Auto News 5

When it comes to talking cars, talk always turns to KITT, the feisty Pontiac Trans Am from the 1980s TV show Knight Rider. So when a talking Mini Cooper showed up in our office, we immediately gave it the Knight Industries treatment, injecting a little attitude and William Daniels for the complete KITT transformation.

What's the saying? If it ain't broke, don't fix it? Surely this cliché holds true of most things, but the men and women at Ford SVT managed to pull off the improbable: taking the impressive SVT Raptor pickup and making it an even meaner off-road machine. How? With more power, from a brand-new engine.

Months in fleet: Seven
Miles to date: 18,105

From the hood scoop to the chiseled sheetmetal, the new M3 coupe is both restrained and extroverted, in true German style. The Melbourne metallic red paint-a reasonable $550 option-two pairs of chrome tailpipes, and a carbon-fiber roof complete the subtle yet conspicuous high-performance look. The options boxes were liberally checked on this car bringing the price to just over $66,000. It's worth noting that this M3 coupe was fitted with the standard-issue wheels instead of the bright aluminum wheels that come as part of the $2500 competition package included on this car. Although I've only seen them side-by-side in pictures, I think I prefer the standard gray wheels as they temper the M3s conspicuous half.

From the hood scoop to the chiseled sheetmetal, the new M3 coupe is both restrained and extroverted, in true German style. The Melbourne metallic red paint-a reasonable $550 option-two pairs of chrome tailpipes, and a carbon-fiber roof complete the subtle yet conspicuous high-performance look. The options boxes were liberally checked on this car bringing the price to just over $66,000. It's worth noting that this M3 coupe was fitted with the standard-issue wheels instead of the bright aluminum wheels that come as part of the $2500 competition package included on this car. Although I've only seen them side-by-side in pictures, I think I prefer the standard gray wheels as they temper the M3s conspicuous half.inline_mediumwraptextright0033358929/reviews/editors_notebook/1005_2010_bmw_m3_coupe1005_11+2010_bMW_m3_coupe+side.jpgtrue

With the simultaneous launch of the 5-series Gran Turismo and the Panamera, BMW and Porsche have created a new vehicle category. No, the segment doesn't require the vehicles be ugly, that's just a side effect. Instead, the new breed is characterized by sporty driving dynamics, luxury equipment, rear-seat opulence, and a slanted back that is as much about style as it is about functionality.inline_mediumwraptextright0027607406/reviews/driven/1004_bmw_550i_gran_turismo_vs_porsche_panamera_s1004_39+bMW_550i_gran_turismo_and_porsche_panamera_s+side_view.jpgtrue

With the simultaneous launch of the 5-series Gran Turismo and the Panamera, BMW and Porsche have created a new vehicle category. No, the segment doesn't require the vehicles be ugly, that's just a side effect. Instead, the new breed is characterized by sporty driving dynamics, luxury equipment, rear-seat opulence, and a slanted back that is as much about style as it is about functionality.

It's not a Mercury, but I can't help but think this Touareg is a bit of a cougar. You know full well that it has received plenty of cosmetic surgery over the past decade, but it's hard not to find the end product-especially with this monochromatic paint scheme-at least somewhat attractive. I'm not the only one, either; before I even left our parking garage, two bystanders commented on the Touareg TDI's good looks.inline_mediumwraptextright0033392817/green/reviews/1005_2010_volkswagen_touareg_v6_tdi1005_02+2010_volkswagen_touareg_v-6_tDI+front_three_quarter_view.jpgtrue

It's not a Mercury, but I can't help but think this Touareg is a bit of a cougar. You know full well that it has received plenty of cosmetic surgery over the past decade, but it's hard not to find the end product-especially with this monochromatic paint scheme-at least somewhat attractive. I'm not the only one, either; before I even left our parking garage, two bystanders commented on the Touareg TDI's good looks.