Auto News 5

Last month, we mentioned that we were annoyed by a sideview mirror that whistled more than Andy Griffith, particularly at speeds of 60 mph or so. We took the Nissan Altima to our local dealer, seeking some respite. The dealership technicians, trying to isolate the cause, applied masking tape to the door/fender seam as well as the gap between the mirror glass and its frame. They eventually determined that the sound originated from the spot where the mirror housing meets the door. A replacement mirror assembly was ordered.

The Volkswagen Beetle is an undeniably cute car -- from the original all the way to today's retrofied-Jetta -- and we won't question that. But after having the car for just one month, we're already beginning to question whether or not the cute factor is enough to make the Beetle Turbo Convertible.

The 850-hp 2013 Shelby GT500 Super Snake by Shelby American is not exactly a Pro Stock drag-racing car, but it's so close that you'll be explaining the difference to your local law-enforcement officials.

Our yearlong loan of a 2013 Dodge Dart got off to a slow start, as the car spent most of its time in southeast Michigan. Last month, however, several staffers put big miles on the car on long road trips.