Shameless Self-promotion - Toronto Star Content Update (part 3)

2016 Mazda 3 Sport GS

February 12, 2016

You can find my Wheels review of Mazda's compact 3 Sport hatchback in GS trim here.

Production of some Mazda 3 models switched to the company's brand new facility in Salamanca, Mexico recently. Would there be a noticeable difference in build quality relative to the Japanese-sourced models available previously?

As it turns out, at least in the short term, no.

The 2.0/manual Sport might be the best all-around configuration of this vehicle, though I'd be hard-pressed to argue against having the extra oomph of the GT's 2.5 litre engine. Truly one of the most engaging mainstream compacts available. 

The 2017 Honda Ridgeline's Canadian introduction at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto by Honda Canada’s Jean-Marc Leclerc

February 16, 2016

Auto Show time again!

You can find my Toronto Star coverage of what Honda Canada unveiled at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto here.

With Honda having just been awarded AJAC's Canadian Car of the Year that morning, Jean-Marc's presentation began with well-deserved kudos to Honda's staff for the winning product. The other big news item was the new Ridgeline, seen above. It will be interesting to see how the combination of the obvious relationship to the Pilot crossover (shared forward sheetmetal and headlights) and far more conventional-looking box (no more odd sail panels between the box wall and rear of the cab) will be received by mid-size truck buyers. Truthfully, the Ridgeline is all the truck many folks shopping the segment need, and it's bound to be better at a lot of the everyday things that people actually use these things for. Let's hope it's better received than the previous one.

Subaru Impreza 4 door Concept - precursor of the 2017 Impreza sedan, presented by Subaru Canada's Ted Lalka

February 17, 2016

You can read my Toronto Star coverage of Subaru Canada's presentation at the 2016 Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto here. They really should have used my pictures.

As you can imagine, the 2017 Impreza was a large part of the news, with the model's Concept being introduced. The switch from Japanese production to this new generation car being manufactured in the US at Subaru's SIA facility in Lafayette, Indiana was also significant.

Shameless Self-promotion

Dexter

Blame the dog. It's all his fault. He kept me from regularly updating this blog and providing links to my content in a timely fashion.

Actually, like the proverbial dog that ate my homework, poor Dexter here had nothing at all to do with my lackadaisical web-keeping.

Part of it has to do with ongoing changes at the Toronto Star in terms of its online content. Where once pretty much anything that saw print in the Wheels section would find its way onto the Wheels.ca website, several reworkings and some personnel and strategy changes made that hit and miss. Now, content can sometimes be found there, or sometimes at the "Autos" tab on the Star's home page, or sometimes neither.

I'll try to stay on top of this. In the meantime, here's a back catalog of many of the articles that I have not yet linked to.

Good Doggie!

2016 Mazda MX-5 (a.k.a. Miata)

2015 Canadian International Auto Show (Toronto) - Small Cars to expect - February 20th, 2015

Find my coverage of what interesting small cars to watch for - including Mazda's latest generation MX-5 - at the Toronto auto show here.

2016 Cadillac CTS-V

2015 Canadian International Auto Show (Toronto) - Cadillac press conference coverage - February 16th, 2015

Find my coverage of Cadillac's new from the Toronto auto show, which included the CTS-V, here.

2016 Nissan Titan XD

2015 Canadian International Auto Show (Toronto) - Nissan press conference coverage - February 15th, 2015

Find my coverage of Nissan's news from the Toronto auto show, which included the Nissan Titan XD, here.

2014 Cadillac ATS4 2.0T at speed

 
2014 Cadillac ATS4 2.0T - December 12th, 2014

Find my review of Cadillac's very good ATS sedan here.

2015 Honda Fit

 
2015 Canadian Car of the Year Test Fest coverage (Best New Small Car Under $21k) - November 3rd, 2014

Find my coverage of the Best New Small Car (under $21k) in AJAC's 2015 Canadian Car of the Year, which was later won by the Honda Fit, here.

2015 Buick Enclave

2015 Buick Enclave - August 26th, 2014

Find my review of Buick's 2015 Enclave here.

Speedbump/Chevy the cat

Cat-astrophe - A tail from the dark side of cars - August 22, 2014

Find my story about the surprise that I had at work one day here.

Sadly, though it looked like it would be a happy ending at the time the story was published, it ultimately did not end well. After coming down with some sort of respiratory infection, Chevy, as he became named by the shelter, was put on antibiotics, but did not respond to treatment. As his condition deteriorated, they had no real option but to put him down.

If there's an upside to this, the story did generate considerable foot traffic and awareness for the shelter, so it is doubtless that several of Chevy's peers found good homes as a result.

Shameless Self-promotion

2013 Hyundai Santa Fe XL (2013 Canadian International Auto Show)

You can find my Wheels Special Section article on new crossover vehicles to look for at the 2013 Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto here.

Shameless Self-promotion

Alfa Romeo 8C Spider (R) and 8C Competizione (L)

You can find my Wheels article about the most exclusive production car present at eh 2013 Canadian International Auto Show (Toronto) here.

At the time, my information said that the Spider - the white car seen above - would be at the show, however a still-stunning Coupe, in the same red seen above, was on hand instead.

Shameless Self-promotion

2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, in a rare (for my blog) rear view shot. Much more interesting than the front.

You can find my Wheels article on the most interesting cars to be seen at this year's Canadian International Auto Show (Toronto) here.

Shameless Self-promotion

2012 Mazda5 (with aftermarket roof-top storage)

You can read my Wheels article on what four new 6-or more passenger vehicles you should check out while attending this year's 2012 Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto here. You'll also find my first appearance as a "talking head" for Wheels at that same link. Yikes!

Jackass Award - Lamborghini at the Toronto Auto Show

 

I can't decide if Lamborghini's display at this year's Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto is the result of ignorance or arrogance, but I'm leaning towards arrogance.

Segregating the unwashed masses from your cars is completely understandable; I don't begrudge you that. Prevents greasy fingerprints and zipper scratches while adding to the mystique and all that. Got it.

Even having black walls and black carpet is fine. It can look very classy.

Not having any sort of light, other than the few pot lights in the Convention Centre's ceiling isn't particularly clever though. Doesn't show off your cars or their exquisite styling details too well, nor does parking them as far from the crowd as possible at the rear of your stand, perpendicular to the public's viewpoint.

However what cements your booth as a Jackass Award winner is the choice of colour of the two cars present, particularly given the lighting and the display's colour choice. Why would you show black cars with black wheels on a black carpet against a black backdrop?

Do you boneheads realize how difficult it is to photograph a black car under ideal lighting against a contrasting background? It's hard enough to see them well.

Had it occurred to you that some small percentage of the crowd gawking at your cars over the barrier and desperately trying to get a good camera-phone image might one day be potential buyers? Or that the desirability of your product - that your customers can purchase what the majority want but can't have - is a large part of what sells them, not just their performance?

Desktops on computers and profile pictures on Facebook - these are the modern bedroom wall posters, and you should be encouraging your future fan base, not spurning them.

Reinforcing the notion that Lamborghinis are the sole domain of aloof, pretentious jerks isn't what I'd call a positive marketing effort.

For that, Lamborghini, whether intentional or not, you win a Jackass Award.