model unveilings and other promotions for many of Canada’s manufacturers, had announced the launch of a new professional sports car series that would start doing business in May. It was clear he had a target.

Within a week, AIM Autosport, which is one of this country’s storied motorsport entities, announced it would enter the new series. Other famous Canadian motorsport companies are also reportedly interested.

Now, full disclosure: I am a friend of Bondar and his wife, Dominique, who now runs the CTCC. I consider myself a good acquaintance of Chris Bye. That said, I don’t think this is a good idea and, in conversation with Bye, have told him so. I think all this sort of thing does is create confusion and division in what is really a small part of the motorsport industry in Canada.

I considered suggesting that ASN-FIA Canada step in and try to straighten this out for the good of the sport. But there are indications it is already involved – on one side. So there went that idea.

Bye says he’s received 18 refundable registration deposits of $1,000 each for 2021; the CTCC says it has 27 signed-up entries – 14 Touring Cars and 13 GT Sport cars. (I didn’t know there were that many cars.) Bye says he plans five racing weekends this coming summer and fall; the CTCC will run six. There are only so many places to race in eastern Canada, so there will be overlap.

When I asked him why he was doing this, Bye suggested that the CTCC was really an amateur racing series because professionals get paid, a position rejected by Dominique Bondar. “It’s true we don’t have a points fund, but that is something our drivers have said they don’t want,” she said. “Points funds in road racing come from entry fees; in the U.S., entry fees are substantially higher due to the built-in prize money component. Our drivers voted for lower entry fees with no prize fund.

“When you take into consideration prize money on offer from manufacturers ($10,000 from Mazda, for instance), parts, discounts and substantial monetary sponsorship, that total can frequently exceed $350,000 over the course of a season, which is pretty serious money. We have been in business for 15 years, so you do the math. That’s hardly amateur racing.”

The CTCC has working arrangements with most of the OEMs in Canada, from Audi and BMW to Toyota and Volkswagen, and international racing teams (Karl Thomson’s Compass Racing, for instance) and drivers (Kuno Wittmer, Kyle Marcelli are just two) got their starts in the Touring Car championship.

At the end of the day, we can quibble over the definition of professionalism, or whatever. And anybody can do whatever they want – within reason. National racing series are governed by international rules and regulations that are awarded. Nobody can use the term Touring Car Racing, for instance, except the rights holder, which is the CTCC. Having said that, this smacks of the stock market and another term: hostile takeover attempt.

Do you know what happens when there’s a hostile takeover attempt? In the end, nobody wins. I fear that’s what might happen here. And the biggest losers, as usual, will be the racers.

Norris McDonald is a retired Star editor who continues to write for Wheels under contract.

He reviews the weekend’s auto racing every Monday at wheels.ca

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2022 INFINITI QX60 will come with 9-speed transmission and refinements

INFINITI in Yokohama Japan teased some more information about the automaker’s upcoming INFINITI QX60.

When the new vehicle makes its appearance in North American later this year, the 2022 INFINITI QX60 will come with a 295-hp, 3.5-litre V6 that will be mated to what the automakers said will be a new 9-speed automatic transmission.

“The upcoming, all-new 2022 INFINITI QX60 embraces the tenets of what our brand stands for,” said INFINITI chairman Peyman Kargar in a release given to the media. “Teams from Japan and the U.S. have worked tirelessly to bring the new QX60 to customers as our most refined and advanced three-row crossover yet. The QX60 is a foundation for INFINITI and will bring to life our core philosophies. We’ll have more to talk about soon, so watch this space.”

This new 9-speed transmission will have a larger ratio spread – almost 10:1 – giving the driver all the needed acceleration needed while providing a smooth drive and also goes easy on fuel consumption. INFINITI’s Active Torque Mount will help make the new transmission’s smoother gear changes while at the same time isolating engine vibration to provide a quieter interior.

“The all-new QX60 has a direct and linear acceleration feel. It gives the driver confidence to not only increase their standing start but also passing on the freeway and in the city,” said Dave Kiesel, manager of powertrain performance at INFINITI’s Arizona Testing Center. “You just step on the pedal, it downshifts, and you go.

Interior enhancements include a shift-by-wire setup that will provide more space inside for the driver and passenger, and more room around the centre console. A Drive Mode Selector will provide five drive modes to decide upon: Standard, ECO, Snow, Sport and Personal.

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The Many Cars I Have Owned: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

It was after the engine sputtered and died and I rolled silently to the shoulder of the highway that I briefly questioned my faith in cheap cars.

With the fuel gauge pegged at the quarter-tank mark, I was sure I could drive the 20 kilometres to the next gas station in the old Toyota I had picked up for a song. Funny thing is, the needle never budged lower. And as I learned later, the Low Fuel warning light had burned out.

The tank had run dry along a desolate part of Highway 7 east of Kaladar, Ontario. Lucky for me, a passing motorist gave me a lift to the nearest gas stop and I was back on the road in an hour. I hardly thought about that incident until last week when I recalled all the used cars I’ve owned.

I’ve bought beaters from people’s driveways, public auctions, shiny new-car dealers, shady characters and trailer lots. Nothing says fly-by-night operation like a sales office on wheels.

Buying used can save you an enormous amount of cash, since you avoid the steep and rapid depreciation that ravages every new vehicle. That shiny new car or truck hemorrhages between $4,000 and $8,000 of value the day you drive it home from the dealership.

Plenty of Canadians got the memo: used-vehicle purchases typically outnumber new-car sales by a ratio of two to one every year.

The Wealthy Barber author David Chilton once admitted he didn’t know much about cars and made a mistake buying a client’s old Mercedes, which cost him a small ransom in upkeep. He quickly sold it and bought a succession of cheap cars to get around. It’s a lesson learned.

I’ve done well by my Duddy Kravitz-like interest in buying land – I bought my first house at the age of 26 – because I knew where to spend my money and where not to. If you need a set of wheels, I recommend old Japanese cars. And learn to work a clutch, because manual-transmission cars are even cheaper.

By way of example, take a look at my collection of used cars I acquired over the years.

My very first was a 1974 Mazda 808 coupe I got as a student in 1982. It was one of the few Mazdas of its time that had a piston engine (most featured a Wankel rotary engine), although mine burned oil that left a plume of blue smoke everywhere I went. Embarrassed, I sold it two weeks later.

Slightly wiser, I bought a 1974 Toyota Corolla SR5, unusual for its time because it had a five-speed stick in what was an economy car. I drove the whee out of it for three happy years – until I noticed an alignment problem and put it on a hoist, only to watch the engine hang out the bottom like a cast-iron piñata. The frame had broken.

Toyota had yet to learn how to make a car capable of withstanding Canada’s briny roads. I scrapped it and bought a 1978 Ford Fiesta from my younger brother, who didn’t even have his driver’s licence. Steve had picked it up for $150 because it jiggled like a Jell-O salad, thanks to a broken Panhard rod.

I replaced the suspension part and got the car plated. Driving one night I smelled something burning and glanced down at the dash, only to be blinded by a blue-white flash that lit up the bones in my hand. It kept running, but it quickly developed an overheating problem and engine knock. My Fiesta took a permanent siesta in the scrapyard at the ripe old age of seven years.

I bought a used Dodge Ram 50 mini-pickup truck, the first of three Japanese Mitsubishi products I would grow to admire. I flogged it mercilessly when I worked as a private courier hustling advertising artwork and film canisters around Toronto.

My next car was a 1984 Honda Prelude I purchased from a Forest Hill family that had bought it for their daughter. It was in mint condition and spoiled me so rotten that when I came into some money, I foolishly thought I needed an image upgrade and acquired a 1984 Porsche 944 from a restaurateur.

As gorgeous as it was, it was a poor man’s Porsche and really no quicker than a pizza-delivery Honda Civic (I could only dream of affording a 16-valve 944S). Ludwig Heimrath admonished me for not replacing the shock absorbers, among other maintenance items. I sold it a year later, but not without taking a $4,000 depreciation hit.

Between the Porsche and the German-built Fiesta, I had learned an expensive lesson regarding used European cars: Avoid them.

I bought another used Prelude, this time a performance-oriented 1988 Si model. The car seemingly wagged its tail every morning when I came outside with the keys jangling. Of my 25 used cars, it remains my favourite.

As I got older, my attention turned to other pursuits, including matrimony. My wife-to-be owned a late-model GMC Tracker, so I sold the Prelude and put the money towards a house we would buy together.

I still needed something cheap to take me to work. Living around the corner from a new-car dealer, I spotted a 1980 Toyota Corolla SR5 in the back row of the “as-is” pile and submitted an offer. I got it for $400.

Margaret dubbed it the “garbage can” due to its dull-grey patina and, well, because it smelled. Yet it faithfully took us up to cottage country many times that summer of 1994, and with less fuss and noise than the Tracker.

We honeymooned in Cape Breton and Cape Cod in a 1986 Honda Accord hatchback that had a wicked alignment problem. We replaced it with an old Mazda 323 I bought at a public auction.

With a baby on the way, we decided we needed at least one modern car, and sought the cheapest new car with dual airbags. We ordered a 1996 Saturn SL with a manual transmission and even manual steering (no power assist). Our only option was a $100 mirror for the passenger door.

I soon replaced my two-door Mazda – a pain when you have baby seats – with a four-door 1989 Dodge 2000GTX, a car I happily bought from a curbsider. Happily because it was such a rare find (a five-speed) and in such great shape, I held my nose and forked over the cash.

The Dodge – actually a rebadged Mitsubishi Galant – turned out to be my longest automotive relationship at seven years. It was cheap to keep, hardly ever broke and still drove well the day I sold that 16-year-old beige sedan for $800. I replaced it with another Mitsu: a Dodge Stealth coupe, not the most practical thing to ferry our little girls to daycare.

Having three children necessitated a lifestyle change: We became minivan people. Our first was a used Nissan Quest from a Chrysler dealer that somehow missed the two joints tucked in the ashtray by the previous owner (a parental coping strategy?). It was followed by a used Mercury Villager, a Pontiac Montana and, finally, a high-mileage Toyota Sienna before the girls outgrew the need for chauffeured transportation.

used-vehicle purchases

Our oldest daughter got her driver’s licence early on at our behest; we were tired of getting up at 5:30 a.m. to take her to her rowing club. I found a 2009 Pontiac Vibe that’s served her well – thanks to the Toyota engine under the hood.

Today the Vibe shares the driveway with my Acura TSX – the “four-door Prelude” that continues to put a smile on my face – along with my wife’s Honda CR-V, a crossover we intended to buy used, but with just $1,500 separating a used model from a new one, she chose the latter.

We’ve acquired other cars along the way, including a pristine 1990 Nissan Stanza from an 80-year-old man who was too unsure of his driving skills to take the mandatory test. He wept when we came to collect his car. I bought a 24-year-old Honda Accord from a neighbour who moved out west; I had to pick it up from the airport after they abandoned it in the parking lot.

Over the four decades I’ve been buying used cars, I’ve accumulated just three bad-luck stories: sidelined by a frozen radiator in my Mazda 323, running out of gas in the Corolla and being blinded in my pee-yellow Fiesta. Otherwise, it’s been a great run of exceptional buys.

I’m no wealthy barber, but if I can impart a little financial advice, there’s no need to buy your cars new and don’t fall for the prestige automotive brands with their premium prices. All my cars had four tires and got it me where I needed to be with barely less motoring joy than a BMW M Series could deliver.

Save your money for the things that really matter.

used-vehicle purchases

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Six Model Refreshes Worth Waiting For

Some things are worth waiting for. Particularly cars. Particularly when there’s a newer, better model of the car you’ve had your eye on just around the corner.

It’s easy to disregard this mentality as very few consumer goods maintain their peak relevance for an extended period of time anymore. There’s a better iPhone or computer or gaming console out every year. It doesn’t matter when you buy one because there will almost definitely be a slightly better one immediately on the way.

This is not so much the case with cars. Model refreshes can take up to a decade to transpire and often come with big leaps forward in terms of quality, performance and technology.

These are six models that we think are worth holding off buying for now until their new and improved version hits showroom floors.

Jeep Grand Cherokee

The current generation Jeep Grand Cherokee is a generally well-reviewed vehicle. The marketing team never misses an opportunity to remind you that the Grand Cherokee is the “Most Awarded SUV Ever.” Most exciting, of course, is that it’s offered in a 707-horsepower “Trackhawk” (Hellcat) trim, for the kind of people who put hot sauce in their morning coffee… and then snort it.

Still, it might be worth waiting for the 2022 models to hit showroom floors before pulling the trigger on a new Grand Cherokee. A three-row “L” variant is on the way, and while the familiar 3.6-litre V6 and 5.7-litre HEMI V8 are both set to make a return, hybrid variants will also be offered — presumably these will be powered by Chrysler’s e-Torque units currently offered in the RAM pick-ups.

No SRT or Trackhawk variants have been announced yet, but we’re pretty confident they will eventually return.

Mazda 6

Mazda has undergone a substantial transformation in the past few years — moving the brand away from an image of cheap and cheerful compact cars and into one of new-edge style and luxury. The positive reviews and sales figures are proof that their re-brand has paid off.

2022 Model Refreshes

However, what’s been sorely missing from this brand reboot is a healthy dose of good ol’ fashion fun. The current Mazda 6 may be a nice car to drive, but it has all the personality of a dead goldfish.

The upcoming Mazda 6, however, will be on a new rear-wheel-drive platform and be powered by an inline-six engine. Details are sparse, but the rumour is the engine will be a six-pot Skyactiv-X unit with a 48-watt hybrid system, which could push 350 horsepower.

You may have to wait until the end of 2022 for the new Mazda 6 to arrive, but it’ll be worth it.

Nissan Z

We could debate all day whether the new Nissan Z is really a refresh, a replacement or simply an evolution of the current Nissan 370Z.

2022 Model Refreshes

It’s irrelevant. Because what’s important is that you’d kick yourself for buying a 370Z now, with its ancient interior and dated engine, when the new 400-horsepower, retro-inspired Z is just around the corner.

Normally, production models don’t end up looking exactly like the concept car due to “hard point” constraints in the design (just ask the FT-1 concept and the A90 Supra). However, what Nissan unveiled was a “production intent” preview, not just a simple concept. So we’re optimistic all of that retro-goodness will make it to the final car.

Audi A3

The current Audi A3 has proved to be an accessible and respectable (if a little humdrum) way to get into the luxury segment. However, you may notice that the A3 model is not available for the 2021 model year. No need to rush out and buy a larger A4. The A3 will return for 2022.

2022 Model Refreshes

Many of the expected features are set to return, including the eternal 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, Audi’s signature AWD system and a 7-speed automatic transmission. Best, they’ll all be wrapped in sharper bodywork than the outgoing model.

However, most note-worthy is the possibility of a hybrid model, perhaps sporting an e-tron badge.

Subaru BRZ

I’m a little torn about including this one on the list. Because on paper, the new Subaru BRZ will be better than the current generation in almost every way. Besides adding more creature comforts and ride stability to the beloved RWD sports coupe, Subaru has also added just the right amount of power to solve the BRZ’s low-end torque problem. Mercifully, they also haven’t done something stupid like add a turbocharger or a great deal of weight.

2022 Model Refreshes

Still, despite the improvements, it’s hard to imagine how the new car will offer the same purity of driving enjoyment as the no-frills, bare bones original. Fingers crossed the magic is still there, because if it is, it’s definitely worth waiting for the new car.

Honda Civic

When it comes to go-to reliable staples like the VW Golf or Honda Civic, it’s always worth waiting for the latest and greatest. The 2022 Civic promises to offer some improved tech such as a larger infotainment display screen, wireless smartphone connectivity and driver-assistance features.

2022 Model Refreshes

It’s also set to receive a boost in performance. Most likely it will still utilize the 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine for the base model, but will receive a power bump. Although no hybrid powertrain is on the horizon, we’re most excited to see what these performance improvements will mean for the ‘spicy’ Si model, and liquid hot Type R.

Also it has to be said that the 2022 Civic is just a massive visual improvement on the last generation. The simplified design with its clean, sharp lines and fewer overall design elements are a welcome change.

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The Return of the Auto Lease

Back in the 1980s, the famous psychophysicist and marketer, Howard Moskowitz, was tasked with conducting groundbreaking market research in the area of spaghetti sauce. (Yes, I did just say spaghetti sauce). Moskowitz set out to determine what consumers wanted from their spaghetti sauce and one crucial element to his research was the question: Do customers prefer chunky or smooth sauce? It turns out the answer was both.

Turning to the world of vehicle sales, we face a similar conundrum when we ask the question: Which is better, financing or leasing? Again, the answer is both.

Leasing: A Brief Summary

Financing and leasing each have their own advantages and reasons to be chosen by a car buyer. The proportion of buyers who choose the leasing option has varied over time, reaching a high of 45% in 2005 and currently hovering between 20 per cent and 25 per cent. In order to determine which is ‘better’ – financing or leasing – one must access the specific needs and wants of a given customer.

Leasing will tend to be the preferable option when a buyer knows in advance the number of kilometres driven over a set period of time (this figure is typically at or below 25,000km per year). Leasing is also the better option for customers who like to change their vehicles every two-to-four years without the worry of rolling over excessive negative equity. Conversely, financing will trump leasing for those buyers who drive over 25,000km per year, or for those who intend to drive their vehicle for many years, most notably long after the loan is fully paid off.

One could say that leasing has fallen out of favour in recent years with many OEMs offering limited lease programs and weak incentives. But perhaps 2021 should be the year of the lease for the following three reasons: (1) Leasing facilitates customer engagement and retention; (2) Contrary to popular belief, leasing still allows for the sale of backend products; and perhaps most important, (3) Leasing can mitigate many of the challenges brought on by COVID-19.

Customer Retention

Staying close to one’s customers has never been more important and leasing creates a guaranteed way to get your customers back into your store every two, three or four years. Leasing customers must make contact at the end of their leases to explore End of Lease options, and while this doesn’t guarantee a repeat sale, it certainly provides the important opportunity to reinforce your brand, show off your vehicle line-up and introduce any financing or leasing offers.

Back-End Product Sales

It is true that selling warranty products or other long-term enhancements such as rust-proofing, etc. are generally difficult for a lease sale however there are other options available to an astute F&I Manager. Insurances such as Disability, Life or Loss of Employment are very relevant in this time of economic uncertainty and these products typically offer attractive profit margins. Protection plans such as tire, wheel, dent and windshield are also excellent ideas for backend sales. Lease End Protection coverages are available which protect the customer against end of lease charges, which can be substantial. Finally, vehicle accessories are also an excellent way to increase the profitability of a lease sale. F&I Managers can introduce (or re-introduce, if the salesperson has already presented them once) the range of vehicle accessories available and can then explain the residualization of these accessories. By illustrating to the buyer that they are paying only a portion of the cost of these accessories, one increases the likelihood of a sale. (If at your dealership you prohibit F&I from selling accessories, you are definitely missing an opportunity).

COVID-19 Challenges

The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on vehicle sales in Canada, with 2020 sales showing a 20% decline from 2019. With dealers accepting that this is the ‘new normal’ in auto sales, leasing presents opportunities to overcome these challenges.

Job Insecurity: Even buyers in seemingly secure, ‘recession-proof’ jobs were dealt a blow by the COVID-19 pandemic. The newfound realization that one’s job could disappear at any given moment creates a hesitancy that may scare buyers from taking on a six-, seven- or even eight-year auto loan. A lease, with its shorter term, may help mitigate these fears.

GenZ: Generation Z ˗ defined as those born between 1996 and 2010 ˗ are now coming of age and needing cars. In fact, the first GenZs reach the age of 25 this year (do you feel old yet?). GenZ was already a demographic known for fiscal restraint and an aversity to ownership of ‘big ticket’ items therefore leasing may be the less committed purchase this relatively untapped demographic desires.

Risk of Pricey Repairs: Repairs are a normal part of vehicle ownership. However, COVID-19 has highlighted this future ‘unknown’ and the risk of a large repair bill could be a deterrent to a car purchase. Leasing can eliminate this risk because leased vehicles are often still covered by the manufacturer’s standard or extended warranty. Also, leases tend to be for the first few years of a vehicle’s lifespan, a time when large repairs are far less likely. A lease with a term that matches the warranty period may be the ideal solution for customers weary of facing pricey repair bills in addition to their auto loan payments.

An Opportunity to Purchase Pricier Vehicles: Consultants, McKinsey & Company, have documented a purchasing shift during the COVID-19 pandemic toward ‘A-Brands’. They found that even with an overall decline in discretionary spending, customers are willing to spend more in order to purchase brands they trust. Leasing facilitates this shift to pricier vehicles because leasing typically carries lower payments than financing. This creates an opportunity to close a customer on a vehicle they had previously viewed as unattainable.

The entire food industry benefited enormously from Howard Moskowitz’s breakthrough discovery that some consumers wanted smooth spaghetti sauce and others wanted chunky. Food companies realized that offering a broader range of products to suit customers’ needs was the key to increased profitability. Similarly, vehicle leasing allows dealers to offer an alternative to financing and a purchase solution that is crafted to the new ‘2021’ normal.

Sandra Marchetti, BA, MBA, is a Senior Finance Manager at Georgetown Kia (part of the CarNation Group) in the area of non-prime financing and sales. Sandra also has a passion for writing about the auto industry with a specialty in customer engagement and marketing.

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Review: 2020 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Ti

I don’t know how to speak Italian, but that didn’t stop the Alfa Romeo Stelvio from talking to me.

Sporty SUVs are a dime a dozen these days, but few are actually fun to drive and even fewer will entice you to go for a drive for no reason at all.

It’s not like that with the Alfa Romeo Stelvio and it’s also not the least bit surprising from a storied Italian car company that’s been producing automotive icons for over a century. They even named it after one of the greatest driving roads on earth, and after spending time with one, it makes complete sense.

The Stelvio went on sale in 2017, entering the highly competitive compact luxury crossover segment, facing off against well-established rivals like the BMW X3 and Mercedes GLC. Those two are such a common sight on the highways that you’ll probably never notice them. The Alfa, on the other hand, is a bit of a unicorn.

For some, the Alfa’s relative rarity might be the most refreshing thing about it. For others, it might be reason enough to stay away and put their money down on something they’re more familiar with. If you fall into the latter crowd, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio offers a vehicle that has less quirks than most Alfas, and is probably the most livable and practical product they’ve ever produced. But it is still uniquely Italian.

For one, it gets attention, like nothing else in this category ever could. Where most compact crossovers are about as riveting as reading the dictionary, the Alfa, especially when specced with the blacked-out Nero Edizione trim package and bright red leather interior, offers something much more compelling.

There’s also something cool about the Stelvio’s design elements: the shield-like Scudetto grille and twin horizontal side grilles that have appeared on nearly every Alfa Romeo since WWII. The elegant lines are understated and to these eyes, it’s about as pretty as a crossover can get.

Under the hood, you get a spunky 2-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder that should be about as bland as all the other 4-cylinder turbo motors out there, but it isn’t. It has real character and a throaty exhaust note that isn’t overly loud and obnoxious. With just over 300 lb-ft of torque, the Stelvio moves too, and the 8-speed ZF automatic delivers snappy, read-your-mind type shifts. It also continues to remind me why this series of automatic transmissions found in numerous applications throughout the auto industry should be in the running for the best automatics ever made.

Then there’s the way the Stelvio handles. This isn’t my first go in one. I drove the range-topping Quadrifoglio version a couple of years ago, and I was thoroughly impressed with its balance and poise and the way it could attack a back road. I’m happy to report that outside of the Q’s potent Ferrari derived 6-cylinder, the plebian Stelvio drives every bit as well.

It starts with laser-fast steering that gives it voracious turn-in abilities. Better yet, when you do chuck it into a corner, there is no weirdness, just grip. The rear follows the front without hesitation, and with very little body roll you’ll have to remind yourself that you’re in a crossover and not a full-fledged sports car.

2020 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Ti Nero Edizione

And it’s not just its driving talents that I appreciate. The Stelvio is a practical vehicle, with seating for five and a spacious cargo area with a nice large opening, allowing you to get most of what you need crammed in. Fold down the rear seats and there’s 1600 litres of space, which is a lot. Easily enough for those Ikea shopping sprees or impromptu camping trips.

Build quality was a bit of sore point in the previous Stelvio I was in, but with numerous updates for 2020, this Stelvio felt a hundred times better. From the wrapped and stitched leather dashboard to the materials and plastics, and the superbly comfortable and supportive front buckets, it proved to be the type of vehicle that I enjoyed getting into every day.

They even revamped the infotainment giving it better graphics and a more intuitive menu structure and a nice rotary dial to control it all. Unfortunately, the experience was slow and laggy like they had forgotten to upgrade the processor. Using it was frustrating but ultimately better than what it was.

Being different, and driving an Italian automobile will come with its eccentricities, and this Stelvio, like the last one I drove, remain the only two vehicles where I’ve inadvertently set off the alarm. Not once, but multiple times. Each time more jarring than the last. And I still don’t know if I did it by sitting on the keyfob or somehow holding down that button. The Stelvio also remains the only car I’ve driven where the windows have gone down when I wanted them to go up. It could have been a pinch sensor or something but these are things I don’t typically experience with other cars.

None of that made me like it any less, but I only say that from short-term experience.

The Stelvio is priced similarly to rivals but it’s down on power when compared to the boosted sixes in the Germans, and that will work against it. And having to pay nearly a hundred grand for the Quadrifoglio puts its extra power out of reach for many.

I drove a 2020 model for this review, but there are very few differences on the 2021. Alfa has simplified the trim line and there are only four to choose from now, including the Quadrifoglio. There are also some new colours and there has been some repackaging of options making some of the driver assistance technology standard equipment on this Ti. A good move.

I’d probably keep it simple and stick with the colour combo and spec you see on these pages.

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Review: 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG A 35

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class is one of the newest members of the Mercedes family, having joined the North American market just two short years ago as a 2018 model.

Of course, that’s not to say it hasn’t been around the block a few times elsewhere; it’s served duty in various European markets, for example, since 1997. It was a very different vehicle back then, though, looking much more “enlarged Smart” than “cool compact hatch”, as seen here. Actually, that’s not entirely accurate, either, since the A-Class still doesn’t look like a cool hatch in all markets; the Americans, for example, only get the sedan while we Canadians get both.

Which is too bad for them because in hatchback form seen here, this babiest of Benzes is cool even if it is actually a little pared-back in the black paint seen here. You can have more aggressive shades like “Sun Yellow” and “Patagonia Red” if you like – but I’m not so sure.

Here’s the thing. The A 35 is a master of understatement because, beneath its tamed skin, it’s a turbocharged, all-wheel-drive cracker of a small hatch. That “Q-car” factor is something that’s served Mercedes well for a long time, and it’s all part of the fast Benz charm.

The cockpit, though, is full of eye-catching details from the dual-display dash, to the vent roundels, to the flat-bottomed steering wheel with a red centering band.

The dash is made up of two 10.3-inch displays for the gauge cluster and infotainment display. The gauge cluster can be configured five ways, all providing different colours and gauge alignments – I rotated between “Classic” and “Sport” as I preferred their traditional two-gauge set-up. “Supersport”, meanwhile, has it looking like something out of a touring car – a bit too on-the-nose for me. A touch-sensitive thumb pad on the left-hand wheel spoke that does take a little getting used to navigates the gauge cluster menus. The pad on the right spoke, meanwhile, operates the infotainment display but you can also navigate that with a touchpad and the display itself is a touchscreen.

The infotainment display, meanwhile, has even more “modes” to choose from (as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto) that change everything from the interior ambient lighting, to the audio system; Lounge mode, for example, douses the cabin in shades of neon blue and pink and automatically turns on the audio system. Cool, but a bit weird if the last station you had it on happens to be talk radio; not that “loungey”.

That’s all well and good, but I still find the system gets hung up when it comes to navigating your radio pre-sets. It’s often hard to tell whether you’re in your favourite list or just the general station list and often this would make it seem that certain stations just disappear off the station list. Just give me a tuning knob if you could be so kind, Mercedes.

This being an AMG model, that central display can show a lot more than your navigation screen or radio selection; if you select the AMG Driver’s Package ($2,500), it provides a suite of apps that allow you to track your lap times on some of the most famous tracks in the world. If your favourite track isn’t in the database, you can add it basically by going to the track, hitting “record” and taking it ‘round for a lap. Pretty cool stuff.

Of course, while some A 35 drivers may spend time at the racetrack, most of them will be using it more as a daily driver and it’s suited for that work just fine. It is compact, so I wouldn’t call it “roomy” but the interior is spacious enough even for larger folk like myself – how they managed to find that much room in the rear seat is truly a masterclass in interior packaging. The rear seats are a little flat, though, which makes folding the setbacks easier, but I worry would be a little slippery for occupants as the road gets more serpentine.

Review 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG A 35

Power from the turbo 2.0-litre four-cylinder is rated at 302 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, fed through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission to all four wheels, so this is a car that loves to accelerate.

It’s felt as soon as you tip in; at 1,555 kilos, the A 35 is not a heavy car – even with 4Matic AWD — and it leaps off the line with gumption especially if you’ve set it to one of the more aggressive drive modes.

Once at speed, meanwhile, that close-ratio ‘box means that when it comes time to muster some grunt for highway passing – or just for a spot of mild hooliganery on an empty mountain road – there’s always power in reserve, ready to make itself known with a nifty note from the A 35’s dual exhausts.

When it comes time to harness all that power, meanwhile, the grippy brakes are up to the task at can get the job done from everyday speeds in short order – not only does the low weight help with accel, but with decel, too.

As zippy as that powertrain is, though, the way the A 35 handles is its true party trick. Left-right-left transitions result in very little body roll, heavy braking results in just a modicum of dive and there’s so little squat under acceleration that you really do have to wonder if there’s a gap between the body and rubber. There is, it’s just that it’s quite firmly sprung making for some fantastic tractability. Thing is, there will be those out there that might find it just a little too firmly sprung, especially for city work where railroad crossings and other urban imperfections will cause a shiver through the body and chassis. Such is the price you pay, I suppose, for such great performance through the twisties. However: the AMG Driver’s Package does provide three-stage dampers, and that might help smooth things out as the goings get rougher.

Not much else to complain about, though. The A 35 is a cracking little car that will put much larger, flashier rides on notice – it punches above its weight class, and you have to like that.

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First Look: Audi e-tron GT

February 9th, 2021 – For the last few months Audi have been teasing the automotive world with snippets of information and camouflaged images of their long-anticipated e-tron GT.

Only now have we been given a look at the new e-tron GT and the wait has certainly been worth it.

Audi’s latest introduction to their electric line-up is a bit different, while still following their environmental philosophy, is more about performance, speed and handling and now takes pride of place being Audi’s most powerful production car ever made.

It is built on the same production line as Audi’s high-performance R8, which gives us some insight as to Audi’s intentions as to where this grand tourer fits in their line-up.

The e-tron is designed as an electric four-door coupe that satisfies all of the design characteristics of a grand tourer, while still being able to fulfill its obligation of being a performance sedan. A long-wheelbase, wide track, larger wheels, and of course a sleek lower silhouette gives it a sporty and elegant exterior. The sculptured body starts up front with an elongated hood that flows and rises with the windshield onto a steeply raked roofline that tapers down to the rear integrated spoiler in typical Audi Sportback fashion. The high waistline and extended wheel arches add to the sporty and muscular appearance with the large wheels adding even more to its athletic looks.

Internally, the design focus is targeted towards the driver with the dashboard being slightly angled towards the left. Both the driver and front passenger seating allow for both to be seated in a low sporty position separated by a wide centre console. The touch screen infotainment screen is surrounded by a black piano bezel that gives the appearance of it being suspended above the instrument panel.

The cabin and seating are liveried using a number of sustainable or recycled materials. The seats are upholstered using a combination of faux leather and microfibre materials that are fabricated from recycled materials. The instrument panel is finished with graphite gray or palladium silver paint as standard with an option of matt carbon or open-pore walnut wood being made available.

The cabin is very functional with plenty of space for all passengers to be comfortable, while still having sporty feel and look. The fit and finish exemplify what a luxurious tourer should be.

Audi has taken the high road and has stayed away from adding a huge gaudy centre screen like other manufacturers, this elimination adds to the e-tron GT’s panache and elegant over-all feel.

The drive train of the e-tron GT is what makes it special. It will come in two flavours; the e-tron GT Quattro and the RS e-tron GT that has upgraded handling characteristics. The 85kW battery pack is mounted at the lowest point of the vehicle equally positioned between the front and rear axles balancing the car, as well as giving it a lower centre of gravity to help with performance handling.

Both trim lines have an electric motor mounted up front and the rear. The e-tron GT Quatro has a combined output of 350 kW with the front motor producing 175 kW and the rear 320 kW. Both motors have the ability to store power in reserve for extreme driving situations explaining the total output difference than the total power combination produced by both motors.

First Look Audi e-tron GT

The RS e-tron GT produces the same power from the front motor with the rear producing 335 kW adding to an over-all output of 440 kW. The total torque figures released for the RS e-tron GT is cited as 612.2 lb-ft. This allows the GT Quatro to reach 100km/h in 4.1 seconds with a top speed of 245km/h and the RS GT to reach the same speed in a blistering 3.3 seconds and on up to 250 km/h.

Both models are equipped with Quattro all-wheel drive with a front-wheel drive bias. In the event of loss of traction, fast cornering or aggressive acceleration power can be redirected to the rear wheels at speeds that are five times faster than a regular Quattro drive train. The all-wheel drive system continuously monitors the torque distribution between the axles and reacts within a fraction of a second.

The e-tron GT eliminates the need in trying to find a specific charge point by having charge plugs mounted on both sides of the vehicle with the right-hand side having the ability to be able to charge from a DC charger. Charging on an 11 kW AC charger can be completed from empty overnight, and an optional 22kW charger will speed up charging times and should be available at the time of release. The e-tron GT Quattro can travel up to an average of 488 Km while the RS e-tron GT will travel up to 472 km.

The e-tron GT looks like it will be the future of Audi, it manages to incorporate Audi’s environmental commitments without losing any of its powerful and sporty image. I think Audi have managed to make the crossover from internal combustion to volts while adding to the brands appeal.

The e-tron GT is due to hit Canadian dealers sometime in the summer of 2021.

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Review: 2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport S 80th Anniversary

How do you honour the 80th anniversary of the Jeep Wrangler, the WWII battle-birthed, time-tested icon that remains one of the most capable, most recognized on- or off-road warriors in the world?

Simple. Stick with the strengths – the toughness, the time-tested trail abilities, and temper those with increased on-road civility, those blended qualities framed by the trademark cues of a seven-slot grille, traditionally round headlight housings, trapezoidal wheel flares, the fold-down windshield, bulky-hinged removable doors and a mix of strip-down roof choices to further every Jeep owner’s fantasies of open-air exploration.

Then keep adding techs and tweaks – more driver assists, more amenities, more choices. And maybe celebrate the milestone with a special 80th Anniversary edition.

For 2021, Jeep claims a four-model Wrangler JL lineup – the Sport (two-door only), Sport S, Sahara (four-door only) and Rubicon. But, click on the Jeep.ca website and, yikes, you’ll find a bewildering choice of fifteen different editions, even before adding other packages and options.

To start, let’s skip the two-door models. Yeah, I realize their appeal with a $3K-$4K cheaper starting price, shorter wheelbase and the nimbler mass that make them the true Jeeps for weekend warriors. I know a two-door owner who refers to the four-door Unlimited versions as “minivans”. But the four-door Unlimited models have all but taken over the niche with smoother ride and handling, stretched-out accommodation for five passengers instead of four, more than twice the cargo space, a higher tow rating and more trim and power choices.

Review 2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited

The Unlimited’s popularity is obvious. Jeep doesn’t publicize the sales split but my extremely scientific study, based on noting oncoming Wranglers whenever I didn’t forget to do it, revealed a 10-to-1 ratio after counting off about a hundred plus Wranglers – 10 Unlimited four-doors for every single two-door.

Wrangler Unlimited powertrain choices normally start with FCA’s 3.6-litre Pentastar ESS V6 (285 hp, 260 lb-ft) mated to a six-speed manual. Upgrading to an eight-speed automatic adds eTorque tech for a mild-hydrid assist to the V6 engine.

A normally optional 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo, offering almost equivalent power (270 hp, 295 lb-ft) and thriftier gas mileage through the 8AT, comes standard on the 80th Anniversary edition tested here. I managed a decent 10.3L/100 km (comb) fuel econ average, not bad for two tons of fun with a design ethic that’s as aerodynamic as an outhouse. The optional 2 also complemented the powertrain:72:1 SelecTrac full-time 4WD system ($795) and Trac-Lok limited-slip rear differential ($525). And, yes, it has earned a TrailRated badge.

There’s also an available 3.0-litre V6 EcoDiesel (260 hp, 442 lb-ft) with more grunt and even better fuel economy but, unless you’re a die-hard diesel fan, I wouldn’t bother. If you drove the 7,100 km cross-Canada run from St. John’s to Vancouver, the diesel might save you about a hundred bucks compared to the 2.0-litre gas version (not counting DEF costs). So, hardly worth it, considering its $7,595 added cost (or $9,190 in other trim packages). Besides, all four-power variants share the same 1,588 kg (3,500 lb) tow rating, anyway.

Our 80th Anniversary edition builds on an Unlimited Sport S entry model that starts at a $44,095 price point. But it doesn’t stay there long. A Customer Preferred package ($2,995) adds functional bonuses like a heavy-duty suspension with gas shocks, bigger 18-inch tires, automatic headlamps and more. Inside, the UConnect 4C system with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Nav & Sound Group displays on a 7-inch screen. And there’s 80th Anniversary badging on the console, seats and floor matts, along with a unique 80th Anniversary plaque mounted inside the swing gate.

Review 2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited

A Cold Weather Group ($995) adds heated steering, heated seats, remote start and this is where I grumble about features that come standard in economy cars at half the price. But the list of add-ons gets longer with an LED Group, Trailer Tow package and a myriad of driver assist tech packages until this 80th Anniversary edition finally gets tricked out with a few last Mopar extras – a black Freedom Top modular three-piece hardtop, black tubular sidesteps, even a special black fuel filler door, topping this collection of extras out at a significantly upgraded $60,220, including all fees.

The sum total of all that effort is a capable and civilized all-purpose, all-weather, all road conditions family hauler with the special 80th edition cachet. Yes, it still feels ‘trucky’ and still wanders in its highway lanes more than your average sport ute but if burly, bush-bashing Wrangler potential is not your cup of tea, you should probably be shopping in the soft-roading sport cute aisle.

I should mention that, along with the updated powertrains this year, added Wrangler features for 2021 include two new USB power ports, some trim-specific packaging changes, a new available TrailCam forward-facing off-road camera and, along with the 80th Anniversary model, a new Tiki-flavoured Islander model with available hood decals and trim specific treatment.

Jeep will also soon be adding the new Wrangler 4xe plug-in-hybrid, first in a line of future electrified models and, at the other end of the power spectrum, the amusingly insane 470 hp Rubicon 392 high-performance Jeep Wrangler.

I’ve always chuckled at the Wrangler decal that says, “It’s a Jeep thing. You wouldn’t understand.”

Review 2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited

Review 2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited

But while the coming Ford Bronco may provide a novelty factor and new segment competition, Jeep customers understand very well that traditions and traits, carefully blended with some of the upcoming innovations listed above, should keep the Wrangler in its position as the best-selling Jeep in Canada well past its 80th celebration.

The vehicle was provided to the writer by the automaker. Content and vehicle evaluations were not subject to approval.

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Opinion: Future Mobility

I’ll be honest, when car manufacturers talk about ‘future mobility’ I tend to zone out a bit. Suddenly, I’m more easily distracted. Did my phone just make a noise? I’d better check.

Don’t get me wrong, some of the ideas at play regarding future mobility – democratization of advanced technology, reducing congestion and accidents – are quite interesting, but even in 2021, they feel distant even as the horizon inches closer.

What got me thinking about future mobility again is GM’s YouTube channel, which covered the company’s announcements at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas last month.

As I scrolled through the videos, I stopped on CEO Mary Barra’s almost hour-long keynote address. The speech covered a variety of topics including GM’s much-publicized electrification plans, along with updates from each constituent brand about the many exciting products in the pipeline, some of which were shown only in fuzzy silhouette.

Pretty general stuff, but then I got to future mobility part crammed into the last few minutes of the speech. In this section, Barra mentions Cruise, a name with which I was only vaguely familiar.

Cruise is a San Francisco-based start-up that has been working on driverless car tech since its founding in 2013. GM bought Cruise in 2016, about nine months after the latter had acquired a permit from the California Department of Motor Vehicles to begin self-driving testing in June 2015.

Over the past five years, Cruise has logged more than two million miles of testing on its fleet of roughly 150 Chevy Bolt EVs on the streets of San Francisco, and last October, the state issued a permit allowing backup human drivers to be removed from Cruise’s self-driving cars. Driver-less testing is ongoing.

Last year, the company also introduced their first production vehicle, the Cruise Origin, a pure electric autonomous vehicle designed for ride sharing and delivery-oriented businesses. Last fall, GM confirmed the Cruise Origin will be built at its Factory Zero plant (formerly Detroit-Hamtramck), which will serve as the manufacturing hub for GM pure electrics, including the GMC Hummer EV. The Cruise Origin will also use GM’s Ultium battery.

In the video, Cruise co-founder Kyle Vogt talked about food delivery partnerships the company has started in San Francisco, along with a Wal-Mart pilot project to deliver orders in Scottsdale, Arizona. He said the company will be more visible in 2021, as Cruise Origin begins to ramp up. He wants to see these vehicles spread far beyond San Francisco to other parts of the U.S. and, presumably, the world.

So far, however, Cruise doesn’t offer ride sharing services to the public. When it will do so is unclear. Waymo, the self-driving car division of Google parent company Alphabet Inc., in conjunction with Stellantis (formerly FCA), offers robo taxi service to U.S. customers, but only in Phoenix, Arizona. Ford, Nissan, Volkswagen and many others are also working on autonomous vehicle programs.

As for us here in Canada, well, it seems like self-driving cars accessible to the public remain distant. Ontario is the only Canadian province where, under strict conditions, self-driving cars can be tested on public roads. The manufacturers will undoubtedly want to sell autonomous vehicles here once the technology is fully validated and legal, but when that will be is truly anyone’s guess.

Whenever that day arrives, it’ll probably catch me by surprise. A driver-less Cruise Origin whooshes past… delivering packages for Amazon.

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