Amazing Times at the Honda Indy in Edmonton

Hi All,

Well, it's been one of the most amazing weekends in my life and it's not even over! I know that's a bold statement to make, but it's very true. My weekend, which began on Thursday, started off with the testing out of the all new 2011 Honda CR-Z 2-door, sports coupe hybrid. I will post a separate review on this. What a great car to drive...

Then came the Honda Indy in Edmonton. For those who are not really into open wheel racing, you are missing out. Attending these kinds of events are so exciting and very cool. I haven't been to an Indy since it left Vancouver in 2004 so this was a definite treat. Three days of fast and loud cars, amazing drivers and more fast and loud cars is what I call a good time. But even non-enthusiasts can get a lot out of it. Racing is certainly VERY entertaining and there are tons of exhibits set up and great food to be eaten for those who want to come for the culture. Good times to be had by all. Not to mention it very is family-friendly.

Aside from the Honda Indy being totally awesome (insert teeny bopper hair twirling and giggling here) I had some pretty terrific experiences today. I had the opportunity to sit down with Paul Tracy- the renowned Canadian racing star- for a one-on-one interview (which too will be featured on my The Car Girls Garage shortly) but I literally had a once in a lifetime experience.

The news came to me at about midday when I was told that I had the opportunity to sit in a two-seater, indy-spec car and go around the track with a professional driver. How fantastic is that??!! I barely could contain myself. And for those of you who know me, you know that is quite a hard thing to do. But before I embarked on this adventure, I was hanging out trackside for the qualifying sessions for Sunday's race. There I came in contact with various team drivers and, to be honest, felt like a superstar!! It was wonderful. And for those Dancing with the Stars fans, I was within feet of Helio Castroneves! Hoo-ah.

All of this excitement, combined with an exceptionally hot day left me feeling totally exhausted but extremely pumped for what was about to happen...

As I went to go check in for my track experience, who was standing right in front of me also checking in? None other than Olympic gold medalist in mens curling, Kevin Martin. What a nice man. We got to talking (as I usually do) a he was there with his son, who I also ended up having a fairly lengthy conversation with. Turns out he is also the Grand Marshall of the race!!

I suited up, took a bunch of pictures and headed to the track. I chatted with Kevin Martin's son, and before I knew it, I was being outfitted with a face mask and a helmet. It was my time. I can't say I was nervous because that's not my style. Granted, the thought crossed my mind that something could go wrong but that soon dissipated. Besides, there was no turning back now! I had signed way too many waivers not to go through with it. In I hopped into a very tight seat. The staff strapped me down so there was very little wiggle room. I had 'oh crap' handle bars to hold on to and there was a tiny red button which was the 'STOP' button in case I was uncomfortable with the whole thing. There was no way I was going to be using that, I thought. Then off we went...

We took off in a flash and soon enough, we were speeding into turn 1 then turn 2 and so on. What a rush. It really makes you appreciate how much skill and ability it takes to be a race car driver and how exciting it can be. Truth be told, I wanted to go faster!! Then again, I'm a speed junky so that's no surprise. It really inspired me to want to become a race car driver even in my ripe, old age!! Heck, if I had the opportunity, I would do it in a heartbeat. However, that's not a reality. Maybe in my next life.

Before I knew it, we were back at the starting point. Sigh. But that also meant I was alive. Yesss. I could have done that all day but all good things must come to an end. I'm so grateful for the opportunity Honda bestowed upon me to be a part of all of this. It was truly one of the greatest days ever.

Stay tuned for a lot of great stuff coming your way from The Car Girl!

Cheers,

TCG

Buick, Buick, Buick

Hi All,

It's been a while since I last posted anything car related BUT I'm back in action.

Over the last couple of weeks I've been working with an event planning company for the launch of the new 2011 Buick Regal. Needless to say, the days were extremely long but I definitely had a lot of fun and met some fantastic people. You know who you people are!!

I spent the better part of my time traveling back and forth from Vancouver to Osoyoos/Kelowna and everywhere in between. I even drove through the fire that happened in Peachland. What a smokey mess! So sad. I also put quite a few kilometers on the Buick LaCrosse CXS, a car that I had not previously driven but had a great time in. It's quite the touring vehicle (i.e great on the highway because it's very comfortable) and has quite a bit of pep under the hood thanks to its 3.6L, V6 that produces 280hp and 259 lb-ft of torque. I decided to make a joke and tell people I was on the "LaCrosse Team" since it sounded cool. I guess you have to know my sense of humor. I mean, who doesn't want to be on the LaCrosse team?!

I also had the opportunity of driving around the new Buick Regal (aka the Regal Beagle!!) and really enjoyed it too.

Before my experiences with the Buicks, I'd never really given that much thought to them. Even as a journalist, I hadn't spent much time in them, and didn't really see the appeal to a younger crowd. In my immature opinion, I thought they were old people cars!! Besides, there really isn't a model in their lineup that really has the youth in a tizzy like a Chevrolet Cobalt SS would or the Saturn Ion Redline (may it rest in peace!) But the Buick buyer is getting younger and younger; the average age of the Regal buyer in China is 32! Not too shabby.

The Enclave SUV, which I also spent a fair share of time in, is decent and drives well. I was lucky enough to sit in the third row seats which I really liked! I am so rarely in the back seat of a car, literally, so that was quite the novelty.

The Regal is a great sports sedan with the choice of a 2.4L or 2.0L Turbocharged engine, has a great interior finish and looks quite chic from the outside. It's actually based on the German-engineered, award-winning Opel Insignia from Europe. Handling is ideal and the manual mode on the 6-speed automatic transmission is a definite perk.

Here are my Highlights and Lowlights

Highlights:

1) Super fun to driver with the Turbocharged engine

2) Easy to use GPS (when available) and the standard stereo system is quite good

3) Seats are very comfortable especially for long distance driving

Lowlights:

1) The naturally aspirated 2.4L isn't as much fun as the Turbo

2) Visibility out the rear isn't ideal (BUT there is an available parking assist)

3) No manual transmission option on the 2.4L engine

High five to the Regal.

So what can you expect from the Car Girl in the next little while?? Well, more domestic car reviews. I recently had the Dodge Challenger with the 5.7L, V8 HEMI which was way too fun to drive. I'm planning on doing webisodes and posting them on YouTube. It'll be pretty cool so I hope you'll enjoy that.

Also, I've got some great cars coming into my garage but I'm not going to spoil it... You'll just have to wait and see what's coming.

Until then, have lots of fun in the sun!

xoxo

TCG

The Car Girl On Assignment- 2011 Mazda2

I recently traveled to Montreal, Quebec to test out the all-new Mazda2 subcompact. So technically, this vehicle wasn't in my garage, per se, but it's close enough, right?!

The 2 (as I will refer to it) is new to North America but has been selling in Japan, Europe and Australia since 2007. It's an award-winning vehicle and is bound to impress its driver. I find the exterior styling to be very cute and very functional. It has some strong lines and nice curves.

Under the hood is a 1.5L, 4-cylinder engine that creates 100 hp and 98 lb-ft of torque. Ok, I know that doesn't sound like a lot but, on the other hand, this vehicle doesn't weigh much; 1,043 kgs for the base GX model without air conditioning. It's also actually the lightest vehicle in its class but that doesn't mean it will be blown over when driving at highway speeds. It's composed of high tensile steel (very strong steel) and stays firmly planted on the ground when zipping around. I impressed with how solid it felt when driving quickly.

There are two transmissions offered with the 2; the standard 5-speed manual and a 4-speed automatic. Both get the job done but I'm a shifting kind of girl so the 5-speed manual tickled my fancy. In my opinion, the manual tranny makes driving way more fun and engaging because I can interact with the car a lot more.

Inside, there is a fair amount of people room. Individuals over six feet can fit rather comfortably behind the wheel or in the rear seats. Translation: your knees will not be in your face! Can't go wrong with that. The back seats are also very comfortable, yes, speaking from experience but not that kind! Even with the front seats pushed all the way back, there was a decent amount of legroom.

Here are my top 3 Highlights and Lowlights of the 3:

Highlights

1) Great styling: Yes, it' small but that doesn't mean it has to look bad. It has an amazing Spirited Green exterior colour that looks fab.

2) Handling and stability at highway speeds: The 2 has a nicely tuned suspension to give a little bit of edge while cornering. Its stability at highway speeds was great. It felt firm and did not let the wind push it around.

3) Mazda Skins: Personalizing this vehicle is very easy. Mazda gives the 2 owners an ability to apply 1 of 4 themes of decals on the side. The decals come in small, medium or large and can be outfitted with any of the 7 available exterior colours.

Lowlights:

1) The Dash: While the cabin is very user friendly, I think it needs a little more colour. The black just doesn't do it for me.

2 and 3) The trunk: With no fault of its own, only an emaciated version of myself would be able to fit in the back (that's why there is no trunk shot of me!!) For that, it gets 2 Lowlights. But as you can see I'm REALLY stretching it because I didn't find too much wrong with this vehicle.

If you want to read the full review of this car, visit the link below. Remember to tell all your friends to "Follow Me!" They will not be disappointed!!

http://autoshow.autotrader.ca/2010/06/26/2011-mazda2/

Cheers,

TCG

An Interview with The Car Girl

Hi All,

Check out the link under "The Car Girl In Action." I was interviewed by 'My Colleges and Careers' to give some insight into a career as an automotive journalist...

Cheers,

TCG

The 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS

The 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS was recently in my garage. Let's just say this vehicle is a boatload of fun. It takes the muscle car to a whole new level. Under the hood is a proud, 6.2L, V8 engine that produces 426 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque. Translation, enough power to get you where you need to go, and fast. It also takes some styling cues from the late 60's Camaro so it has a vintage feel to it, too.

This impressive machine has quite the performance suspension and summer performance tires. Although it's not as refined as lets say the Nissan 370Z, it still feels way better than I thought it would. It's even a nice car to cruise in at highway speeds. But, let's face it, you're probably not going be driving the posted highway speeds in this car.

Here are my top 3 Highlights and Lowlights of the SS:

Highlights:

1) Styling. This car is fantastic to look at. It's aggressive, muscular and has a lot of road presence. Watch out, if you see this grille pop up in your rearview mirror, step aside bc it means business.

2) The Premium Stereo System: There is a 9 speaker, Boston Acoustics stereo inside. The sound quality rocks my socks. Besides, what good would this car be if you couldn't drive down Robson Street without blaring some Urban Cookie Collective very loudly?!

3) Horsepower. Need I say more?

Lowlights:

1) Poor visibility out the rear. It doesn't come as a surprise that trying to see past the "C" pillars is terrible. This is where a rearview camera is a must. Otherwise, just bring a friend along with you anytime you need to parallel park or back out of a parking spot so they can guide you. Although, you might have to pay them.

2) Too much black. The dash is too boring. Yes, the gauges and instrument cluster are fab but there is little flare other than that.

3) Fuel Economy. 13.2L/100km in the city is not going to get you far. Even if you're trying, and I mean really trying to be conservative, it's a lost cause. This puppy will cost you a pretty penny to fill up.

My Rating:

4.25 sets of red Brembo brakes out of 5. Great car to drive but needs a little work done in the interior. Then again, how often do you really look at your dash?

Pricing and available options can be found at www.gm.ca