WomanOnWheels.ca

The Chevy Volt and Volkswagen Jetta: My best and worst for 2011

Each year, the editor of the Wheels section in the Toronto Star asks the car reviewers to name the best and worst cars they drove that year. For 2011, mine were the Chevrolet Volt and Volkswagen Jetta 2.0. Find out the details by clicking here.

A Cadillac parade and Al Unser Jr: My best and worst of 2011

Each year, the Toronto Star asks its Wheels writers to describe their best and worst auto experiences. Mine for 2011 were a Cadillac parade in Vermont and a run-in with race driver Al Unser Jr. You can read all about it by clicking here.

Another year of auto funnies ...

A homemade seatbelt, a million-dollar crash and spiders up the fuel pipe: they're all part of some of the weird auto things that happened in 2011. You can read this year's list in the Toronto Star by clicking here.

This is an annual list, so click on previous years to see them: 2010, 2009, 2008 and 2007.

My little red Christmas truck ...

The Toronto Star asked its writers for Christmas stories, and from the Wheels contributors, pieces that had to do with all things wheeled. This little toy truck, which my brother still has, got me through a tough transition when I was a child. You can read all about it by clicking here.

Don't drink and drive ... try these instead!

It's the time of year for Christmas cheer, but that should never include car keys. At Autos.ca we put together a list of alternatives to getting behind the wheel, including Operation Red Nose, taxi numbers, and a list of designated driver services. Find it all by clicking here - and click before you go out for the night!

A look at the 2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Wagon

I love station wagons, but there aren't that many left to love anymore. One worthy of affection - providing you can afford the steep price tag - is the Mercedes-Benz E350 version. Read all about it in Autos.ca by clicking here.

GM builds bad roads on purpose

Vehicles have to be tested on all types of road surfaces while they're being developed, and most manufacturers do this at dedicated facilities where bad roads are laid down right from the start. I check out GM's Milford Proving Grounds in my Driving Force column in Metro; you can check it out by clicking here.

The coolest hot rod stuff ever

More years ago than I care to remember, I met Lance Sorchik, a very talented artist and hot-rod builder from New Jersey. We kept touch over the years, and I even commissioned this piece of artwork from him, depicting a car that was undergoing construction in my garage. (It now lives in California - the car, not the painting!)

Lance has a fantastic website with his artwork and his cars, and you really need to check it out. Click here to visit him.

Saab: 1950-2011

It's official. Some 61 years after it was founded, Saab has folded. The company made the announcement today after it was unable to secure promised funding.

It had been courting various partners for a while, but was pinning its hopes on a couple of Chinese auto companies and investors who had ordered cars to sell in that country. The problem is that when you order vehicles, you really need to pay for them.

The Swedish and Chinese companies continued to barter back and forth, but in the end, General Motors, which sold Saab in 2010 but still held key technology licenses, finally said enough is enough. GM refused to okay the latest transaction, the Chinese automaker has withdrawn, and Saab has filed for bankruptcy.

It's not easy or cheap to run a car company, and when GM originally cut it loose, its future was iffy even as its new owners were optimistic. Still, it made some really sweet cars in its day, and it's always hard to see something go, especially one that had such a history. RIP, Saab, and thanks for the ride.

All I want for Christmas is ...

Well, not much, actually - I don't do the Christmas gift thing. But I must for the Toronto Star, which asks for a list of car-related gifts for its special Christmas edition each year. Mine run from a $2 box of window wipes to that gorgeous Montegrappa pen shown here, celebrating Alfa Romeo and a steal at $1,720. Read all about it by clicking here.

Audi Q5 Hybrid: Less fuel, more fun

I drove the upcoming 2013 Audi Q5 Hybrid in Spain earlier this year; Metro asked me for a short review of it. The bottom line: it's costly and it's fun. Read all about it by clicking here.

Small cars need big solutions

Cars are getting smaller, but they still have pretty much the same number of components as larger vehicles - and that presents a problem for automakers, who must find a way to stuff everything inside. Simply making the parts smaller isn't always a solution. I asked Toyota how it shoehorned everything into the Scion iQ; you can read the answer in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

2012 Buick Verano: Definitely not a gussied-up Cruze

It's more of a baby Regal, and it's a pretty nice ride. You can read all about this newest and smallest Buick on Autos.ca by clicking here.

2012 BMW 3 Series: It was good, now it's better

The 2012 3 Series will be a gradual roll-out of an all-new sedan and carried-over coupe and convertible models. I had the tough job of piloting the 328i sedan in the countryside around Barcelona, and generally came away very impressed. You can read all about it in the Toronto Star by clicking here.

Options: The automaker's dilemma

Customers want options, but what ones? Keeping up with customer preferences - and the speed with which electronics change - can be quite an issue for automakers. I asked Honda about it; you can read the answer in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.

Vehicle sustainability: A major part of building a car

It's no longer enough for automakers to just design a car and send it out to buyers. Today, they also have to think about fuel economy and the impact of alternative fuels, including what happens to batteries and fuel cells once their useful lives are over. I talked to Ford about it; read all about it in my Driving Force column in Metro by clicking here.