Lee Bailie

Canada

Freelance Writer at Metroland Media Group

Freelance Writer at AutoGuide

Automotive scribbler. Avid traveler. Long-suffering Toronto sports fan. Opinions mine.

Articles

Toyota revives the Corolla FX

1 week ago | pasmag.com | Lee Bailie

After being with us for just two short years in the 1980s, the Toyota Corolla FX is coming back. The new car, officially dubbed the Corolla Hatchback FX Edition, is inspired by the FX16 GTS Corolla hatchback sold in North America in 1987 and 1988. It was powered by a 1.6-liter DOHC 4-cylinder that produced 108 horsepower that was paired with a base five-speed manual, or an optional four-speed automatic transmission that drove the front wheels.
Mustang GTD sets new lap record at Nürburgring

1 week ago | pasmag.com | Lee Bailie

When you’re willing to spend the time, effort and money taking a car to put down laps at the Nürburgring Nordschleife not once, but twice, you know that machine is something special. That is indeed the case for the 2025 Ford Mustang GTD, the forthcoming “barely street legal” Mustang that will begin to arrive in customer driveways this spring.
Will Honda and Nissan collab on next-gen supercars?

2 weeks ago | pasmag.com | Lee Bailie

We here at PASMAG don’t particularly enjoy discussing the demise of sports cars, but sadly there have been a bunch of them recently. From the Nissan GT-R, and the Lexus RC to the forthcoming end of the line for the Toyota Supra, it’s a bleak time for some of our favorite two-doors. But some rays of light break through the clouds every now and then.
Quick Drive – 2025 Chevrolet Blazer EV SS

3 weeks ago | pasmag.com | Lee Bailie

The Skinny: The 2025 Chevrolet Blazer EV SS is not only the most powerful Blazer EV, but it’s the fastest SS (Super Sport) model every built by Chevy. The lineage of Chevy SS goes back to 1961 and includes classic performance cars such as the Impala SS, Chevelle SS, and Camaro SS. Chevy estimates it has sold more than 4 million SS models in the U.S. alone. So, the Blazer EV SS, the first electric model to wear the SS badge, has big shoes to fill. But it comes carrying a big performance stick.
Is Subaru planning an STI return?

3 weeks ago | pasmag.com | Lee Bailie

My first thought upon reading the headline for this story is don’t get your hopes up. But a recent Car and Driver story has me thinking it could happen. Maybe. But it’s probably not what you’re thinking. There’s a lot to unpack here, so let’s dive in. The current WRX (VB chassis) is the second generation for the rally-inspired sedan since it was separated from the compact Impreza sedan in 2015.
Your car is probably not stolen. Probably.

1 month ago | pasmag.com | Lee Bailie

You likely don’t give it a second thought, but there is a remote chance the car you’re driving – the one you paid for and completed reams of paperwork to plate, insure and legally own – is stolen. Now, don’t worry – odds are the car you bought either online, or through a friend, or from a dealer is, in fact, completely legal and above board. So don’t expect a knock on the door from the police anytime soon.
A newcomer from Vietnam joins the EV SUV ranks. Is it any good?

1 month ago | thespec.com | Lee Bailie

As I cruise along silently in the VinFast VF8 EV, conflicting thoughts cross my mind. It’s smooth-riding, comfortable and well equipped. All good things. But, it also has oddly placed controls, smallish range and average driving. Not so great. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, in other words. Lots of good. But there’s some that’s not so great. But then I remember that VinFast, a Vietnamese automaker that’s only been around since 2017, is relatively new to the auto industry.
A newcomer from Vietnam joins the EV SUV ranks. Is it any good?

1 month ago | flamboroughreview.com | Lee Bailie

As I cruise along silently in the VinFast VF8 EV, conflicting thoughts cross my mind. It’s smooth-riding, comfortable and well equipped. All good things. But, it also has oddly placed controls, smallish range and average driving. Not so great. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, in other words. Lots of good. But there’s some that’s not so great. But then I remember that VinFast, a Vietnamese automaker that’s only been around since 2017, is relatively new to the auto industry.
First Drive Review: 2025 MINI John Cooper Works Hardtop 2-Door

1 month ago | autoguide.com | Lee Bailie

NEW! by Lee Bailie (IC: employee) Like others in the MINI family, the John Cooper Works (JCW) Hardtop is all-new for a fourth generation in 2025. Available in both two and four-door variants (three and five-door in Canada), these MINIs receive a load of changes covering everything from styling to tech to power output. AutoGuide recently traveled to Savannah, Georgia, to sample the JCW Hardtop 2-Door—here’s what we learned.
First Drive Review: 2025 MINI Cooper S And JCW Convertible

1 month ago | autoguide.com | Lee Bailie

NEW! by Lee Bailie (IC: employee) The MINI Convertible family is all-new for a fourth generation in 2025, with three distinct models for North America: Cooper (Cooper C in Canada), Cooper S, and John Cooper Works (JCW). These cars come with fresh styling that’s still recognizably MINI, with bug-eyed LED lights, a big open-mouth front grille, and more body and accent color combinations than you can shake a stick at.