Engineers created the ‘aero’ pieces of the vehicle in a wind tunnel where they found out the exact hardware updates they would need to augment them: -shock-tower bracing and radiator supports, extra body-shell welds at the A- and B-pillars, a heftier brace spanning the rear shock towers, higher spring rates, firmer dampers, and a bigger rear anti-roll bar.

Although the stiffening hones the Z’s responses to an even sharper edge, the aero elements were the prime focus of the NISMO engineering effort. The front fascia, with a deeper chin spoiler shaped to vector underbody airflow, was developed to provide high-speed downforce, as opposed to the slight lift in other Zs. Similarly, the large rear wing and the underbody diffusers help keep the stern firmly planted. According to Nissan, the base 350Z produces almost 18 pounds of rear lift at 75 mph, whereas the NISMO’s aero tweaks generate more than 33 pounds of downforce.

At 5.2 seconds to 60 mph, the NISMO Z was no quicker than the last Z car (the June), and its quarter-mile run—13.8 seconds at 103 mph—was a hair slower, probably owing to increased aero drag. Braking was good—159 feet from 70 mph versus 169 feet—but the June car, a base Z, pulled a better skidpad number, 0.93 versus 0.92. The bottom line: This is a sincere and thorough effort by NISMO, but its virtues will be tangible only on a road or track with very fast turns.

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Audi has chosen to change things up for the New Year due to the increasing competition from BMW and Mercedes. Audi may have a hard time selling the new sedan though because of the high price that is attached to it.

The 2008 Audi RS 4 is a compact ultra-performance car based on the Audi A4, and it’s available in sedan and convertible body styles. Standard features include 19-inch wheels with 255/35 high-performance tires, Dynamic Ride Control suspension, xenon headlights, Recaro sport seats with power adjustment and front seat heaters. Silk napa leather upholstery, carbon-fiber cabin trim, dual-zone automatic climate control, a 10-speaker audio system with six-disc CD changer, a sunroof and rear park assist are also standard.

A 4.2-liter V8 engine powers the RS 4. Equipped with direct fuel injection and sporting a 12.5:1 compression ratio, this powerhouse makes 420 hp and 317 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed manual gearbox (the only transmission offered) sends the power to all four wheels through Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system, which has a 40/60 front-to-rear power split in this application. During instrumented testing, an RS 4 sedan shot to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds and ran the quarter-mile in 13 seconds at 107 mph.

The navigation system isn’t the most user-friendly design, though. As a serious performance car, the S4 sedan has been given standard Recaro front seats, which feature aggressive bolstering to hold one in place when zipping around corners. Although the rear seat is fine for small children, adults seated back there will likely complain about a shortage of legroom. Of course, it’s a welcome amount of space compared to sports cars that offer similar performance.

With more than 400 hp and the grip of all-wheel drive, the 2008 Audi RS 4 has no problem driving in and out of tight spaces. With a broad torque spread, there’s always power on tap. Apart from the incredible acceleration, the RS 4 makes a strong showing in the braking and handling departments. Through the curves, the RS 4 is a composed master despite its hefty curb weight.

For those of you who don’t prefer a sedan you can always choose the convertible model. The interior of the convertible will be slightly different as will the chassis (though not dramatically changed) – but the power will be the same.

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The Matrix will be available in three trims: Standard, S, and XRS. The interior of all three has bright white-lit gauges offsetting red-lit needles and a large, dominant speedometer. Everything from sport seats to the three-spoke steering wheel is new. However, much of the brightwork and interesting design of the prior Matrix have given way to cheaper, monotone materials, and thus, in spite of additional equipment and so-called upgraded fabrics, it’s hard to consider the new interior much of a step forward in design.

Yet, even with all of its fashion faults we are happy to see that it is available with a lot of cool new features, including Toyota’s latest navigation system with XM traffic reporting, a JBL audio system, and stability control (the latter available across all trim levels). Storage space, too, is impressive, with cubbies upon cubbies and a massive glove box. And in terms of safety, besides stability control, there are no options: Six airbags come standard.

Under the hood, the Matrix Standard and the Matrix S sport a new 1.8-liter, four-cylinder engine that generates 132 horsepower and 128 pound-feet of torque and featuring dual VVT-i (variable valve timing with intelligence). The Matrix S is also offered with all-wheel drive. The brakes, too, have been upgraded to four-wheel discs. Transmission choices are a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic. Toyota says it expects at least 30 mpg from its new small cars, and the Matrix has been engineered to accommodate a hybrid powertrain as well, which we expect to hear more about within a year.

The 1.8-liter inline-four revs smoothly, if not terribly quietly. Feel through the tilting-and-telescoping steering wheel was rather tepid and springy. All in all we were looking for an improvement in the model line-up. Perhaps next year we will have more luck.

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However, when you drop on the 18-inch aluminum wheels, you know this bad boy’s meant for show. The Jeep design team decided to dump the entire Mopar catalogue of accessories on the Wrangler Ultimate’s exterior, which gets some fancy sparkle and shine from ts chrome fuel filler door, taillamp guards, tubular side steps, exterior mirrors, tow hooks, door handles, hood hinges, and overlays for the front fascia. The Liquid Charcoal Pearl Coat exterior paint color is not available from the factory, either.

The Wrangler Ultimate’s interior also gets the show car treatment with seats upholstered in a mesh fabric and trimmed in dark slate gary Nappa/Province leather bound with a heavy black leather baseball stitch. There are additional orange trim pieces on the steering wheel, shift knob and passenger handlebar, while the floor shifter appears to have a wooden trim piece, as well.

For the days when you are not driving off road there is a MyGIG hard drive-based multimedia system with LCD screens for each rear passenger seat. To help the Wrangler get over those rocks, a 392 cu.in Hemi crate motor has also been installed under the hood giving it that extra boost of power that makes this Jeep go.

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The Land Cruiser’s engine – 5.7-liter V-8 – is unchanged for the Land Cruiser and retains its 381-horse and 401-lb-ft of torque power figures. It’s mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with a sequential shift mode that allows for manual gear selection, automatically shifting into first gear when the vehicle comes to a stop.

Unlike many SUVs on the market today, the Land Cruiser is fitted with a proper transfer case. Equipped with a Torsen limited-slip locking center differential, the transfer case allows full-time four-wheel drive, with a rotary dial serving as the switch between high and low range modes. The differential’s locking function is engaged at the press of a button.

The suspension, designed with off-road capability in mind, features a live axle in the rear and a double-wishbone setup up front. Also part of the suspension package is Toyota’s Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System consisting of a pair of hydraulic control cylinders that roll stiffness to best match the suspension’s geometry. Stopping power comes by 13.4 inch discs with four-piston calipers up front and 13.6 inch discs at the rear. Towing capacity of the 2008 Land Cruiser is a considerable 8500 pounds and the maximum payload is 1585 pounds.

A new CRAWL control engages when the transfer case is shifted into low range. This system manages engine speed and output and braking force, slowly moving the vehicle forward or reverse and enabling the driver to concentrate more on navigating steep grades or extremely rough terrain. CRAWL control also includes Downhill Assist Control to maintain a constant preset speed while descending down an incline.

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Built on a global platform also used for the Jeep Compass SUV and midsize Dodge Avenger sedan, the tall-bodied Dodge Caliber comes only as a compact hatchback/wagon. The rear seats fold in a 60/40 split, increasing cargo space to a maximum of 48 cubic feet. The front passenger seat can fold forward to make room for longer items, such as ladders, skis or surfboards. The Caliber has decent headroom and legroom in the front and back, but it is still a small car, so don’t expect more than two adults to fit comfortably in the backseat.

The Caliber comes in three trims, base SE, SXT and R/T, with a high-performance Caliber SRT4 variant coming soon. The SE is a base model in every sense of the word. It doesn’t come with much; air-conditioning and power features are optional. Most shoppers will want to skip over the base SE and look at either the SXT or R/T, both of which come with more standard features and sportier wheels and tires. The Caliber R/T even gets 18-inch wheels and performance tires. In addition, upscale options like leather seats and a navigation system are only available on the Caliber SXT and R/T.

Interior design and build quality are serviceable at best. Dodge doesn’t even pretend that this is an upscale vehicle, and hard plastic is rampant throughout the interior. Compared to the accommodations in vehicles like the Chevrolet HHR, Kia Spectra5, Mazda 3 and Toyota Matrix, the Caliber’s furnishings are several steps below the norm.

There are three four-cylinder engine choices for the Dodge Caliber. Each features modern design elements, such as variable valve timing and aluminum construction. At the bottom of the ladder is a 148-horsepower 1.8-liter inline-4, which comes standard on the base Caliber and the SXT. If you’re looking for more power, it’s possible to upgrade to a 158-hp 2.0-liter four, which is equipped exclusively with a CVT. The 148-hp 1.8-liter comes with a five-speed manual gearbox only.

Buyers looking for a bit more pep will want to take a look at the Caliber R/T, which gets a 172-hp 2.4-liter engine. It is also available with AWD. In terms of transmissions, the front-wheel-drive R/T comes with a standard five-speed manual, while the R/T AWD comes with the CVT only.

The Dodge Caliber is a solid daily driver, though hardly much more than that. It is comfortable without feeling too soft. And the R/T handled well in demanding situations. But our impressions of the Caliber were dampened by the lack of driving excitement. The R/T was especially a disappointment. Not only did it not feel any faster than the SXT with the optional 2.0-liter, the AWD version we tested took 10 seconds to reach 60 mph, hardly the kind of giddy-up we’d expect from a car with an R/T badge.

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Ford all but abandoned the Taurus when it launched the Five Hundred, a larger vehicle based on the same platform as the Volvo S80 luxury sedan, and the Fusion, a slightly more compact mid-size sedan built on Mazda underpinnings. The plan was to replace the mid-size Taurus with a pair of vehicles that Ford thought would be more competitive in an automotive marketplace that was fracturing into smaller and smaller niches.

That wasn’t the case when Ford launched the Taurus back in 1985. With its oval-shaped rear window and other oval-shaped interior components, the Taurus became America’s best-selling car. But the second generation didn’t have the same sizzle and Ford chose to try a two-pronged attack to compete with the popularity of the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. Meanwhile, the Taurus remained in production until last year, but was sold primarily into rental car and other fleets.

Still, of the 7 million Taurus models built, nearly half remain on the road, and the Taurus brand ranked third behind only the F series pickup truck and the Mustang in a survey of Ford nameplate familiarity, so the new regime running Ford decided that instead of trying to create awareness for the Five Hundred and Freestyle, it made more sense to try to cut through the clutter by updating and renaming those vehicles as Tauruses. The update includes a new 3.5-liter V6 engine with 260 horsepower, a much-needed increase over the 203-hp, 3.0-liter V6 that powered the Five Hundred when it was launched as a 2006 model.

The car also gets a new grille, new tail lamps and rear fascia, new chrome exterior accents, new mirrors, better sound insulation, revisions in the suspension system, and will be available with Ford Sync, a Ford/Microsoft joint project for connecting and controlling cell phones, music players, even providing text messages that can be heard rather than read while driving. Seat-mounted side airbags for the front seats and two-row side-curtain airbags will be standard equipment. Electronic stability control and all-wheel drive will be available. The Taurus X crossover utility wagon gets similar updating; its side-curtain airbags will cover all three rows of seats.

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The Golf is the fourth Volkswagen to wear the new BlueMotion environmental badge on its radiator grille and rear hatch, identifying it as the most economical model in the range. The Golf BlueMotion is driven by a TDI with 77 kW / 105 PS and a hefty 250 Nm (184 lbs ft) of torque that has already achieved recognition as an efficient engine.

Its fuel consumption has been reduced by a full 0.6 liters compared to the original model. Similarly, CO2 emissions have been reduced from 135 g/km to 119 g/km. Actions taken on the BlueMotion make it so efficient that now distances of more than 1,200 kilometers are possible on just one Golf tank of fuel (55 liter). Market introduction of the Golf BlueMotion in Germany is scheduled for the end of this year.

Less apparent but no less necessary for a gain in economy are the thoroughly trimmed and thereby flow-optimized underbody as well as the nearly enclosed radiator grille. To ensure that the TDI engine still gets enough cooling air, the Golf BlueMotion has an effective dual fan. Thanks to aerodynamic design measures, including lowering of the chassis, the Golf’s cW value of 0.32, which in itself is a good value, was further improved to 0.30.

The base price of the Golf BlueMotion Trendline is 20,615 euro and this makes it just 315 euro more than the base price of a Golf 1.9 TDI Trendline. When adjustments are made for equipment options, the BlueMotion is even more economical than previous TDI versions with 105 PS and diesel particulate filter. Besides the aerodynamic modifications, standard equipment includes the Multifunctional Display Plus (MFA Plus) with gear recommendation arrow and sports suspension.

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This new concept was bestowed with the name of Gladiator as a remembrance on the Jeep pick-ups in the 1960’s and the military looking Jeep trucks of the 1950’s. But don’t think that this vehicle is all bark and no bite. Beneath that big monster hood lies a 2.8 liter diesel, which means that the Jeep will sound as macho as it looks.

Besides a powerful engine, the vehicle is also equipped with four-wheel drive and solid front and rear axles. The rear axle is not located by leaf springs useing coil-over dampers. The cab has the usual rear-hinged access door on the passenger side, but driver’s side access to the rear seat is via a small “dog door” roughly two feet square, not leaving much room for full sized people.

The cab rear window powers down, the rear-seat squab tucks down to the floor, and the rear bulkhead then slides forward, like a drawer, to increase the cargo bed to a full eight feet in length.

Regardless of whether or not that trick could be engineered for production, this good-looking pickup would be a great, and fitting, addition to the Jeep line, which we can hope to see in 2008.

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Most people would expect the new M3 to contain the familiar inline-six cylinder engine because that is what is used in the older M3 models. However, engineers were unable to produce enough power to impress from it. Because of this problem they decided to turn to the V-8. Using the new engine turned out to be a great idea because it is 33lb. less. These are the engine specifications when using the V-8: 4.0-liters, 414 horsepower, 295 lb-ft, 8400-rpm redline.

Accelerating with the V-8 is not a problem for any drivers. Besides the new engine, engineers decided to add a twin-disc design clutch, something that has not been used in an M3 before. And besides being able to accelerate properly, the vehicle is also able to shift with surprising accuracy.

The riding quality of the M3 is something that people can look forward to. The body motions are controlled well. It may understeer a little, but a move of the foot and everything is back to normal.

Brake feel is excellent, but pedal effort can rise precipitously during sharp curves. The curb weight on the M3 is high creating this problem. Everyone can expect the new model to weigh more then 3,700 lb. when it comes to the states. The M3 has gained almost a half ton in about twenty years.

The list of 3-series parts redesigned and re-engineered for M3 use is staggering, the V-8 car shares surprisingly few parts with those with a six-cylinder under the hood. BMW isn’t known for frivolous modifications, and all of the changes serve a performance purpose. Unfortunately, they seem to also dilute the driving experience. Once a direct, raw, and frenetic monster, the M3 has morphed into a polished and refined grand tourer.

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