Auto News & New car review

Alfa Romeo has been turning out some impossibly beautiful cars. Unfortunately, most of the line-up is lacking the grunt to back up its killer looks, with the 8C Competizione floating beyond reproach atop the range and a huge gap down to the standard production models. Alfa is apparently looking to bridge that gap, however, with the 159 GTA. Read the rest of this entry »

A self-effacing and impeccably dressed Bob Lutz took shots at the old Pontiac during the live reveal of the 2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe. Busting on the arrowhead’s former taste for cladding and Iron Dukes in the “excitement” product line, Lutz confidently strode alongside a silver 2009 Solstice GXP Coupe as it rolled out amidst fanfare provided by the Young Lords. Read the rest of this entry »

At this particular moment, there are 15 1988 BMW M3s listed for sale across the United States on AutoTrader.com. The cheapest is $11,990, a white car located in Cincinnati that appears to have about 160,000 hard miles on it. The most expensive is a two-owner silver car in New Hartford, Conn., with just 47,000 miles. It’s $28,950. Read the rest of this entry »

So we recently got some seat time in the Lexus IS F, and we can proudly report that it’s not anything Lexus has ever been before. Does it really compare to the M3 and C63 AMG? In a little-kid-from-down-the-street-trying-to-get-in-the-game way, yeah. But that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be in the game. Follow the jump for the full story, and check out the new gallery of Lexus IS F pics below. Read the rest of this entry »

The 1999 - 2004 generation of Honda’s front-wheel-drive Odyssey was a class leader. For 2005, the minivan received a major redesign in Honda’s attempt to leapfrog the growing competition. It carries on into 2007 with minimal changes, including a tilt/telescoping steering wheel and tire pressure monitoring system for all trim levels, plus two new exterior colors Read the rest of this entry »

Ford’s versatile, capable, functional and roomy Taurus X SUV blends the aspirational looks of a sport-ute with the practicality of a minivan and the confidence of an all-wheel-drive sedan. Based on the outgoing Freestyle, Taurus X receives a host of new features, additional options, a new look and new power train for 2008. Read the rest of this entry »

Most vehicles in this segment are powered by four-cylinder engines and consequently tend to be underpowered, especially with automatic transmission and 4WD. The answer is a larger V6 engine, as offered in the Ford Escape and Jeep Liberty. However, that adds several thousand dollars to the sticker price. Kia offers a V6 engine in the Sportage that ends up costing no more than a four-cylinder model from Honda or Toyota. That’s why Kia expects the V6-powered LX model to be the most popular model in the lineup. Read the rest of this entry »

The Subaru Forester works superbly well on gravel, dirt and other types of unpaved roads, and performs swimmingly in rain, snow and icy conditions. The Forester is the perfect transport on logging trails in the Pacific Northwest, for example or for getting to a Michigan trout stream on a sandy two-track. Moreover, the Forester is excellent for inclement weather in just about any locale. Its variable all-wheel drive systems work better in driving snow on the Interstate than the typical dual-range four-wheel drive system in truck-based SUVs. Read the rest of this entry »

After a wait that must have been agonizing to lovers of the racy six-cylinder M3, BMW has finally engineered a high-performance V8 into the M5. And it has been racking up raves like no high-performance sedan in history. With a six-speed gearbox and 394 horsepower, the M5 on the 5 Series platform is a totally civilized sedan with racing car capabilities. Read the rest of this entry »

The new Acura MDX offers a quiet ride and brisk acceleration performance. With the five-speed automatic, the MDX is rated to tow up to 5000 pounds. The 2007 Acura MDX benefits from a completely new platform, suspension, and unit-construction body with a built-in frame and subframes front and rear. The MDX is really stout, some 15 percent stronger in torsional bending and seven percent stronger in lateral bending. This time out, it has 56 percent of its body in high-strength steel as opposed to the original MDX’s 13-percent HSLA steel content. It’s longer and wider, with a 2.5-inch longer wheelbase and similar gain in overall length. All that adds up to a quieter ride quality, with zero squeaks, creaks, groans or rattles. Read the rest of this entry »