Canadian car and utility vehicle of the year awards

Canadian International Autoshow 2020 : Toronto, Ontario.

Evan is an East Coast based automotive journalist and a Certified Engineering Technologist. He is an avid autocrosser, hack mechanic, and a member of AJAC. If you don't find him driving or writing about cars, you'll probably find him in the garage breaking one.

Last week at the Montreal International Auto Show, the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada took the next step toward the 2023 Canadian Car and Utility Vehicle of the Year awards. 12 category winners were announced, with 11 different manufacturers moving one step closer to the two top awards which will be announced at the Toronto show next month.

This year Hyundai was the only brand with two category wins. <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/reviews/2022-hyundai-elantra-n-review">The Hyundai Elantra N</a> was voted the best Sports Performance car and the Ioniq 5 Best EV in Canada for 2023. Part of the same automaker group, Genesis was awarded Best Large Premium Car in Canada for 2023 with the G90, and the <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/reviews/review-2022-kia-telluride-sx">Kia Telluride</a> was voted Best Large Utility Vehicle in Canada for 2023. This is the third year Telluride has won its category.

Toyota and Lexus both bring home category wins for the Corolla Cross and NX in their respective classes, with the Volvo XC90 returning as Best Large Premium Utility Vehicle in Canada for 2023. The XC90 also won that award back in 2016.

The <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/vehicle-reviews/review-2022-mazda3-sport-gt-turbo-hatchback">Mazda 3</a> was voted Best Small Car in Canada for 2023, the third year for that model to win that award, snatching it back from last year's winner, the Honda Civic. The Mitsubishi Outlander, Ford Maverick, BMW i4, and Ram 1500 all had class wins.

More than 1,700 ballots were cast by AJAC voting members located from Vancouver to Halifax. The jury includes some of our own regular contributors as well as leading professional automotive journalists from across Canada.

AJAC plans to reveal the two overall winners, the vehicles declared 2023 Canadian Car of the Year and 2023 Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year at the <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/features/canadian-international-auto-show-gets-ready-for-return-to-toronto-in-february">Canadian International Auto Show</a> in February.

The announcement and awards presentation happens on February 16th at the Auto Show, and there will be a display of the winning vehicles and the other overall finalists during the running of the show.

AJAC Announces 2023 Canadian Car and Utility Vehicle of the Year Category Winners

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Living in rural Nova Scotia, Matthew Guy has immersed himself in car culture for over 30 years and relishes the thought of a good road trip. A certified gearhead, he enjoys professionally writing about cars and is very pleased to contribute for wheels.ca.

His work has also appeared on Car Throttle, The Truth About Cars, and in CAA Magazine. Find him on Twitter @matthewkguy

Despite the presence of a jetbridge, the Nevada heat smacked us in the face like a frying pan the instant we stepped off the plane. “Now I know what you’ve been talking about,” grinned Lucas as he hitched up his carry-on backpack.

Flying to the American southwest in the middle of July may not rank too high on everyone’s Top 40, not with forecasted daily highs near 50 degrees Celsius and single-digit humidity. But it was that latter metric Lucas wanted to experience; after all, growing up on the far-flung reaches of Canada’s East Coast (his favourite way to describe to others where he lives is to say “go as far east as you can without getting wet”) ensures an intimate relationship with saltwater dampness and perpetual humidity levels that must be experienced to be believed. That a place like where we’d just landed exists on the same planet, let alone within reasonable flight distances on the same continent, beggars belief and puts an exclamation point on Earth’s diversity.

Besides, it’s good to spread one’s wings a bit before tackling the sophomore year of high school, especially after completing a few annums in which all hands were bundled up in masks and more than one exam was proctored via Zoom meetings. It’s easy to dismiss this era by saying kids are resilient – and, largely, most of them are – but to keep one’s grades up in such an environment is a task this old guy could not likely have accomplished 30 years ago. Exploration and travel, when possible, can make for an equally important education as what’s on offer by the hard-working teachers at Lucas' school, a crew doing the best they can with a frighteningly shrinking list of resources.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-177562" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IMG_9015-scaled.jpg" alt="father and son road trip" width="1920" height="2560" />

Plans for the week were sketched out but nebulous, meaning we didn’t intend to twiddle our thumbs in a hotel lobby nor did we wish to spend seven days on a rigid timetable. This author learned a long time ago there’s a balance between those two extremes, though not after the appearance of numerous wrinkles and a sprinkling of grey hair at my temples. Typical tourist trap activities in the Vegas area were enjoyed, ranging from exploring the outrageous structures to being blinded by that jumbotron at the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Harmon Avenue.

So we hit the road after a couple of days, piling aboard Ram’s new half-ton Rebel G/T, and headed for the Valley of Fire. For those not in the know, this trim is an attempt to capitalize on interest surrounding the <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/vehicle-reviews/why-i-love-my-vehicle-2021-ram-1500-trx-a-supertruck-summer-driver">bonkers TRX</a> which packs a Hellcat engine in addition to a hellacious price tag. The Rebel G/T deploys the standard 5.7L V8 engine that’s been around since Adam was an oakum picker but gifts it an exhaust which provides some of the best start-up and full-throttle noises in any half-ton truck on sale today. These auditory delights were unmuffled by the eTorque mild-hybrid system, gear which helps low-end torque and provides a small fuel economy boost.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-177551" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IMG_8848-scaled.jpg" alt="Ram valley of fire" width="2560" height="1920" />
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-177556" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IMG_8824-scaled.jpg" alt="Ram valley of fire" width="2560" height="1920" />

Exterior styling cues like its handlebar mustache of a grille mimics the TRX to a point, while cabin gear such as a shift lever located on the centre console jazz up the interior. The latter addition should placate the dudebros who complained about Ram’s shifter dial, while any gearhead with a pulse will enjoy the snarling exhaust.

Driving to the Valley of Fire from Vegas is a simple matter, though it is wise to take ample amounts of sunscreen and drinking water no matter when you go, let alone in the middle of July. This time of year is decidedly off-peak tourist season thanks to the temps – abandoned interpretation centres and empty gated checkpoints were the norm – but that was fine by Lucas. The utter silence of the Mojave Desert played well to his introverted tendencies, silently speaking to him in a way little else ever could. The sudden appearance of a wild bighorn sheep family moved him to sudden and understandable emotional responses, borderline unspeakable magic at seeing wild desert creatures free to roam and at peace with the world. A good palate cleanser for the soul? You bet it was.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-177560" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IMG_8809-scaled.jpg" alt="Ram valley of fire" width="2560" height="1920" />

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-177559" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IMG_8789-scaled.jpg" alt="Ram valley of fire" width="2560" height="1920" />

We hung around until well after dark, mindful of the posted admonishments to drink lots of water and not venture deep into the area’s hiking trails at this time of year for danger of perishing in the heat. It’s one thing to witness stars pop out at night but doing so in a spot utterly devoid of light pollution extends the experience to another level. Suddenly, it’s easy to find the Milky Way, and obscure star formations suddenly stick out like dandelions on a front lawn.

After learning the Hoover Dam can make one feel rather small, we pointed the Ram’s broad nose west, finding off-the-beaten-path places like historic Roy’s in Amboy on the old Route 66 and, further on, the remains of Bombay Beach at the Salton Sea. The latter was sizzling in mid-June and absolutely gobsmacking in terms of its art commentary and how we live in the world. Sitting 250 feet below sea level, this former playground once envisioned as a competitor to Palm Springs and even Vegas was created by an accidental release of water from the Colorado River but, with no natural outlet, has been slowly drying up for decades.

These days, locals welcome artists to the area, showcasing their skills by constructing and leaving installations on what used to be the water’s floor, all created from manners of items like old cars, television sets, subway entrances, phone booths, you name it. Lucas remarked how it gave him food for thought about life and relationships and the world. If any Salton Sea artists are reading this, consider your mission accomplished; getting a teenager to think deeply about such things tends not to be the most straightforward of tasks.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-177548" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IMG_8871-scaled.jpg" alt="Bombay beach" width="2560" height="1920" />

There were a couple more stops as we traversed highways and byways back to the Nevada airport as our week wound down. Speaking of, there were occasions in which the Ram was pressed into continually running in brutally hot conditions, both below sea level and at more than 3,000 feet of elevation. Never once did it put a foot wrong or give any cause to not have confidence in the thing getting us into (and out) of the remote areas being explored. Modern, well-designed cooling tech is a wonderful thing – both under the hood and in the cab.

Here's looking forward to a good year ahead for ya, son. Like a bit of summertime exploration and travel through the sizzling southwest, I’m sure upcoming studies will provide lots of opportunities for exploration and growth – even if the humidity levels are a lot higher.

A Road Trip at the Edge of Seventeen

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For over half a decade, Dan Heyman has written professionally about cars and car culture, specializing in luxury/performance vehicles, 4 x 4s and pickup trucks, with a micro city car or two thrown in for good measure. If he's not striking a spacebar, he's likely out photographing cars on the twists and turns of the Coast Mountain roads outside his hometown of Vancouver, BC, or cutting a line on a racetrack.

COLOGNE, GERMANY - Nestled in a business park just outside of town and bordering on a farmland landscape dotted with cozy hamlets, there’s a building. With its fascia finished in corrugated steel, painted white with black window frames, it’s a pretty unassuming place. Not much going on until you have to show your credentials at the gatehouse to enter Willy Wonka’s Car Factory.

Actually, more like “Kiichiro Toyoda’s Car Factory” because as soon as you step through those double sliding doors you’re in the world of Toyota and Toyota motorsports at Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe (TGR-E). For our visit, we’re greeted by the brand’s latest entry in the World Rally Championship (where Toyota has won the manufacturer’s championship for two years running), simply called the “GR Yaris Rally 1”.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-177200" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IMG_8637.jpg" alt="Toyota Gazoo racing europe" width="2000" height="1333" />

Come by at another time (tours are done via private group bookings only) and you may see one of Toyota’s World Endurance Championship (WEC) entrants such as the G010 prototype. That car, developed in-house, makes Toyota one of only two WEC competitors along with Ferrari that builds everything but their race car’s rubber. Sometimes, you may simply see one of GR’s road cars – say, the Supra – because what happens here doesn’t stop at the track. In fact, far from it.

“Most of you know us as home of the Le Mans team or home of the rally team,” said Thomas Heidbrink, events and communications manager at TGR-E. “(We could be working on) charging infrastructure, parts of our hybrid system, or it could be chassis elements or CNC.” Almost everything with the GR logo attached to it will get its start here.

They can build parts and components for the rally car that will eventually get shipped to Finland – where most of their rally testing happens – to be assembled on-site there. They could be working on the gearbox for their Le Mans racer, or even making use of their on-site wind tunnel.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-177211" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IMG_8686.jpg" alt="Toyota Gazoo racing europe" width="2000" height="1333" />

Indeed, you don’t have to look too far back into the annals of motorsport to see that it wasn’t that long ago – from 2002 to 2008 – that Toyota had their own F1 team. From wing to wing, the Toyota F1 efforts were basically a solo effort, with Toyota foregoing the usual path of pairing up with a different engine supplier or chassis developer.

After the F1 effort stopped in 2008, the show went on at TGR-E.

“After signing off of the F1 project,” said Heidbrink, “150-200 people (that hailed at times from up to 32 countries) stayed at Toyota to think about how we can use our facilities.” After all; TGR-E was a huge investment for the manufacturer and they weren’t about to let that all go to waste just because the F1 program was defunct.

They are proud of those F1 efforts, however; a walk through the facility will take you past, among other things, clay mock-ups of the F1 car, a row of diecast models of every F1 car built, and even various part assemblies, proudly on display with a plaque describing their function.

It’s a great look at how the work done at TGR-E can filter down to a world a little more familiar and accessible to you and me – that of the road car.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-177207" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IMG_8669.jpg" alt="Toyota Gazoo racing europe" width="2000" height="1333" />

“There are reasons why we do WRC or WEC,” said Heidbrink. “For a company like Porsche, (Le Mans) is a big marketing tool. That’s not they way we are doing it. We are doing racing to develop technologies.” The proof is in the pudding; take a walk further into the facility (a massive complex that encompasses everything from the aforementioned wind tunnel and CNC shop, to a seven-post chassis rig, composites shop, engine design labs and more) and you’ll come across the area where they prepare their GT3 and GT4 Supra racers. These are race cars, but the rules governing those classifications are there to ensure that what you find in the race car can also be found, to some degree, in the road car. In the halls of GR, race car and road car tech meet in fascinating ways.

For those who like looking at the shiny finished product rather than its bits, the brightly lit service bays where everything from GR Le Mans prototypes to rare motors are groomed and cleaned is the spot. During our visit, both the ultra-rare Lexus LFA and even rarer Toyota 2000GT made an appearance; that’s probably over $1,000,000 in cars right there, and that’s before we even spin 180 degrees to take in the four Le Mans prototypes on jacks, getting ready for deployment to race tracks the world over. With the cars, the transport rigs, the toolboxes, the tires and the spare body panels it really is as if you’re walking through a paddock at Le Mans.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-177208" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IMG_8674.jpg" alt="Toyota Gazoo racing europe" width="2000" height="1333" />

The crown jewel of the experience, however, has to be what can only be referred to as a shrine to all things GR and Toyota motorsport. Hidden behind a bunker-like bay door they sit: an example of every F1 car Toyota has ever built, rally cars such as Carlos Sainz Sr’s Castrol-liveried Corolla, a stillborn Group B-spec Celica rally car, race-worn overalls, helmets and gloves, and most every example of Toyota’s recent Le Mans entries, including the TS050 Hybrid that won overall from 2018-20.

Then comes what you might say is the Holy Grail of Toyota GT-Racing. Anybody familiar with racing -- or Gran Turismo -- will recognize the red-and-white livery, sinister black wheels and Esso stickers of Toyota’s honest-to-God effort to return a Japanese manufacturer to the podium at Le Mans: The Toyota TS020, better known as the GT-One. They failed, but a cult classic was born, and with it, a road car of which only one exists, and it's right here.

It doesn’t get much rarer than that and it’s almost criminal that it’s all hidden away. The best part? There are no guardrails or barriers and you can walk right up to the exhibits for a closer look; ask nicely, and they might even let you open the doors and sit inside.

It puts a great exclamation point on the experience. To be able to walk those hallowed halls and then see the manifestation of years – no, decades – of work “in the metal”. That’s a rare thing.

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Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe is Motorsports Mecca for Racing Fans

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What do you consider well-travelled? Jumping on a plane and heading to a different country? Maybe cracking off the Toronto – Montreal corridor multiple times a week? Or perhaps taking in the cross-country sights of this great nation.

How about driving from the bottom of South America in Tierra del Fuego to Prudhoe Bay at the top of Alaska? Or surreptitiously smuggling thousands of books to children behind the Iron Curtain? And then motoring 3,061.8 kilometres clear across the UK from London to Land’s End to John O’Groats and back again without refueling?

That’s the provenance behind this pickup truck, a diesel-powered 1988 GMC Sierra 3500 SLE equipped with an extended cab and four-wheel drive. Owned by Garry Sowerby, it’s a machine that has seen more of planet Earth than most humans – which is appropriate since Sowerby, holder of multiple Guinness World Records for long-distance driving – has driven more miles in reverse than many people have in forward.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-177012" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IMG_2435-scaled.jpeg" alt="Gary Sowerby 1988 GMC Sierra 3500" width="2560" height="1742" />

Actually, this truck is the first diesel-powered 1988 GMC Sierra 3500 SLE equipped with an extended cab and four-wheel drive. Readers with an affinity for Ovaltine and a bedtime of 9:00pm (raises hand) will remember that model year saw the introduction of brand-new GM half-tons and heavy duty machines after about 15 years of “squarebody” rule. In fact, assembly workers had to stop the production line twice since the combination of an extended cab and one-ton frame (not to mention a manual transmission) had yet to be hammered together on the factory floor.

The impetus for the rig was a follow-up to Sowerby’s adventure a few years prior in which he and a driving partner broke the world record for venturing from the bottom of Africa to the top of Scandinavia (which itself was a follow-up to his around-the-world feat in 1980 of circling the globe in 74 days). After conquering those challenges, belting from the southern tip of South America to the northern reaches of Alaska seemed like natural progression.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-177000" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IMG_4026.jpg" alt="Gary Sowerby 1988 GMC Sierra 3500" width="1000" height="688" />

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-177005" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/SowerbyCahillPrudhoeBayFinish.jpg" alt="Gary Sowerby 1988 GMC Sierra 3500" width="1000" height="525" />

They called it the Pan-American Challenge, cracking off the feat in just 23 days, 22 hours, 43 minutes. For the task, Sowerby determined he and co-driver Tim Cahill needed a purpose-built pickup truck; they turned to GMC, a brand with which Sowerby enjoyed good relations thanks to previous successful record attempts. The new Sierra was a perfect choice, especially since the company was keen to prove its switch to an independent front suspension (unheard of on a truck in those days) was up to the task of handling harsh environments.

Also required? A truck that didn’t need refueling at every corner since they expected diesel quantity (and quality) to be unreliable in certain places. For ’88, the truck’s stock tank was good for 35 gallons or about 132 litres. Impressive, but the team installed a u-shaped fuel cell in the Sierra’s cargo box capable of handling an extra 110 gallons. That’s a total of nearly 550 litres, ensuring they’d only have to stop a handful of times on the journey. In fact, the truck only required two fuel stops between Texas and Alaska. And, for your next trivia night, that much diesel weighs roughly 1,000 pounds. Good thing this truck has a stout payload rating.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176978" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IMG_7641-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1920" />

But before hitting the environs of North America, Sowerby and Cahill had to navigate through Central and South America. “A big worry was security,” explained Sowerby. “There were problems in Peru at the time, and then the issue of Colombia. Several areas were simply not safe.” Given geopolitical climates of the day, Sowerby and Cahill were prime targets for kidnappers with ransom demands. Their solution? Run quickly and quietly through trouble spots, broadcasting neither their progress nor arrivals. In fact, their first large-scale press conference didn’t occur until they reached Texas. “We were all stickered up for the journey – but no one knew we were coming,” grinned Sowerby.

Still, they had a few tricks up their adventurous sleeves in case of emergency. A stock of Farmer’s milkshakes were squirreled away in the truck, with the lads making sure to be drinking one or two whilst being approached by federales, then giving some away as an ice breaking gesture of goodwill. The same went for a trove of special truck-shaped lapel pins worn prominently on their jackets. Often, they’d sigh to various gendarmes that these were their last two pins but would gladly give them up if it helped grease the wheels of border entry. A few miles after clearing the checkpoint, Sowerby and Cahill would simply reach into their stash of pins and affix new ones to their lapels.

Mavericks, I tell ya.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176979" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IMG_7650-scaled.jpg" alt="Gary Sowerby 1988 GMC Sierra 3500" width="2560" height="1920" />

During the interview, at a turnaround spot, Sowerby tossed me the keys which is a move akin to Gordon Ramsey passing over the controls to his convection oven. Sitting behind the wheel was a familiar experience since this generation of truck was common whilst growing up in rural Newfoundland but the provenance of this thing seeps through with plenty of gravitas. Easing out the bear trap of a clutch is easy enough since the engine to which it is attached is less stressed than Willie Nelson after enjoying his favourite herb scent. The aftermarket tachometer climbs a couple thousand rpm and it’s time to find another gear.

Starting in first, a bull low cog, is almost a waste since its ratio is in the basement. Pulling onto the highway, we’re on through second to third nearly as quickly with only one more gear left in the chamber. Outrageously long shift throws are handled by a stick big enough to brain a moose – you could take a bus from first to second gears and still need a transfer – but the whole experience is one of low stress and deliberate motoring. Handled properly, it’s the yacht rock of powertrains.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176995" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IMG_4056-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1818" />

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176997" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Sowerby1Moscow.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="663" />

Don’t get it twisted: an easy powertrain doesn’t mean it was an easy drive. “About one-third of the journey was on unpaved roads,” Sowerby said, “But in the Atacama Desert, for example, we found pavement in such shocking condition it was worse than dirt.” Plans were afoot for one person to sleep in the cargo area while the other drove, explaining the u-shaped auxiliary fuel tank and rudimentary mattress back there, but temperatures approaching those found on the sun forced the abandonment of that idea after just a couple of days. Fitful rest was taken in the cab area.

Shockingly, much of the truck’s mechanicals are stock – which, of course, was the point GMC wanted to make. Engine, transmission, and suspension were all factory items, as were the body panels and glass (nothing bulletproof here). Some of the SLE trim equipment was ditched in favour of custom gear, especially the electronics which were cutting edge at the time but rudimentary today. A built-in radar detector peeps through the grille, for example, if you can find it. Also custom? The cap covering the cargo bed needed to be split down the middle and the fibreglass redone – the truck was so new for ’88 that properly fitting bed caps simply didn’t exist.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-177007" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/1988GMCSierraUK1992-e1644432256697.jpg" alt="Gary Sowerby 1988 GMC Sierra 3500" width="1200" height="705" />

Cruising up through America and Canada was relatively relaxed compared to the first legs of Pan-American journey, though fighting fatigue and road fever was a challenge. After smashing that record, Sowerby took the truck overseas for other events. This is a pickup which can lay claim to driving over 3,000 kilometres across Great Britain and back again without stopping for fuel. It can celebrate a similar feat in Scandinavia. And it can also bask in the importance of smuggling 5,000 children’s books to Moscow schools and libraries.

Well-traveled? That description doesn’t even cover the half of it.

I’ve Been Everywhere, Man

Nissan 300ZX 1990 001

Automotive journalist from Montreal, AJAC-member, and owner of claveyscorner.com

Nostalgia for 1990s Japanese sports cars is driving up demand and, of course, prices. A little over 5 years ago it was still possible to get your hands on vehicles like the Acura NSX, the Toyota Supra or the Mazda RX-7 at a reasonable price point, values for those models have since skyrocketed to unattainable status.

However, some iconic Japanese sports cars from that era haven’t yet fallen victim to such a phenomenon. The second-generation Nissan 300ZX (code-named Z32), sold here in Canada between 1990 and 1996, is a perfect example of this. While values are climbing, they’re nowhere near the ones of its main Japanese rivals. Why is that?

Because I was curious to find out, and because I have always adored that generation of the 300ZX, a car with which I associate several positive childhood memories, I set out to buy one for myself.

Japan’s Moment

Before I dig into my experience shopping for and buying a 300ZX, allow me to refresh your memory on what this car is and why it’s so important.

By the end of the 1980s, the entire automotive industry was undergoing an important shift. After years of strict emissions regulations and underwhelming performance, it seemed automakers had finally cracked the code as to how to extract horsepower and torque from their internal combustion engines.

The Japanese carmakers, notably, came out of the 1980s much stronger than when they had entered it, powered by a booming economy and a manufacturing sector that had more than doubled in size. Japan’s technological movement was spearheaded by fast-paced research and development. Such a furious industrial might pushed the Japanese carmakers to express their engineering knowhow through halo sports cars, each boasting the latest in go-fast hardware.

It's from that era that came what is regarded today by some as the “super” Japanese sports cars. Mazda had the lightweight, twin-turbo rotary-powered RX-7. Toyota brought over the almighty Supra and Honda unleashed the overachieving NSX. While Canadians never got the Mitsubishi 3000GT, its twin sister wearing a sexier name, the Dodge Stealth R/T Twin Turbo, made just as many ripples.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176956" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Z_Z32_1992_01-source-scaled.jpg" alt="Factory Nissan 300 ZX 32" width="2560" height="1707" />
“The World’s Best Sports Car”

But while Nissan never officially sold its Skyline GT-R flagship sports car in our market until 2008, it had another ace up its sleeve for the US and Canada. That car was the second-generation 300ZX, sports coupe that, during its development, was given the goal of becoming the “world’s best sports car”.

Perhaps that was the kind of mindset Nissan needed to get its iconic Z car back on the world stage. You see, the first 300ZX, the one sold here from 1983 to 1989, was accused of having lost its way. Critics slammed it for being too big, too heavy, and too soft, further distancing itself from the Datsun 240Z original. Since it was now facing a market invaded by stiff homeland competition, Nissan desperately needed to reset the Z nameplate.

For the new car, Nissan gave considerably more freedom to its designers and engineers. It even increased its budget to equip its designers with better tools, such as the Cray-2 supercomputer, an innovation during its time. The Z32 was one of the first mass-production automobiles to have entirely been designed on a computer.

Such devotion from Nissan resulted in a sports car that was a lot more focused and in tune with the new realities of the 1990s. It was sleeker, rounder, and flatter, boasting a 0.31 drag coefficient and making it one of the most streamlined sports cars of its era.

It was also gorgeous. To this day, I still find the second-generation 300ZX to be one of the most beautiful sports cars to have ever come out of Japan. It’s so pretty, that Lamborghini borrowed its headlights for the Diablo. It’s also worth noting that today’s Z car draws its taillight design inspiration from the Z32.

Nissan also focused on the car’s driving experience. Out of the box, the car came standard with independent suspension at all four corners, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS and a standard limited-slip rear differential.

All Versions Rocked

In all its forms, the 300ZX was a true sports car. Base cars were powered by a considerably overhauled version of Nissan’s VG30DE dual-overhead cam, 24-valve 3.0-liter V6 engine. But it was a lot different than its predecessor thanks to an all-new variable valve timing system, as well as a two-way air intake system, one for each head. The entire exhaust system had been retuned and the engine ran on a new type of ECU.

The result was 222 horsepower – 25 more than the turbocharged version of its predecessor - and 198 lb-ft of torque, all while maintaining a similar curb weight. All cars were real-wheel drive and came standard with a 5-speed manual transmission, while a 4-speed automatic was also available as optional equipment.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176957" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/36756-scaled.jpg" alt="Nissan Fairlady Z" width="2560" height="1606" />

Of course, one can’t talk about the Z32 without mentioning the almighty Twin Turbo model. Thanks to a pair of Garrett turbochargers and twin intercoolers, horsepower rose to an even 300 (283 for automatic cars), while torque was rated at 286 lb-ft. The 300ZX TT also came with adaptive suspension, rear-wheel steering, beefier brakes, and wider rear wheels and tires.

Most examples sold here came fitted with removable roof panels. Some non-turbo cars did come with a solid roof Nissan called a slicktop, but very few of those were sold in Canada. A convertible was added to the lineup in 1993, while a longer, stretched version of the 300ZX called the 2+2 added a pair of extra seats in the rear.

Values Explained

If the Z32 was such an important car, then why are values on the classic car market lower than those of its direct Japanese rivals? Simply put, the Japanese sports car market during the 1990s offered better alternatives.

While it was plenty quick and agile, the 300ZX had a reputation for being heavy and complicated. Critics put it more in the grand touring category. It was also expensive, less reliable and its drivetrain was complex.

While it’s true that the 3.0-liter V6 is a solid unit, the engine bay itself is very cramped, making it a nightmare for mechanics. That engine also runs with a timing belt, not a chain, meaning the belt must be serviced every 100,000 km or every 4 years. And it’s one heck of a job to change. Furthermore, TT models have garnered a reputation for overheating, and they are hard to diagnose.

A Classic Will Always be a Classic

Albeit all that, there’s no denying the 300ZX’s status as a classic car. This is why values for well-kept examples have nonetheless begun appreciating in recent years. <a href="https://www.hagerty.com/media/car-profiles/1990-96-nissan-300zx-getting-hot/">Some classic car experts agree</a> that the reason for this sudden spike in demand is due to deep nostalgia for anything built during the 1990s.

So, although the 300ZX had its share of flaws, it still ranks among an exclusive category of cars. And since NSXs, Supras and RX-7s are now out of reach, many are flocking towards the more affordable 300ZX.

Twin Turbo models with a five-speed manual are the rarest and the most sought after, with values for clean ones ranging anywhere between $20,000 and $30,000 depending on condition and mileage.

The value of non-turbo 2+0 models also recently underwent a spike, now valued anywhere between $15,000 and $25,000. Below that, you’ll find 2+0 non-turbos with an automatic transmission, followed by the convertible. At the bottom of the evaluation spectrum sits the 2+2. Automatic cars tend to hang anywhere between $8,000 and $12,000, while some well-kept 2+2 manuals will knock at the door of $15,000.

Many argue that the 1990 model year is the most sought after because it marks the beginning of the entire generation, but also because the cars had no badging on the front bumper. They also had no airbag, yielding a smaller, sportier steering wheel. Early cars also ran on the simpler and more reliable OBD-1 electronics architecture.

Finding a Good One

Finding a Nissan 300ZX on any popular marketplace site isn’t all too hard. What’s difficult is spotting a good 300ZX.

There are several reasons for this. First, the production run for the cars was limited, especially for the Canadian market. Nissan only shipped 2,830 examples this way during its 7-year run.

Then there’s age. Even the most recent 300ZX is 27 years old. That, along with the fact that many of these cars have been neglected or involved in accidents, has driven down the number of available candidates.

Finally, there’s a phenomenon I like to call the “Fast and the Furious” era. In the early 2000s, when Fast and the Furious hit the big screens, street racing and tuning, especially with Japanese sports cars, was flourishing. The 300ZX was a popular target for these kinds of activities.

This all means that when shopping around, you’ll typically find relics of that era. Cars fitted with aftermarket body kits, headlights, taillights, spoilers, or modified audio systems are common. Salvaged cars are also frequent, so are resprays and US imports. Add to that a strong wave of right-hand drive imports from Japan in recent times, and the availability of an original, Canadian-market example has become slim.

The Black One on Marketplace

I found my car through an ad on Facebook Marketplace. While not twin-turbocharged, the near-mint black-on-black 1990 300ZX caught my attention due to its clean title and Canadian-market status. It was also a 2+0 with a manual transmission and only 124,000 kilometers on the odometer. The car had always been garaged kept, never winter driven and the owner mentioned a fresh new paint job in the ad, done by him since he owned his own body shop. He was asking $16,500.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176942" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Nissan-300ZX-1990-002.jpg" alt="1990 Nissan 300ZX" width="2000" height="1125" />

Excited to have finally found a good 300ZX after weeks of searching, I immediately messaged the seller. I offered him a $1,000 refundable deposit if he took down his ad to give me time to see it. He gladly accepted.

A few days later and after scanning the clean Carfax report, there I was standing inside a body shop in Quebec’s Beauce region, admiring a car that I remember lusting over as a kid. The moment I laid eyes on its low, flat wedge shape and flat seal beam headlights, I immediately remembered the times dad and I would drool over a 300ZX during the 1990s. The car hasn’t aged one bit. If anything, it looks even better than back in the day due to how new automobiles appear so massive and blocky next to this.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176946" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Nissan-300ZX-1990-006.jpg" alt="1990 Nissan 300ZX" width="2000" height="1125" />

Except for some minor details, like a ripped leather driver’s seat, a growling differential due to improper care and a minor leak from a failed power steering hose, the car checked out. I figured this was the best I could find for my budget. Since the car needed a few repairs, I bargained the price down to $15,000, including the car’s original set of wheels.

Since then, I’ve flushed out most fluids, including what was in the differential and I’ve replaced the broken power steering hose. The car will eventually need a new differential, but otherwise, my 300ZX runs and drives great and I never shy out to taking it out for long drives.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176947" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Nissan-300ZX-1990-007.jpg" alt="1990 Nissan 300ZX" width="2000" height="1125" />

What my experience with the car has taught me so far, driving it, fiddling with it, and joining online communities, is that non-turbo Z32s are considerably more reliable and easier to work on than the TT. However, if you’re interested in these cars, know that parts are hard to find and that they can at times be expensive, or worse, discontinued! Thankfully, the rising appreciation and respect for these cars means there’s a lot of support out there to help you keep the car alive and strong for many years to come.

I just bought a 1990s Nissan 300ZX and here’s what I learned

2023 Alfa Romeo Stelvio

Chris D’Alessandro is a writer living in downtown Toronto. Growing up in a family of used car dealers and mechanics, he’s been immersed in car culture his entire life. A frequent contributor to VICE Canada, Chris’ screenwriting work has also won a Canadian Comedy Award. So, “hipster, wise-ass, gearhead” pretty much covers it. Follow Chris on Twitter @chrisdaless and Instagram @chrdalessandro

I live in the heart of downtown Toronto. But I love driving cars. Oxymoron.

The city hates cars. The streets belong to pedestrians, bicycles, and the TTC. The roads themselves are so filled with potholes, and so warped from the constant change in temperatures, driving down John St. feels like being on one of those sketchy carnival rides from when you were a kid — the one where, legend has it, a kid lost an arm a few years back.

One-way streets, gridlocked traffic, ever-present construction zones, and jaywalkers — Toronto is car hell.

I own a car just to be able to get out of the city. When I do road tests of new vehicles, I generally find any excuse I can to escape the shadow of the CN Tower and put the machine in an environment more conducive to a fair review.

Still, I inescapably have to spend time driving in the city — navigating the treacherous, poorly planned streets and storing vehicles in tightly wound, equally as poorly planned parking garages.

Maybe it’s because driving in the city is such a pain in the ass that car manufacturers incessantly continue to market “city cars” as a solution. Car commercials still only come in two basic flavors. Either a) “You’ll be so tough and rugged driving off-road and/or camping.” Or b) “Get ready for an exciting night out in the city (as the designated driver?) with all your friends and inexplicably empty streets.”

Both are fantasies. But what cars will actually open up the city to you? Could the tough and rugged ones actually be a better fit? And more importantly, which cars will make navigating metropolitan cities like Toronto a grueling slog?

Well, I’ve driven every type of commuter vehicle you can think of in the city and I’ve concluded there is actually both a best and worst option for “city car”.
<h3>The Worst: Two-Door Sports Coupe</h3>
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176902" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023_Supra_30_Premium_MT_StratoshpreBlue003-1500x1000-1.jpg" alt="Toyota Supra" width="1500" height="1000" />

I love two-door sports coupes. <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/features/buying-my-teenage-dream-car-was-the-absolute-best-worst-life-decision">I own one</a>. They are my favorite cars to drive.

But I have to admit that, all things considered, they are the absolute worst cars to own and drive in the city.

You’re low to the ground and the suspension is stiff. So the roads are punishing. You simply can’t avoid every imperfection and so every five seconds you’re forced to consider the possibility that your car has just split in half.

Sports cars (the good ones, anyway) also chew gas, have clutch pedals and terrible blind spots. So traffic is annoying at best and generally nerve-wracking at worst when trying to keep an eye out for pedestrians and especially cyclists — ever hovering exactly where you can’t see them and darting in front of you when you least expect.

But perhaps worst of all is that you can’t take advantage of any of a sports car’s strengths. All that power, acceleration, and handling capability — it does you no good. When you’re downtown, you’re only as fast as every other car on the road.
<h3>Bad: Full-Size Pickup or SUV</h3>
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176900" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2021-Ram-Heavy-Duty-scaled.jpeg" alt="Ram 3500" width="2560" height="1707" />

Before you come at me with your pitchforks and tiki torches, I will say that there are actually a number of advantages to driving a full-size truck in the city.

You’re up high, so you can see all those pesky pedestrians and cyclists. You can also clear those potholes with ease. Big tires mean you never curb your rims. There’s also perhaps no better vehicle in the world to be stuck in traffic than a <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/reviews/2022-ram-1500-sport-night-g-t-review">RAM 1500</a> Big Horn. You might as well be lounging in a Texas ranch house.

But, the obvious issue, the size, is an ever-present obstacle. It’s hard to weave through traffic. It’s hard to find street parking, but underground parking is even worse. You have to hold your breath like you were passing by a graveyard as you pray you’re just an inch short of the height of the entrance to a parking garage. It looks like you’re going to hit the ceiling every time.

Also, you’re statistically a greater danger to pedestrians or cyclists. And because the city is a big swirling stew of human chaos, accidents will happen. You can’t always control that.

I know somebody is reading this right now, getting ready to furiously type a comment about how they drive a pickup in the city and they get along just fine and they eat 50 raw eggs a day and wrestle bears for fun and blah, blah, blah. But be real. A full-size truck was not designed for living its life in the city and almost every other option is a superior one for this particular job.
<h3>Not great, not terrible: Luxury and Sports Sedans</h3>
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176899" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2022_IS-500_Premium_CloudburstGray_008-scaled-1.jpg" alt="Lexus IS 500" width="2560" height="1707" />

Forever the do-no-harm option is the trusty sedan.

On the plus side, you’ve generally got enough ride comfort (an abundance in something like an 8-series BMW, but even an acceptable amount in something like a Camry XSE or Lexus IS) to handle most of what Toronto’s roads have to throw at you.

You’ve also got great visibility, comfy seats, and some good blind-spot assistance to navigate traffic and nagging cyclists.

On the downside, you’re still down fairly low, and because well-equipped sedans all have low-profile tires and fancy rims these days, you’re constantly worried about curbing a wheel. Some luxury sedans like the Lexus LS or Alpina B8 just feel too nice. It’s like wearing a Rolex to go rock climbing.

Driving a Taycan through downtown Toronto can certainly be a leisurely experience between the perfect interior, ride comfort, and efficiency of the all-electric powertrain. But damn, are you also constantly praying nobody bumps into your Porsche in traffic.
<h3>Good: Crossover SUV</h3>
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176898" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/porsche-macan.jpg" alt="Porsche Macan" width="1920" height="1080" />

There is some truth in advertising when all those commercials show you yet another ubiquitous crossover SUV thriving in an urban environment.

For better or worse, crossovers just sort of do it all (there is after all a reason they sell so well). They’ve got the ride height to clear those potholes and wavy roads. They’re compact enough to easily park and scythe through traffic. Outside of a few unnecessarily hot models like the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrafoglio, the suspension is usually overly compliant. However, even the impressively capable Porsche Macan GTS is comfy enough.

Parking is a breeze. Plus you’ve got plenty of room to toss a couple of friends in the back seat, and a cooler in the trunk full of chilled refreshments for an afternoon in Trinity Bellwoods park.

Downsides for the city? It’s nothing tangible. But the weakness to owning any crossover SUV is that you really are just another brick in the wall. And if you love cars, there is an itch that no crossover in the world can ever scratch.

If you could give a damn about cars and live in the city, then by all means go for a crossover SUV. Any crossover SUV. They are all exactly the same (except for the Alfa and Porsche, they’re special).
<h3>Really good: Compacts and Hot Hatches</h3>
<img class="aligncenter wp-image-176897 size-full" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023-Honda-Civic-Type-R.jpg" alt="Honda Civic Type R" width="1200" height="723" />

With the exception of ground clearance, compacts, and hot hatches excel at every aspect of city driving. They encompass most of the strengths of crossover SUVs — though they’re even easier to park and exploit gaps thanks to their compact size — but they’re also fun to drive.

VW Golfs (of all trims), Hyundai Elantras, Fiat 500s, they excel in these conditions. Sure, there’s no power, but that means you can use all of the car. And because they’re cheap, you’re not ever worried about them.

Of course, if you can afford performance, you won’t feel buyer's remorse for a proper hot hatch like you would with a two-door sports coupe.

The GR Corolla might be the most fun I’ve ever had driving a car in the city. Unlike in a more traditional sports car, I could actually use the power and the handling prowess through Toronto’s tricky streets. The epically light clutch and rifle-bolt stick shift was actually a bonus instead of a burden, and the amenities of the hatch made living with the 300-horsepower machine a breeze.

The <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/reviews/2023-honda-civic-type-r-first-drive-review">Honda Civic Type R</a> is another great contender. Like the GR Corolla it’s a blast to drive, and while it is a little stiff for Toronto’s streets (and notably larger than the Corolla), its abundance of blind spot alerts really help to relieve stress — especially when it comes to those lawless cyclists.

Driving either the Type R or <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/features/does-the-gr-corolla-live-up-to-the-hype">GR Corolla</a> is an experience I never want to end, even when dealing with the worst of what the city can throw at me. Contrast to my Mustang GT — which, after about 30 minutes of clutching through traffic just makes me wish it would stop.

Learn from my mistakes. If you love driving cars and you live in a city, do not buy a V8 muscle car. Buy a hot hatch.
<h3>The Best: Midsize Off-roaders</h3>
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176896" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2021-Jeep-Wrangler-scaled.jpeg" alt="Jeep Wrangler 4xe" width="2560" height="1767" />

Full-size trucks and SUVs are just too much for the city. But midsize ones? They’re kind of perfect.

Sure, they’re not quite as easy to park or navigate through traffic as crossovers or compacts. And (especially when off-road ready) they’re not nearly as comfortable as a sedan.

But off-road capability really is its own form of luxury. Chunky tires, skid plates, lifted suspension — it all laughs off Toronto’s war-torn roads. Construction zone ahead? Yes please. Did I bump the curb? Don’t worry about it. Parking lot at Cherry Beach all muddy? Good. Parking garage neighbor dents? They build character.

What makes a good city car is actually just one key factor: stress reduction. And nothing reduces stress like a vehicle that’s designed to be abused.

But some off-roaders can go above and beyond. Last summer, I had what I can only describe as a perfect day in a <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/reviews/everything-you-want-to-know-about-the-2022-jeep-rubicon-392">Jeep Wrangler 392</a>. Open roof. Good tunes. And the angry scream of a HEMI V8. The city stopped being an obstacle to be overcome and instead became an adventure — something to be explored and enjoyed.

And yeah, you might look like a bit of a goof in your open-top off-road SUV amongst the sea of stern German sedans and sensible Korean compacts which flood Toronto’s streets. But the joke's on everyone else. Because you’re cool as a cucumber in the most stressful place to drive in the country.

&nbsp;

What is The Perfect City Car?

Jaguar F-Type main 2

Whether it’s a first-drive feature from the sun-soaked California coast, a quick news story about an off-road pickup that may (or may not) be coming to your local dealership or a review of a hot new sports sedan, somewhere Lee Bailie is writing about cars and car culture, something he’s been doing for almost a decade. A car guy to the core, he went on his first automotive plant tour at age seven.

SAN SEBASTIAN, Spain – What a ride.

I’m having such a difficult time describing the experience, that even months later those three words are my best summation of what it felt like.

Picture it: a two-day drive through the Pyrenees mountains that straddle the border of France and Spain behind the wheel of one of the world’s most powerful sports cars, the Jaguar F-Type. And not only that, but the driving menu includes coupe and convertible models both powered by supercharged V8s. Sound perfect? It was, pretty much.

Now, there are caveats because nothing can be perfect. First, the drive was in mid-March, so it was a bit cold, even at elevations below the range’s 11,000-foot peak, and secondly, it only lasted for two days. I would have loved to have spent the past two months driving these cars all over Europe, but alas, our time with the F-Type was brief. Which is fitting, I suppose, given how little time the car has remaining in Jaguar’s lineup.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176509" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/jaguar-f-type-75-main-scaled.jpg" alt="Jaguar F-Type 75" width="2560" height="1440" />

Ah yes, the proverbial elephant in the room, and Jaguar Land Rover’s rationale for inviting small groups of journalists to Spain to drive the F-Type in the first place: the car is going away at the end of the 2024 model year. As you may have heard by now, Jaguar will shift to an EV-only brand beginning in 2025. So, this is it for the F-Type as we have known it since it debuted in 2013.

Here we have one last dance, one last blast through two-lane twisties that wind through cavernous mountain passes and cacophonous stone-lined tunnels, rolling past idyllic small towns, and sunny (but cold) pastoral landscapes that make up our south to north trek from Barcelona to San Sebastian. When the invite arrived to participate in such a milestone trip, I was giddy with excitement. I thought it would be among the highlights of my career thus far, and I wasn’t wrong.

The invite billed the trip as an opportunity to drive, “the final internal combustion engine Jaguar sports car,” which coincides with, “75 years of Jaguar sports cars.” To mark the occasion, the cars we would be driving are F-Type 75 models.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176512" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IMG_E3297-scaled.jpg" alt="Jaguar F-Type 75" width="2560" height="1440" />

The 75 and R 75 are the only 2024 F-Types available for Canada, and both are powered by a 5.0-litre supercharged V8, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive. Of note, some markets, including the U.S., will offer the 444-horsepower 75 in rear-wheel drive, but the more powerful 567-horsepower R 75 is available in all-wheel drive only, regardless of address.

Chassis highlights include continuously variable dampers, 20-inch wheels (forged alloys for the R), optional carbon ceramic brakes (R only) and staggered Pirelli P Zero tires. Both cars also come with unique front fender 75 badging.

Day one began early in Barcelona with a staged photo op featuring a spotless white XK120 roadster parked nose to nose with an F-Type 75 finished in Giola Green, a new colour for the latter. The XK120, first introduced in 1948 and produced through 1954 was the first Jaguar sports car, and it began a lineage that would eventually lead to the E-Type in 1961, followed by the XJ-S in 1975, the XK8 in 1996, the XK (X150) in 2005, and finally the F-Type in 2013.

I am not a Jaguar aficionado but seeing the first Jaguar sports car sitting next to its descendent, with the gleaming Mediterranean in the background was quite striking. Decades haven’t dimmed the XK120’s opulence, and while it bears little resemblance to the F-Type, its regal British character remains, and it feels woven into the F-Type’s soul.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176510" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IMG_E3169-scaled.jpg" alt="Jaguar F-Type 75" width="2560" height="1440" />

After the photo shoot wrapped, we were set loose on a nearly 800-kilometre journey that wound through many small towns and villages before finishing in San Sebastian in the heart of Spain’s Basque region. The changing topography on the route was one of the most breathtaking aspects of the drive.

The Pyrenees, as any Google search will reveal, is truly breathtaking. Literally. Our group stopped to take photos in one mountain pass, and the elevation (several kilometres above sea level) combined with the 10C temperature, overcast skies, and howling winds, made breathing more challenging than it would be otherwise.

I drove a matte black R 75 coupe on day one, followed by the Giola Green 75 convertible on day two. My drive partner (a JLR Canada rep) and I tonged both cars quite hard on a mix of roads that felt as if they were purposely designed to squeeze the most out of these cars. I can’t recall how many stone and metal-lined tunnels we drove through, but the loud exhaust button was pressed each time, as was the accelerator pedal.

Each car screamed with delight as we launched them up and down on two-lane mountain roads, through sweeping and hairpin turns and on flat country roads with vanishing points that extended to a distant horizon.

It’s tempting to say the R 75 was more fun to drive but given the choice between a hard top and a drop top, even if the latter is a bit down on power, I’ll take the open sky version. Both cars are fabulously powerful, stuck to the road, and incredibly comfortable to drive, but the convertible is the more emotional and engaging option for pure driving pleasure. And yes, it was quite cold, but we dropped the top anyway and, in good Canadian tradition, cranked up every heat source available.

I’ll also note the 75 we drove was RWD which, when combined with undulating roads and a slight decrease in power, made it more enjoyable to wring out. For yours truly, it felt a smidge more responsive, more engaging when getting the power down while cornering, and a bit wilder overall. Plus, its green and light brown colour scheme, with black wheels and trim looks just smashing.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176516" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IMG_E3456-scaled.jpg" alt="Jaguar F-Type 75" width="2560" height="1440" />

Parking the green 75 for the final time in Bilbao, the location of our final lunch stop, and overnight stay was bittersweet, as it mirrored the car’s inevitable end.

Jaguar’s global head of PR told our group the brand will reveal its first new car since 2018 next year, which will officially begin the brand’s EV-only transition. It’s rumoured future Jags will be priced closer to Bentley than current models that have tried, and mostly failed, to compete with BMW and Mercedes.

Here’s hoping Jaguar finds success positioning these new electrified models further into luxury’s outer reaches, but I hope some room can be made for an F-Type successor that thrills as much as the incumbent has over the past decade.

The Jaguar F-Type 75 marks the end of an era and we take it on one last road trip

Foot,Stepping,On,The,Accelerator,And,Clutch,Pedal,In,Manual

I refuse to wear “driving shoes”.

Ferrari or BMW-branded Pumas give off an energy somewhere between “divorced dad” and “kid from your high school who was unnaturally good at glow-sticking”. You can practically smell the cologne from here. Don’t even get me started on wearing actual Sparco racing shoes anywhere that isn’t a race track. That’s like walking around all day in ski boots or a hockey helmet. They’re sports equipment. Not fashion.

Still, it’s been tricky to find a pair of sneakers that look dignified with a casual outfit and which are comfortable and communicative for spirited manual transmission driving.

Lucky for you, I’ve tested just about every usual suspect sneaker on the market (though admittedly, not every single one, you might have a favorite not mentioned here) and can make a few recommendations.

And yes, there is one I would recommend above all the rest.
<h3>Honorable mention: Common Projects Achilles</h3>
Pros: Margom rubber sole. Tough guts. Works as art.

Cons: Way too expensive. Way too nice to rally.

For those in the know, the Common Projects Achilles is the king of the minimalist sneaker. High quality Italian leather ages well over time. A Margom rubber sole easily cleans away scuffs and can be replaced if needed. A steel shank, brass lasting nails, a leather cup sole, and a suede heel counter give the shoe long-lasting structure and superior comfort.

But they start at $640 for a pair. Which is a tough, tough pill to swallow for something you’re going to abuse with heel-toe power shifts. It’ll hurt way too much when you put a proper scuff in the supple Italian leather or crease the toe box with constant clutch use.

However, I’ve been experimenting with an older pair which are long past their crisp prime and I have to say, they have great pedal feel. So if you’ve got a pair of old Common Projects no longer fit for the office or a wedding, consider recycling them into driving shoes.
<h3>Good: Converse Jack Purcell</h3>
Pros: Inexpensive. Toe and heel support. Double stitched toe box.

Cons: Cheap materials. Dirt and grime magnets. Seasonally available.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176324" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/shutterstock_2181526513-scaled.jpg" alt="Converse Jack Purcell" width="2560" height="1707" />

Chuck Taylors used to be my go-to shoes for… everything. They were cheap, timelessly stylish and their basketball heritage meant they had great pedal feel for driving stick.

But I found every pair had the same failure point — a glued-on plastic outsole which ultimately split and separated at the tow box. Constantly creasing the toe box to push in a clutch pedal seemed to only accelerate the failure.

This led me to Converse’s more robust casual sneaker; the Jack Purcell as my first attempt to find a better driving shoe.

Originally developed by a Canadian badminton champion, Mr. Purcell’s shoes were designed for greater support on the court. However, they also featured a more protective, double-stacked toe cap.

Combined with a double stitch on the toe box, I found Purcells far outlasted standard Chucks when put on a steady diet of gas-clutch-gas — avoiding the failure point of the toe box separating from the outsole.

However, like all Chucks, the cheap plastic-leather on the Purcells easily flakes away and the outsole still wears away and warps in just a few short months of use. All those cheap materials are also impossible to clean. The tongue attracts a disproportionate amount of dirt and grime and the metal ringlets for the laces score the leather underneath.

Converse doesn’t always stock the Jack Purcells, but their Chuck 70 models use an identical double-stitched toe box. I’ve found the Chuck 70s perform at essentially the same level as the Purcells. Moreover, they can be had in a robust canvas material — so you might as well save a few bucks over the "mickey mouse leather" models for clutch duty.
<h3>Better: Vans Old Skool</h3>
Pros: Superior materials, support, and protection. Made for abuse.

Cons: Tough break-in period. When they fail, they fail fast.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176322" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/shutterstock_2114470643-scaled.jpg" alt="Vans Old skool" width="2560" height="1707" />

After not quite feeling like anything from Converse was making the cut for manual transmission duties, I asked myself, “When was the last time I wore an everyday sneaker that needed to stand up to abuse?”

When I was a delinquent skateboarding teen, I wore Vans.

After trying Vans Authentics, Classics, and Eras to less than desirable results, I turned towards the Old Skool model — the most robust offering for skateboard enthusiasts — and found them to be much better at clutch work.

Like the Jack Purcells, double stitching prevented the toe box from cracking. However, I also found the tougher, vulcanized rubber outsole handled clutch kicks as well as kick-flips. A rubber cup sole provided great heel support and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y91zIvMiOMk">slightly thicker, slightly more real leather</a> than that of the Converse and held up better to abuse over a longer period of time.

There were a couple of weak points for the Vans, however. Because their insoles are foam, and midsole is a kind of moldable plastic, it all wears down over time and eventually provides no support. Additionally, because Vans are bonded with tape when the heel or toe begins to wear down, the layers of rubber separate from one another and the entire outsole just falls out.

My Old Schools were fantastic up until they began to fail. And then seemingly all at once, they just did.

Worst of all, however, was the extensive break-in period. I found that fresh out of the box Vans cut into the back of my heel to the point of breaking the skin. A fairly tortuous experience when you’re trying to clutch your way through heavy traffic.
<h3>Best: Adidas Gazelle</h3>
Pros: Inexpensive and often on sale. Superior shape, feel, and comfort. Available in suede.

Cons: Styrofoam-like materials. A more sporty, less casual style.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-176321" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/shutterstock_1188638068-scaled.jpg" alt="Adidas Gazelle" width="2560" height="1707" />

In general, I’m not a fan of Adidas shoes. Every pair of Stan Smiths I’ve ever tried has been hot garbage. The air cell-filled outsole collapses immediately. The “leather” is just compressed scraps coated in plastic and stamped to look like real leather. The tongue rides up the arch of my foot. The toe box creases immediately. The outsole, despite having a visible stitch, is just glued onto the upper of the shoe.

So it took me a while to start experimenting with Adidas as a driving shoe alternative. However, a "40 per cent off" was enough of an incentive to try a pair of Gazelles which have been, far and away, the best pair of casual sneakers I’ve ever used for driving stick.

Now admittedly, the Gazelle is cheating a little bit. It was originally designed as a trainer/running shoe and that heritage shows. But it still doesn’t look so much like sportswear that it’s disqualified from casual wear, and the benefits far outweigh the detractors.

The double-stitched toe box and cap prevents creasing and encourages using your toe to shift. A cushy, supported heel makes your foot feel locked in, while not digging into your flesh like the Vans. The bottom of the outside also provides excellent grip with its hexagonal pattern.

The lack of metal ringlets for the laces and the general softness of the materials make the Gazelles easy to clean and more repellent to scuffs — especially in suede form. The tongue does feel horribly cheap — honestly like a styrofoam cup, but I have to say it's held together well so far.

The shoe overall feels flexible, while also secure. So you get a great pedal feel, while not wearing out the arches of your feet. Their origin as a training shoe really comes in as an advantage here.

The Gazelles simply check all the boxes. They feel great as a driving shoe. They’re made to stand up to abuse. They’re not terribly expensive. And they look more like an everyday piece of fashion than they do a piece of sports equipment.

Obviously, I’ve tried a lot more shoes for driving stick over the years than what I mentioned above. Skate shoes like Supra and Nike SB. Dad shoes like New Balance Legacys and Reebok Club Cs. Even some classic sneakers like Nike Blazers. I personally found they did an acceptable job, but I never liked how trendy they were — in fashion one summer and out the next.

I landed on Jack Purcells, Vans Old School, and Adidas Gazelles not just for their ease of styling and clutch-kicking capabilities, but also because they’re all yet to go out of fashion since their inception.

And in the case of the Gazelles, they’ve been a sneaker staple since the ‘60s. Once again, making them the most favorable choice in my books.

Sneakers and stick shifts: What’s the best pair for the job?

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

The story of how I came upon the privilege of interviewing Frank Stephenson spawned from this very website. A few months back, I wrote a piece about my experience <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/guides/buying-and-modding-a-first-generation-bmw-mini-cooper-r50">purchasing and tuning</a> a first-generation R50 MINI Cooper.

A few weeks later, I woke up to a message in my LinkedIn inbox. It was Frank Stephenson himself, reaching out to congratulate me on my piece about a car he had designed. Astounded by the fact that my story had received such recognition from a renowned personality, I seized the opportunity to speak with him one-on-one in an online interview. It was an invitation Mr. Stephenson gladly accepted.

From Drawing Ford Escorts to Becoming a YouTube Sensation

Through an online video conference tool, Frank introduced me to his man cave, a dimly lit, but warm and cozy space filled with reminders of his past, a massive projector screen, and even a minibar. “I like this place, it’s quiet and allows me to wind down,” Stephenson says as he gave me a quick tour of the room through the lens of his camera.

Prior to the call, I was somewhat intimidated by the prospect of meeting this renowned designer but Frank immediately put me at ease with his down-to-earth, honest, and relaxed demeanour. I felt like I had known the guy my entire life.

Frank Stephenson’s contribution to the automotive industry is huge. He oversaw some of the most significant vehicles we’ve seen being put to market over the past three decades. His first notable project was the Ford Escort Cosworth, a design he’s particularly happy about due to the car’s signature double rear wing, one that originally had three slats in concept form, but was eventually toned down prior to production.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175770" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Frank-at-Rackleys_2-Nov-2022.png" alt="Frank Stephenson " width="4096" height="2160" />

While at BMW he designed the very first BMW X5 SUV a big deal on its own but his most noteworthy project there was the reincarnation of the MINI brand. The first-generation <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/guides/buying-and-modding-a-first-generation-bmw-mini-cooper-r50">BMW MINI Cooper</a> is regarded today as the best-designed model of the lineage, a bookend car that’s slowly becoming a future classic.

Frank has since designed a wide spectrum of automotive icons. Models like the Ferrari F430, the Maserati MC12, the Ferrari FXX, the Maserati GranSport, the Maserati Quattroporte, the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, the “new” Fiat 500, and the McLaren P1 were all born from his creative vision.

Stephenson retired from McLaren Automotive in 2017 but created his own consulting firm called Frank Stephenson design, which he still runs today.

He remains active by lending a helping hand to a variety of different startups involved in a wide scope of products, from watches, to servers, to child seats, and even eVTOLs (electric vertical take-off and landing), a type of aircraft he firmly believes will solve some of our mobility challenges in the future. Through it all, Frank keeps his <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@FrankStephensondesign">YouTube channel</a> running by publishing educational videos about automotive design. There, he explains how he sketched his most famous works, while at times sharing blunt opinions about the industry’s latest models.

“Ah, the YouTube channel! I despise it, William!” Stephenson commented after I asked him how he came about becoming a YouTube star. He explained that the channel mostly came about as a necessity during the COVID-19 global pandemic. The idea had come up that it could help keep his name out there during lockdowns.

“My public relations team and I never expected the channel to pick up like it did. I’m happy people like the channel though. I love sharing my knowledge with people, but I hate doing YouTube videos (laughing). It’s very demanding and time-consuming. It’s just not my thing,” says Stephenson.

Why are so many new cars so Ugly?

I asked Frank some questions about current trends in automotive design. I wondered why so many cars are so darn ugly nowadays and, perhaps more importantly, why so many new cars lack compelling, memorable designs.

He tells me that today’s automotive designers have grown accustomed to skipping a crucial step in automotive design: hand sketching. Also, priorities in automotive design have shifted compared to the era when he was drawing cars.

“Of course, trends come and go, but today’s trend in automotive design—regrettably—seems to be ugly is the new beautiful. It’s not like, say, during the 1960s where automotive design referred to a specific work of art. We don’t instantly fall in love with great designs like we once did. Instead, the focus now seems to be on shock value. Carmakers have this mindset that bold, shocking designs convey confidence in their brand and product. They assume that consumers will eventually catch up to their way of thinking. In my opinion, that’s not a great way to sell a product to consumers,” remarks Stephenson

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175775" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Frank-Stepĥenson.jpg" alt="Frank Stephenson " width="2000" height="1124" />

Stephenson acknowledges that new technology and modern design tools have opened the door to more creativity, all while speeding up the design process. He even produced an entire video explaining how artificial intelligence will reshape the profession.

However, Frank admits that the new generation of designers has lost the appreciation for sketching on paper. He considers this to be a sad reality, one that further contributes to the new robotic and cold designs the industry’s been subjecting us to.

“This new generation of designers not only misses out on the organic connection between pencil and paper, but it also doesn’t care for it as it was thought to solely rely on the digital. This is how design schools work now. Designers have lost the art of sculpting and embracing an intimate relationship with their designs, perfecting, and further understanding the lines and character traits they’ve drawn themselves. Now, they mostly type in a set of commands in software and the computer gives them a shape that looks like a car, from which they then work on. That, in my opinion, is the root of the problem for some of the questionable car designs we’ve seen in recent years,” says Frank

Open Up Car Design to the Masses

So, what’s next for Frank Stephenson? Well, when he’s not busy designing an <a href="https://www.frankstephenson.com/projects/atmo-supercomputer/">Atmo supercomputer</a> that runs an ultra-powerful AI to solve weather predictions for any city, state, or country, Frank is actually busy putting together his own design course which he soon plans on selling online.

“The course will be long because it must be long. I mean, how do you compress 4 years of design school into a single online class? Still, I believe my course will give somebody at least the basics to get their teeth into car designing. Once that person is finished my course, and once they’ll have listened carefully to what I have to say, they’ll be able to design a car professionally while at least having the main tools in hand, but also the confidence to keep moving forward in this profession.”

With his course, Frank aims to reach lower-income talented individuals who aspire to work in automotive design but feel intimidated by the high costs associated with university programs, or the competitive nature of the profession. He believes that his course, which he plans on starting this year, will help quell the investment risks associated with the profession.

The Future of urban mobility

Frank’s latest involvement in design is in the field of eVTOLs. It’s a type of compact aircraft that could potentially carry people over congested areas much more quickly than standard public transport. Stephenson sees this field as a highly challenging one, the next “Everest” in his long list of achievements as he sees an opportunity to reimagine the way we see aircraft in the future.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175768" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/archer-front-cut.jpg" alt="Frank Stephenson eVOTL" width="1000" height="667" />

When asked if he believes the eVTOL business is a serious one, Frank enthusiastically shared his point of view:

“I kind of smile to myself when people ask me if I believe in this technology. It is coming. By 2025 – record this and put an asterisk on it. I guarantee you’ll be able to get on one of these eVTOLs, fly for about half an hour at 150 miles per hour, and arrive to your destination at a price that would be very comparable to what you would pay for the same trip in an Uber. Except you would have gotten there much, much faster.”

Stephenson made sure to express how safe and reliable eVTOLs will be and how they could potentially change the way we undertake urban mobility in the future. During our interview, he told me he was working on his third plane. Frank sees a world of possibilities for designers in this field as these startups are looking for a new look for their planes.

“Why do planes need to look like sausages with wings on them? In terms of aerodynamics and hydrodynamics, there are much more efficient shapes. That’s what I feel I’m bringing to that industry, this new look on efficiency in terms of flying. Working with the engineers and the new types of propulsion methods helps shape new ideas for design. It’s super stimulating,” says Stephenson.

On the topic of his favourite and least favourite new vehicle designs, he says that the Lucid Air is one of the most beautiful cars he’s seen come out of today’s auto industry, while the Tesla Cybertruck, to his eyes, is the worst design he’s seen in his entire career while designing cars. “I never thought I’d one day see something so ugly,” says Stephenson. “But there it is.”

From Fords to McLarens, legendary car designer Frank Stephenson turns to small aircraft

The 1,025 horsepower 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 makes i

Dodge’s long-anticipated final “Last Call” Challenger, the Demon 170, is badass, technically impressive, and fast as hell.

1025 horsepower. 0 - 60 mph in 1.66 seconds. An official 8.91-second ¼ mile time.

That’s hypercar stuff. But perhaps most important for the muscle car and internal combustion faithful, it means the Dodge Demon 170 is a quicker accelerating production car than the previous record holder, the all-electric <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/vehicle-reviews/review-2021-tesla-model-s-plaid">Tesla Model S Plaid</a>.

Additionally, not enough has been said about the 170’s improvements over the <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/news/want-a-demon-ralph-gilles-head-of-design-at-fca-is-selling-his">standard Demon</a> — notably that it doesn’t need a crate with drag slicks, skinny front tires and a pile of re-tuned equipment to be installed before it can unlock its full capability.

There’s a sort of vitriol to the Demon 170. CEO Tim Kuniskis' entire reveal speech seemed to centre on a general theme of edgelord, “rebel”, “in your face” attitude. And if you’re into cars, as cringe-worthy as it is, you can’t help but be won over by that sort of thing — you can’t help but want to participate in the vitriol.

The Hellcat has always had that effect. You can’t help but become irrational, even delusional about it.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175292" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/DG023_156CL-scaled.jpg" alt="Dodge Demon 170" width="2560" height="1707" />

Even if you’re not into Dodge as a brand or muscle cars, there’s always been something about the attitude and approach to the Hellcat that was difficult to not admire. It conjures certain raw emotions in your gut that you can’t ignore. For whatever reason, you just want to believe “that car can do anything.”

Like the <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/reviews/2023-porsche-911-carrera-t-first-drive-review">Porsche 911</a>, you have to put the Dodge Hellcat in the pantheon of cars that you sort of have to like as a car enthusiast.

Which is why it’s so damn satisfying to know that there’s at least one Hellcat variant in the Demon 170 which can toss some egg onto the face of a bad-faith billionaire’s bland vision of the future.

However…

We’ve got to come back down to reality a little bit on the Demon 170. Because while this ultimate Challenger is undoubtedly impressive, there are some giant misconceptions about what it is, what it can do, and how it can do it.

Let’s start with the thing muscle car enthusiasts care about the most. Power.
<h3>The horsepower is not (necessarily) the horsepower.</h3>
The Dodge Demon 170 makes 1025 horsepower… on a 170-proof E85 tune.

On regular pump gas the car makes closer to 900 horsepower. Still amazing. But it’s not as much as a Plaid, and crucially, 91-octane won’t unlock the performance the Demon needs to trounce a Plaid down the ¼ mile or between the lights.

“Well okay, just fill it with E85 then,” I hear you say.

To which I reply, “Good luck finding any in Canada.” There are only four E85 filling stations in the country, and they’re all in British Columbia according to a biofuels industry association.

Yes, you could probably find a way to order some by the barrel, or fill up during a trip to the States, but it’s all pretty inconvenient – and I’m sorry to say — way more inconvenient than charging your EV.

But hey, at least the Demon 170 is a performance bargain, right? Well, no actually.
<h3>It won’t cost under $100,000.</h3>
You won’t be able to breathe on this car for $100,000.

Dodge has already released the MSRP and it starts at a very plump $134,785 CAD.

That’s before any taxes or additional fees, And of course before any cursed markup. There are rumors Dodge has tried to control the dealers as best they can, but getting our hopes up seems ill-advised.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175293" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/DG023_148CL-scaled.jpg" alt="Almost everything about the final Challenger comes with an asterisk." width="2560" height="1707" />

Oh, and Canada is only getting 300 units, so use your imagination there. We all know the dealers will.

At any rate, the options list will still give your head a shake. If you want your Demon 170 with trick carbon fiber wheels, for example, that’s a cool $19,000 CAD.

Want a set of proper tires instead of those barely street-legal Mickey Thompson ET Street R drag radials? Those will be extra, too. And since those MTs are designed for use only on a prepped drag surface, a more streetable tire might be something you’ll want if you ever plan on just going for a drive.

Of course, you’re a fearless drag racing hero and would never bother with anything other than full launch rips in your Demon 170. Optional extras are for blue-blooded snots, city-slickers and people who don’t listen to Joe Rogan. All you really care about is achieving the best possible acceleration times.

Well, sorry to disappoint again, but there are some disclaimers in that area too.
<h3>The acceleration numbers are under ideal circumstances.</h3>
<a href="https://www.dodgegarage.com/srt-demon-170">The official, NHRA certified time is 8.91 seconds</a>. But <a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/dodge/challenger-srt-demon">Dodge claims they did one run at 8.61</a>. Which, if true… wow.

However, we have to understand that the sub-9-second ¼ mile time, as well as the eye-melting 1.66 second 0 - 60 mph capability, are only achievable under the best possible circumstances — <a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/dodge/challenger-srt-demon">even by Dodge’s own admission</a>.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175296" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/BU023_091EV-scaled.jpg" alt="Almost everything about the final Challenger comes with an asterisk." width="2560" height="1707" />

That means you need the E85 in the tank. It probably also means you need those $19K carbon fibre wheels. And the MT Street R drag radials equipped. And you had better be on a prepped drag strip. And you need to know what you’re doing.

I’m not saying it's not possible. I’m saying it all has to be ideal. And planned out.

In many ways, the Demon 170 demonstrates why ICE is an outgoing technology. Dodge needed to push the engineering so ridiculously far — to build a race car so hardcore it’s already been banned by the NHRA — and put the car in just the right circumstances, just to barely edge out the Tesla Plaid.

Something like the Tesla Plaid or <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/reviews/2023-lucid-air-grand-touring-performance-review">Lucid Air</a> or <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/reviews/electric-cars-can-be-exciting">Taycan Turbo S</a>, while not being quite as quick, don’t need all the prep to do what they do. You don’t need a prepared surface or special tires or a special kind of electricity to do 0 - 60 mph in two seconds and a ¼ mile in the 9s.

But… that doesn't mean I don’t want a Demon 170 more than I want literally any EV on the market right now. Hell, I want a Demon 170 more than I want both my kidneys. Because, like you, I am delusional about this car.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-175295" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/BU023_094EV-scaled.jpg" alt="Almost everything about the final Challenger comes with an asterisk." width="2560" height="1703" />

The numbers, while impressive, really aren’t as important as the sensations, the emotions, the sounds, and the identity.

That’s all anybody ever really cared about when it came to the Hellcat anyway. The spirit of it. That’s the thing that always hypnotized us.

As a send-off to the ICE muscle car, that was really the only thing the Demon 170 actually needed to accomplish, and just by existing it already has. No asterisk required.

The Dodge Demon 170 Has Made Us All Delusional

hotwheels (11 of 11)

There are plenty of Hot Wheels at the Toronto AutoShow this year. No, not the fancy metal in the AutoExotica booth, we mean real Hot Wheels. Five life-sized Hot Wheels cars on display, as well as the Sweet 16 original Hot Wheels die-cast cars and a big range of real cars that would all be offered as Hot Wheels, die-casts if we had our way. With only a few days of the show left, this is a display you have to see.

The Hot Wheels Sweet 16 is the original set of cars the company released back in 1968. There were mild customs like a Mustang, Firebird, and Camaro. There were also the crazy Hot Wheels designs that would make the company a legend. The Beatnik Bandit, Deora, Silhouette, and Hot Heap were all part of this first year of die-casts.

Next up: The full-sized cars that were built based on Hot Wheels die-cast creations.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-174853" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/hotwheels-1-of-11-scaled.jpg" alt="darth vader hot wheels" width="2560" height="1707" />

The ones on display include the Darth Vader car from 2014. This one is Darth Vader's helmet transformed into a full-sized work of art. One of the highlights is the lightsaber side pipes that glow in Sith red.

Hot Wheels' 2001 Twin Mill will be on the display. The Twin Mill was the first time a Hot Wheels design was ever turned into an actual vehicle. It has two 502-cubic-inch big block V8 engines. They both work and give the car more than 1,400 horsepower.

This 1971 Chevrolet El Camino first appeared on Hot Wheels World's Best Driver. The Chevy has a 650 hp 502 V8 under the hood, along with a pair of Pratt &amp; Whitney jet engines mounted in the cargo tray. Yes, it's as cool as it sounds.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-174855" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/hotwheels-3-of-11-scaled.jpg" alt="hot wheels toronto auto show" width="2560" height="1707" />

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-174860" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/hotwheels-8-of-11-scaled.jpg" alt="hot wheels toronto auto show" width="2560" height="1707" />

Also on display is Kevin Huth’s 1973 Toyota “Tokyo Trams-Am” Celica. This ride was the sole Canadian semi-finalist in the Hot Wheels Legend Tour, meaning that it was very close to being turned into a die-cast model.

It's easy to see why, with the look that is "what if Toyota entered Trans-Am racing against Ford and GM in the 1970s." With a healthy dose of patina and a big V8.

Rounding out the collection are a handful of locally-built cars both new and old that 100 percent need to be immortalized in your local toy aisle immediately. Those include a Jeep Gladiator that has been slammed to the ground and transformed into a dually, a widebody Chevrolet Corvette that has been transformed into a speedster-style open-top car, and what might be the coolest Cadillac we've ever seen. With more louvers than a fleet of '90s Camaros and absolutely sublime paintwork.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-174862" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/hotwheels-10-of-11-scaled.jpg" alt="hot wheels toronto auto show" width="2560" height="1707" />

If you're looking for more, the booth will have a space to play with Hot Wheels RC cars as well as tracks set up so that kids (sure, kids), can have some fun with a range of Hot Wheels die-casts.

Admission to the Hot Wheels display room (but not the arcade) is included with admission to the AutoShow. Just look for the signature blue and orange. The Canadian International Auto Show runs February 17-26 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

Hot Wheels Come to Life at the Toronto AutoShow

IMG_6902

If you’re an automotive enthusiast looking for something cheap and fun in the secondhand market these days, things are a little rough. Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic hit us back in 2020, prices of iconic enthusiast-friendly classics have skyrocketed, making them, in some cases, more expensive than a brand-new sports car. But not all hope is lost, because there are still some hidden gems out there for any budget. One example is the first-generation MINI Cooper R50, an underrated future classic. It was sold here in Canada from 2002 to 2006 (2008 for the convertible).

When these cars came out, they were all about smiles per gallon. They were lightweight and tiny compared to anything else on the road, huge fun to drive and beautifully styled by non-other than Frank Stephenson. They also marked the return of the iconic MINI brand thanks to new BMW ownership.

Here’s a fun fact about these cars: in 2022, Hagerty UK listed the MINI Cooper R50 in its Bull Market List. Hagerty, a classic car insurer, considers that this generation of the MINI Cooper is currently at its most affordable and that it will slowly appreciate over time. Hagerty believes that the MINI Cooper is a future classic due to its significance in automotive history, but also because it’s a bookend car in the sense that it reincarnated the entire MINI brand that we know today.

Unfortunately, one of the reasons they’re so underappreciated and forgotten by enthusiasts is because of their shady reliability record. Stories of first-generation MINI Coopers blowing their engines, dropping their transmissions, or ending up with serious cooling or electrical issues are far too common, which has seriously hindered their appeal and resale value over time.

Finding the right Mini

Yes, it’s true that the R50 (base MINI Cooper), R53 (supercharged Cooper S) and R52 (Convertible Cooper and Cooper S) aren’t the most reliable cars out there. But it’s also true that if you pick the right one, you’ll end up with a MINI that’s “not bad”. That’s the one you’ll want to buy as a foundation for your build.

The good news in all of this is that you can still find a well-kept example with decent mileage in the vicinity of $10,000. When I bought my Cooper back in 2020, I paid $6,000 for a model that had never seen winter and it only had 115,000 km on the odometer. Needless to say, it was a keeper.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-174243" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/IMG_6949.jpg" alt="Mini Cooper R50" width="2000" height="1125" />

The first rule of thumb when buying an R50 is to stay away from anything that’s pre-2005. The early years were a nightmare, but in 2005, BMW basically overhauled the car, replacing several key components with sturdier and better parts. The transmissions were now supplied by Getrag instead of Midlands, which made them a lot more reliable.

The second rule when shopping for a first-generation MINI Cooper is to avoid the automatic transmission. As an enthusiast, you won’t want it anyway since it’s a CVT, but also because it was plagued with problems, leading to a <a href="https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/closed-settlements/mini-cooper-class-action-lawsuit-settlement/#:~:text=Under%20the%20terms%20of%20the,mileage%20of%20the%20repair%2Freplacement.">class-action lawsuit</a>.

The final and perhaps most important rule of all: do not buy a Cooper S!

Now at this point, you’re probably wondering why? Why not start off with the high-performance, supercharged model for your performance build? The reason for this is that you’ll want to stay away from the complexity, as well as the oil consumption and cooling issues that resulted from the supercharger. The base Cooper, while underpowered, has a much simpler engine, while remaining a fantastic platform on which to build from.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-174247" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/mini-r50-manual.jpg" alt="Mini Cooper R50" width="2000" height="1123" />

So, let’s recap. You’ll want to find a 2005 or 2006 MINI Cooper, non-S R50, equipped with a five-speed manual transmission and, ideally, without low mileage. Also make sure that the car has been properly maintained and has its service records. This is a European car after all.

The Tuning Guide – Handling

The R50 MINI is already a fantastic handling car, but you can make it even better. One of this car’s main problems out of the box is that its ride is very stiff. You can improve ride quality and durability with a quality aftermarket coilover set.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-174248" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/mini-bilstein-coilovers.jpg" alt="Mini Cooper R50" width="2000" height="1125" />

Take the time to carefully shop for the brands that are available. Try to go for well-established companies that have made a good name for themselves in the aftermarket and OEM world. I personally chose Bilstein due to its extensive experience with all sorts of vehicles, more specifically European cars. I went with the B16 set due to its adjustability. Working with a trusty mechanic, I was able to find a sweet spot between handling and comfort. The upgrade led to a car that handles better, rides smoother, but that’s also more solid when hitting rough pavement.

Wheels and Tires

Since the R50 has a power disadvantage versus the R53 Cooper S, you’ll want to keep those wheels as small and light as possible. From the factory, the non-S Cooper comes with 15-inch wheels. I recommend staying with those. If you plan on going larger for looks, do not exceed 16 inches.

There’s a great website called <a href="https://minicooper.fandom.com/wiki/OEM_Wheels_and_Tires#15%22_Wheels">minicooper.fandom.com</a> that lists all the available OEM wheels for a first-gen MINI Cooper, with the weight of each set. The lightest wheels are the R81 “phone-dial” type, weighing in at only 12 lbs. each.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-174249" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/stock-wheels.jpg" alt="Mini Cooper R50 wheels mod" width="2000" height="1125" />

I personally couldn’t resist the look of the R90, Italian Job style 16-inch wheels. But I do realize that at 24 lbs. apiece, they’re on the heavy side.

Lastly, you’ll want to wrap those wheels with sticky rubber and if possible, not too wide. What you want from your MINI is to feel it at the limit, so you don’t want too much grip. From the factory, these cars come with 175-mm wide tires. I wouldn’t go past 205-mm, which is what I chose to put on my MINI.

Power – You’ll Need More of it

The biggest problem with the R50 is its lack of power. While immensely fun to throw into a corner due to its lack of body roll and small size, you might find things a bit boring in the straights. You’ll need to extract more horsepower and torque from that basic, but bomb-proof 1.6-liter, single overhead cam, 16-valve Tritec four-cylinder. Stock, it’s good for 115 horsepower and 110 lb-ft of torque.

But what this engine lacks in refinement, it makes up for it for by how simply it was engineered. When designing the MINI Cooper, both Rover and BMW wanted the car to be easily customizable. This also meant easily tunable. They therefore engineered a cast-iron block so it could endure massive abuse, either through natural aspiration, supercharging or turbocharging.

Breathing

The first step is to improve the engine’s breathing through an upgraded intake system. A cold air intake is typically the best route to take for this.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-174233" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Engine.jpg" alt="Mini Cooper R50 intake mod" width="2000" height="1123" />

Just like the coilovers, carefully research each brand and find the one that is best suited for a MINI Cooper. Try to prioritize quality over low pricing. <a href="https://www.outmotoring.com/">Outmotoring.com</a> is a wonderful place to find aftermarket parts for all generations of the MINI Cooper. They suggested that I go with an A&amp;E cold air intake system for maximum gains. Upgrading your Cooper’s intake will also give it a pleasant, raspy snarl when climbing through the revs, further adding to the driving experience.

Exhaust

Intake modifications don’t do much if they’re not paired with a proper exhaust system. What you want from this tiny engine is to give it a chance to breathe properly, but also to adequately get rid of its waste.

A full exhaust system may be costly, but it’ll give you the greatest number of gains, especially if it’s mated to a proper intake system. In my case, I went with the Milltek setup, which is specifically designed for the R50 MINI Cooper.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-174246" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/MINI-R50-exhaust-mod.jpg" alt="Mini Cooper R50" width="2000" height="1125" />

Designed and hand-built in the UK, the system is said to add about 15 horsepower while improving the exhaust note, but not to the point of getting you pulled over by the police. One other aspect I particularly like about this exhaust system is that the muffler’s tip fits perfectly well inside the bumper hole, put there for the OEM exhaust tip.

True MINI connoisseurs will argue that the R50’s original “Coke can” exhaust tip is part of the Frank Stephenson design. And it is. But Milltek’s system is discrete enough to make it look like an OEM part, all while significantly improving your car’s performance and sound.

Ignition

Now that air and exhaust are flowing through your engine faster than before, you’ll also want to improve the entire ignition system so it can keep up. Out Motoring sells a great package for this that they call the <a href="https://www.outmotoring.com/mini-cooper/out-motoring-MINI_cooper_ignition-upgrade-out-ig-kit-kingsborne-beru-standard-screaming-deamon-coil-tune-up-performance-upgrade-spark-plugs-coil-pack-high-volt.html">Out Motoring Stage 3 Ignition Kit</a>. It comes complete with an upgraded coil pack from Screaming Demon, upgraded NGK spark plugs, and performance Kingsborne wires. This engine modification may seem insignificant, but when you mix it up with a proper intake and exhaust upgrade, you’ll notice the gains.

ECU Reflash

This is a tricky one and I highly recommend you read up on it before you embark on an ECU reflash. It’s also important that the company you work with knows everything about your car before they send you the tune.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-174239" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/IMG_6945.jpg" alt="Mini Cooper R50" width="2000" height="1126" />

I learned this the hard way by working with Superchips, a UK-based company. They sell a great kit called the Bluefin which allows you to simply connect it to your OBD port, giving you up to 10 horsepower in the process. Unfortunately, I hadn’t informed them ahead of time that I had already installed the parts listed above. This led to a reflash that simply wasn’t compatible with my already tuned engine.

My recommendation is as follows: either you begin with this upgrade or, if you plan on doing it last, like I did, make sure to inform the company of all the upgrades you’ve done prior. Also make sure to work with a company that has extensive experience with gen-1 MINI Coopers. Superchips is a good one, but they’ve already begun to legacy their kits due to their age.

How About the Brakes?

Upgrading your brakes is never a bad idea, but I’ve realized that the stock Cooper brakes are plenty capable of withstanding the augmented horsepower and torque. That’s why I decided to stay with the original four-wheel disk setup. All I did was upgrade my brake pads with Hawk performance ceramic units.

Enough Gains to Have Massive Fun

If all these steps are taken properly, your MINI Cooper R50 should end up in the vicinity of 140 horsepower give or take. Considering that these cars only weigh about 2,500 pounds, that’s a great power-to-weight ratio.

You’ll also notice that the engine revs easier all the way to its 7,000-rpm redline and that the throttle response is improved. Lastly, since the car’s entire intake, exhaust and ignition system is overhauled, I suggest always running on 91-octane fuel or higher.

In total, expect these mods to cost you anywhere between $5,000 and $7,000. Considering how affordable these cars are right now, you could end up with a highly fun, analog, and vocal little brat of a hot hatchback for less than $15,000.

Buying and Modding a first-generation BMW Mini Cooper R50

wh-AskMechanic-Nov12

Dear Ask a Mechanic,

My 2009 Toyota Corolla has a warning light that stays on. I’ve brought it into the dealership, and they say it has to do with the tire pressure. At the time, they did something to clear the warning light and checked the tires. They said it would cost a lot of money to replace the sensor that is causing the warning light. They said that if I didn’t want to pay for it to be replaced, I could just live with the warning light being on and just be sure to check the tires now and again. But it’s annoying seeing the light on every time I’m driving. What do you think? – Tire tired

Automotive tire pressure monitoring systems, generally referred to as TPMS, have been around for more than 30 years. The earliest design, co-developed by Bosch and Porsche, used specialized wheels with calibrated pressure switches built into them. The system was costly and not widely used.

Improvements in technology eventually allowed sensors powered by internal batteries to do the job. Each sensor transmits its information to the car’s computer using radio signals. While these sensors have become smaller and capable of transmitting more information (such as tire temperature and sensor battery strength), the basic premise of what is known as direct TPMS remains the same today.

At the same time, anti-lock brakes (ABS) have also become more common and its controllers are now much more sophisticated. This is also a way that tire pressure can be detected. Known as indirect TPMS, this method uses the ABS wheel speed sensors to monitor average tire speeds relative to one another.

Low pressure will result in a tire’s overall diameter becoming smaller. The tires sidewalls get smooshed out and the wheel is closer to the road, meaning the tire’s overall height is less and it will rotate slightly faster than a properly inflated tire. Eventually the average tire speeds reveal the imbalance, and the ABS module will turn on the TPMS warning light.

Automakers frequently use either type. Your Corolla uses the direct kind with four sensors in the valve stems. Since they have batteries built in them, they have a finite lifespan. The battery is attached to the sensor, so replacing the sensor is required to replace the battery, and the tires must come off the wheels to do it.

Like you, I hate having warning lights on, and TPMS is a useful system when it works, so I’d want to fix it. Just know that the sensors are probably all the same age, so even if only one is dead, the others may not be far behind.

While factory sensors can be expensive, aftermarket sensors are widely available, functionally interchangeable and potentially far less costly. I would expect that it will cost well under $100 for each sensor to be replaced and installed. You’ll most likely have to go an independent shop for this option, though.

Ask a Mechanic is written by Brian Early, a Red Seal-certified automotive technician. You can send your questions to wheels@thestar.ca. These answers are for informational purposes only. Please consult a certified mechanic before having any work done to your vehicle.

Dealing with the pressure from a tire warning light

wh-AskMechanic-Nov5

Dear Ask a Mechanic,

I have a three-year-old Mini Cooper. Recently two tires developed a bump on their side walls. I do hit the occasional pothole, but never at any high speeds. Because the wheels on the Mini do not have a conventional inner tube, I was told I would have to replace both tires (they have less than 18,000 kilometres on them). There is no warranty or insurance coverage, and it has cost me $750. What is going on here? – Tire Dinged 

Unfortunately, you’re the victim of a couple of automotive industry trends. One is the market’s preference for larger diameter wheels and correspondingly shorter sidewalls. With less sidewall height to flex and compress, the likelihood that the tire will get pinched by something, like the edge of a pothole or a driveway lip, becomes even greater.

Mini’s use of tire sizes on the Cooper that are a smaller in overall diameter than what is common in Canada and the U.S. results in even shorter sidewalls.

Your cost sounds quite high, but you probably tried to match the remaining tires, which would be a major factor. Even if you didn’t, the Cooper’s less popular tires sizes mean there are fewer alternatives on the market. One of the Mini’s tire sizes, the 205/45R17, is a common factory fitment on Mazda’s MX-5, but the Japanese roadster doesn’t use run-flat tire

Run-flat tires are another factor in your replacement costs. BMW, Mini’s parent company, began transitioning to primarily using run-flat tires in the early 2000s, eliminating spare tires and saving on vehicle weight, space and production costs. The German automaker isn’t alone in using run-flat tires, Chevrolet’s Corvette has used them for three generations, but BMW is among the higher users of them in the auto industry.

The key benefit of these extended mobility tires is the ability for the heavily reinforced sidewall to safely permit continued driving without air pressure (albeit at reduced speed) far enough to reach a service station or garage. Most tire manufacturers have a policy of replacing and not repairing the tire once that happens. Some do not permit repairs at all.

Due to their heavier and specialized construction, run-flat tires are typically anywhere from 10 to 30 per cent more expensive than comparable tires. They also tend to increase ride harshness, a side-effect of the super-stiff sidewalls necessary for low pressure support. Many owners opt to replace run-flats with other tires (and rely on roadside assistance in a flat tire situation) when they buy a vehicle with them.

While it won’t help you with your car’s original tires, pro-rated Road Hazard warranties are available from select tire retailers and brands (often at additional cost) for future tire purchases, offering you a limited form of insurance protection.

Ask a Mechanic is written by Brian Early, a Red Seal-certified automotive technician. You can send your questions to wheels@thestar.ca. These answers are for informational purposes only. Please consult a certified mechanic before having any work done to your vehicle.

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Buying and Modding a first-generation BMW Mini Cooper R50

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