Friday, October 25, 2013 Richmond Review · Page 19

The BMWi electric car powered its way with ease around city streets and along picturesque Dutch canals. KEITH MORGAN

The future is electricAMSTERDAM – BMW has joined the race for the electric car dollar.On the evidence of two days driving the funky-looking all-electric i3 through the narrow streets of old Amsterdam and alongside the picturesque canals of rural Holland, the German manufactur-er may have a winner.For starters, it is simply great fun to drive. The lithium-ion battery, encased in an aluminum cage below the five-seater cabin, provides enough in-stant zap to the electric motor to propel the car smoothly to 100 klicks in less than eight seconds. Left the stopwatch

at home, but counting “one-and-two etc.” to count seconds, my lips barely mouthed “six” before the speedo leapt from 80 to 120 km/h while passing.It handles beautifully at any speed and hugs the road; thanks to the technolo-gy-laden aluminum platform, that gives it a very low centre of gravity. Turns on a Euro too, as we found during the many U-turns made on blocked streets.Of course, F1 take-offs will suck the battery dry somewhat more quickly but you need not be a snail in the so-called Comfort mode to achieve the adver-tised 160 kilometres range on a full

tank, sorry, fully-charged battery. Plug it in at home overnight and you are ready to roar; go for the enhanced charger and raring to go in three hours.The remarkable efficien-cy is largely due to two factors. The carbon-fibre body is light and regen-erative braking gener-ously juices up the cells. In a two-hour drive, the only time I dropped the anchors was when one of Amsterdam’s kazillion cyclists cut in front of me. Ruined my score, the blighter.Accepting the more slug-gish EcoPro and EcoPro+ modes will add 20 and 40 km to the range. Frankly, in this configuration the i3, is good for any daily commute between Vancouver and Abbotsford and most journeys in southern Vancouver Island. The very areas where BMW expects to do the most business.The i3 offers premium brand luxury for few dollars short of $45,000. Shell out another 4 grand for the unimagi-natively named ‘range-extender’ and

you have a car for the Interior and beyond. Way beyond. As the battery runs low, a two-cylinder, 647cc gas engine, which sits neatly by the side of its electric brother, kicks in and generates power to top up the battery. Push it and gas stops will be frequent because only a minuscule nine-litre tank feeds it. However, most folks will get a chance to recharge before too many visits to the pump.There is another hope for those living beyond Hope. Private companies are seriously evaluat-ing the supply of fast chargers that top up bat-teries in less than half

an hour. Eyes will be on the Sea-to-Sky Highway where chargers are now found at Britannia Beach. And they are popping up in parking lots the length and breadth of the province as the popularity of plug-in hybrid models by other brands grows.View our BMWi3 gallery and read more about the electric car at drivewayBC.ca

‘‘The lithium-ion battery provides enough instant zap to the electric motor to propel the car smoothly to 100 klicks in less than eight seconds.’’Keith Morgan

In a two-hour drive, the only time I dropped the anchors was when one

of Amsterdam’s kazillion cyclists cut in front of me.

Keith Morgan

Find more online at

drivewayBC.ca

Safety Tip:As drivers, please slow down next week and be extra vigilant, especially around residential areas. Children are always caught up in the excitement of

Halloween and can easily forget the rules of the road.

QuestionOF THE WEEK:

We all have a favourite car in our past. What was your best car ever and why?Go to drivewayBC.ca to submit your answer and enter to win a $100 Safeway gift cardPost a photo if you have one.

drivewayBC.ca | Welcome to the driver’s seat

REVIEW the richmond

|

welcome to the driver’s seat.

Look for more driveway features and information online at

drivewayBC.cato advertise in this weekly featurecall today at 604.247.3704

Page 20 · Richmond Review Friday, October 25, 2013

New ICBC Driver Licensing Offi ceLansdowne Centre Mall5300 No. 3 Road, Richmond

Our Minoru Blvd and Ironwood Plaza Driver Licensing Offi ces are joining services at a new location. We look forward to serving you there, starting at noon on November 4th, 2013.

The Minoru Blvd branch will be closing at 4pm, October 31st.The Ironwood Plaza location will be closing at 6pm, November 1st

Hours of operation:Monday�–�Friday 8:00 am�–�5:30 pmSaturday� 9:00 am�–�5:00 pmSunday closed

We’re moving to serve you better.

Great service goesa long way.

COLLISION AND REPAIR EXPERTS

r

2013

RICHMONDBest of

105-11820 River Road

604.276.8071www.fastrackautobody.com

• ICBC & Private Claims• Frame & Unibody Straightening• Colour Match using Environment Friendly Water Based Paints• Repairs for all makes & models• Satisfaction Guarantee• Courtesy cars available with Bluetooth• Shuttle service available

Mazda, on a global scale, is a small company, so developing new products is a major undertaking. This is why they shared engineering with the Ford Motor Company for many years but that relationship dissolved in 2010. Instead of modifying existing, co-developed vehicles plat-forms, engines and trans-mission, the company took a radical turn in the way they develop new prod-ucts. I’m sure by now you have seen Mazda’s ads for “Skyactiv Technology.” This is the name for their radical design and manufacturing approach. By engineering vehicles from a blank sheet of paper, Mazda could focus on simplifying the manufacturing process to save money, a crucial part of this small companies survival. This new 2014 Mazda3 is the third vehicle to be built using Mazda’s

Skyactiv Technology, behind the Mazda CX-5 SUV and Mazda6 sedan.

Looks The platform used to build this all new Mazda3 is a shared chassis with the other two Skyactiv products. They elongate, widen or shorten the plat-

form to suit each vehicle. In this case, it is slightly shorter then the CX-5. In fact, the new Mazda3 is lower, wider and slightly shorter than the last model but the wheelbase has been stretched by 60mm. This pushes the wheels out to the corner of the car, providing a solid stance and improving interior space. Then Mazda went about hand forming the body to produce a style that conveys motion, even standing still. Sold as a sedan or hatchback, the long hood, sweeping lines and powerful stance make a statement in a class that can be rather subdued.

Inside The goal for this latest model was to have a dynamic looking interior, fitted with materials and features not typically found in a compact car. The dash-

board is covered with, not only a soft material, rather a plush-feeling dash. Then there is the dash-mounted communication screen placed in the centre of the dash. This is standard on the middle GS and upper GT trim; the base GX is not so lucky. The driver can touch the screen to access music, navigation and phone settings but once the car is in motion the screen is only adjustable through a rotary dial controller between the front seats. Mazda places three, easy-to-memories, buttons above the dial for access to the most common functions. On the top GT model there is even a heads-up display that sits right on top of the driver’s instrument cluster, helping to keep the information high enough that it focuses the driver’ s attention on the road. The seats are comfortable and

can be fitted with leather on the top model. Even though Mazda lengthened the wheelbase by 60mm, the back seat isn’t long on legroom.

Drive By developing the direct injection engines, chassis and transmission at the same time, the Mazda engineers were able to shed weight. The lighter platform and powerful 2.0L 4-cylinder with 155hp is a nice match on the base and GS trim levels, driving either a 6-speed manual or all-new 6-speed automatic. The top GT is equipped with a 2.5L engine with 184hp but is only available with the automatic. I’m surprised that the manual is not offered with this engine, as driving enthu-siast will be attracted to this engine right away. On the road, the steering is

very quick and the feed-back well above average. The previous Mazda3 was at the top of the class in terms of driving dynamics and this new model takes it to a whole new level. I’m confident in saying that this new model feels like a much more expensive car.

Verdict The stan-dard features list is strong, including keyless entry, push button start, Bluetooth and USB con-nectivity for $15,995. If you equip the base model with air conditioning and automatic transmission, the price jumps to $18,795. The middle GS trim is the place most Canadians will shop and the range is from $19,695-$22,595 for things like heated seats, leather steering wheel, rain sensing wipers and more. The top GT with the larger engine,

18-inch wheels, xenon headlamps, Bose stereo and navigation, ranges from $25,855-$$29,855. As you can see, the price can ratchet up rather quickly. The upside is that this is a car that can provide solid, fun to drive transportation, wrapped in a stylish pack-age. Higher-end models feel like a much more expensive car, with qualities not found previously in this class of car. So, the price might be justified. I truly believe that Mazda is onto something, this is the best car in the compact class.

zack@motormouth.ca

2014 Mazda3 The best car in the compact class

‘‘The previous Mazda3 was at the top of the class in terms of driving dynamics and this new model takes it to a whole new level.’’Zack Spencer

The LowdownPower: 2.0L 4-cylinder with 155hp or 2.5L with 184hpFill-up: 9.9L/7.0L/100km (city/highway) Sticker price: $15,995-$29,895

driveway

Friday, October 25, 2013 Richmond Review · Page 21

Elite Member

Jane Smith696056789

EXP 07/31/2014

Your ICBC one-stop collision repair facility

TRISTAR COLLISION#160-12440 Vulcan Way, Richmond

(604) 821-1133Just behind the Richmond Home Depot

driveway

Amy Lawson, 35, leads an active life.

She likes to be outdoors, to play sports, surf, bake and has a thriving social life.

Professionally, she was recently promoted to be the Territory Manager for Drydock Footwear Group. Her territory covers British Columbia and Alberta.

Being on the road is a sizeable component of her work.

When it came time to trade in her Nissan Xtrail – which she loved to pieces – she was torn when deciding what vehicle to purchase.

“The Xtrail has been a fabulous car, but I’ve outgrown it and need something that can bet-ter accommodate all my equipment,” she says.

In the process, she con-sidered SUVs, hatchbacks and crossovers. The Ford Flex, Ford Escape, Honda Pilot, Mitsubishi Outlander were on her list to look at.

Amy states, “When I started to research vehicles, the No. 1 thing on my priority list was interior space. I needed lots of it.”

She continues, “I didn’t mind if the vehicle wasn’t sexy! I need functional. Good looks were second-ary to me.”

Because of her current role, it requires travelling around the Lower Main-land, Vancouver Island, BC and Alberta with various promotional gear, display units, sample products and more.

Not to mention, if she can pack in her sports equipment like her bicycle, snowboard or surfboard in, too, that would be even better.

Price was also a factor for her.

“I had a budget to work with, and I needed my pay-ments to be around $500 a month,” Amy mentions.

“And since I’d be spend-ing a fair amount of time behind the wheel, I’d need something that was com-fortable, too.”

When chatting about potential matches, the idea of a minivan came up.

I saw the excitement in her eyes.

In her personal life, she is not the typical minivan candidate. With no children to drive to hockey or soccer practice, some people might question her enthusiasm.

But to her, it seemed like the perfect fit.

“I was just so excited about it. Minivans make

life so much easier and you can just do so much with them,” she explains.

“It made a lot more sense than a pickup and much more sense than an SUV.”

A few minivans/minivan-esque vehicles she looked into were the Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna and Mazda5.

Though the Honda and Toyota appealed to her, it was the Dodge Grand Cara-van that had exactly what she was looking for. It was in her price range and had some handy features that would allow easy loading and unloading of her gear.

She even really likes its look.

Amy tells me, “I can fit two mountain bikes inside with people and still have room for more.”

The Dodge Grand Caravan that she selected is the Crewe trim, which also came with some extras. She has a tow-ing package, a rear DVD entertainment system (perfect for passing time on ferry rides!), Stow ‘n Go seats, remote keyless entry to the doors and liftgate and more.

While she can’t be hap-pier with her purchase, the signing on the dotted line did make her heart beat quite a bit faster.“There’s a lot of anxiety to buying a car. It’s a big purchase and you want to make sure you make the best choice you can.”

And speaking of choices, the biggest question when selecting her chariot of choice?

“Should I get the white one or the black one?!” she jokingly asked.

She went with black.When looking back on

the experience and looking at her Grand Caravan, she happily says, “What I didn’t think would be very sexy vehicle ended up being the sexiest to me. And there’s so much space!”

Ladies, if you’re looking at buying a new vehicle and would like some sug-

gestions/assistance, email the Car Girl’s Garage and you could potentially be featured in Driveway.

Include your name, email address where best to be reached, a little bit about yourself, what you’re looking for and what price range you need to work with.

thecargirlsgarage@gmail.com, Twitter.com/

cargirlsgarage

‘‘Ladies, if you’re looking at buying a new vehicle and would like some suggestions/assistance, email the Car Girl’s Garage and you could potentially be featured in Driveway.’’Alexandra Straub

Car Girl’s Garage: Finding the right fi t

Being on the road is a sizeable component of Amy Lawson’s work.

Page 22 · Richmond Review Friday, October 25, 2013

PAPER TO INSERT DEALER TAG HERE

TMThe Hyundai names, logos, product names, feature names, images and slogans are trademarks owned by Hyundai Auto Canada Corp. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. †Finance offers available O.A.C. from Hyundai Financial Services based on a new 2013 Elantra L 6-Speed Manual/Santa Fe Sport 2.0T Premium AWD Auto with an annual finance rate of 0%/0.99% for 96 months. Bi-weekly payments are $79/$168. $0/$900 down payment required. Cost of Borrowing is $0/$1,358. Finance offers include Delivery and Destination of $1,550/$1,760. Registration, insurance, PPSA, fees, levies, charges, license fees and all applicable taxes are excluded. Delivery and Destination charge includes freight, P.D.E., dealer admin fees and a full tank of gas. Financing example: 2013 Elantra L 6-Speed Manual for $16,499 (includes $1,000 in price adjustments) at 0% per annum equals $79 bi-weekly for 96 months for a total obligation of $16,499. Cash price is $16,499. Cost of Borrowing is $0. Example price includes Delivery and Destination of $1,550. Registration, insurance, PPSA, fees, levies, charges, license fees and all applicable taxes are excluded. Delivery and Destination charge includes freight, P.D.E., dealer admin fees and a full tank of gas. Delivery and Destination for Sonata SE is $1,650. Fuel consumption for 2013 Elantra L 6-Speed Manual (HWY 5.2L/100KM; City 7.1L/100KM)/Sonata SE Auto (HWY 5.6L/100KM; City 8.7L/100KM)/Santa Fe Sport 2.0T Premium AWD Auto (HWY 8.4L/100KM, City 11.0L/100KM) are based on Energuide. Actual fuel efficiency may vary based on driving conditions and the addition of certain vehicle accessories. Fuel economy figures are used for comparison purposes only. Price of models shown: 2013 Elantra Limited/ Sonata Limited/Santa Fe Sport 2.0T Limited AWD are $24,849/$30,649/$40,259. Prices include Delivery and Destination charges of $1,550/$1,650/$1,760. Registration, insurance, PPSA, fees, levies, charges, license fees and all applicable taxes are excluded. ΩPrice adjustments are calculated against the vehicle’s starting price. Price adjustments of up to $10,000/$1,000/$5,250 available on 2013 Genesis 5.0L GDI R-Spec (on cash purchases only) /Elantra L 6-Speed Manual/Sonata SE Auto (on cash purchases only). Price adjustments applied before taxes. Offer cannot be combined or used in conjunction with any other available offers. Offer is non-transferable and cannot be assigned. No vehicle trade-in required. Government 5-Star Safety Ratings are part of the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA’s) New Car Assessment Program (www.SaferCar.gov). †Ω Offers available for a limited time, and subject to change or cancellation without notice. See dealer for complete details. Dealer may sell for less. Inventory is limited, dealer order may be required. ††Hyundai’s Comprehensive Limited Warranty coverage covers most vehicle components against defects in workmanship under normal use and maintenance conditions.

HELP GET KIDS INTO THE GAME!

TAKE THE PLEDGE AT HYUNDAIHOCKEY.CA

Last year Hyundai Hockey Helpers helped over 1,800 kids get in the game and is working hard to help even more this year. Visit your local Hyundai dealer in October to help get a kid into the game. Join us online and take the

Hyundai 1,000 Puck Challenge to improve your game AND help kids in your community play hockey.P.K. SUBBANMontrealCanadiensDefencemanand HyundaiHockey Helper

5-year/100,000 km Comprehensive Limited Warranty††

5-year/100,000 km Powertrain Warranty5-year/100,000 km Emission Warranty HyundaiCanada.com

HWY: 5.2L/100 KM CITY: 7.1L/100 KM

Limited model shown

ELANTRA L2013

STANDARD FEATURES INCLUDE: 6 AIRBAGS • IPOD®/USB/AUXILIARY INPUT JACKS• POWER WINDOWS & DOOR LOCKS • ABS WITHTRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM • DUAL HEATED POWER EXTERIOR MIRRORS

Inventory is limited. Dealer order may be required.

HWY: 5.6L/100 KM CITY: 8.7 L/100 KM

Limited model shown

SONATA SE2013

STANDARD FEATURES INCLUDE: SPORT-TUNED SUSPENSION • HEATED FRONT/REAR SEATS • 18” HYPER-SILVER ALLOY WHEELS • SIRIUS XM™ RADIO WITH BLUETOOTH® HANDS FREE PHONE SYSTEM • POWER SUNROOF

Limited model shown

Inventory is limited.

SANTA FE SPORT 2.0T PREMIUM AWD

2013

HWY: 8.4L/100 KM CITY: 11.0L/100 KM

Inventory is limited.

AWARDED THE HIGHEST GOVERNMENTCRASH SAFETY RATING

U.S. NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION

AWARDED THE HIGHEST GOVERNMENTCRASH SAFETY RATING

U.S. NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION

$5,250IN PRICE ADJUSTMENTSΩ

GET UP TO SELLING PRICE:

SONATA SE AUTO. $5,250 PRICE ADJUSTMENTΩ,

DELIVERY & DESTINATION INCLUDED.

$$$

2013 CANADIAN UTILITY VEHICLE OF THE YEAR

STANDARD FEATURES INCLUDE:

ALL-WHEEL DRIVE• 264 HP 2.0L TURBO-

CHARGED ENGINE• REAR PARK ASSIST

$$$1000ELANTRA L 6-SPEED MANUAL. $1,000 PRICE

ADJUSTMENTΩ, DELIVERY & DESTINATION INCLUDED.

$79$$

BI-WEEKLY

OWN IT FOR

SELLING PRICE:

WITH

NO MONEYDOWN

%%†

FINANCING FOR 96 MONTHS

+IN PRICE ADJUSTMENTSΩ

SANTA FE SPORT 2.0T PREMIUM AWD AUTO.

DELIVERY & DESTINATION INCLUDED.

$168$$$

BI-WEEKLY

OWN IT FOR

SELLING PRICE:

WITH

WITH $900 DOWN

%††

FINANCING FOR 96 MONTHS

HURRY IN TO GET AN AMAZING DEAL DURING THE 2013 CLEAROUT

GGET UPU TOO

INN PPRPRRICCEE AADDJUUSSTMMEENNTTSS Ω

(AMMOOUUNTT SSHOOWWN OON THE H 20133 GEENEESIIS5.0LL GGDDI RR-SSPEEC)

ONN ELLANTRA LA MANNUALL

FFFOORRRUUUUPPP TTTOOOOO

MMMMOOOONNNNTTHSHSSFFIFIINNNAAANNCN IINNNNGGG

††

CLEAROUT

OFFER ENDS

OCTOBER 31ST

OpenRoad Hyundai

13171 Smallwood PlaceRichmond, 604-606-9033

D#28516

OpenRoad Hyundai13171 Smallwood Place, Richmond, 604-606-9033

Friday, October 25, 2013 Richmond Review · Page 23

IS YOUR GARAGE DOOR ATHE SPACE SAVING AND ULTRA QUIET ROLL UP DOOR!

As seen at the BC Home & Design Show 2013 and at the as part of the PNE Prize Home 2013

Manufactured in British Columbia

T: 604-637-2030E: info@smartgarage.caWWW.SMARTGARAGE.CA

Because the has no overhead tracks and no motor in the middle of the ceiling, you will regain all the lost storage space that is currently being taken up bay the old-style garage door.

BEFOREBEFORE AFTERAFTER ROLL-UP-DOORROLL-UP-DOOR

~ C O N TA C T U S F O R A C O M P L I M E N TA R Y S I T E I N S P E C T I O N ~

?

by Rob SassMost of the focus on the

collector car world comes from televised auctions where six-figure cars are the norm, so it’s easy to conclude that the average person is priced out of the collector car world.

But the fact of the matter is there are still plenty of interesting collectible cars out there for under 10 grand. Granted, they tend to be from the 1970s and 1980s rather than the 1950s or 1960s, but they’re all fun to drive and relatively easy to live with. Here are five of our favorites:

1. 1985-93 Ford Mustang: The third generation or “Fox” platform Mustang brought affordable V-8 muscle back to the masses. Although it was introduced in 1979, better breathing cylinder heads and a re-designed four-barrel carburetor in 1985 pushed horsepower above 200 for the first time since the early 1970s. The

relatively light and simple design of the car made the best use of the newfound ponies. While the oldest are just under 30 years old, the collector world is start-ing to wake up. Still, nice 5.0-liter V-8 examples of all three body styles (coupe, hatchback and convertible) are still available in LX and GT trim for 10 grand or less.

2. 1966-77 Ford Bron-co: The Bronco pushes the 10 grand budget the most and you’ll have to look hard to find an unrusted or unmodified original Bronco in this price range, but they do occasionally lurk on Craigslist. Competition for the likes of the Interna-tional Harvester Scout, early Broncos look right in the way that early Land Rovers do and collectors have taken a big shine to them lately. Buy now.

3. 1965-69 Chevrolet Corvair Corsa coupe: The poor Corvair. Shunned by Chevy fans and import fans alike, it really is a

poor-man’s Porsche, with styling on the second generation cars as nice as anything to come out of Germany, Italy or the U.S. at that time. Cor-vairs pioneered the use of turbocharging, and later cars could be made to handle quite well with some relatively inexpensive modifications, in spite of what Ralph Nader said. Incidentally, the 50th anniversary of the book “Unsafe at Any Speed” is coming up the year after next. Good reason to buy a Corvair, we think. Jay Leno loves his red Corsa Coupe.

4. 1983-91 Porsche 944 coupe: The vintage Porsche market is on fire right now, with some cars appreciating 300 percent or more over the last five years. All have one thing in common — they’re air cooled and the engine is in the back. Water-cooled front-engine Porsches have yet to see the love from collectors, and we think that the 944 is one

of the best of the bunch.  A derivative of the nicely balanced but underpow-ered 924, the fender bulges and smoother and more powerful balance shaft-equipped twin-cam four was just was Dr. Porsche ordered to make the 944 a credible performance car. Maintenance doesn’t come cheaply (break a timing belt and you’ll wish you hadn’t been born), but the 944 is a bargain-priced precision instrument for dissecting curvy back roads.

5. 1976 Chevrolet Corvette: Malaise-era Corvettes get a bum rap from most Corvette fans but in reality, they’re quite nice and anything but pathetically slow. The move from gross to net horsepower makes it seem as though power was down more than it really was, and mid-1970s Cor-vettes came in some great colors with nice options like competition-inspired gymkhana suspension and aluminum wheels. Looks weren’t really compromised by bumper standards with Chevy’s solution of hiding the bumpers under body-colored urethane panels among the best of any manufacturer.

Best classic cars for 10 grand or less

driveway

NEWNEW

SOUTHSIDE NISSAN

NEW

Keep It South SideKeep It South Side42 years same owner, same place.

FAMILY MATTERS!Come to Southside Nissan to see our Special FAMILY pricing!

2014 VERSA NOTE

PLUS 0%FINANCING!

UP TO$1250OFF

2007 LEXUS RX400 Stk #300

2009 LEXUS ES 350 Stk#290

2009 INFINITE G37X COUPE AWD Stk#461

2011 VW TIGUAN Stk #563

2012 FORD FUSION Stk#609

2013 MERCEDES BENZ C300 Stk#628

2006 NISSAN 350 Z CONV Stk #591

2013 VOLKSWAGON PASSAT TDI fully loaded! Stk#001

2011 NISSAN TITAN CREW CAB Stk#505

2007 NISSAN FRONTIER 4X4 CREW CAB Stk#002

2012 NISSAN MAXIMA 3.5 Stk#408

2012 CAMRY SE Stk#431

PRE-OWNED HIGHLIGHTS!

290 S.W. Marine DriveVancouver, BC V5X 2R5 D

#531

6

604-324-4644604-324-4644www.southsidenissan.cawww.southsidenissan.ca