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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

I sometimes pick up my buddy Jim at his house on Monday evenings and drive him to a core-training class we've been taking. One time recently, I picked him up in a Jeep Compass. As the owner of a first-generation Volkswagen R32 and an Audi A4 Avant, he was not impressed. So you can imagine his delight when I pulled to his curb in this topaz brown metallic Porsche Panamera. He leaped into the front passenger's seat and said, "Now THIS is more like it!"

I sometimes pick up my buddy Jim at his house on Monday evenings and drive him to a core-training class we've been taking. One time recently, I picked him up in a Jeep Compass. As the owner of a first-generation Volkswagen R32 and an Audi A4 Avant, he was not impressed. So you can imagine his delight when I pulled to his curb in this topaz brown metallic Porsche Panamera. He leaped into the front passenger's seat and said, "Now THIS is more like it!"inline_mediumwraptextright0029137789/reviews/editors_notebook/1005_2010_porsche_panamera_s1005_11+2010_porsche_panamera_s+rear_three_quarter_view.jpgtrue

Peter Brock is strapped to his racing seat by a five-point harness. In the gutted cockpit, he's surrounded by a geeky paradise of analog gauges and rocker switches poking out of a black-crinkle instrument panel and center console that look like they belong in an old-school race car. (Actually, the material comes from a pickup truck bedliner that he cut to fit.) The Datsun 510 sedan is painted a silvery shade of green that blends seamlessly with the majestic firs and pine trees that dominate the landscape around Brock's home near Seattle. The camouflage will come in handy if any cops are around, because, at the moment, Brock is hammering the throttle hard enough to break loose the rear wheels in third gear. But how, you ask, does a puny Datsun four-banger spin the tires at 4000 rpm? It doesn't. Which is why Brock fitted the sedan with a small-block Chevy V-8 and dubbed the sleeper Datzilla.

Peter Brock is strapped to his racing seat by a five-point harness. In the gutted cockpit, he's surrounded by a geeky paradise of analog gauges and rocker switches poking out of a black-crinkle instrument panel and center console that look like they belong in an old-school race car. (Actually, the material comes from a pickup truck bedliner that he cut to fit.) The Datsun 510 sedan is painted a silvery shade of green that blends seamlessly with the majestic firs and pine trees that dominate the landscape around Brock's home near Seattle. The camouflage will come in handy if any cops are around, because, at the moment, Brock is hammering the throttle hard enough to break loose the rear wheels in third gear. But how, you ask, does a puny Datsun four-banger spin the tires at 4000 rpm? It doesn't. Which is why Brock fitted the sedan with a small-block Chevy V-8 and dubbed the sleeper Datzilla.inline_mediumwraptextright0029002171/features/news/1006_peter_brock_the_prodigy1006_01+peter_brock+portrait.jpgtrue

It's always exciting to have a convertible in the spring when the sun is shining and the temperature starts to climb. With a Mercedes, you can actually enjoy top-down driving even if the temperature is in the 40s thanks to heated seats, good aerodynamics that help push wind around the passengers, and the Airscarf feature. Airscarf is a pair of heat vents at the bottom of the headrests that can blast warm air on your neck, which really takes the chill off a cold morning or evening. It's a bit of a gimmick, but the results are quite nice for those who like to drive with the top down as much as possible.

It's always exciting to have a convertible in the spring when the sun is shining and the temperature starts to climb. With a Mercedes, you can actually enjoy top-down driving even if the temperature is in the 40s thanks to heated seats, good aerodynamics that help push wind around the passengers, and the Airscarf feature. Airscarf is a pair of heat vents at the bottom of the headrests that can blast warm air on your neck, which really takes the chill off a cold morning or evening. It's a bit of a gimmick, but the results are quite nice for those who like to drive with the top down as much as possible.inline_mediumwraptextright0033265005/reviews/editors_notebook/1005_2011_mercedes_benz_sl5501005_06+2011_mercedes_benz_sL550+front_three_quarter_view.jpgtrue

The first thing I noticed about this Mini is its adorable cream, black, and silver color scheme, which I love. The second thing I noticed is that this Mini Camden Edition talks to you! Start the car and a male/female trio starts chatting through some unseen speaker. It all starts as soon as you insert the flat round key and push the start button. Usually the woman chirps in first with some sort of comment like "All systems go!" and an admonition to fasten your seatbelt. All of them have British accents. Here's a sampling of other conversations I got to listen to. They can be switched off, but I was curious to see how large of a conversational vocabulary is built into the car; quite large, it seems:inline_mediumwraptextright0029004970/reviews/editors_notebook/1004_2010_mini_cooper_camden_edition1004_04a+2010_mini_cooper_camden_edition+front_three_quarter_view.jpgtrue

I spent a weekend with the 2011 Hyundai Sonata SE and found it to be just as appealing as the more expensive 2011 Hyundai Sonata Limited that we recently had in the fleet. As the mid-priced Sonata model, the SE gets a mid-line but still appealing interior; it features seats that are upholstered with both cloth and leather. The base Sonata GLS gets cloth, while the Limited gets leather. At first the combination seemed strange but I quickly grew to not mind it at all.inline_mediumwraptextright0027622409/reviews/editors_notebook/1004_2010_hyundai_sonata_se1004_09+2010_hyundai_sonata_sE+front_three_quarter_view.jpgtrue

You knew it was coming. Audi’s heavily revised 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder has been marching around its lineup, and to virtually no one’s surprise, the 2011 Audi TT is the latest model to get the new engine. It’s one of several changes made to Audi’s two-seater for the 2011 model year that should help it better take on its German rivals.inline_mediumwraptextright27474200/features/news/1004_2011_audi_tt2011-audi-TT-front.jpgTrue

Photo Gallery: 2011 Audi TT – Audi Luxury Sport Coupe and Roadster – Automobile Magazine