Auto News & New car review

The Porsche Cayman is basically a Boxster coupe. But Porsche doesn’t like that description because the Cayman’s character makes it an individual machine. Its fresh styling is striking, for one thing; and the rigidity of its chassis takes the handling from great to brilliant. Enthusiast publications have gone so far as to call it a masterpiece, out of the box. Cayman was introduced as an all-new model for 2006.

The 3.4-liter boxer six engine is mounted behind the seats, giving the car ideal balance and bringing a sweet but not loud 7000-rpm howl into the cabin. Two hundred and ninety-five horsepower, along with the car’s light weight, bring 60 mph in five seconds with a top speed of 171 mph, with the standard six-speed gearbox in the Cayman S, our test vehicle. The standard Cayman, which costs about $10,000 less, uses a 2.7-liter version of the same engine, making 50 less horsepower with a five-speed gearbox. Tiptronic S, Porsche’s five-speed manual automatic transmission, is optional on both Caymans. Read the rest of this entry »

HUMMER has a pair of special edition trucks on the way, in the same vein as last year’s H2 Victory Red Limited Edition. So, without further ado, we’ll start with the one that sends Sierra Club do-gooders into fits of Tourette’s, the H2. The H2 Silver Ice Limited Edition takes factory blingtacularization to new heights of brightness, starting with the rig’s exclusive Silver Ice monochrome paint scheme. The grille, hood vents, and side extractors all get coated in the stuff, and the chrome appearance package dresses up the 20″ wheels and other trim elements. Inside, it’s pretty well loaded, right down to the rear-seat entertainment system. Read the rest of this entry »