2008 Smart Fortwo

Not that long ago – late 2004 – the smart car arrived in Canada as a sort of experiment on the part of its builder, Mercedes-Benz. The subsidiary set up to market the small urban vehicles had surprisingly not done so well, despite European cities being full of the things. So, it was...

2008 Mini Cooper S

A lot of people took the time to check out the latest Mini Cooper S during my time with it. Most of them, after wandering around the car, said something along the lines of “boy, it sure doesn’t look much different.” Driving it, however, elicits a very different...

2008 Honda Accord

When Honda set out to redesign the Accord, which was one of the largest-selling cars in North America, it needed to not only build on its strengths and appeal to loyal customers, but also keep up with the technological progress made in the industry and try to entice new buyers into the...

2008 BMW M5

I have to say that it was with a mixture of fear and excitement that I picked up a 2008 BMW M5 for a week long test drive. Colleagues had warned me of the prospect of having a police officer yank my driving privileges at the side of the road. The fourth version of this revolutionary sedan...

2007 Acura MDX

For 2007, the Acura MDX SUV has been given a major rework. The most obvious change is its appearance. The exterior design is now much cleaner and continues the Acura knife-edged design elements found on the brand’s other models. The overall impression is one of a maturing...

2006 Pontiac Solstice

The Solstice is a very different beast – not only for Pontiac, but also for GM. To begin with it drives its rear wheels, which puts it in an elite class within the General’s oversized portfolio. It is also different because it is the first car to take a serious swipe at the Mazda...