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Wow, what a great little convertible. I was amazed by how quiet this BMW 128i was with the top down at speeds up to 80 mph. It handled the wind noise much better than the new BMW Z4 roadster we recently sampled. Although the Z4 featured BMW's twin-turbo I-6, I had a lot more fun in the 128i.

It's not just the faltering U.S. carmakers and their various affiliates that need to seek partners nowadays. Even the reigning kings of German automotive arrogance, Mercedes-Benz and BMW, are finding it tough to go it alone.

First-ever IS droptop
Ten years after the first Lexus IS rolled into dealer showrooms, Lexus is finally following its competitors and offering an IS convertible, and it's a hardtop, just like the ones from BMW, Volvo, and Infiniti. The IS350C and IS250C, which hit dealers in late May, "give us an opportunity to compete in an area we've never competed in before," says Mark Templin, group vice president & general manager of the Lexus division. "We get to unleash our darker side with the IS C."

Is 300 hp too much power for a compact, four-passenger sport coupe? Back in 1974, singer Barry White softly spoke the timeless line, "I've heard people say that too much of anything is not good for you, baby." Although White, of course, was referring to the love of a woman, nearly everyone who got behind the wheel of our Four Seasons 2008 BMW 135i coupe had similar thoughts about the twin-turbo six under its hood: was it simply too much for this little car?