2010 Toyota Corolla Overview

Introduction

The Toyota Corolla is among the best of the compact sedans: reliable and economical yet refined and comfortable.

The 2010 Corolla comes in five trims: Standard, LE, XLE, S, and XRS. The principal powertrain is a 132 horsepower, 1.8-liter dual VVT-I engine, matched with a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. An added powertrain, available only in XRS models, is a 158 horsepower, 2.4-liter VVT-I engine with a five-speed manual or new five-speed automatic transmission. All models come standard with front, side-impact and side-curtain airbags, ABS with brake assist, and whiplash protecting front seat active head restraints. New for 2010, Vehicle Stability Control with Traction Control is standard on all models.

Completely redesigned for 2009, the 2010 Toyota Corolla is a rollover.

2010 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG declares checkmate

Every experience we've had with Mercedes-Benz's new eighth-generation E-Class has been a positive one. From the near-stately luxury of the E350 and E550 sedans to the sporty thrills of the E-Coupe to the "ineffable joy"of the E-Cabrio, we've been big fans. Except... we all seem to end our reviews saying something like this, "While there is no doubt that the [whichever E-Class] is a first rate automobile, we can't help but wonder what the AMG version would be like." Well friends, let me tell you.

It's like driving veal. No, the E63 AMG is smoother than that. It's like driving veal fat. Citroëns wish they had rides as glassy. Potholes, ruts, expansion joints (i.e. Interstate 5 near Downtown Los Angeles), it really doesn't matter what the road surface is like. The E63 wafts you over it in serene comfort. And should you (somehow) become uncomfortable, just switch on the massaging seat. The max setting is stellar. "Wait a second," you say, this is an AMG product. It's not supposed to be all soft and cushy. Well, I'm kind of pulling a fast one, because I'm talking about driving the E63 with all of the adjustable stuff turned off. This is also known as "Comfort" mode, and truer words have rarely been printed in an owner's manual.



Of course, situated just in front of the gear selector is the AMG Drive Unit button that firms up the suspension in one of two ways. Push once for "Sport" and once again for "Sport Plus." Unlike the majority of cars fitted with such functionality, this button makes a world of difference. With Sport Plus engaged (who has time for regular old Sport?), moving at 110 mph with four grown men inside is like puttering about in traffic in any other car. Talk about an Autobaun cruiser, talk about a gentleman-thug. There's just no drama. Blame it on the E63's curious suspension set up.

There's an age-old problem that goes something like this: The weight on a car's front end is fairly static, specifically a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive sedan. However, the weight pressing down on the rear axle fluctuates. With four adults and a week's worth of luggage, we could be talking a quarter of a ton – or more. Most trucks have a perfect solution for this problem: Leaf springs. Of course, Mercedes-Benz would rather re-buy Chrysler than go down that path. Multi-link rear-ends with gas-shock dampers (like you'll find on most performance sedans, including the lesser E-Classers) can't adjust to the added and arbitrary weight. They require additional rear-spring stiffness to keep the car semi-level and this hurts ride quality. AMG's answer: Air suspension, but only in the rear.

2010 Land Rover LR4 makes a better boxy SUV

Unmistakably a Land Rover, the LR4 comes in for an exceedingly subtle outward metamorphosis. Look (very) hard and you'll notice the reworked grille and fascia. There's also a larger intake in the restyled front bumper, which itself has been reshaped to enhance aerodynamics – not that the LR4's squared-off look screams "wind tunnel-tested." New headlamps, LED taillamps, a trio of new paint colors and new 19- and 20-inch wheel designs round out the exterior tweaks. No one's complaining about the conservative approach to the visual facelift; iconic styling is an asset changed at your own peril.

Inside, Solihull has lavished substantial attention on the LR4 accommodations. The dashboard and center stack have been cleanly restyled and simplified, exorcising many of the buttons that used to clutter up the space. Much like the exterior, changes to the dashboard and controls are refinements rather than revolutionary alterations. Things are generally where they were in the LR3, but the materials and design are vastly improved. Some elements, like the new piano black accent that extends from the lower center stack and extends back to surround the shifter, may be in vogue, but it's dastardly to keep free of smudged fingerprints.



The relocation plan moves the controls for the updated Terrain Response into a more logical location by the shifter. Thanks to the upgraded materials, Range Rover drivers will feel right at home when they get an LR4 loaner at the service department. Front and second-row seating is revised, and HSE buyers can choose the Premium Leather Pack and its electrically-adjustable seat bolstering. The third row is still coach-class, largely the domain of priveleged brats, but grown-ups do fit more easily than in some other three-row vehicles with a similar footprint.

The interior refit pays off by improving the LR4's driving experience. Were it not for the obscene amount of fuel required to shove a tall, blocky, heavy thing through the air, this would be a nearly ideal vehicle for long-legged journeys. The seating position is high, and visibility is fantastic. The front and middle-row seats are fantastically comfortable, and a heated steering wheel feels decadent on subzero mornings. Equally sublime is an electrically heated windshield, though the squiggly grid can be initially distracting.

Three classic Ferraris break the million-dollar mark at Amelia Island

1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 Berlinetta 

While the iconic 250 series of 1960s-era Ferraris – including the GTO, California Spyder and Testa Rossa – continue to break records at auction, the models that followed are quickly catching up, as those who lusted after them in their wonder years are coming up with the cash to acquire them today. As with any great collector cars, the more perfect and more rare the specimen, the more it'll fetch at auction.

Case in point, three classic Ferraris hovering around the 40-year-old mark each sold for seven figures last week at the RM Auctions Amelia Island event in Florida. One example, a rare Daytona Spyder once owned by Edsel Ford II, brought in $1,017,500 – safely inside the $1-1.25 million estimate range. Another, an alloy-bodied 275 GTB/4 in stunning copper, which was purchased new by Luigi Chinetti and displayed at the 1967 New York Auto Show, went for $1,265,000 – a little short of its estimate. It was bested, however, by a meticulously-restored, concours-winning 275 that greatly exceeded its estimate with a $1,650,000 winning bid.

Along with the headline-catching Duesenbergs, these classic cavallinos helped RM achieve an 88% sale rate at Amelia Island, accounting for over $19 million in sales.

Ford to attempt 1,000-lap challenge at Bristol Motor Speedway in V6 Mustang

While true Ford Mustang fans will really only care that the new powertrains being introduced for 2011 produce substantially more power than before, Ford is equally interested in promoting their improved fuel economy. We already know about the new V6's 19 mile per gallon city and 31 mpg highway ratings from the EPA. On June 23, Ford will take a V6 Mustang to Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee and attempt to run over 1,000 laps on a single tank of gas. Bristol is one of NASCAR's old school half-mile bullrings, so that means over 500 miles on a tank.

A crew of Ford test drivers will circle the track until the tank runs dry, hopefully topping the 1,000 lap mark. During the run-up to the event people can go to www.Mustang1000LapChallenge.com and guess how many jelly beans are in the jar how many laps the Mustang will complete before it's running on fumes. Of those who guess correctly, Ford will randomly draw the name of one person who'll win a 2011 Mustang V6. Hats off to Tim for the tip.

[Source: Ford]