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] 

2011 Ford Edge Sport

Manufacturers used to roll out all-new cars every five-to-eight years. Somewhere around the halfway point – usually year three – much hoopla would be made about new front and rear fascias, the addition of some standard features and some new option packages. (*Yawn*). These changes were designed to give shoppers a reason to look at a car that was getting long-in-the-tooth.

Ford Motor Company sung by this songbook for decades, but it's not any longer. As we've seen with the Escape, Fusion and Mustang, the Ford brand is rolling out significant product changes any time they darn well please. For example, the 2010 Fusion could have been a standard refresh, but instead included three all-new powertrains, a significantly upgraded interior, and the expected front and rear fascias.

Introduced as a 2007 model at the close of 2006, the Edge was Ford's second attempt at a more car-like crossover. (Anybody remember the Freestyle/Taurus X ... uhh, not so much.) Heading into its fifth year of production, the Edge needed some serious attention.

2011 Ford Edge ordering guide hits the Intertubes

After spending some time with the 2011 Ford Edge Sport, it's obvious Ford did more than just a run-of-the-mill mid-cycle refresh. And with the overhauled crossover hitting showrooms this summer, more and more information is trickling out. A member of the Blue Oval forums apparently found the Edge's order guide, giving us a complete rundown of the four Edge packages available at launch.

First, let's begin with what we already know. The Edge will be available in SE, SEL, Limited and Sport trims, come standard with an overhauled 285-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 powerplant and the Sport model will get the same 305-horsepower 3.7-liter V6 that powers the 2011 Mustang V6. According to the ordering guide, Ford expects 17 percent of customers to opt for the base SE model, 39 percent to go for the mid-level SEL, 40 percent to choose the Limited and only four percent to choose the 22-inch wheels of the Sport model.

SE buyers will have two Rapid Spec option packages from which to choose, though the pickings are slim. Spec 101A includes a convenience package with auto-headlamps, a compass, keyless entry and a reverse sensing system. The SEL will add everything from the best SE model plus standard equipment including 18-inch painted aluminum wheels, heated mirrors, a six-way power driver's seat and dual-zone temperature control. The SEL trim will also afford three different packages: Rapid Spec 201A includes the eight-inch LCD MyTouch interface with SYNC and a rear-view camera while Spec 202A adds features like leather seating surfaces, heated front seats, a 10-way power driver's seat and ambient lighting.

Stand alone options include an expansive Vista Roof (available with spec 201A or 202A) and Ford's excellent navigation system (available with spec 202A). Jump to the Limited Edge and MyTouch, SYNC, leather, heated seats with power adjust in the front row and visual cues all around are all standard. The Limited has three rapid specs, with The Blue Oval expecting 301A to be the most popular. The package includes navigation, HID headlamps and the Vista Roof. Spec 302A adds BLISS blind spot protection and adaptive cruise control, while the low volume Sport model comes with scores of standard features including the aforementioned 22-inch wheels and 3.7-liter drivetrain. All options, including navigation, are a-la-carte. What the alleged Edge order guide doesn't include is pricing or any information about the 2.0-liter turbo model, which reportedly won't be available until 2011. Check the gallery below for the full guide.

2010 Aston Martin Rapide is always ready for its close-up

The Aston Martin Rapide is a sports car first, a sedan second.

Those exact words may have never been spoken or alleged while the Rapide was under development. Nevertheless, that mantra subconsciously repeated itself countless times during our day with the British manufacturer's first four-door vehicle since the angular William Towns-designed Lagonda left the world stage.

Even to the uninitiated openly-gazing public, the Rapide is purely an Aston Martin. The family resemblance – to the DB9, DBS and Vantage – is unquestioned thanks to Aston's world-renowned and incredibly sexy, sleek silhouette. The designers have done such a noble job hiding the extra 12 inches of length and two inches of height that only on second glance do most realize that this isn't another coupe. Regardless, in a compliment to the designer, most will still believe the Rapide is a stretched variant of the DB9. In truth, all of the body panels on the sedan are new – none of the sheetmetal is shared.



With that in mind, it is no surprise to find that under the skin, Aston Martin has utilized its V/H platform – shared with the DB9, DBS and Vantage – to construct the Rapide. Using technology borrowed from the aerospace industry, the British automaker employs adhesives to bond – not weld – aluminum components together. The front quarter panels are composite, while the doors and roof are aluminum. The rear quarter panels are steel. The end result is a chassis that is very light and extraordinarily stiff. The curb weight of the Rapide is 4,387 pounds – about 500 pounds heavier than the DB9 coupe. Thanks to the engine being set low and back in the front of the platform and a rear-mounted transaxle, the Rapide's weight balance is a nicely proportioned 49 percent front, 51 percent rear.

Under the long hood of the Rapide is a hand-assembled all-alloy 48-valve V12. Displacing 6.0-liters, the normally-aspirated engine is rated at 470 horsepower (at 6,000 rpm) and 443 lb-ft of torque (at 5,000 rpm). Power is sent rearward through a carbon-fiber propeller shaft within an alloy tube to the mid-mounted gearbox. The transmission is Aston Martin's "Touchtronic 2" with electronic shift-by-wire control (that's an overly eloquent way of saying it is a traditional six-speed slushbox with a torque converter and overrides for manual control). A standard limited-slip differential ensures power is sent consistently to each rear wheel. While the four-door shares a powertrain with the DBS, it has been customized for the Rapide, including its own unique final drive ratio of 3.46:1.

CHP report seemingly sides with Sikes on case of the Runaway Prius

In reality, the California Highway Patrol isn't taking sides with anyone regarding the recent speeding Prius of Jim Sikes. But the CHP doesn't see any reason to doubt Sikes' version of events that led to his hybrid reaching speeds of around 90 miles per hour, apparently unable to bring the barreling vehicle to a stop. Also of note is the fact that a Border Patrol agent had also responded and was leading the Prius with its emergency lights on when the CHP officer arrived.

The officer that responded to the scene states that he "could see the driver sat up off his seat indicating that he was possibly applying the brake pedal with his body weight... His back was arched and both hands were pulling at the steering wheel." A short time later, the officer positioned his patrol car in front of Sikes' Prius when he "noticed that the Prius' speed had dropped dramatically" before coming to a complete stop on the highway. According to Sikes, this happened after he applied both the standard and parking brakes.

Paramedics arrived on the scene and found that "Sikes' blood pressure and pulse rate were very high." Another interesting tidbit is the the officer encouraged Sikes to speak with the media, despite the fact that the driver indicated he preferred not to. Later at the station, the officer took a statement from Sikes, who described his Prius as 'feeling funny' under braking, saying that the "whole car was shaking and vibrating" when the brakes were applied.

Sikes also claims to have manually pulled up on the gas pedal three separate times with no effect, and he was afraid that shutting the car off would cause the steering to lock up. The officer reports seeing the car's brake lights on and off intermittently, smelling the scent of worn brakes and seeing that the pads were worn completely down after the event.

CHP spokesman Brian Pennings has said that it is the CHP's position that no evidence has emerged to doubt Sikes' version of events. See the CHP officer's complete report in our image gallery below. For a slightly different view, click here and here to see what Toyota and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found after inspecting Sikes' Prius.

McLaren MP4-12C takes the stage at company unveiling

Early this morning, at least in the U.S., McLaren Automotive had a coming out party in its home town of Woking, England. We were there in person and witnessed the unveiling of not only a new sports car company, McLaren Automotive, but also its flagship product: The MP4-12C. This will be the first of an entire range of new McLaren sports cars, and the company best know for its exploits on the F1 race circuit appears to have built a doozy of a supercar to kick things off.

McLaren F1 drivers Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton were on hand at McLaren's technology center to pull back the sheet on the MP4-12C. The rear-wheel-drive supercar features a mid-mounted 3.8-liter V8 producing 600 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque with an 8,000-rpm redline. Comparisons with the legendary McLaren F1 will no doubt be made, but no performance numbers are available for the MP4-12C yet and, we suspect, their missions in life are not exactly the same. The MP4-12C appears to be a supercar you could live with on a daily basis, more like a Gallardo than a Murciélago (though we suspect it might leave both in the dust).

Since we were there, we also meandered about McLaren's facilities and captured stills of a bare MP4-12C chassis, rolling bodies on the assembly line, the XP11 prototype that was used for testing and various historical McLaren automobiles that were hanging out in the lobby.

2011 BMW 335is - Munich finally builds a special one for U.S.

It's fair to say that few automobiles have ridden atop their segment for as long as the BMW 3 Series has managed. Admittedly, there have been occasional frights from other German automakers or the odd Asian upstart, but it's as if Munich's engineers long ago brokered some sweetheart deal with the devil, so total has been the range's dominance. All of which has made it particularly tough for U.S. enthusiasts, as we've seen seemingly dozens of tempting higher performance specials and intriguingly efficient offerings pop up over in Europe and elsewhere, yet these models never seem to make their way into U.S. showrooms. Forgive us, then, for being slightly giddy at the prospect of this 335is, the first North American exclusive 3 Series in, well... eons.

Based on the freshly facelifted sixth-generation 3 Series, the 2011 335is will be available in both coupe and folding hardtop convertible forms beginning this spring – but we just couldn't wait that long to get behind the wheel. Thankfully, BMW was kind enough to slip us the keys to a pre-production example on Portugal's Estoril raceway as a dessert course of sorts at the launch of their new 5 Series sedan.

2011 BMW 335is - Munich finally builds a special one for U.S.

It's fair to say that few automobiles have ridden atop their segment for as long as the BMW 3 Series has managed. Admittedly, there have been occasional frights from other German automakers or the odd Asian upstart, but it's as if Munich's engineers long ago brokered some sweetheart deal with the devil, so total has been the range's dominance. All of which has made it particularly tough for U.S. enthusiasts, as we've seen seemingly dozens of tempting higher performance specials and intriguingly efficient offerings pop up over in Europe and elsewhere, yet these models never seem to make their way into U.S. showrooms. Forgive us, then, for being slightly giddy at the prospect of this 335is, the first North American exclusive 3 Series in, well... eons.

Based on the freshly facelifted sixth-generation 3 Series, the 2011 335is will be available in both coupe and folding hardtop convertible forms beginning this spring – but we just couldn't wait that long to get behind the wheel. Thankfully, BMW was kind enough to slip us the keys to a pre-production example on Portugal's Estoril raceway as a dessert course of sorts at the launch of their new 5 Series sedan.

Bentley Continental Supersports is a whiter lighter shade of pale awesome

In the superluxe world, we're used to this maneuver: add a few horsepower, shave a tenth or two, sew in a few extra threads, name your exclusive new interior color something like "Algerian Beet" and voilà, a 50-percent price premium for three-percent more car. On the surface, the Bentley Continental Supersports is a GTC Speed that has gone on The Biggest Loser, Extreme Makeover, and Alter Eco. But you know what they say about the proof and the pudding, so the question is whether the Supersports is a nameplate special or a genuinely higher evolution of the baller's favorite steed. We spent a day in the wilds of New Jersey and upstate New York, along with a few hours at Monticello Raceway to find out. Ladies and gentlemen, allow us to introduce you to the first Continental you can feel.

Think of the Bentley Continental Supersports as Usain Bolt: both are hypothetically too big to perform as they do, but they do it anyway.

The Continental GT is not a sports car. Nor is the Continental Supersports. Nevertheless, both Bentleys do things that only sports cars can do, and the Supersports does some of them more quickly – like 0 to 60 in 3.7 seconds. The difference is in how they do it. In our review of the GTC Speed, we wrote that it achieves these feats by taking the goddess of physics hostage, forcing her to obey. Bentley should be commended for engineering a 5,182-pound beast to perform such feats at all, but it remains an act of coercion.

In the GTC Speed, though, the driver is separated from all that imperative violence by multiple layers of sound deadening, carpeting, wood and leather. If you really pay attention, you can catch a soupcon of the brute force wizardry being conducted somewhere in the Bentley's deathly hallows, but why would you? There are 1,100 distracting watts of Naim audio to command the ears and a woman named Katerina or Genevieve or Summer in the front seat to command everything else.

2011 BMW 5 Series is a smooth operator

The outgoing BMW 5 Series may have ushered in a dramatic leap forward in terms of dynamics, technology, safety and creature comforts, but it's the previous generation – the E39 – that Bimmerphiles still speak of in hushed tones. The departing E60 may have been a more capable package, but it was also the source of much controversy and hand wringing. Blame Chris Bangle. Blame byzantine iDrive menu structures. Blame spirit-muffling layers of electronics. Hell, blame improved competition or hidebound brand loyalists who refuse to accept the new. No matter whose camp you point the finger at, the 2004-2010 5 Series was a polarizing creature, both aesthetically and from behind the wheel. Despite (or perhaps because of) all this, BMW enjoyed record-setting global sales of the Fiver, suggesting that that the traditionalists had it all wrong.

Still, one look at the new-for-2011 F10 model might reasonably lead you to believe that a bit of mulligan has occurred at the hand of Adrian van Hooydonk and his design team – a toning down of the E60's most divisive elements. To be sure, the E60's Dame Edna spectacles have been consigned to a dusty drawer and the raised "Bangle Butt" has kept its date with Celebrity Fit Club. In the not-so-dearly departed's place is a handsome new sedan that appears simultaneously more in line with the 5 Series' lineage yet firmly set on the future. But to label the sixth-generation Fiver as an aesthetic or strategic regression would be incorrect, van Hooydonk tells us. As he points out, BMW design has a tendency to periodically muscle in with big, bold, design statements – to knock down walls – and in the follow-up model, its stylists can move about a bit more in the clean air made possible by its predecessor. Fair enough – we prepared to check our Weltschmerz at the door and give this new Fiver a shot. Has it all been worked out for the better? BMW invited us to hop a couple of planes to Portugal in order to find out.

Icon CJ3B more than the sum of its impressive parts

"We're not going to challenge the traditional big players with our volume," says Icon's owner and head designer Jonathan Ward as we're admiring one of his company's Toyota FJ recreations. "But we hope to challenge what they put into their products." Depending on how highly you value quality, Mr. Ward might have just made the understatement of the year. In part, Icon's mission is to "Revisit vehicles from our collective past in a modern context." But as we discovered, going along with old-meets-new is a firm, unwavering, near-perplexing and possibly suicidal refusal to compromise any aspect of their vehicles in any way.

Take Icon's latest model, the all new CJ3B. Based off the 1953 Willys CJ3B (Icon amazingly holds the rights to the name), Ward explains that the design ethos of the old Willys Jeeps was longevity, simplicity and utility. Not only does Ward appreciate these qualities, but he finds them "Sorely lacking from the current automotive industry." You'll get little argument here. However, doesn't a modern Jeep Wrangler embody those three priorities, as well as providing near-goofy levels of straight off the showroom floor off-roadability? Not only that, but a Wrangler costs $21,460 with the (much) more capable Rubicon edition raising the Wrangler's price to $29,565. Not cheap, but the Icon CJ3B will set you back a cool $79,000, prix fixe.

At this point we normally pose a question – something like, "Is the Icon CJ3B worth $50,000 more than a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon?" But here's the thing, after a few hours of exposure to the CJ3B, it's unquestionably worth the money. That's right, we're just going to start the review with the conclusion, then explain exactly why this little Icon is so darn special. And believe us, the CJ3B is exceptionally special.

2010 Lincoln MKT EcoBoost AWD has a good personality and great moves

Approaching the 2010 Lincoln MKT for the first time is like meeting a blind date. You've been told by friends she has a good personality, which immediately has you wondering what she looks like. From a distance you see your fears confirmed: She's a big girl with a toothy grin and a weird hump. If super models are your thing, you'll be disappointed by this three-row crossover sitting alone in the corner with a red carnation in her hair. But if you meet her with an open mind, you'll find that a good personality goes a long way.

It's our job to go on blind dates with vehicles before you do, and despite the MKT's controversial design, we're glad we sat down and got to know her. Now, if you can't get over seeing a beached whale in your driveway every morning, stop reading; no twin-turbo direct-inject V6 engine, advanced infotainment features or luxurious appointments will change your mind. We'll agree to disagree and you'll probably pass judgment on the MKT from afar, not even giving it the courtesy of a test drive before shacking up with that German model. Will you regret not getting to know the MKT like we did?

2010 Mercedes-Benz E350 4Matic weathers the storm with aplomb

A November Nor'Easter had chewed its way up to New England, delivering a cataclysmic combination of rain and wind as we headed out on a late-night errand. Normally, such a prospect requires a potent blend of Italian roast and Krank20 to stay hyper alert. Instead, behind the helm of the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E350 4Matic, the going was serene and confident. In a word: Wow.

These moments of vehicular astonishment have thinned out in the last two decades. Just look around at the automotive landscape. Even more modest conveyances are kitted out like luxury cars of yore, packing tons of tech and safety features that were once the exclusive purview of the world's well-to-do. Can anything be impressive anymore? As a matter of fact, yes. The E350, as it strafed along the pavement, solid as granite and ready for anything, made us feel like true kaisers of the strasse. Horsepower-addicted auto reviewers have complained that the 3.5-liter V6 needs more spinach. Fine. You want speed, spring for the AMG E63 and shut up. But for the above-average family man, the E350 manages to transcend its asthmatic lungs, soft-spoken tiller and supple feet to foment serious respect, if not outright desire.

2010 Audi R8 5.2 FSI V10 reminds us we're in the wrong tax bracket

Sigh. Another day, another 500+ horsepower supercar to babysit for a week. Such is my lot in life. Obviously I'm joking, to a degree. To be honest, I wasn't that particularly jazzed about the Audi R8 with the defanged Lambo LP560-4 V10 shoehorned behind the seats, especially as I had prior knowledge that the more proper six-speed manual R8 5.2 FS I was supposed to get had been unceremoniously replaced by the slusher, R-Tronic version. Before continuing one sentence further, am I aware that I sound like the world's most spoiled rotten brat? Oh yes.

But see, the thing is, I've driven the regular-strength V8 R8 and you know what? There's nothing wrong with it. Perfectly neutral handling, 420 eager horses and looks that kill, or at least attract eyeballs like nothing I've seen this side of pornography. While more horsepower is always welcome, the notion that the 5.2-liter V10 "only" makes 105 ponies more combined with the extra weight just didn't set off any great alarm bells of excitement. I'll put it to you like this: I was much more excited when the 2010 Nissan GT-R showed up at my door.

It's now seven days, four tanks of gasoline and 870 miles later. I drove the wheels off the world's most expensive Audi, thrice. On every type of road, over every type of surface, never venturing more than a few miles from home. I mention that last bit because discounting long trips, I've never put so many miles on a press car. Has my tune changed? Is the ten-cylinder R8 worth the $25,000 price premium over it's "lesser" sibling? Perhaps most importantly, is the Audi R8 5.2 FSI an actual, honest-to-goodness everyday supercar?

VIDEO: Audi tracks down the last Horch... in Texas?

You have August Horch to thank for Audi. A former engineer for Karl Benz, Horch started the second oldest company of the original four companies that merged to form Auto Union (the first was Wanderer). But it was Horch whose name, translated into Latin, became "Audi."

The last Horch was built in Ingolstadt in 1953, and Audi wanted to find it. They put their vintage car locator, Ralph Hornung, on the case and he ended up in a field in West Texas. Follow the jump to view a video explaining the search and how the once mighty V8 found its way to a lonely Lone Star pasture. And on a side note, Hornung has a most awesome job... Thanks for the tip, Alex!

[Source: Audi TV via YouTube]

All new 2011 Ford Focus to debut at Detroit Auto Show

The wait for an all-new Ford Focus in North America will soon be over as Ford has announced that it will debut the car at the Detroit Auto Show in January. The Detroit festivities will mark the global debut of the new global Focus that will be sold here, Europe and the rest of the world.

The Ford Focus shares its platform with the C-Max and Grand C-Max that are debuting in Frankfurt this week. North American hatchback fans will be happy hear that the five-door form factor is returning alongside the four-door sedan. Initially, we won't be getting a three-door hatch, but it's a start. The overall look will be very similar to what we see in the C-Max twins, especially at the front and along the sides.

The new Focuses for North America will be built at two U.S. assembly plants in Michigan and will go on sale about a year from now. Ford isn't announcing its powertrain plans yet, but the 1.6-liter EcoBoost will likely find a home in these cars before long.

Check out the latest edition of the Autoblog Podcast as Ford's Mark Schirmer and Mark Kaufman join us to discuss the new C-Max, EcoBoost and the rest of the C-Segment vehicles.

Honda CR-Z promises to bring driving joy to the hybrid equation

After a few weeks worth of leaked images and brochure fluff, Honda has finally pulled the covers off its next new production hybrid hatchback. The Japanese automaker claims the CR-Z will bring back the kind of driving joy that hasn't been felt since the CRX last left dealer lots in 1991, saying that owners will embrace this new mild hybrid with both their hearts and minds. We certainly hope they're right.

While we're really digging the looks of the CR-Z and the way it hearkens back to the classic CRX and even the original Insight hybrid, we've gotta admit that we're a tad bit disappointed with the specifications. With 122 horsepower on tap and just 128 lb-ft of torque from the 1.5-liter VTEC four-cylinder with Integrated Motor Assist, shouldn't we expect more than 36 miles per gallon in the city and 38 on the highway from the CR-Z?

Let's just hope that the car's driving dynamics live up to the lofty standards to which Honda is eluding – at least there's an optional six-speed manual transmission to go along with the expected CVT automatic. We'll know soon enough know how it goes down the road, as the 2011 CR-Z is slated to hit the ground running in the summer. In the meantime, check out our live images below and click past the break for the press release.

Video: We take Kia and Microsoft's Uvo for a test drive at CES

Tucked in between Google's hot new smartphone and a variety of other computer peripheral equipment at this year's CES show is a crossover. Not the jacked-up, tricked-out, neon-dragging customized type that we typically see around the Consumer Electronics Show, but a bone-stock, 2011 Kia Sorento. Well, stock except for one option: UVO.

We recently got a chance to try out the newly-announced system in the plastic, and while impressive in its own right, just hours after sitting down with Ford to check out the latest Sync and MyFord Touch, it's somewhat less than stunning. But, ignoring that for now, Kia's offering looks good and still ahead of the rest of the curve. It's functionally comparable to early Sync, enabling easy access to media on 1GB of internal storage, on a USB-connected drive or even on a CD. You can rip from CD straight to internal memory or to a thumb drive, an interesting feature we're not sure is particularly useful. The touchscreen display is a nice improvement over Ford's two-line Sync readout, but remember that if you get this system, you'll have to opt out of in-dash GPS. Good thing you splurged and got that Droid, right? Check out some screens in the gallery below, and there's a quick video demo after the break.

2009 MTM Audi A3 Sportback is a singular sport (with) utility

In the automotive world, price is increasingly a function of degrees. How's that? Dial in a faster windscreen angle, aggressively rake the rear glass and – voilà! – you've just padded your margins to the tune of a few thousand bucks. Take a plain-jane sedan, hire some stylists to turn it into a "four-door coupe" with a racy greenhouse, and you can use the same mechanicals and still charge a mint. The same goes for crossovers – just steepen the backlight and you're in the ducats. Not convinced? See the Mercedes-Benz CLS and BMW X6 for field notes.

We note all of this because we're sure you're going to look at the upright profile of this MTM Audi A3 Sportback and dismissively turn up your nose when you learn its pricetag is around $55,000. But if we lopped off a couple of doors or gave it a less formal roofline, we'd be willing to bet that its price would suddenly look a lot more palatable. All of which is understandable, really, as $55k is a lot of coin to be shelling out – especially considering that at a few shekels over $27k, a base A3 starts at roughly half the money.

But shelve your bodystyle prejudices and bear with us for a moment. If you're like us, you've looked longingly at a lot of what the Four-Ringed Wunder has been kicking out on its home continent – models like the RS6 Avant, TT-RS and S3. And unless you've got some seriously deep pockets, an inside man on the gray market and a relative who owes you a favor at the local DMV, you haven't got a prayer of landing any such tasty treats here in the U.S. So while the folks at Motoren-Technik-Mayer (MTM) can't source you an assembly-line-fresh S3 for your middle-American driveway, they can build you a road-legal doppelganger, and as it turns out, that ain't half bad.

We've talked up the Audi A3's virtues and vices before, so we'll spare you the gab about how much we enjoy its well-resolved interior, grippy Quattro all-wheel drive, planted handling and surprising utility. We've also not been shy in mentioning how its price tag can get disastrously dear with just a brief once-over of Audi's options list – and that's before handing it over to a tuner like MTM. But enough with the apologies – ride along with us past the jump to see if this hot hatch is full of excuses... or full of win.

2010 Lexus RX450h is the pinnacle of autonomous fuel-sippers

With a slew of sensors and CPUs, the 2010 Lexus RX450h can pretty much drive itself. Want to go somewhere? Sit down in the driver's seat, use the Remote Touch device (a.k.a. "mouse") to tell the crossover where you want to go, and follow the easy-as-store-bought-pie instructions to your destination. Whether or not this is a good thing depends on how badly you want to feel like you're in control of your commute. For those concerned about fuel economy and comfort, the almost-autonomous nature of the RX450h is nice, but certainly doesn't offer a tremendous amount of ability to control how much fuel you burn moving down the street. As it turns out, this is a feature, not a bug.

How does the RX450h make it absurdly easy to get from one point to another? Through a combination of shiny luxuries and thoughtful technologies that give the operator fewer things to concentrate on while driving. Front and center among these new technologies is the car's heads-up display (HUD), which integrates directions from the navigation system in an amazingly intuitive way. Of course, to see those HUD arrows, you need to have the navigation system, which adds at least $2,550 to the RX450h's $41,660 base price.

Whether or not you opt to spend the extra money, the HUD exemplifies how Lexus has made the RX450h a simple and comfortable hybrid. Aside from directions, it displays your speed, along with the ability to adjust the brightness and angle to provide exactly the right look no matter the conditions (it can also be turned off). During long drives, when it comes time to lean forward on the steering wheel to straighten up the back for a few moments, you can still see how fast you're going, something we truly appreciated after a few hours on the highway. Of course, if you're letting the RX450h control its own speed with its adaptive cruise control, knowing your mph doesn't matter as much, but still, it's a nice touch.

2010 Subaru Outback adds size, power and refinement for a big wagon winner

Even in the face of a bleak economy and dreadful auto sales, Subaru managed to have a breakout year in 2009. Products like the Forester and the Impreza helped Subaru achieve consistent year-over-year gains while the Japanese automaker continues to post stellar quality ratings through J.D. Power and Consumer Reports. And the accolades don't stop there. The new-for-2009 Forester was crowned the 2008 Motor Trend SUV of the year, and this year Subaru accomplished a surprise repeat taking the award for the second straight year with the 2010 Outback.

However, the new Outback isn't the capable, milquetoast lifted station wagon we've come to know and respect over the years. It's now bigger. Quite a bit bigger, performing a similar wagon-to-crossover transformation that the Forester pulled off a year earlier. Granted, the Outback is only two inches taller and wider, and a mere three inches longer between the wheels, but the result is a wagon that looks much larger than the model it replaces. We've come to expect that kind of growth in a world of constant size and weight one-upping, but we had to wonder – has increased functionality come at the expense of entertainment once again? We snagged a six-cylinder

2009 BMW Z4 sDrive30i is an easy lover

BMW's storied history of building roadsters dates back to the original 328 of the 1930s. However, there have been gaps in the brand's open-top lineage, including one extended stretch through the '60s, '70s and '80s. After a dalliance with the bizarre European market Z1, BMW finally got serious about roadsters again in the '90s with the introduction of the Z3.

Earlier this year, the Munich brand introduced what's essentially the third generation of its modern mainline roadster (discounting the aforementioned low-volume Z1 and the Z8) in the shape of its all-new Z4. Upon its introduction, the esteemed Mr. Harley took our first crack at the new "E89" at its Southern California launch last spring and came away with mixed feelings.

To be fair, whenever an automaker builds a new model, there's always a distinction between what the engineers and designers expect of it and what consumers bank on. There's also a big difference between spending a few hours on a prescribed driving route under controlled conditions versus living with a car as a daily driver for a week or longer. So we wanted to spend time with the Z4 on more familiar turf to see what life is like with BMW's newest roadster.

2010 Audi R8 5.2 FSI V10 reminds us we're in the wrong tax bracket

Sigh. Another day, another 500+ horsepower supercar to babysit for a week. Such is my lot in life. Obviously I'm joking, to a degree. To be honest, I wasn't that particularly jazzed about the Audi R8 with the defanged Lambo LP560-4 V10 shoehorned behind the seats, especially as I had prior knowledge that the more proper six-speed manual R8 5.2 FS I was supposed to get had been unceremoniously replaced by the slusher, R-Tronic version. Before continuing one sentence further, am I aware that I sound like the world's most spoiled rotten brat? Oh yes.

But see, the thing is, I've driven the regular-strength V8 R8 and you know what? There's nothing wrong with it. Perfectly neutral handling, 420 eager horses and looks that kill, or at least attract eyeballs like nothing I've seen this side of pornography. While more horsepower is always welcome, the notion that the 5.2-liter V10 "only" makes 105 ponies more combined with the extra weight just didn't set off any great alarm bells of excitement. I'll put it to you like this: I was much more excited when the 2010 Nissan GT-R showed up at my door.

It's now seven days, four tanks of gasoline and 870 miles later. I drove the wheels off the world's most expensive Audi, thrice. On every type of road, over every type of surface, never venturing more than a few miles from home. I mention that last bit because discounting long trips, I've never put so many miles on a press car. Has my tune changed? Is the ten-cylinder R8 worth the $25,000 price premium over it's "lesser" sibling? Perhaps most importantly, is the Audi R8 5.2 FSI an actual, honest-to-goodness everyday supercar? Jump and find out. And if you don't feel like jumping, please for the good of your eyes, take a few minutes to peruse the gallery, as it is one of our finest ever.

2011 Volvo S60 is one shapely Swede

The debut of the 2011 Volvo S60 is still a few months away, but the safety-oriented Swedes have released a teaser video on Facebook of the new S60 and it's shapely duds, finally giving us a complete view of Volvo's bread-and-butter sedan.

Inspired by the S60 Concept shown at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this year, many of the elements that debuted on the design study have made a successful transition to the sedan, including the coupe-like roof, sculpted swage line and organic, angular front fascia. We're particularly smitten by the taillamps, which evolve the familiar Volvo shape and incorporate a set of lighted tubes that compliment the heavily revised rump and its quaint spoiler.

Unfortunately, Volvo omitted any interior shots, so we'll just have to wait for the S60's debut in Geneva for a glimpse inside. In the meantime, make the jump for the video and check out the gallery of screen caps below for a series of stills.

GM exec confirms Cadillac XTS, GMC Granite, Chevrolet Aveo RS for Detroit via Twitter

The North American International Auto Show is typically the big show for Detroit-based automakers and 2010 appears to be no different for General Motors. Chris Preuss, GM's vice president of communications, has hit Twitter confirming that each of the General's four brands will have at least one vehicle to display at the Detroit Auto Show next month. As expected, Cadillac will unveil the 2011 CTS-V coupe along with a concept version of its XTS sedan, a model slated to replace the aging DTS in the next year or two. GMC will unleash the Granite, which, according to earlier reports, will be based on the Delta platform and the forthcoming Chevrolet Orlando.

Chevrolet figures to have a somewhat quieter show, with its big reveal being the Aveo RS, which we hear is all-new and very little like the narrow and unattractive B-Segment hatch GM is selling now. Buick will be chasing the ghosts of Grand Nationals and T-Types past with a performance variant of the 2011 Regal that may share a lot of parts with the 325-horsepower Opel Insignia OPC. We can hardly wait for January 11.