Although I didn't get as much driving in as was planned, I had an hour behind the wheel on dry pavement, then plenty of snow driving. The car kept me safe, but it also might be too safe and free of emotion.   ACURA - The spirit of the $30,000 2009 Acura TSX speaks through the six-speed manual. The gearbox is so slick that it seems meant for speed shifts. CNS Photo courtesy of Acura.  SPECS 2009 ... [full story]

DETROIT - General Motors Corp. Chief Executive Rick Wagner said he believes the company will increase its hybrid sales ten-fold, reaching 100,00 hybrid vehicles a year.GM's new line of hybrids, set to debut in 2010 and using smaller but more powerful batteries, focuses on making hybrids powerful and affordable, The Detroit News reported. Wagner made his projection at the Geneva Auto Show on Tuesday, the paper said."In order to have a real impact ... advanced ... [full story]

DEARBORN, Mich. - Ford Motor Co. has recalled 9.6 million vehicles built between 1992 and 2004 to repair a faulty cruise-control deactivation switch that poses a fire hazard. The switches pose a fire risk, the company said in a statement. The service action "is a quick repair," that will be done at no charge to owners.The recall includes vehicles dating back to 1992; Lincoln Town Cars, Mercury, Ford and other model year cars, pickups and ... [full story]

Some days it just feels right to heel-toe downshift and slide into work with the engine fan blowing and the brake discs tink-clinking as they cool. At least it felt that way while I was driving the new Subaru WRX STI.   SUBARU IMPREZA WRX STI - Subaru found its design muse for the 2008 Impreza WRX STI. The high-performance hatchback has bulging fenders and rear quarter panels, a rear gate-mounted spoiler and aerodynamic ground effects. ... [full story]

Anaheim, CA - Boyd Coddington, the creative visionary who took hot rodding to an art form and custom wheels to a new level dies at 63. Coddington who was a long-time diabetic died from complications that were brought on from a recent surgery. It was Coddingtons’ ever forward-looking view at the design and art of the hot rod and his unconditional desire to create the finest quality cars that became the “Boyd Look”. “It is ... [full story]

I wasn't expecting black leather with white stitching, nor the Pirelli P6 tires - nor the $20,000 sticker price of the 2008 Ford Focus SES test car. But a top-line test car with options is a good way to illustrate the effort that went into the redesign of Ford's smallest car.   FORD FOCUS SES - The exterior and interior of the Ford Focus are new, with engineering enhancements for ride quality. The styling tries to ... [full story]

How big can you go for a midsize sedan? I think Honda has found the limits in its 2008 Accord, which is longer and larger than last year's car and technically a "large" car by government interior specifications.   HONDA ACCORD - The redesigned 2008 Honda Accord is longer and larger than last year's model, with more choices for features and horsepower. More length and a longer wheelbase have also allowed for a more spacious back ... [full story]

A sport-tuned, all-wheel-drive sport sedan can be the best and worst of times. The Infiniti G35x AWD S, for example, is fast, lithe and eager to show how well it can scream through corners. All-wheel drive gives the car substantial grip, which seems to enhance the suspension engineering. The ride is a sporting-firm ride, not jarring or harsh.   INFINITY G35X - All-wheel-drive sport sedans, such as the Infiniti G35X, raise the level of performance and ... [full story]

"Mark - You should be ashamed of yourself for taking that little thing away from its mother! Please tell me you aren't driving that on the freeway. Not 'Smart'!," wrote a female colleague in an e-mail the day the Smart Fortwo test car was delivered.   SMART FORTWO - The Smart Fortwo is considered a 'city' car, but it travels comfortably on the Interstate and is stable in evasive maneuvers. Its firm suspension is good for ... [full story]

I have never driven a Mercedes-Benz as aggressively as I have the new C300 Sport. And I've never enjoyed a Mercedes more. For the first time in a long time, Mercedes has put a manual transmission in its entry-level C-class, or any sedan.   MERCEDES-BENZ C300 - A manual transmission in an entry-level Mercedes-Benz C300 is one way to make the car less expensive, but it also makes it more fun to drive. CNS Photo courtesy ... [full story]

High fuel prices have been tough on Chrysler's Jeep division. Its hardy off-road vehicles are built with heavy-duty components in critical areas to help owners get back home after a day on the trail. Carrying around heavy skid plates and cast-iron parts have a cost in fuel and the purchase price.   TAKE LIBERTY - Boasting a tight, 35.9-foot turning circle, Jeep Liberty pivots handily through the mall parking lot, and making a U-turn on a ... [full story]

I was just introduced to the Saturn Astra and wasn't prepared for its German accent.   SATURN ASTRA - The Saturn Astra is just the car for a young driver -- well equipped with safety features, fuel economy and a gentle dealer experience. CNS Photo courtesy of Saturn. General Motors called on its Opel division in Europe to provide this new, entry-level, three- or five-door hatchback. It is a German cousin of the Opel Astra and was ... [full story]

I drove six hours up and back to the Beverly Hills Hotel last Thursday to get behind the wheel of a $500,000, 617-horsepower McLaren SLR convertible for four hours.   SUPERCAR, SUPERSTAR - The Mercedes $500,000 McLaren SLR convertible says 'I have arrived and I have money.' CNS Photo courtesy of Mercedes-Benz. Is that stupidity, professionalism or self-indulgence? Yes. There are just three of these high-performance two-seaters in the United States now and all were staged at ... [full story]