BMW is recalling about 130,000 2007–10 vehicles because of emissions problems involving the twin-turbocharged 6-cylinder engines used on many of its most popular models.

Download BMW Recalling 130,000 Cars for Problems With Its Twin-Turbo Engine

For those who think the Mazda2 is merely a rebadged Ford Fiesta, think again. Associate editor Scott Evans "was skeptical when people remarked there was a noticeable difference in handling between the Mazda2 and the Ford Fiesta, but then I realized that they were right. This little car is ridiculously fun to throw around."


Download Long Term Update 3: 2011 Mazda2 Touring

The Oulander GT is another value-minded crossover in the garage, this one with Evo-like personality and styling. It's also one of the very few vehicles on the market today with a tailgate that uses a flipdown bottom half-door, making it easy to load gear. But editors are not thrilled with the head unit.

Download Long Term Update 5: 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander GT

Does the world need a better Cadillac Escalade? That's the question we'll ask ourselves for the next 12 months as we run around the country in our newest long-termer, the 2011 Infiniti QX56. While the latest and largest from Infiniti didn't win our SUV of the Year calipers, it did well enough in the competition for us to hound Infiniti into giving us one for a year. In other words, we like it.

Download Arrival: 2011 Infiniti QX56 4WD

We recently learned of Kia's decision on the Borrego model's fate: Its hiatus is permanent. That's too bad, because our long-termer has served us well over the past 15 months and 37,312 miles.
Associate editor Allyson Harwood and photographer Julia LaPalme used it to prerun a couple of trails north of Santa Barbara for an SUV comparison story. During those days off-road, the Kia performed flawlessly.

Download Long Term Update 6: 2009 Kia Borrego

No. It's been a year already? Can't be. Then the realization sets in. After 12 all-too-short months and 20,022 miles on the odometer, it's time for the M3 to go home. Panicked, the pleading begins. Then the bargaining.
Anything we could to do hold on to our car for just a little longer, to feel one more embrace from the seats, to experience one more blast to redline, was fair game. Maybe I'll grab the keys and run. Mexico isn't that far...

Download Verdict: 2009 BMW M3

The hybrid craze has gone to new levels and everyone wants in on the action. Unlucky for those that are late in joining the game, Mugen has come around with yet another version of the Honda CRZ, promising to transform the vehicle into one "hot hybrid hatch." Their newest package comes with a killer supercharger that takes the CRZ to a greater level of performance, and possibly a better fuel economy as well.

Download 2011 Honda CR-Z by Mugen

Get your order in, quick. Porsche will build 918 examples of the plug-in hybrid Porsche 918. The car will do 0-60 mph in about 3.1 seconds, top out at 199 mph and achieve 78.4 mpg equivalent on the European fuel economy cycle. (The mpg estimate is converted from 3.0 liters per 100 kilometers, and will likely be lower on the U.S. EPA label.)

Download Porsche 918 Heads to Production

Cobalt Blue Metallic just isn't its color. The tone's all wrong. Not light enough or dark enough. Should be brighter, too. The arching undulations of the 2006 Porsche Cayman S, although hardly offensive in the hue, are better served by black or silver. No, red. Yes: red. Every Cayman S should be red. The fact that the Cobalt Blue Metallic is a $3,070 option only makes things worse.

Download Full Test: 2006 Porsche Cayman S

We were surprised when Kia didn't make us pile into the redesigned 2006 Kia Sedona family-style for the drive to Sea World.

Granted, we were all past the age of squealing with delight over feeding fish to dolphins, but the Sedona has always seemed like the ideal vehicle to take to Sea World — and not just because it seats seven. Here's a minivan that comes decently equipped without breaking the $25,000 barrier. That takes the edge off dropping $200 just to get your family of four into the park.

Download First Drive: 2006 Kia Sedona

Professor Ulrich Bruhnke is the head of BMW's Motorsport division. He's a big, burly German who would be quite intimidating if he didn't smile so much. Before BMW, he headed up the AMG arm of Mercedes-Benz. This guy knows horsepower.

Download First Drive: 2006 BMW M Roadster

The final race of the 2010 Formula One World Championship takes place at the Yas Marina Circuit on Sunday, November 14. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the home race of Aabar, shareholders in the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS team, is Formula One’s only twilight race with the floodlights at the spectacular 5.5km Yas Marina Circuit allowing the race to start at 17:00hrs.

Download MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Preview

Mercedes-Benz USA is offering automotive journalists the first drive on U.S. roads of their all-new direct injection biturbo V8 engines. As luck has it, we sent one of our own writers to New York to test and photograph these new beautiful engines in order to bring you a first hand look and review.


Download Mercedes-Benz USA Debuts Two New V8 Engines

The Future of BMW Design: One Part Gran Turismo, One Part Sports Car

Download BMW Concept Gran Coupe

I've never wanted to own a Porsche 911, though they are great fun to drive. They're even wilder to ride in with a pro like Walter Rohrl flailing away at the helm. Such rides sometimes make me wonder if the "laws of physics" are open to creative interpretation like our Constitution. But two mechanical engineering degrees tell me they're not, hence, in my mind no proper racebred chassis should have its engine cantilevered off the rear axle (or the front). Yes, the 911's setup loads the rear tires for better launch acceleration and provides slightly better weight distribution under hard braking, but if this arrangement is superior, why doesn't anybody else in racing use it? I'm willing to bet that a mid-engine Cayman could spank a 911 on the Nürburgring if equipped with equivalent power, tires, and chassis optimization. So is it just pig-headed German stubbornness keeping the Cayman down?

Download Perverse Polarity

The depressing reality of the new car biz? Most buyers aren't that interested in driving. For every one of us who savors the sheer joy of running a fast car through the gears, there are 10,000 others who couldn't care less. To most people, driving is a chore. They'd much rather be guzzling a soda, snarfing a burger, texting their buddies, and watching TV -- preferably all at once -- instead of enjoying the interaction with a finely tuned piece of machinery while getting from A to B.

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