Auto News 5

As we wrap up seven months with the Nissan Cube, we are still impressed with the Cube's interior space and its ability to carry people of all sizes in comfort. Associate editor Eric Tingwall, our resident giant at well over six feet tall, spent some time in the Cube's rear quarters and came away surprisingly uncramped. "Headroom is cavernous and with the sliding rear bench in their rearward-most position, legroom was adequate." He was particularly impressed with the fact that the rear seats can be moved forward and aft and recline, saying "these features seem like something previously found on much more expensive vehicles."

This black-on-black 911 Turbo looks menacing at first glance, but it's anything but scary once you sit behind the wheel. In fact, this would be an extremely easy car to live with every day. The 911 Turbo has awesome capabilities-500 hp, 480 lb-ft of torque, 0 to 60 in less than 4 seconds -- but there are few apparent compromises to everyday driving comfort. The suspension is more supple than stiff, the seats are supportive but not unforgiving, and the prodigious power and torque are easily tamed when you need to maneuver through urban gridlock. Of course, at $150,000, you expect a lot from a car. The 911 Turbo pretty much delivers everything you ask of it.
- Amy Skogstrom, Managing Editor

Driving pleasure doesn't get much more involving than this. The Porsche 911 alerts your sixth sense even in basic Carrera form, but you can, of course, upgrade according to your budget: Carrera S, Turbo, Turbo S, GT3, GT3 RS. Last in line is now the GT2 RS, which musters an awe-inspiring 620 hp. BMW tells a similar story, with the six-cylinder 3-series models meeting their master in the V-8-engined M3, which in turn is eclipsed by the brand-new 450-hp GTS. Both top-of-the-range coupes are track-oriented, featuring adjustable wings and suspension elements along with race seats and roll cages. On the road, they feel firm, look loud, and make a fair bit of noise, but if you don't mind extra tramlining and a harsh ride, these German sportsters are perfectly acceptable everyday stimulants from spring through autumn. Feel inclined to sign on the dotted line? Hold your breath. After all, the $245,000 Porsche is limited to 500 pieces, and BMW will assemble only 136 units of the fire-orange GTS, which costs about $140,000 in Europe and, unlike the Porsche, will not be sold in the United States.

The new QX56 is a huge beast, but it's also incredibly useful and luxurious. You could say the same about previous-generation QX, too, but the new model also adds a great deal more refinement, slick styling (rather than a simpler, truck-like look), more available features, and significantly more power. I particularly enjoyed the heated steering wheel, ventilated seats, and seriously nice sound system.