Sep 12 2019
Mention the Dodge Serra Boulevard GT, and even the most fervent Chrysler fan might respond, “Huh?” With just 18 copies of the fibreglass-bodied 2+2 coupe produced between 1972 and 1974, the Serra is hardly likely to show up at your local Moparfest. But the minuscule production total isn’t the Spanish-built Serra’s only distinction. It is …
Sep 04 2019
Over the years many items of interest have made my home their home. While I continue to enjoy all this odds’n’endsia, I’d like to make some of it available to other collectors. Contact me at editor@gonedriving.ca if you’d like more details on any of these items. Prices plus shipping. Paypal would be a good way …
Sep 03 2019
Soon! Consuming Electronics Ten technology firsts that you may have owned! By Paul Williams Polaroid SX-70: The first single lens reflex instant colour camera Motorola DynaTak 8000X: The first cell phone Regency TR-1: The first transistor radio Zenith Flashmatic: The first wireless remote Magnavox Odyssey: The original home video game suite Hoffman Trans Solar: Pioneer …
Jul 25 2019
When driving a 2019 Volkswagen GTI the word that most readily comes to mind is “balance.” Well, balance is a beautiful thing, right? You want people to be well-balanced; you work for a balanced portfolio; you balance wants and needs. It’s an aspiration, a goal, an ideal. And in a car it can be a …
Jul 24 2019
All-new for 2019, the Toyota RAV4 may be nothing like your mental image of this vehicle. It’s bigger, tougher-looking, ready for adventure. Nothing like the little cute-ute that debuted so long ago. But just like people, vehicles evolve, change, grow up (we hope) as the years pass. This is the fifth generation “RAV,” adapting to …
Jul 16 2019
Released in Canada in 2017 as a 2018 model, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) quickly became Canada’s best-selling plug-in hybrid. That shouldn’t be too surprising because there wasn’t a mainstream mid-size SUV plug-in hybrid on the market until Mitsubishi released the Outlander PHEV. And guess what? Canadians love their compact and mid-size …
Jun 27 2019
Spent an entertaining week in the 2019 Mazda3 Sport GT AWD. It’s the first model of the fourth-generation Mazda3, and it features a new platform along with new interior and exterior styling, and improvements to driving dynamics and convenience features. Except for the 2.5L four-cylinder engine, it’s all-new, in other words. Also news is that …
Jun 02 2019
It’s been almost two decades since Toyota introduced its Prius gas-electric to the North American market, where it quickly became the poster child for alternative “hybrid” vehicles. Prius hit its sales stride around 2012, after which, and in the face of competition from other manufacturers, demand softened. But Toyota is still investing in its trail-blazing …
May 01 2019
It’s that time of the model cycle again – the end, that is – meaning next year’s 2020 Toyota Highlander will be an all new replacement of the current model. Consequently, many of the features of the 2019 Highlander are about to be replaced or enhanced as this version is retired. With that in mind, …
Feb 25 2019
When you put your signature on something, you’re vouching for it, right? You’re literally, “putting your name on the line.” I guess that’s the idea with Mazda’s “Signature” line of vehicles, which in my view are edging ever closer to entry-level luxury, and maybe beyond. “Top tier,” says Mazda like a proud parent. That’s one …
