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When the SHO version of the Taurus debuted a couple of years ago, it was a big disappointment, mainly due to its inferior brakes. You cannot put a powerful engine under the hood of a big, heavy sedan and market it as a sport sedan, encouraging prospective owners to take it to track days, if you don't equip the car with adequate brakes. Well, actually, you can do that, because that's exactly what the Ford Motor Company did with the last Taurus SHO. Every enthusiast media outlet, including Automobile Magazine, called them out for it, and rightly so. I recall driving the Taurus about 5 miles on a straight stretch of two-lane, never going more than 70 or 80 mph, and applying moderate to heavy braking three or four times. When I got home after this brief drive, the brake pedal was soggy and the brake pads smelled horribly. I got out of the car in disgust and never had a kind word to say about the SHO thereafter.

"If you think you need a crossover, you can't do better than the CX-5." That would be a pretty bold statement coming from most of the staff at Automobile Magazine, but to hear those words from contributor and perennial anti-SUV crank Jamie Kitman? It borders on heresy.

We've been driving the BMW 328i Luxury since February, and spent most of that time focusing on the car's performance, stopping occasionally to muse about its excellent engine and less-than-optimal tires, suspension, and steering. This month, we turn to the 3-series' myriad technological features.