Auto News 5

First an SUV. Then a sedan. And now a hybrid. It may be another gut punch for purists, but Porsche's foray into volume products and new segments continues with a hybrid model for the new, second-generation Porsche Cayenne. However, the Cayenne S Hybrid isn't an overweight Toyota Prius. Both the hardware and the software feature unique-or at least unusual-approaches to hybrid execution. The result is that the Porsche Cayenne doesn't drive like any other hybrid.

Once upon a time, before globalism became a favorite buzzword, cars really said something about the countries that produced them. The frugality and reliability of a Honda subcompact spoke to the ingenuity and determination of post-war Japan. The power and size of a tail-finned Cadillac convertible embodied American swagger. And so on. The automobile used to be as much an expression of culture as a country's art or food.

The Aston Martin Rapide will instantly draw comparisons to the Porsche Panamera Turbo sedan, but these two are as different as asparagus and ice cream. Even though the automakers tell us that the Panamera is only 44 pounds heavier, the Aston feels so much lighter. The Aston delivers excellent steering and sharp turn-in for a sense of compact agility that can lead you to quickly forget that there are two doors behind you. The V-12 experience lives up to its 470-hp output, but Aston's been a bit too conservative with the exhaust tuning. The six-speed automated manual in the Rapide also isn't as refined as the seven-speed dual-clutch in the Panamera, particularly when it comes to low-speed driving.