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LIGHTS, $1.3m Porsche Supercar, and Action – Porsche Centre Langley's VIP Grand Opening

Chris Eastwood on May 10, 2015

Photos by Andrew Ling

 

In 2000, OpenRoad Auto Group formed to offer car buyers and owners an experiential automotive retail service.

One of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies, CADA Laureate and the recipient of multiple Canadian Best Employer Awards, OpenRoad celebrated the official grand opening of its latest dealership, Porsche Centre Langley, with an exclusive VIP event that showcased the premium culture and iconic heritage of the German sports car brand.

With the addition of Porsche Centre Langley, the OpenRoad team now comprises of over 800 associates representing 12 import brands at 15 dealership locations across British Columbia.

To celebrate the Fraser Valley’s first certified Porsche dealership, which is one of only two Porsche sales and service centres in the Greater Vancouver area, more than 400 VIP guests were in attendance on Wednesday May 6th, 2015, for the grand opening ceremony. 

Dignitaries included Mayor Ted Schaffer from the City of Langley; Alexander Pollich, President and CEO of Porsche Cars Canada; Christian Chia, President and CEO of OpenRoad Auto Group, and Aly Jiwani, General Manager of Porsche Centre Langley.

“We congratulate Porsche Centre Langley and its team for the opening of their new location and welcome them to the family,” said Alexander Pollich, President & CEO, Porsche Cars Canada, Ltd. “The greater Vancouver area is one of the markets around the country that has helped the brand grow substantially. As such, we are pleased to now offer our customers an address in Langley.”

Wednesday night’s event featured a private performance by Juno-award winning artist, LIGHTS, and featured live stallion horses, a line-up of vintage Porsche cars, as well as the sold-out limited edition $1.3 million Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid supercar – the fastest production road car in the world to have lapped the famed Nurburgring track.

“When we started to plan this event, I told our marketing team, ‘No matter what you do, just make sure that there is a lot of horse power’”, joked Christian Chia, President and CEO of OpenRoad.”I think they only heard the ‘horse’ part of my request”.

“We are thrilled to have been given the opportunity to partner with Porsche Canada to bring one of best brands in the world to the Fraser Valley,” added Chia. “Our goal is to offer more than just a great Porsche sales and service centre. We’re fully committed to creating new opportunities for motorsports enthusiasts in B.C. while building a unique community of people who are passionate about Porsche’s beautifully engineered, high performance cars and a best-in-class experience.”

If you have a chance, stop by and visit Porsche Langley’s 20 car showrooms at 6016 Collection Drive (corner of Glover Road and Langley Bypass). The 42,000 square-foot building features Porsche’s latest facility design concept and is part of the Langley Auto Collection, Canada’s only luxury auto mall.

Time Lapse video of the event:

More photos below:

Photos by Andrew Ling

 

Clean Energy Vehicle incentive program returns to B.C.

Benjamin Yong on April 4, 2015

BMW i3
The BMW i3 is eligible for a rebate under phase two of B.C.’s Clean Energy Vehicle point-of-sale incentrive program. Photo by Benjamin Yong.

St. Paddy’s day may have been a couple of weeks ago, but folks in B.C. have another reason to go green again with the start of phase two of B.C.’s Clean Energy Vehicle (CEV) program on April 1.

About $7.5 million in electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicle sale incentives will be available from now until March 31, 2018, or until the funds are exhausted, whichever comes first.

“With the Clean Energy Vehicle program, we’re providing incentives that will make electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles more affordable for British Columbians, and expanding the charging and fuelling infrastructure to make it easier to ‘fill the tank,” says Bill Bennett, Minister of Energy and Mines.

Consumers thinking about purchasing or leasing a new battery electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle are eligible to receive up to a $5,000 rebate, and up to $6,000 if the power is provided by a hydrogen fuel cell, like the new Hyundai Tucson FCEV.

Bennett says phase one of the CEV program — that expired last spring — encouraged over 900 electric cars to find new homes and also spurred the installation of more than 1,000 charging stations across B.C., resulting in the reduction of approximately 57,000 tonnes of vehicle emissions.

Some quick stats: vehicles are responsible for nearly half of the province’s household greenhouse gas emissions; a CEV reduces emissions by 5.6 tonnes per year when compared to a conventional 2000 model year or older vehicle; a CEV reduces emissions by 3 tonnes per year when compared to a new gasoline-powered vehicle, according to a news release by the provincial government.

For drivers who hadn’t considered an alternative-energy automobile previously for whatever reason, manufacturers now offer several options that would appeal to even the most die-hard fan of traditional internal combustion. Here are some examples of what’s available.

BMW i3 charging

BMW i3

Type: battery electric vehicle (with optional gasoline Range Extender)

Form factor: five-passenger hatchback

Base MSRP: $45,000

Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid

Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid

Type: plug-in electric hybrid vehicle

Form factor: five-passenger mid-size crossover SUV

Base MSRP: $86,600

Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid

Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid

Type: plug-in electric hybrid vehicle

Form factor: five-passenger sedan

Base MSRP: $110,000

Toyota Prius Plug-in

Toyota Prius Plug-in

Type: plug-in electric hybrid vehicle

Form factor: five-passenger hatchback

Base MSRP: $35,905

Read more about the CEV phase 2 program on the website.

Best green vehicles at 2015 Vancouver International Auto Show

Benjamin Yong on March 27, 2015

2015 Vancouver International Auto Show
Visitors to the 2015 Vancouver Auto Show are treated to a wide assortment vehicles, including many green models. Photos by Benjamin Yong.

The 95th Vancouver International Auto Show (VIAS) is happening right now at the Vancouver Convention Centre, and is quite literally bigger, and better, than ever before. Exhibition space has grown by one-quarter this year, to 290,000 square feet, and for the first time the displays spill over to the upstairs ballroom. Fittingly, since it takes place in B.C., VIAS features a heavy focus on alternative-energy automobiles fuelled by diesel, electricity and even hydrogen. These are the green vehicles you’ll want to see.

Toyota Fuel Cell Vehicle Concept

Toyota Fuel Cell Vehicle Concept

You may have heard about Toyota’s production hydrogen fuel cell vehicle already on sale in Japan and about to hit the roads in the United States later this year. While no Canadian expansion plans have been announced yet, Toyota debuted the Fuel Cell Concept (FCV) that provided the inspiration for the Mirai for the first time in Canada.

The Mirai was actually tested in Yellowknife in -30 C weather to evaluate cold-weather effectiveness. The space-age looking sedan creates electricity by utilizing a chemical reaction between oxygen and hydrogen, refuels in about the same time as a conventional gasoline-powered car and can drive up to 500 kilometres on a single tank.

Audi A3 Sportback e-Tron

Audi A3 Sportback e-Tron

The A3 Sportback e-Tron, Audi’s first plug-in hybrid, made its first regional appearance at VIAS.  Besides a few badges and some minor exterior tweaks to the grille and rear bumper, this hybrid looks remarkably similar to the standard version. Power is provided via a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine combined with a 75-kilowatt electric motor making 204 net horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque.

Volkswagen Golf Sportwagon TDI Clean Diesel

Volkswagen Golf Sportwagon TDI Clean Diesel

VW is in Vancouver to prove that even with the crossover SUV craze taking place across North America, wagon’s haven’t quite called it quits. It’s been a good year for the Golf, reaping several industry awards, and the Sportwagon should continue that trend. The diesel powertrain provides plenty of torque and achieves great fuel economy rated at 7.5 L/100 km in city driving at 5.6 L/100 km on the highway.

2016 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

Although Hyundai also has a plug-in version coming, it is the standard Sonata Hybrid making the trip to Vancouver. As part of the redesign, the engine is a smaller and more efficient 2.0 litre vs. the outgoing 2.4. The battery pack has a 13 per cent bigger capacity, and now fits under the trunk floor so the rear seats can fold 60/40.

Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell

In addition to the Hybrid, the majority of the public had their first chance to get an up-close look at the 2015 Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell, the first mass-produced hydrogen-powered vehicle available to Canadians. Available to limited consumers through a lease program, the first lucky owners are a local couple living in Surrey.

Porsche 918 Spyder at 2015 Vancouver International Auto Show

Porsche 918 Spyder

Some visitors to Porsche Centre Langley have already experienced the spectacle that is the $1.3-million Porsche 918 Spyder in person. The hybrid supercar, one of three sold in B.C., uses two electric motors and a 4.6-litre V8 engine to achieve a top speed of 340 km/h.   

The 2015 Vancouver International Auto Show runs until March 29. More pictures below:

2015 Vancouver International Auto Show entrance

Stephen Beatty vice president, Corporate Toyota Canada

Toyota Fuel Cell Vehicle Concept rear

Toyota Fuel Cell Vehicle Concept side

Audi A3 Sportback e-Tron rear

Audi A3 Sportback e-Tron interior

BMW i3 and i8 at 2015 Vancouver International Auto Show

2016 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid rear

2016 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid cutaway

Hyundai Blue Drive

The Best All-Wheel-Drive coupes to survive Canadian winters

OpenRoad Auto Group on January 18, 2015

Now that winter is officially upon us, you may think that your days of piloting a sporty two door coupe are over. Typically, coupes are banished into a garage or parkade till the clear spring time weather arrives, nary a threat of snow or ice.

These days, increasing number of luxury auto manufacturers are offering their formerly rear-wheel-drive only coupes with all-wheel-drive variants.

No longer does owning a sports coupe have to be an oxymoron to the word “winter”. Just swap out the all-season or summer tires for a set of good snow tires, and you are set to go!

Here are a few examples of all-wheel-drive two door luxury coupes with different price points to suit your budget.

Infiniti Q60 coupe

The 2015 Infiniti Q60 AWD coupe

The 2015 Infiniti Q60 AWD coupe. Photo courtesy of Infiniti Canada.
 

The Q60 is a well-appointed coupe that combines the Infiniti brand’s blend of value, performance, and luxury. It’s powered by a 330-hp 3.7-litre V6 engine and available with a seven-speed automatic transmission or a six-speed downshift rev matching manual transmission.

Infiniti’s Intelligent All-Wheel-Drive system can adapt to the changing conditions by constantly monitoring wheelspin, throttle position and vehicle speed. In dry conditions, the system is able to send 100 per cent of the power to the rear wheels for more responsive road performance. However it can automatically divert up to 50 per cent of the available power to the front wheels to enhance traction and control in adverse conditions.

Price for the Q60 AWD coupe starts at $51,800

Shop the New Infiniti Q60 at OpenRoad

Audi A5/S5/RS5

The 2015 Audi A5 Quattro. Photo courtesy of Audi Canada.
 

Audi was the company who pioneered all-wheel-drive in a road going car for performance reasons. For many years, they were the only choice on the market if you wanted a coupe with the year round safety and security of all-wheel-drive.

Unlike some of the vehicles in this article, the Audi A5 coupe (and its higher performance S5 and RS5 variants) is solely available with Audi’s famed Quattro all-wheel-drive system; two-wheel-drive versions are not available in Canada.
With standard Quattro all-wheel drive, the A5 coupe is a comfortable and stylish car that will perform well on pavement or in rain and snow.

Shop the New Audi A5 at OpenRoad

BMW 228i xDrive Coupe and M235i xDrive Coupe

The 2015 BMW M235i xDrive Coupe and the 1968 BMW 2002. Photo courtesy of BMW Canada.

In the late 1960’s, the BMW 2002, spiritual forerunner to the BMW 2 Series Coupe, set new standards in dynamics and design and established the BMW tradition of sporty coupes.

Today, the BMW 2 Series Coupe combines exciting dynamics and a design with reminiscences of the legendary 2002 coupe in BMW history. However unlike the rear-wheel-drive only 2002, the 2 Series is now available with BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive system for the 2015 model year.

Available with a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission, the 2-series is a sporty coupe with tons of charm and fun.

Price for the 228i xDrive coupe starts at $39,750, and $48,750 for the M235i xDrive coupe.

Shop New BMW 2 Series at OpenRoad

Lexus RC350 AWD

The 2015 Lexus RC350 AWD. Photo courtesy of Lexus Canada.
 

The all-new Lexus coupe aims to bring back a blend of styling and performance that has been unseen in many of Lexus’ product offerings until recently.

The RC350 is equipped with a 306-hp 3.5-litre V6. When equipped with the optional all-wheel-drive system, it’s paired with a six-speed automatic transmission.

Price for this all-new Lexus coupe starts at $54,000.

Shop New Lexus RC at OpenRoad

Jaguar F-Type with AWD

The 2016 Jaguar F-Type R AWD. Photo courtesy of Jaguar Canada.
 

For model year 2016, the beautifully-styled Jaguar F-Type coupe receives substantial upgrades, including the addition of the company’s Instinctive All-Wheel-Drive system.

This system is engineered to maintain the rear-drive character that is important to Jaguar sports car DNA while offering even greater dynamic capability.

Operating on the torque-on-demand principle, Jaguar Instinctive All-Wheel-Drive has been programmed to send 100 per cent of the engine’s output to the rear wheels under normal driving conditions. However in slippery conditions, the system can transfer up to 50 per cent of the engine’s torque to the front axle to mitigate the loss of traction.

Instinctive All-Wheel-Drive will be optional on all F-type S models (with a 380-hp supercharged V6), and standard on all V8 R Coupes (now upgraded from 495-hp to 550hp).

Prices have not yet been announced but are expected to start at above $85,000 for the F-type S with AWD.

Shop New Jaguar F-TYPE at OpenRoad

 

Porsche 911 Carrera 4 / Turbo

The 2015 Porsche Carrera 4. Photo courtesy of Porsche Canada.
 

Over the course of its 50 year life cycle to date, the iconic 911 has retained its unmistakable look and design while being constantly updated with the latest technology. To many, the 911 is one of the best sports cars available.

While all of the 911s still maintain their signature rear-engine configuration, a sophisticated active-all-wheel-drive system is available on Carrera and Carerra S models, and standard on all 911 Turbos.

This system distributes engine power between the permanently driven rear axle and the front axle by means of an electronically variable multi-plate clutch. Porsche Stability Management and enhanced Porsche Traction Management work together to ensure the optimum distribution of drive power for maximum traction depending on the driving and road conditions.

Price of the Carrera 4 starts at $103,900.

Shop Porsche 911 AWD at OpenRoad