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I couldn't help but feel a bit like Charlie Brown as I climbed into our Mustang GT convertible just in time to see big fat raindrops starting to fall from the sky. The clouds didn't fully clear until I turned in the keys. When you don't have the wind in your face and V-8 growl in your ears, it's hard to see why anyone would pay $38,715 for this car. It shudders over bumps much more than the coupe and, in the wet, was bouncing its tail all over the place.inline_mediumwraptextright24894266/reviews/editors_notebook/0908_2010_ford_mustang_gt_premium_convertible0908_02_z+2010_ford_mustang_gT_premium_convertible+front_three_quarters_view.jpgTrue

It may be wrenching on a crossover and toying with eco-friendly electric vehicles, but Mini hasn't forgotten about its die-hard, speed-crazed enthusiasts. The Mini Coupe Concept, which debuts at the 2009 Frankfurt motor show, is aimed squarely at this demographic.

It looks like we're back to a familiar conundrum: should I buy a supercharged Mustang or a base Corvette? A base Corvette coupe starts at $49,515 with destination, and the only option that you'll really need is the two-mode exhaust system at $1195, so a worthy Vette starts at $50,710. That's actually $185 less than this particular Shelby GT500 coupe (and that's ignoring any potential dealer markup on the Shelby). Yes, the Shelby has more horsepower, but the Corvette is a better handler, more fuel efficient at 16/26 mpg, and 707 pounds lighter. By no means is this an apples-to-apples comparison, but it's certainly one that will be explored on many Web sites.inline_mediumwraptextright24817471/reviews/editors_notebook/0908_2010_ford_mustang_shelby_gt500_coupe0908_01_z+2010_ford_mustang_shelby_gT500_coupe+profile.jpgTrue

That's a shame, because the Raptor is simply incredible when the ground goes soft. Steering that's a bit too slow and light on pavement suddenly feels confident and dead-on accurate, and the extra bit of body roll allows for a relatively silky ride over terrain that would shake apart many passenger vehicles. A number of tweaks, including beefier control arms, bigger brakes, a redesigned power-steering system, a stiffened structure, and the aforementioned 35-inch BFGoodrich tires (which increase the tread width more than six inches and require flared front and rear fenders) keep the truck and the driver in one piece. But the biggest addition is the dampers. The triple-bypass Fox racing Shox get progressively stiffer as they compress, meaning the Raptor can soak up just about everything the desert has to offer without bottoming out.

It's tough to think of a better way to celebrate 80-degree July weather than with one of Zuffenhausen's finest roadsters. The Porsche Boxster S is simply one of the most enjoyable ways to travel your favorite roads. Sure you can bomb along at 120 mph without much warning (aside from the howling wind), but the Boxster also rewards a responsible driver in a way that few fast cars can. Even at nearly legal speeds, the car's impeccable balance, grip, and road feel are a joy.inline_mediumwraptextright24628828/reviews/editors_notebook/0908_2009_porsche_boxster_s0908_01_z+2009_porsche_boxster_s+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

Months in Fleet: Four
Mileage to Date: 17,297

Mileage to date: 23,801
Months in fleet: Ten

2010 Mazda3 s Sport 5-Door

This $33,170 so-called "Sport" edition of the Fusion doesn't really work for me. The general demeanor of the Fusion does not lend itself to sportiness, no matter how you dress up the car. Yeah, the seats are pretty nice, but, really, what is the point of this particular Fusion trim level? This car is trying too hard to be something it's never going to be.inline_mediumwraptextright24626542/reviews/editors_notebook/0908_2010_ford_fusion_sport_awd0908_04_z+2010_ford_fusion_sport_aWD+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

The Audi A4 Avant may not turn heads like a chiseled Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon and, at least in this test car's configuration, won't win any races against a grocery-toting BMW 3-series. But make no mistake, this is a handsome, pleasant-to-drive vehicle.

This week we've been blessed with an overabundance of terrific sports coupes, from an Aston Martin V8 Vantage at the very high end to an affordable Hyundai Genesis coupe. To my mind, though, this retina-searing yellow Nissan 370Z sits at the perfect cross-section of value and performance.inline_mediumwraptextright29441613/reviews/editors_notebook/0908_2009_nissan_370z_sport0908_05_z+2009_nissan_370Z_sport+2010_hyundai_genesis_coupe_38_track.jpgTrue

With the arrival of the CTS Sport Wagon and a coupe model in the near future, Cadillac is setting the stage for a product lineup much more closely mimicking that of BMW's 3 Series. For decades, BMW has spread its engineering costs over several 3 Series body styles and capitalized on the recognition and reputation of the mainstream sedan. The wagons, convertibles, and coupes may not sell in the same volumes as the 3 Series sedan, but each one certainly plays a role in BMW's business. We drove a 2009 BMW 328i xDrive Sports Wagon to see how the golden standard of the sport sedan world translated into a wagon.

Although visually striking, most auto show concepts are about as fun to drive as a homemade kit car, barely able to turn a wheel under their own power and limited to brisk walking speeds. Not so the Volkswagen Concept BlueSport, which is more of an early prototype than a humble design exercise. After an entertaining two-hour drive through the Bavarian Alps, we are convinced that the BlueSport - whose approval by VW brass is only a formality - has the potential to become a hit. The hikers, bikers, pedestrians, and fellow motorists along our route seemed to agree; we would have seen even more thumbs-up had the fans not been so busy taking pictures and videos with their mobile phones.

2010 Chevrolet Camaro 2LT Coupeinline_mediumwraptextright29427603/reviews/editors_notebook/0908_2010_chevrolet_camaro_2lt_coupe0908_05_z+2010_chevrolet_camaro_2LT_coupe+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

CADILLAC CTS SPORT WAGON

The only car I can really compare this Vantage to is another Aston Martin. Perhaps Aston is stealing a few potential Porsche 911 or Audi R8 buyers with the V8 Vantage, but I'd be worried about losing DB9 sales to the slightly smaller, slightly cheaper Vantage. Inside, the cars are virtually identical and, though the Vantage is much cheaper, Aston Martin's own web site lists it as just .3 second slower to the 60 mph mark. The DB9 will theoretically do 190 mph to the Vantage's 180 mph, but that's not good for much more than bragging rights.inline_mediumwraptextright29425200/reviews/editors_notebook/0908_2009_aston_martin_vantage_v80908_11_z+2009_aston_martin_vantage_v8+front_three_quarter_view.jpgTrue

2009 Nissan GT-R Premium

Our Four Seasons Hyundai Genesis sedan blows me away every time I drive it. There's literally nothing in its price range that offers such a combination of luxury, refinement, and performance. This Genesis coupe, in contrast, is a little underwhelming.inline_mediumwraptextright29395518/reviews/editors_notebook/0908_2010_hyundai_genesis_coupe_38_track0908_11_z+2010_hyundai_genesis_coupe_38_track+front_three_quarters_view.jpgTrue

2009 Volkswagen CC Sportinline_mediumwraptextright29398551/reviews/editors_notebook/0908_2009_volkswagen_cc_sport0908_08_z+2009_volkswagen_cC_sport+front_three_quarters_view.jpgTrue