Halfway through a day's lapping, halfway around the Lutz Ring and full throttle at the top of third gear is bringing me and a red ZR1 into a 180-degree corner way too fast, while the blind crest just before it — taken at maximum power and maximum cornering — has us way off line too. In any other supercar, especially one as hairy as a Viper or as rear-engined as a 911, this would be a serious moment, probably resulting in one of my notorious off-track excursions. But today I can just haul on the brakes all the way through turn-in and up to the apex and then get back on the power — hard. The result: sweaty palms instead of trashed carbon fiber body work.

The first thing you need to do with the ZR1 is throw out any preconceived notions you have about it. Isn't it just a more extreme Z06 with 131 more horsepower or an answer to a question no one asked? No. It's a comprehensively re-engineered vehicle that shares little in feel with either the standard Corvette or the Z06, outperforming both on the track, obviously, but also, surprisingly, on the road. How? A remarkably civilized yet awesomely powerful engine; an easy-to-use gearbox; compliant-yet-capable suspension; and a chassis that simply overachieves at any task you give it.

While based on the standard car's LS3 V8, the ZR1's LS9 makes its power with the aid of a Roots-type supercharger whose intercooler cover is visible through the tacky Lexan hood window. With 638 HP and 604 lb-ft of torque, its speed should come as no surprise, but its character will. Equipped with a dual-mode exhaust, there's little hint of its performance at low speed, the RPMs dipping if you pull away on light throttle. Up to 2,500 RPM (about all you need on the road — it delivers 320 lb-ft at 1,000 RPM), it feels like something that belongs in a big German luxury car. It's torquey, quiet and, combined with the ZR1's 3,364 lb curb weight, it makes driving effortless.

It's when you begin to climb into higher RPMs at larger throttle openings that the LS9's performance reveals itself in its absurd volume. A second exhaust valve opens, taking the engine note from refined to apocalyptic. The all-consuming sound focuses your attention on nothing but the road in front of you. But it lacks any aural indication of its supercharger. For reasons that escape us, the Corvette engineers went through elaborate steps to eliminate the whine, even doubling the number of teeth on the lobe drive gears to move their sound beyond the human ear's range of perception. Tap into the loud zone and everything in front starts to come at you very fast. 300 HP arrives at just 3,000 RPM before peaking at 6,500, leaving 100 RPM before the redline. The close-ratio gearbox (unique to the ZR1) means shifts come fast, but the wide spread of power and torque means you can leave it in third for pretty much anything above 30 MPH.

Like the engine, that gearbox does little to hint at the ZR1's ultimate performance. A twin-disc clutch leads to easy pedal throw, while a precise gate makes finding gears simple. This isn't a fire-breathing monster, but instead a car anyone could drive competently — even for long distances (it's comfortable) or at high speeds (its limits are so high that you need to try very hard to find them).

In fact, the only thing detracting from the ZR1's grand touring credentials is the interior. The only options on the $103,300 car are an awful set of chrome wheels and the 3ZR upgraded interior package, which succeeds in moving the interior from cheap and nasty into luxurious bass boat territory with more embroidered ZR1 and Corvette logos than my fragile mind could comprehend. We have a hard time accepting the 'value' excuse; for this kind of money we'd no longer like to feel like a Jeff Foxworthy punchline. An automatic transmission is, thankfully, not an option.

The ZR1's road ability is boosted by the two-mode magnetic damping. Select "Touring" on the center-mounted ride-control knob, and, while it can't hide that the ZR1 wears 335/25-20s on the rear, it rides comfortably enough to make you forget you're driving something capable of lapping the Nurburgring in 7:26.4. The damping adjusts itself near-instantaneously to maintain grip on rough surfaces. You won't feel this happen, but you will notice how unflustered the ZR1 is no matter how crappy Michigan roads may be.

The real magic of the ZR1 isn't that it's capable of any of the above, though. It's that it will make you forget all of its intimidating performance figures and fancy technology the second you take a corner at speed. Despite all the headline numbers, this car isn't about power, it's about handling.

Built on the same aluminum-intensive chassis with fancy magnesium bits as the Z06, the ZR1 uses independent suspension all-round, but here it arrives with bespoke tuning capable of coping with the 1.05 lateral Gs the purpose-made Michelins make possible.

Conventional wisdom states that a front engine, rear-wheel drive car capable of these numbers should be incredibly difficult to drive, with a significant predisposition toward slamming into immovable objects, backward. In fact, before driving the car, Ray and I discussed whether or not the ZR1 was set to become the cheapest way to kill an inexperienced driver quickly, but that's simply not the case. It's so competent a car that it makes the 638 HP feel unremarkable. Two people went off-course the day I was at the track, but both did so because they got intimidated by the sheer speed at which they were traveling. Had they simply looked where they wanted to go, instead of off into the grass, the Corvette ZR1 would have made it around the corner — the same nasty off-camber, downhill one both times — much faster than they were actually traveling.

This is only my second track day since getting the cast off and I'm still not back to full health. And, I hate to admit it, but I'm a little more cautious than I used to be. The Lutz Ring is also an incredibly intimidating track. Jim Mero, the guy with the 'Ring record, described it as the best possible preparation for his attempt as it packs all the German track's challenges into a space not two miles long. That includes the lack of run-off — guardrails line the track's fastest corner and you need to get within a couple inches of them to be really fast. But two laps into my first session and I'm ringing the car out in second and third gear. No matter the speed or the amount of ill-advised braking, it turns in and holds a line without drama and accelerates out under full throttle without stepping wide. In fact, it rapidly becomes apparent that, without intentionally trying to do so, I'm incapable of making the ZR1 misbehave. Even topping out the suspension over the track's two jumps then slamming hard on the massive ceramic brakes just as the car regains traction fails to make it lose composure. Just like the two guys who went off, I'm unable to reprogram my brain enough to accept the ZR1's ludicrous speed. This is the first car I can say this about in a long, long time — the ZR1 is too fast for me.

That's not to say I can't enjoy it. This isn't a PlayStation game. The ZR1 is a rear-wheel drive car that needs significant driver input in order to make it around a track or down the road quickly. It's that involvement, not just ultimate speed, that is its reward. Even if it provides you with better tools to do so than anyone else, the Corvette ZR1 still challenges you to try and exploit its performance; it's the level of that challenge and the level of involvement required to meet it that makes the ZR1 truly special.

Photography: Alex Conley

Editor's Note of Thanks: Thank you Sun-Sentinel for not knowing what midnight means!

Of course it's another kind of ugly people are concerned about today. Heading southwest down a remote road on Vancouver Island in an American-plated WRX, I'm not exactly behaving like an ambassador for my country. These are some of the most challenging roads in North America, winding their way through the coastal mountains along ancient logging trails, the road bears the ravages of harsh winters; its two lanes rippled, rutted and patched beyond repair, concrete barricades serving as buffers when the going gets too rough.

Unlike the firmer, louder and more focused 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI, the new 265 HP WRX eats all this up. As untroubled by the bumps as it is by the limited passing opportunities afforded by the few straights — after all, double yellows are just lines painted in the road — it leaves law abiding traffic in the wake of its new, louder exhaust.

A year ago this wouldn't have been the story we would have written. A competent but uninspiring drive, the 2008 model forsook performance for practicality in an attempt to broaden the brand's performance appeal. It didn't work, the WRX's traditional focus and involvement were mistakenly left out, resulting in a car that alienated its core audience while retaining enough awkwardness to miss the mass market, too. That car lives on in the form of the 2009 Subaru Impreza 2.5 GT, a car the company expects to make up only a small fraction of Impreza sales. Meanwhile, the WRX has been rethought from head to toe. Gaining better judged, firmer suspension all-round, thicker anti-roll bars, STI seats and most important of all, an STI-spec turbo. The WRX now hits 60 in 5.4 seconds before reaching 140mph (limited) and will retail for "under $25,000."

All of this works to create a faster, better handling, more controlled car that encourages the kind of three-figure, "sure, we can make it" passing that's proving so unpopular with the locals. Stopping for a quick opportunity to mark my territory behind a tree, the 10 cars that were just passed all at once get a chance to catch up and let me know just what they think of my bad behavior. I probably shouldn't have passed them all again within the next mile, but then America's honor was at stake; we do have a reputation to maintain.

But it wasn't just passing for passing's sake. My assholery had a purpose: to find corners unencumbered with traffic. Where the STI's suspension only really works on reasonable surfaces and requires a huge amount of belief in the ultimate ability of its vague chassis, the WRX revels in reassurance, never feeling like it'd be possible to run out of grip, even on the worst surfaces Canada could throw at it. You can thank Subaru's Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive for this. Sure, it's nothing new, but unlike both the STI and 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo MR, here it's tuned for the road, not the track. In that environment, it means more speed, more involvement, more fun and an increased propensity to seek out corners with enough room to exploit it. While this on-road ability does lead to decreased on-the-limit track performance when compared to the other cars, it makes the WRX faster, more involving and more rewarding in the environment where it will be driven most. Or here in Canada, where we probably shouldn't drive again for a while.

So a friend and I left for that imaginary line cutting across the middle of the state that heads into the untamed wilderness known as "up north." The Tahoe Hybrid was ostensibly built to make such trips easier. Haul the family to the lake in comfort, all while getting 22 MPG. It made sense two years ago when the GMT900 hybrids were in the design phase, gas was $2.50 a gallon, and credit was cheap. But summer 2008 is shaping up to be one of cottage foreclosures and deferred vacations, a vastly different scenario into which these beasts have been thrust.

On the highway, the Tahoe's manners are impeccable, at least for a nearly three-ton vehicle. It's exactly what we've come to expect from a GMT900 truck: A massive, comfortable cruiser that loafs along at 1,800 RPM requiring only minimal input from the steering wheel and even less from one's brain. The highway manners of the nav system, on the other hand, were awful. The interface was a pain to use, options were difficult to find, and the system's idea of the "fastest" way to and from our destination was laughably wrong.

Encountering a few hundred of the lake faithful in a traffic jam near Saginaw, the hybrid's uniqueness began to show. Puttering bumper-to-bumper at about 20 MPH, the engine drops out with a slight shudder and the Tahoe hums along in pure electric mode, smoothly and silently. Until the brakes are applied, anyway: At that point, the regenerative braking leads to an unexpected off-throttle deceleration effect—kind of like engine braking in a manual transmission vehicle. It's not exactly refined, but one gets used to it and learns to anticipate the effect.

When traffic opens up again, a push on the throttle brings the 6-liter Vortec V8 back into action, with the transition between electric and gas marking itself with another slight shudder. A Prius owner might consider the whole thing obtrusive, but the driveline machinations are reasonably imperceptible. At least to the occupants of the Tahoe, that is — everyone else knows exactly what's going on thanks to no fewer than nine different hybrid badges, stickers, and emblems on our tester.

As we turned off the main highway onto the back roads near Mio, and then onto dirt tracks for the final 20 miles of our journey, the Tahoe continued to impress. The suspension soaked up rough terrain without complaint, the interior remained smooth and quiet, and when the going got slow, we slipped into golf-cart mode, gliding past startled deer while the onboard computer bragged about its nearly 22 MPG average.

Green credentials notwithstanding, the Tahoe Hybrid is truly a mammoth, a soon-to-be-extinct lumbering giant that looks at the same time contemporary and horribly passé. It has no place to go; the market window for a full-size SUV that gets 20 MPG closed somewhere around the $3.50-per-gallon point, leaving the Tahoe Hybrid and its GMC Yukon brother outdated before they ever hit the road.

"But it's a hybrid, so it must be environmentally sound, right?" No. A 50% improvement in mileage vs. the straight gasoline-powered Tahoe is a damn impressive feat, but 21 city/22 highway isn't good enough anymore. Conventional minivans do better than that (combined) and carry just as many people, yet even their sales are sinking because their size and mileage simply doesn't cut it these days.

The real nail in the coffin, though, is the $52,780 sticker price on the Tahoe Hybrid we tested. Yeah, it was outfitted with everything except 4WD, but that's the only way they come. "Base" price for a Tahoe Hybrid is still tickling $50,000. Why didn't Chevy offer a cloth-seat, no-nav basic Tahoe Hybrid for, say, $38k? They would have if volume sales were really what they were interested in.

But they weren't. The Chevy Tahoe Hybrid is a marketing gimmick, both for General Motors and the handful of McMansion dwellers who might actually take one home from a dealership. And, unfortunately for both of them, this particular electric car has already been killed by yet another ebb in the American tide of conspicuous consumption.

(All photos copyright Jalopnik/Andrew Stoy)

Also see:
2008 Chevy Tahoe Hybrid, Part Two

Driving sucks in New York. Not only are the roads pot-holed, third-world battlefields, but local drivers treat them as such, doing everything possible to kill their fellow commuters. All this is made worse by the cops; their numbers swollen post-9/11, they prowl the streets like sharks, looking for anyone that stands out to punish with the full force of the law. You'd think driving a bright red Evo here would be a bad idea, but the thing is, it's not.

In MR trim, the Evo gains sound deadening, higher-quality suspension and bunch of toys like a decent stereo and satellite navigation. Then there's the gearbox. Called Twin-Clutch SST, it's Mitsubishi's version of a dual-clutch automated manual, and it's probably the best I've ever used.

Those features combine to create a car that's smooth-riding, well-controlled, quiet inside and that makes carving through gaps in heavy traffic completely fuss-free. None of that should sacrifice performance, while the suspension and gearbox will actually work to improve it.

Swipe the shifter that looks like it belongs in a manual over to the left, and you're in full-manual mode. No computerized brain tells it when to shift, leaving you in complete control. Well, at least once you've pulled away. The lack of a clutch to dump keeps take-off (and attempted donuts) wheelspin-free while high-rev launches require the use of a special launch control only available in Super-Sport automatic mode. Shifts are immediate and come when called for, never once beeping in protest instead of delivering the downshift required.

Cruising along slowly through the overcrowded suburban roadways, the MR's promise is ever-present in its immediate direction changes and ability to leap out of merge lanes. Its classier, toned-down looks don't draw attention the way the carbon-clad Evo IX I pass does, maybe due to the proliferation of down-market models like the Ralliart that share near-identical body addenda. The rear wing remains huge, but too many wannabes mean that, now, wings no longer signify performance. Cops we pass hardly take a second glance, more upset by Mitsubishi's manufacturer plate than the car's intent to speed.

Inside the MR you feel like an escaped convict, the car's promised performance making itself evident through the aggressive shifting, fierce acceleration and immediate responsiveness, but conveying those experiences in a manner that's positively refined. Cover up the plasticky interior, and this combination could spell M3.

It's really hard to write a remarkable review about an unremarkable drive. But maybe that's the most remarkable thing about the MR. Not only did it make the shittiest roads in the world tolerable, but it did so in a package supposedly capable of rivaling cars like the Porsche 911 GT3 RS or Ferrari F430 once the going gets more glamorous. To that ability I can't attest, but stuck in rush hour, I know which car I'd rather be in, and I'm excited about the possibility of owning a car of this caliber that's equally capable in the everyday grind. 

Photography: Björn Schütrumpf

Acceleration: ****
What you get depends on whether the car is in Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde mode. Normal acceleration in "Drive" registered 5.47 seconds to 60 on the computer. Not bad, but it felt hollow. Even though we were never able to best it when tapping the shifter manually, there's a certain satisfaction to wringing the big Hemi all the way out to its redline. Gunning it in this car means managing wheel spin, holding on for dear life and trying to wipe that stupid smirk off your face after you're all done

Braking: ****
Brembos. Big ones. And solid ABS software to back them up. With 4100 lbs of bulk, this thing scrubs speed as if an anchor from the Titanic was dropped off the stern. Best be buckled tight, or you'll get well acquainted with the steering wheel, ya land-lubber.

Ride: ***
Ride and handling, to our minds, are interlocked elements. If the ride is harsh, the handling better be damn good, and true for the opposite. Unfortunately here, the ride wins while the handling suffers. Considering the huge 20" wheels on the front and back of the Charger, the control exhibited on compression and rebound is respectable. We did notice quite a bit of noise from the suspension on the nasty stuff, but it was quickly muted by the more-than-ample shocks.

Handling: **
Yarg. Where to begin? It rolls like a low-level patsy ratting out a mob boss. High-speed corners are met with predictable, if not frightening, understeer. Pop it into 'no nanny' mode and you can turn the rear end around like a cocktail waitress at a Dean Martin convention.

Gearbox: **
Possibly the most embarrassing part of the car. If this tranny was in a family of upstate Oregon counterfeiters, they'd hide it in the basement, chained to the wall and fed only fish heads Goonies-style. It's the biggest weakness on the Charger; its greatest shame. But slapping it into manual mode lets you pretend like you're a big boy.

Audio: ***
It's an SRT product. If you have to rely on the Kicker sound system to entertain you, you're doing it wrong. During my time with the car, the most use I got out of the radio was it telling me where the traffic jams were so I could work my way around them.

Toys: ****
It's loaded. If you're a middle-management type with the requisite wife and two-point-five kids, this car will be magically delicious. The brain-maiming Sirius satellite TV is perfect for keeping those accidents of yours occupied with hour upon hour of Spongebob Squarepants and Dora the Explorer. Barring that, they can watch their favorite DVDs, all while wearing wireless headphones so you don't have to communicate with them. Even if you don't have kids, the Sirius radio, 0-60 MPH, 1/4 mile, 1/8th mile, and G-metering systems will keep you entertained no matter where you go. We recommend keeping the optional sunroof open during all exercises in reckless acceleration. It makes the evenings that much more exciting

Value: ***
Here I am, making fun of a Chrysler platform (which is like shooting pickles in a jar), and yet I can't help but think this is a fun car. Granted, the mileage is terrible, but it's more than made up for in utility, hoonability, and funulence. Yes, I just made up a word. Just make sure you don't plan on doing any autocrossing while you are in possession of this car or many a cone will meet its tragic end.

Overall: ***
Fun? Yes. Uncouth? Yes. An ego extension - you bet. Is this car for everyone? Absolutely not. The Dodge Charger SRT8 is one of those cars that, at the moment, seems obscene, but when the next malaise era rolls around will be remembered fondly as a pinnacle of automotive ballsiness. It is both great and terrible, brilliant and abhorrent, and the Charger SRT8 is everything we love about American braggadocio.

Also See:
2008 Dodge Charger SRT8, Part One
2008 Dodge Charger SRT8, Part Three

Photo credit to Fabrizio Constantini and Alex Conley

Where to begin? Well, for starters, you can completely disregard Wert's original review of the 2006 Dodge Charger SRT8. That's right, set his overly verbose love-screed aside because the Charger SRT8 is, above all, about testosterone. This is the kind of car that glorifies the years grease-streaked men have spent in dank, dark, sweaty garages squeezing every ounce of power from the profile of an intake cam. Guts this car has got in spades. The engine is a jewel of power and sound. The exhaust note of the big four-door is far more satisfying than the Challengers' more sedate murmurs. Small children cry in its throaty presence; young women faint; even dogs stare.

But engineers scratch their heads and laugh. How in the hell does a 6.1-liter, computer-designed, computer-controlled V8 provide such atrocious fuel mileage? We've managed to eek out 17 miles per gallon when being gentle, and when we call upon the dogs of war — 12. That's right, 12 miles per gallon. And not only that, but why does the transmission feel like it's getting its signals by way of carrier pigeon? In fully automatic mode, shifting feels less an exercise in maximum performance, and more an attempt at plowing mud with with your tires. Shifting it into manual mode, you gain a lot more control and it gets a lot more punchy, thus more fun, but the E-nannies still kick in too early, and the software fails to blip the throttle like Caddy's code does, making shift transitions awkward.

Finally, how did someone sign off on a suspension which makes a 1996 Toyota Corolla feel sporty in comparison? Don't get us wrong, the car is predictable at low speed, and extremely entertaining when you're writing graffiti on the parking lot, but at speed it feels unsettled, jittery, and unpolished in places where the Challenger shines.

The interior is nearly as bewildering as the traction control software. Things start off beautifully with multi-position, leather-clad seats featuring red-contrast stitching, tastefully embroidered SRT8 logos, and a suede-like seating surface. Nice. But then things get weird again. Instead of a purpose-built cockpit, we are faced with a bewildering user interface split between the speedometer and the navigation screen. And whoever thought a rear-seat Sirius satellite kids' TV package would make sense in this car should be rapped across the brow with a baseball bat. The only channels available are Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network and the Disney Channel. Should it not be The Death Metal Channel, Car Chase Network and Tire Smoke News Channel? The wide swaths of depression-era gray rubberized plastic on the dash help highlight the failed execution of the art-deco styling in favor of the early-millennium "we phoned it in" school of design.

This is the essential problem with the Charger SRT8. It is both everything you love and everything you hate about American cars all wrapped up in one tough-looking package. It's big and rides smoothly, with plenty of space, lots of luxurious elements, and it's more powerful than stink on a wet mule. But the surprisingly sloppy handling, maddening user controls and tragic transmission make us cry uncle. The car manages to be just controllable enough that you have to be really stupid to get yourself in trouble, but it's powerful enough that if you do, you'll be going down in a blaze of twisted metal and tire smoke — a funeral pyre to the Gods of drag racing.

I would hate the Charger, but it's just so much goddamn fun.

Photo credit:
- Opening photo: Alex Conley, AlexCConley.com
- Gallery: Fabrizio Constantini

Update: For all the readers out there requesting the lead image in wallpaper size, click HERE and your wish will be granted [/cotomer sevis]

Also See:
2008 Dodge Challenger RRT8, Part Two
2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8, Part Three

Suitability Parameters:
Speed Merchants: No
Fashion Victims: No
Treehuggers: No
Mack Daddies: No
Tuner Crowd: No
Hairdressers: No
Penny Pinchers: No
Euro Snobs: No
Working Stiffs: Yes
Technogeeks: No
Poseurs: No
Soccer Moms: No
Nascar Dads: Yes
Golfing Grandparents: No

Also Consider:
• Ford Crown Victoria P71
• Chevy Impala 9C1
• '74 Dodge Monaco
• Increasing road safety by encouraging good driving behavior and motorist education instead of focusing on narrow-minded and ineffective speed enforcement

Vitals:
• Manufacturer: Dodge
• Model year: 2008
• Base price: $29,160
• Price as tested: $29,740
• Engine type: 5.7-Liter OHV V8
• Horsepower: 340 @ 5000 RPM
• Torque: 390 @ 4000 RPM
• Transmission: 5-Speed Automatic
• Curb weight: 4150 pounds
• LxWxH: 200.1" x 74.5" x 58.2"
• Wheelbase: 120.0"
• Tires: P225/60R18
• 0 - 60 mph: 5.9 seconds
• EPA fuel economy city/highway: 15/23 MPG
• NHTSA crash test rating: ***** front

Also see:
• 2008 Dodge Charger Police Edition, Part One
• 2008 Dodge Charger Police Edition, Part Two

Acceleration: ****
On paper, 340 HP may not look as impressive today as it once did, but when you stomp on the go pedal and wake up the four Hemi V8 cylinders that were taking a nap to save gas, those horses feel plenty strong indeed. Maximum power from the 5.7-liter mill comes in at 5000 RPM, and 390 lb-ft of torque is cranked out at 4000 RPM. And while it may not be exceedingly loud, the Hemi does provide a snorting soundtrack.

Braking: ***
With ABS and vented discs on all four corners, stopping performance is adequate, especially considering the massive size and weight of the Charger. What's important is the car feels stable and controlled during emergency-stop situations.

Ride: ***
Benefiting from the Mercedes-derived four-wheel-independent suspension, the Police Charger certainly feels better than the softly sprung solid-axle boats of yesteryear. But the sheer size of the car may make you feel a bit like you're in an SUV that's been hunkered down a few inches, though overall the ride is comfortable enough for a day's worth of patrolling.

Handling: **
You don't expect a car like this to go around turns well, and it doesn't. Body roll isn't as bad as some cars, but there's lots of understeer. Even with the traction control off, the car is hard to coax into a powerslide. You'll be fine chasing down a murderer in an Iroc-Z on the expressway, but you'll need to call-in a roadblock to catch a Porsche on a winding back road.

Gearbox: *
There's just something so nostalgically right about a column-shifter in a big American car. The five-speed automatic works fine for normal driving. However, the autostick feature is nearly worthless. Even my small thumbs struggled to properly operate the tiny +/- button for manual shifting.

Audio: *
The bargain basement stereo isn't impressive, though if you're busy listening to your police radio, we imagine it's sufficient.

Toys: **
With no sirens, no radios, and no flashing lights installed, our Charger had nothing to play with. If you want to install all the cop goodies, the Charger's ready to go with an upgraded battery and alternator — and all that would have moved the star rating to the top. Still, the spotlight is fun for making punk teenage drivers squirm night driving on unlit country roads.

Value: ***
Though we hear it all depends on what kind of deal your municipality can strike up, a Hemi-powered Police Charger starts at just over $29,000. That's pretty good if you want a brand new muscle sedan. Though a Ford or Chevy will cost less if you just want a cruiser. That's not even mentioning the endless supply of pre-abused P71 Crown Vics that are practically given away at police auctions.

Overall: ***
The Dodge Charger Police Edition is a squad car with the attitude to intimidate bad guys, and the muscle to run them down. It takes old-school flavor and brings it up-to-date, while retaining the simple charm of a big V8-powered American cruiser. So what do you say? Is it the new Bluesmobile or what?

Also see:
• 2008 Dodge Charger Police Edition, Part One
• 2008 Dodge Charger Police Edition, Part Three

It's got cop tires, a rough n' ready cop suspension and rubber floors. Most importantly, it's got a Hemi under the hood — the big 5.7-liter 345 cubic-inch 'plant. The engine helps this big Dodge make me feel ready for some silver-screen type stunts. Thoughts flash through my mind of arriving at the opposite side of a slightly raised drawbridge at full speed, but unfortunately, the bridge was down — my hopes of truly testing the stout suspension dashed. I'd have to settle for the curbs I'd hopped coming off the expressway to give me a feel for the resiliency of the Chrysler tested and police-approved chassis.

I slide up to see Hardigree wearily checking his watch, anxious to continue our pilgrimage across the city. No, we're not on a mission from God, not looking to reunite a band and save an orphanage. We're here to reunite this car with its spiritual home.

There's something universally menacing about the blacked-out Charger. Yes, anyone on the highway noticing the spot lamp poking out of the driver side A-pillar will move out of your way, but that's true with any decommissioned police car. The Charger, however, has an extra level of attitude, emanating from that strong centerline, the aggressive front grille and those big rear haunches — a truly scary feeling even a blind pianist can sense.

So, as we pull up to the Museum of Science and Industry onto the very familiar footbridge out front, I felt I could scatter Nazi Illini with a greater efficiency than Jake and Elwood ever could with their '74 Monaco.

But if we really want to make this car feel at home, we need to get pulled over. The whole film pivots on an unfortunate encounter with the Illinois State Police, but we'll settle for Chicago PD. Since we'd rather not actually get a ticket, we happen upon a police station and Matt hops out to talk with the sergeant in charge. Though rebuffed officially, one of the officers motions to us he wants to speak with us outside the earshot of his supervisor. Outside, he agrees to help us. He's not pulling us over, just parking behind us — with his flashing lights on — in the middle of the road. Other cops gathered about grumble jealously. "I wish they'd buy us some of these," says our friendly officer.

We bid farewell to The Man and head over to pick up Chicago-style hot dogs from a local stand, consuming them in a parking lot across the street from Wrigley Field. Not quite four fried chickens, but they'll do. Getting back in the Charger, I pull down on the column shifter, noting how different the equipment on this model is compared to the usual creature comforts we all take for granted in most modern cars. For example, no cupholders. But never mind because the floors are rubber, making clean-up simple should I spill something. No cigarette lighter either — true to Blues Brothers form.

Matt and I head downtown, but are disappointed to find neither mounted patrol or National Guard waiting for us. I continue on to Lower Wacker Drive, rolling down the windows and selecting a low gear on the Autostick. The echoing roar of the V8 chases me through the underground street. Even if you're not on a mission from God, you can't help but feel the divine reverberation. Sadly, we only had the car for a few days, and with our time almost up, I had to head back to Michigan.

On my drive back, the jazz station crackling on the radio lulls me into losing track of time, worries, distance, and apparently speed. I guess you can only get pulled over when you don't want to be. "Do you know what I stopped you for?" asks a blindingly bright beam of light in my passenger side window. I've never answered "no" to that question. So, after my quick slick answer, the uniformed man with the inquisitive flashlight goes back to his Crown Vic for a minute. I hope he doesn't have SCMODS. Thankfully, he returns with only a written warning and a guilt trip. "You should feel privileged to drive this car." states the officer. It's true, I should.

Remember that, people: No matter who you are and what you do to live, thrive and survive, there are still some things that make us all the same. You, me, them, everybody... and respect for a police-spec Charger is one of them.

Also see:
• 2008 Dodge Charger Police Edition, Part Two
• 2008 Dodge Charger Police Edition, Part Three

The Lincoln MKS is the biggest car I've driven in 6 years, I'll admit. It rides low enough to the road that I'd be concerned about scraping its cute-as-a-penny bottom in more than a few steep driveways, but it does look pretty damn cool — much more so than any Lincoln we've seen since the era that brought us Ben's personal project car hell. In the pre-driving presentation the design guys kept droning on and on and on about their new paint color "tuxedo black," which contains bits of glass to make it sparkle in a different way. But then they told us we'd be driving for two hours before getting to the next presentation, so I was more concerned with running for the bathroom and missed the assembled auto journalists making cute cooing noises when they got outside and saw it in the sun. At least I think they were. It was either "ooooh!" or "eeeeww!" — it's hard to tell from the bathroom stall. But it really does look like they poured glitter in the paint, though, so I felt like maybe it wasn't a total "old person" car.

Then they partnered me up with another to-remain-nameless reporter and we went rock-paper-scissors for who got to drive first and I lost, damn him. He started up the car and admitted he doesn't own one and never drives, so I knew I'd at least have one up on him even if he did go first. But for the moment, I looked at the route of windy back roads and hoped to God the airbags worked as we started off. Since he had to pay so much attention to the road, I got to play with the gadgets — it didn't read my off-brand MP3 player (but I guess if you buy a $46,000 car you'll probably also have an iPod), the jukebox selection was lame and just as I was settling on a musical choice the ass coolers kicked in. The seat blows cold air on your butt, which feels good for about a minute before it feels weird to have cold puffs of air constantly assaulting your ass and thighs.

But, it turns out, even with one of the world's least experienced drivers at the helm, the car handled pretty good, and I only worried about going off the road three or four times, so I looked around some more. They designed the glove compartment so that only one edge shows (which sounds good, but really just makes it easier to manufacture). For as big as it looked on the outside, it wasn't really all that spacious. The dashboard is all stitched leather, the seats were comfy and the moonroof extends into the back seat besides — but while opening it is pretty intuitive, it isn't quite as easy to get it shut. I probably should've read the manual, but I didn't want to be too much of a girl.

It was also a damn quiet ride, which made it hard to hear the engine shifting on the hills and such, but the tachometer said that, even on hills, the RPMs were pretty low. It's also a little strange to be roaming around the Virginia countryside (looking out for cops, even) in a huge car that feels like something a driver would drive you around in if you had a driver, but maybe that's just me.

When we got to switch positions, I realized that my companion was a rather unassertive driver. My concerns about pickup and handling were pretty much assuaged when I had to take a left turn across 4 lanes of highway traffic to head back to D.C. and laid rubber in the parking lot and didn't fishtail in the left lane, though I'm not sure he felt the same way about it.

As a short person, my problem with driving big cars is that I often can't visualize the corners because I can't get up high enough or forward enough without bumping my chest up against the steering wheel. Somehow, despite the size, I was able to get the MKS's seat adjusted to a point where I didn't feel like the air bag would kill me in a collision and I could see enough of what I was driving to take curves at appropriate speeds without worrying if I was over the line, and I never once felt that sliding sensation that the car was about to lose it no matter what the curve was or how fast I stopped. For a car that's bigger than my dining room, that's a pretty impressive accomplishment.

My biggest concern, other than not getting pulled over by the cops when my lead foot got the better of me, was how much gas I was using. On a 20 gallon tank, we went somewhat less than 200 miles on back roads (most of which was not in traffic, thankfully) and used up about half a tank, meaning we'd spent about $40 in gas to just tool around. Do people still buy huge leather-filled cars with backseats they'll never use (and navigation systems that will tell them sports scores, but not while the car is moving) when gas is this expensive? It was a question that I pondered pretty heavily as I sat in traffic in I-66 on the way back into the city to give the car back and retrieve my cuckolded Corolla.

2009 Ford Escape Hybrid
For 2009, although virtually unchanged visually (the only distinguishing difference is a deeper chin spoiler) the new Hybrid Escapes see the 2.3L four cylinder engine upgraded to an Atkinson cycle 2.5L for a total of 177 net horsepower. The CVT gets a more aggressive software package and some improved tuning on the hardware side. Also new for '09 is the inclusion of Roll Stability Control and the fancy pants Limited trim.

Change for the Hybrid program for '09 focused on fixing the annoyances from the '08. The brake pedal feel was the biggest offender, it had been sort of a stepped feel, the first inch of travel was like a weak spring, second inch was like pushing through warm butter and the final was like real brakes, it was very disconcerting. Since the braking is done by wire, simulating the brake feel with a vacuum module was the solution and it is much, much improved. Braking feels direct and linear — just like real brakes!
The next little annoyance was the steering — with electric power steering, the on-center feel was about as natural and smooth as Bush delivering the Gettysburg Address. Tuning the amount of assist through software has greatly improved the feel of things.

And then there's the handing. Across the range a rear anti-roll bar has been added and across the range the ass end feels a lot more controllable, far more confident on high speed sweeping corners and through tight apexes alike. So how is the hybrid on the road? Sports car? Far from it, it still understeers like a pig, but that's the safety police for you. The engine note has moved one notch closer to throaty and the additional power is notable in a straight line. The hybrid system is FAR more willing to go into all-electric mode with the new tune, you find the engine shutting off all the time when lifting off the pedal. Engine on is barely even perceptible, like the best tuned automatic transmission in the world gently kicking down a gear.

Overall, the 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid contains a lot of touchy-feely improvements. The advances come from driver feel more than anything else, as a result its all very subjective. Regardless, the simulated inputs make this feel just like a real car, and if you didn't have that little leafy badge on the side, you'd be hard pressed to guess it was a hybrid.

2009 Ford Escape V6 4x4
The '08 Ford Escape was a lesson in engineering timing. The 200bhp V6 was forced to live with an outdated and unloved four speed automatic which liked to hunt and peck at gears, making spirited driving mean-spirited. With the 2009 model, both engine and trans get makeovers. The massaged 3.0 liter and gets a whopping 40bhp boost up to 240, but it's also mated to the new 6F35 six speed automatic. That new six speed goes out of its way to make the engine seem like a superstar. Combined with the anti-roll bar in the back, the new Escape V6 is... dare I say it? Kinda fun to drive. With the added power and defeated traction control, you can actually get a little tail happy with this thing.

Combined with an improved and easier to use Sync system and the optional and subscription-based Sirius Travelink, the "do I have to drive it?" idea actually starts to shift to "this isn't half bad". You won't find anyone spouting off about quarter mile times or comparing the styling against anything from Italy, but Ford seems to be making progress on its mini-UV's. It says something to note that we wouldn't be averse to actually spending a week with one. What kind of apostasy is this?

Suitability Parameters:
Speed Merchants: Yes
Fashion Victims: No
Treehuggers: No
Mack Daddies: No
Tuner Crowd: Yes
Hairdressers: No
Penny Pinchers: No
Euro Snobs: No
Working Stiffs: No
Technogeeks: Yes
Poseurs: No
Soccer Moms: No
Nascar Dads: No
Golfing Grandparents: No

Also Consider:
• Infiniti G37 Coupe
• Nissan 350Z
• Honda S2000
• Ford Mustang
• A really nice used 93-95 RX-7; they're gorgeous
• Audi A5

Vitals:
• Manufacturer: Mazda
• Model tested: RX-8 40th Anniversary Edition
• Model year: 2008
• Base Price: $31,370
• Price as Tested: $32, 594
• Engine type: 1.3 liter rotary
• Horsepower: 232
• Torque: 159 lb-ft
• Redline: 9000 RPM
• Transmission: six-speed manual
• Curb Weight: 1.015 Ferrari Enzos (3,053 lb.)
• LxWxH: 174.3" x 69.7" x 52.8"
• Wheelbase: 106.4"
• Tires: 225/45 R18
• Drive type: RWD
• 0 - 60 mph: 6.6 seconds
• 1/4-mile: 15.1 seconds
• Top speed: N/A
• EPA Fuel economy city/highway: 16/22 MPG
• NHTSA crash test rating: N/A

Also see:

• 2008 Mazda RX-8, Part One

• 2008 Mazda RX-8, Part Two

2009 Infiniti FX50 Test Drive: The 390-hp Crossover Even Bond Would Dig

Suitability Parameters:
Speed Merchants: No
Fashion Victims: No
Treehuggers: No
Mack Daddies: No
Tuner Crowd: No
Hairdressers: No
Penny Pinchers: No
Euro Snobs: No
Working Stiffs: Yes
Technogeeks: No
Poseurs: No
Soccer Moms: Yes
Nascar Dads: No
Golfing Grandparents: Yes

Also Consider:
• Toyota Highlander
• Toyota 4runner
• Ford Explorer
• GMC Acadia
• Hyundai Veracruz
• Mazda CX-9
• A vasectomy

Vitals:
• Manufacturer: Honda
• Model tested: Pilot EX 4WD
• Model year: 2009
• Base Price: N/A
• Price as Tested: N/A
• Engine type: 3.5-liter SOHC 24-valve i-VTEC V6
• Horsepower: 250 @ 5,700 RPM
• Torque: 253@ 4,800 RPM
• Red line: 6,300 RPM
• Transmission: five-speed automatic
• Curb Weight: 4,498 lbs
• LxWxH: 190.9" x 78.5" x 72.7"
• Wheelbase: 109.2"
• Tires: 245/65/R17
• Drive type: 4WD
• 0 - 60 mph: 7.5 seconds (est)
• 1/4-mile: n/a
• Top speed: N/A
• EPA Fuel economy city/highway: 16/22 MPG
• NHTSA crash test rating: n/a

Also see:

• 2008 Honda Pilot, Part One

• 2008 Honda Pilot, Part Two

Suitability Parameters:
Speed Merchants: No
Fashion Victims: No
Treehuggers: No
Mack Daddies: Yes
Tuner Crowd: Yes
Hairdressers: Yes
Penny Pinchers: No
Euro Snobs: No
Working Stiffs: No
Technogeeks: No
Poseurs: Yes
Soccer Moms: No
Nascar Dads: No
Golfing Grandparents: No

Also Consider:
• Volkswagen GTI
• Subaru WRX
• Mitsubishi Lancer
• Getting a life
• Hyundai Coupe
• Nissan Maxima Coupe

Vitals:
• Manufacturer: Honda
• Model tested: Accord 2DR EX-L V6 NV
• Model year: 2008
• Base Price: $21,860 (2DR LX-S 4-cylinder)
• Price as Tested: $31,145
• Engine type: 3.5-liter SOHC 24-valve VTEC V6
• Horsepower: 268 @ 6,200 RPM
• Torque: 248@ 5,000 RPM
• Red line: 6,800 RPM
• Transmission: six-speed manual
• Curb Weight: 3,446 lbs
• LxWxH: 190.0" x 72.8" x 56.4"
• Wheelbase: 107.9"
• Tires: 235/45 R18
• Drive type: FWD
• 0 - 60 mph: 5.7 seconds
• 1/4-mile: 14.0 seconds
• Top speed: N/A
• EPA Fuel economy city/highway: 17/25 MPG
• NHTSA crash test rating: n/a

Also see:

• 2008 Honda Accord Coupe, Part One

• 2008 Honda Accord Coupe, Part Two

Acceleration:****
The 268bhp V6 does 0-60 in 5.7 seconds. That's ridiculously fast for a practical, mid-size car. 15 years ago this would have outrun most Porsches. We just wish it didn't try and light up the front wheels with such ferocity every time your right foot starts feeling heavy.

Braking:***
Everything you'll ever need, provided you don't need an ideal brake/throttle relationship for heel and toeing.

Ride:****
Unremarkable in that you don't notice it as it competently goes about it's job, absorbing all but the worst New York's roads could throw at it.

Handling:**
The biggest problem. Floaty and imprecise at speed, the experience is dominated by understeer if you slow down. Still, it'll get you where you're going safely and quickly, just don't expect to enjoy the experience.

Gearbox:***
As unremarkable as a six-speed manual could be. But, it's not an automatic, and that's something. First gear is ridiculously short, most of the time, second is fine for pulling away.

Audio:****
EX-L trim brings with it every audio function you could want, in an unremarkable and very buttony way that is.

Toys:***
If we could award stars for the number of buttons on the dash, the Accord's would stretch across the page. When you can see it, the Sat/Nav works well, the center mounted dial spinning through menus with ease.

Value:*
Ours was specced up to $31,145 with delivery. We'll take our $30k-ish V6 coupes in 350Z form please.

Overall: ***
You can't question the Accord's competence at everything it sets out to achieve, but you can question its motivations.

All the V6's silly speed does is make us long for a simple, no frills, practical sedan or coupe with solid engineering, good handling, a reasonably sized interior and good build quality. A Honda Accord if you will. Oh, wait...

You see, with up to six or seven beefy bloggers, plus the occasional girly man (I'm raising my hand here) to haul around, most of the sexy sports cars we dream about are ruthlessly inefficient. Requiring Ray — we let him drive, it makes him feel powerful — to make an equivalent number of journeys to the number of people being moved just isn't the best way to start off sixteen hours of live auto show coverage. Aside from the fact that none of us enjoy being there, Ray's full blown borderline OCD has him biting our heads off at the best of times. Throwing cramped quarters into the equation would probably bring about the end of Jalopnik as we know it.

A minivan would probably be best suited to our needs. Designed with nothing but road-going people capacity in mind, they're exactly what we need. The problem is, our vanity (once again, my hand way up in the air) gets in the way. Hence the constant stream of SUVs, they provide the utility without making us look like we're on the way to a sci-fi convention, Hardigree excepted. We know we're not kidding anyone — the closest we usually get to off-roading is when we get lost in downtown Detroit — but in the unbelievably egotistical world of automotive journalism (we won't call it an industry as that would suggest something productive is, on the whole, achieved by those involved) trucks allow us to cling to whatever shred of cred we still have. At least until we get drunk and pick fights with Angus MacKenzie that is.

Those trucks usually take the form of some variant of the Suburban/Yukon/Escalade platform. An inefficient use of space if we ever saw one. Not only do they only offer cramped accommodation for seven, but they're also larger outside than Ray's apartment. We like them mostly because GM will hand them over at the merest hint of a phone call. And because we think they lend our badly dressed, overweight asses some sort of class. Something that's lost the second Travis exposes his crack attempting to climb into the way back seats.

Not only are these trucks ruthlessly non-reformed of us, but they're also a stupid choice, never delivering on their promised utility. This is where the Pilot comes in. Possibly the most unassuming car we've ever come across, and by that we mean it looks so bland we actually have no opinion on its design, it is nevertheless ridiculously practical. Here, in the footprint of a Highlander, you have eight seats, enough interior capacity to carry a stack of plywood sheets, enough cup holders to hold a week's worth of spilled coffee and skittles, and fuel economy that manages to creep above 20mpg, depending of course on none of us actually being allowed to drive it that is

The new Pilot manages to make all other crossovers, and certainly every SUV ever look ridiculous by somehow actually delivering on the utility they've always promised but never delivered. It's safe, it tows, it carries eight, you could move house in it, and it drives well. It's even good off road. Imagine that. This is great news to tens of thousands of American families with the good sense to buy one, but bad for us. Not just because Gawker's too cheap to ever actually shell out for a car, but because, caught up in our own fantasies of performance and image, we'll never be smart enough to buy one ourselves. We'll be missing out. Honest.

Sebastian, the semi-pro mixed martial artist rolling gently for and aft next to me, holding a stack of galvanized steel planters in his lap as his seat's latches fail to find purchase on the rails, looks on bemused as Mr. Angry charges past in a suddenly open gap on the right. Gesticulating wildly, the Isuzu driver swerves violently at us forcing me swing the Accord quickly into the fast lane; braking hard to avoid hitting the huge SUV that has no idea any of this is happening.

All of this hardly troubled the Accord. In V6 coupe form, the eighth and latest iteration of Honda's mid-size sedan is amazingly capable. Both fast and frugal, the 3.5-liter V6 is the largest and most powerful engine ever to find itself in a Honda passenger vehicle. In the coupe, Honda's ditched cylinder deactivation in favor of out-and-out performance. The 268 bhp is bolstered at the low end by both variable timing for its inlet valves and variable lengths for its magnesium intake manifold. Yes, this middle-of-the-road car now comes with magnesium engine parts.

Of course, Sebastian and I wouldn't have been out on Long Island shopping for fiber board storage solutions if we hadn't had a car we could have fit it all in. The Accord coupe's trunk is amazingly capacious for a two-door and while the rear seats don't fold down flat and the hole in the rear bulkhead is small and impractically shaped it does manage to swallow a surprisingly large amount of furniture named for obscure people, places and fjords in Sweden.

After the Isuzu moves on to torment the next car in a line of traffic stretching all the way back to Brooklyn, Sebastian observes that the driver, someone similar to us in age if not cleanliness, probably wouldn't have acted in such an aggressive manner if he'd encountered us on the sidewalk instead of the street. Bear with me; this car thing is all new to Sebastian, a recent émigré from Berlin, if not to you and I. More used to motorcycles and sports cars — vehicles intimately involved in their surroundings — it's something that I've always heard, but never understood. Until now.

Trapped in the midst of nothing but competence, a vast array of technology working to isolate me from its engineering to the greatest possible degree, I can suddenly understand where road rage originates. Driving down the highway, there's no grand visceral experience to separate me from the realities of moving through traffic. No engine that might not be fueling correctly or a potential stiff spot in my drive chain, there's nothing but the tedious journey ahead of me and those outside my cocoon making it longer. I feel empowered by the Accord's performance but separated from the experience of driving it. Suddenly, I'm not here for driving's sake, but for a destination that's increasingly taking longer to reach.

I could put my foot down — the V6 Accord is faster than anything this side of a Boxster — charging up behind those keeping me from home, safe in the knowledge that they see only its red paint and not my scrawny arms, safely removed from the experience. But something in the back of my mind restrains me. Maybe it's the leaf of the potted plant behind, gently tapping the back of my head, that reminds me that this isolation is only temporary and that soon I'll be back home, once again involved in the world outside.

Suitability Parameters:
Speed Merchants: Yes
Fashion Victims: Yes
Treehuggers: No
Mack Daddies: Yes
Tuner Crowd: No
Hairdressers: Yes
Penny Pinchers: No
Euro Snobs: Yes
Working Stiffs: No
Technogeeks: Yes
Poseurs: Yes
Soccer Moms: No
NASCAR Dads: No
Golfing Grandparents: No

Also consider:
• Mercedes CLS
• Porsche Cayenne
• Range Rover Sport
• Infiniti FX50
• Mercedes G55 AMG
• Audi S6 Avant

Vitals:
• Manufacturer: BMW
• Model tested: X6 xDrive35i
• Model year: 2009
• Base Price: $53,275
• Price as Tested: $63,225
• Engine type: 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline-six
• Horsepower: 300 @ 5,800-6,250 RPM
• Torque: 300 @ 1,400-5,000 RPM
• Red line: 7,000 RPM
• Transmission: 6-speed automatic
• Curb Weight: 4,894 lbs
• LxWxH: 192.0" x 78.1" x 66.5"
• Wheelbase: 115.5"
• Tires: 315/35 ZR20 front and rear
• Drive type: AWD
• 0 - 60 mph: 6.5 seconds [estimated]
• 1/4-mile: N/A
• Top speed: 149mph
• EPA Fuel economy city/highway: 15/20 MPG
• NHTSA crash test rating: N/A

Also see:

• BMW X6, Part One

• BMW X6, Part Two

Acceleration: ****
Both the 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six and 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 move the X6 forward with real gusto. There's nothing in it below 100mph, but the V8 doesn't taper off at high speeds like the six-cylinder does. The revvy xDrive35i fits the X6's sporty character best, and weighs 264lbs less, making it noticeably more agile.

Braking: *****
Immensely powerful, the brakes haul the heavy X6 up without drama. On the track, they didn't fade and the ABS isn't over conservative, allowing drivers to fully exploit the available grip. The active dampers eliminate dive.

Ride: ****
Back off the pace a bit and the X6 is luxury car comfortable. While the big 315/20s ride firmly, the suspension always keeps things in control on everything from smooth highways to rough dirt tracks. There's less tire noise than you might think, but it's not as quiet as say a 7-series.

Handling: ****
So good you'll forget you're driving an SUV. Dynamic Performance Control is a genuine game changer, think of it as a form of stability control that gives you more control, increases grip to unimaginable levels and does both without interfering by grabbing brakes or cutting power. Other electronics eliminate dive and roll, too.

The laws of physics do eventually intervene and the X6 will understeer, but its limits are unbelievably high. We'd put the X6 up against any sports car on a tight, twisty and wet mountain road, it's just a shame the steering is devoid of feel.

Gearbox: *
The biggest flaw in the X6's driving experience is made worse by the rest of the car's competence. The plastic paddles are counterintuitive to use and provide a disappointing level of control. The automatic's electronic brain is an unpredictable master, you never know when or if it'll allow you to downshift and loves shifting up at unpredictable moments.

Audio: ****
Another journalist remarked to us that he hadn't noticed the sound that emanates from the differential under hard driving as he'd switched the radio on and spent the day in cruise-mode. We did exactly the opposite and were rewarded with two great-sounding engines and the unique mechanical noise coming from the back end. But taking a peak at the X6's options list reveals the kind of fancy audio systems you'd expect from a high-spec luxury car.

Toys: *****
We'd give the X6 five stars here if all it came with was Dynamic Performance Control, any technology that increases driver control, safety and speed at the same time makes us happy boys. It's the antithesis of traditional stability control — which we normally switch off — as it doesn't interfere with your driving. But, the X6 also comes with every other conceivable kid of gizmo, which while impressive, would make us worry about buying an X6 as a used car in a few years' time. The iDrive is better than ever as well, spend a few minutes getting used to it and you'll be rewarded with rapid, intuitive access to all the vehicle's settings.

Value: *
The X6 costs over $8,500 more than an equivalent X5. While it does drive considerably better, it offers a lot less utility. Having said that, it doesn't set out to be a practical package, more a car that people will want rather than one they'll need.

Overall: ***
Faster and better to drive than any vehicle this bi