There are plenty of people, including us, who wonder why BMW is building an M version of the X6. The answer seems to parallel the punch line of the joke about a canine licking himself: because he can. Also, everybody else is making a high-performance SUV. The Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG, the Porsche Cayenne, the Infiniti FX50, and the Land Rover Range Rover Sport are all evidence that more than a few people want an SUV with a sporty on-road demeanor. This being BMW, the X6 M and its mechanically identical...

BMW’s smallish X1 crossover hasn't even been launched yet, but here we are moving on to the German automaker’s next suburban wagon. We've noted before that the current X3 is aging rapidly, and to keep buyers from moving down-market to the fresh-faced X1, the company is rushing the second-generation model towards production.Slightly bigger than the current X3, the next model will put some distance between itself and the cutesy X1. Our spy photography, taken during hot-weather testing in the Southwest,...

is readying a Final Series model of its Arnage flagship that it will show at the 2008 Paris auto show. In addition to being a final sendoff for the old-school sedan —due for cancellation after the 2009 model year —the Final Series is the automaker’s celebration of 10 years of the Arnage, 50 years of its legendary V-8 powertrain, and 90 years of the marque itself.The Final Series is based on the sporting Arnage T, meaning it receives the most potent version of the twin-turbocharged 6.75-liter —which...

For some time now, Bentley has been reassuring inquiring minds that its current luxury sedan, the Arnage, would soldier on in the old-money market until 2013. But now we learn that its end will come much sooner.What the replacement steamer will be—and what it will be called—Bentley will most likely reveal at the concours d’élégance in Pebble Beach in mid-August. Meantime, the Arnage has already entered its “final series” stage, with the last 150 cruisers currently selling down, a formidable task...

A year has past since we last reported on sightings of the so-called Mercedes-Benz SLC. Now, though, the purported SLR McLaren supercar replacement has been spotted again—this time in quite different guise.Thanks to our friends over at eMercedesBenz.com, we now have three very crisp photos of the SLC showing off its sleek shape, complete with confirmation of gullwing doors. That’s right, this new super-Benz will make use of the legendary entry system made famous by the 300SL of yore, and it appears...

In the months leading up to the September debut of its SLS AMG Gullwing, Mercedes-Benz has teased enthusiasts by pulling off the coupe’s camo bit by bit—and revealing the entire interior—like some sort of exotic dancer slowly peeling off her clothes. Now she’s going topless, as evidenced by these spy shots of the SLS roadster.Motivated by AMG's 6.2-liter 32-valve V-8, which makes 563 hp at 6800 rpm and 479 lb-ft of torque at 4750 rpm, the SLS coupe is promised to reach 62 mph in 3.8 seconds and...

Ford’s recent strategy of car first, new engine later continues with the Flex. Introduced for 2009 with the corporate 3.5-liter V-6, we placed the Flex fourth out of six in a recent crossover comparison, where its prodigious poundage was hard to hustle with only 262 hp and 248 lb-ft of torque on tap.Technology comes to the rescue for 2010, via twin turbochargers and direct fuel injection. Ford’s long-awaited EcoBoost engine program finally bears fruit in the form of a revised version of its 3.5-liter...

We just finished reading Ford’s press release on the Taurus SHO, and we must say it was a totally meta experience. It’s not often that the first sentence of what is usually a double-speak-laden multipage document describes a car by giving a nod to the nods that your very own publication gave it way back when, but there it was: “The Taurus SHO joins Ford’s growing lineup of performance vehicles for the 2010 model year, building on the legacy of the original, which earned a spot on the Car and Driver...

Owners of the original Ford Taurus SHO, gathered at a Taurus Car Club of America track day at GingerMan Raceway in South Haven, Michigan, are slightly startled as they approached the massively high greenhouse and roofline of the latest 2010 Taurus SHO. “It’s big, seems bigger than the last,” one of them says while closely examining the VIN of our early-build test car.The reaction seems about right to us as the new Taurus is a massive, 8/7ths-scale car that’s more than half a foot taller than Ford’s...

The German penchant for silly eyewear has expressed itself in the headlights of Mercedes-Benzes for a while now, and the 2010 E-class continues this proud tradition. Gone are the ovoid frames of the last E-class, in favor of a hipper set of squared-off lenses. The rest of the E-class is similarly predictable—it’s still an upright sedan, its dimensions are within fractions of an inch of the previous generation’s, and the same engines as last year power it.The angular theme starts at the headlights...

Caught in wagon form wrapped in plastic camo, spy images of BMW’s new 5-series show the mid-sizer is taking shape with a broader snout and a larger twin-kidney grille similar to that of the new 2009 7-series. A rounded tail also alludes to a more conservative familial resemblance as the German automaker continues to tone down the controversial flame-surfaced styling of the current 5-series.While we expect more information at an auto show later this year, the new 5-series will be slightly longer,...

When the apocalypse comes, be it a viral holocaust, rampant diabetes, or a plague that wipes out coffee crops, those on a month-long camping trip atop Mt. McKinley will return to face new challenges. Who will tend the farms? Plow the driveway? Empty the septic tank? The first step will be driving to the closest Wal-Mart to forage for canned goods, batteries, ammo, and Ho Hos.Sure, the roads will be largely deserted, but there will be telephone poles strewn about, overturned trucks, lots of burning...

Volkswagen has always played a major role in the Baja 1000, and for 2009, it will enter the first diesel-powered trophy truck, which will leave the starting line two days after its L.A. auto show press unveiling.First illustrations show that this Touareg has very little in common with those that VW has developed for the Dakar rally. The Baja Touareg looks similar to the series production model, but its dimensions are extended by about ten percent. "It looks like an XL-sized Touareg," says a VW...

Racing diesel-powered Jetta sedans sounds like a business plan for Formula Snooze. Pumping out in the realm of 170 hp, the cars aren’t exactly top-fuel dragsters. That’s why diesels, in this country, are best known for eking out impressive fuel economy. But on a weekend in June, we discovered that the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup is a terrific racing series, mostly because the cars are identical and the young drivers are ambitious and competitive. This is not a series for gray-sideburned SCCA warriors—it’s...

Gullwing doors may have helped the De Lorean DMC-12 land a starring role in the Back to the Future series, but even the people who dreamed up the movie car’s Mr. Fusion and flux capacitor saw gas as the fuel of 2015.Mercedes is set to one-up Universal Studios. The company has now confirmed what was being widely assumed a week ago, namely that it will sell an electric version of its upcoming gullwing-equipped SLS supercar. The electric car, which will ride on an unmodified version off the SLS’s...

When we first drove the 2007 Ford Harley-Davidson F-150 Supercharged, we reported that the supercharged engine—originally planned for production in 2008—was a last-minute addition to the line for 2007 in response to consumer interest in the F-150 FX2 Extreme truck shown at the 2006 SEMA show.Ford promised we'd see a full run of trucks in 2008, with special paint and badging to commemorate Harley-Davidson's 105th anniversary.That truck has officially been announced, and Ford has released these photos....

We’re not sure who thought up the whole muscle-truck idea, but it’s not a terribly sensible one. By most measures, pickups are rather ill-suited for speedy travel, with innately lousy aerodynamics, high centers of gravity, nose-heavy weight distributions, and working-class suspensions. Adding buckets of power doesn’t turn them into sports cars, just marvelously brawny statements of one’s masculinity (or perhaps compensation for lack thereof).That, of course, didn’t stop Ford from dishing out a...

The wraps have been pulled off Audi’s new A5 Sportback. The hatch-totin’ sedan basically combines an A4 wagon and an A5 coupe with the roofline of an upside-down whale, while offering little of those things’ respective practicality, sexiness, or baleen.Enough Engines to Make Our Heads SpinThe A4-based car won’t be coming to America, but Europeans have six engines to choose from at launch, all of them direct-injected, and all of them turbocharged. Three TDI diesels are on offer: a 2.0-liter four-cylinder...

The 2008 Suzuki Reno ranks 31 out of 33 Affordable Small Cars. This ranking is based on our analysis of 35 published reviews and test drives of the Suzuki Reno, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.The Reno delivers reasonable exterior style and interior spaciousness, but can't match the smooth handling, fuel economy, and number of standard safety features found in other cars in its class. It has been discontinued for 2009.Although the 2008 Suzuki Reno is reasonably stylish, comfortable...

The 2009 Hyundai Accent ranks 22 out of 33 Affordable Small Cars. This ranking is based on our analysis of 45 published reviews and test drives of the Hyundai Accent, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.The Accent pleases reviewers with its undeniably good value and generous interior space for such a small car. Those same reviewers say the Accent would make a better showing among affordable small cars if it abandoned its blah styling and had more pep on the road.Your old beat-around-town...

The 2010 Toyota Corolla ranks 16 out of 33 Affordable Small Cars. This ranking is based on our analysis of 28 published reviews and test drives of the Toyota Corolla, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.The Corolla is still a great option for those who want dependability, comfort and a great value. But it doesn't have the versatility, style or power of the top-scoring cars in the class. Undeniably, the 2010 Toyota Corolla is a reliable, comfortable and fuel-efficient option. It was...

BMW was close to bringing electric cars to market once before. At the 1991 Frankfurt auto show, the E1 concept car was unveiled to showcase electric-vehicle technology—and its styling, powertrain, and packaging was controversial within and outside the company.But the E1 turned out to be not much more than a styling and engineering exercise. BMW says it had been planning instead to bring a fully electric version of the 3-series to market. The most optimistic scenario: to build up capacity over 10...

BMW is planning to dramatically expand the number of offerings within its various model ranges, especially the strong-selling 3-series that is the backbone of the brand. All eyes are on the next 3, due for 2012.Aside from the usual body styles—sedan, station wagon, coupe, and retractable-roof convertible—BMW will also build a five-door hatchback version featuring an aggressive design that will combine station-wagon practicality with coupelike style. In other words, the 3-series range will get its...

Badge-engineering has a bad name in the industry for a reason. It’s essentially a cheap way to expand a brand’s portfolio, but it does not respect heritage and brand values. Think of the ridiculous Chevy TrailBlazer–based Saab 9-7X or, further back, Cadillac grafting its logo onto a Chevrolet Cavalier and selling it as the Cimarron.Yes, It’s RealImagine then what the Cygnet, an awkwardly restyled version of the 117.5-inch-long Toyota iQ minicar, is going to do to the image of Aston Martin, one...

With 552 hp, a body to die for, and a 0–60 time of 3.2 seconds, the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 has little room for improvement. But there is room for variation, and perhaps the most significant is the new Gallardo LP550-2 Valentino Balboni. Limited to just 250 units worldwide, the LP550-2 Valentino Balboni is named after Lamborghini’s esteemed test driver, who was hired by Ferruccio Lamborghini himself in 1967, and who has been instrumental in developing the dynamic attributes of every Lamborghini...

With the world economy struggling to regain stability, carmakers from GM to Aston Martin are racing to downsize their product lineups. But Hyundai, traditional purveyor of small cars, has been bucking the trend with a steady cadence of ever larger and pricier offerings such as its ambitious rear-wheel-drive Genesis sedan and coupe. And now the company is thinking even bigger, as it nears a final decision on whether or not to offer its extravagant full-size Equus luxury car in America.According...

Though it’s been around in one form or another for decades, Bentley’s huge flagship Arnage/Azure is soon to be retired. The 2009 Bentley Azure T, launched at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show, is the model line’s swan song—and with a 5.2-second 0-to-60-mph time and a 179-mph top speed, the three-ton ragtop represents a helluva way to go out.But Bentley won’t be without a flagship for long. The ultra-lux market “is our heartland,” said Stuart McCullough, board member for sales and marketing, during...

Audi is getting ready to launch the R8 Spyder at the Frankfurt auto show this September. But the company told us that no teaser shots will be provided in advance, so these spy shots likely are the closest we’ll get to the real thing before then.Like its cousin, the Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder, the Audi R8 Spyder will have a fabric top. Audi executives like to point out that every one of the company’s convertibles has a cloth roof rather than a folding metal one, unlike some BMW and Mercedes offerings....

As a more aggressive, streamlined company emerges from the ashes of General Motors, the fallen giant’s four remaining brands are adjusting strategies for their next generation of vehicles. The primary challenge is to comply with forthcoming stringent emissions and fuel-economy standards while still continuing to rebuild and define the brands’ images. This of course includes Cadillac, whose resurrection as an internationally respected, desirable luxury brand may be GM’s most remarkable recent achievement.XTS...

C/D Overview:The Camaro is finally back and it appears to have been worth the wait. Styling is inspired by the Camaros of the late '60s, but the new car is fully modern and rides on a version of the Pontiac G8's platform. The 395-hp V-8 version should give the Mustang something to think about. * Highs Classic good looks inside and out, refined chassis, lots of power, approachable price. * Lows Big V-8 is out of step with the times, heavy and bigger than you might expect.#Behind...