2010 BMW 5-series Touring

2010 BMW 5-series

Over the last 25 years or so, the story of station wagons in the U.S. has been a sad one. Sales plunged with the advent of the minivan in the early/mid 1980s, and the wagon’s fate was seemingly cemented when—of all things—the SUV picked up buyers tired of the sliding-door stigma.

It's not as if there‘s a shortage of capable station wagons on the global market. As you probably know, European customers often prefer spacious five-door wagons over the executive sedans on which they are based. Three of the most popular and luxurious models are the Audi A6 Avant, the BMW 5-series Touring (known here as the Sports Wagon), and the Mercedes-Benz E-class wagon. To renew the fight in Europe—but not here, since this Bimmer won’t be imported to the U.S.—BMW will launch its next-gen 5er Touring at the Leipzig, Germany, auto show in early April.

It‘s a pity that we won’t get it, because the look of the new Touring is an improvement over that of its funky predecessor; the new model is almost coupe/fastback-like, and it’s even more elegant than the handsome if somewhat bland sedan. Furthermore, it is certainly easier on the eye than the chunky 5-series Gran Turismo.

2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco and Cruze RS

The valiant mission of the 2011 Cruze Eco is to realize the magic 40-mpg highway fuel-economy number, thus giving Chevrolet a Cruze that offers what it calls hybrid-like efficiency without the expense of actually making a Cruze hybrid. (That, in a way, is the Volt, which utilizes Cruze architecture.) The Eco model pairs the 138-hp, 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with a six-speed manual transmission packed with what are likely to be some pretty tall ratios. An optimized axle ratio helps stretch the Eco model’s legs. And low-rolling-resistance tires also come along for the ride (if not the handling).

Automotive minutae-philes may remember that Chevy also pulled those same stunts to squeak an extra three to five mpg from the Cruze’s predecessor, the Cobalt, with its XFE model. With the Cruze Eco, however, aerodynamics have been made a bigger priority, resulting in less open space within the upper grille and a lower-grille shutter that closes at higher speeds to reduce drag. And—get this—the Eco model rides on a dropped suspension. Equipped thus, and riding on unique—and not altogether unattractive—multispoke 17-inch wheels, the Eco model actually winds up being one of the nicest-looking Cruze models we’ve yet seen.

Pure Luxury-Porsche Cayenne

Porsche is a symbol of status, class, and luxury. With its unrelenting reputation, the Porsche Cayenne does not disappoint. The Cayenne is a mid-size luxury SUV for the sports car fanatic. Rather than your run of the mill sports utility vehicle, the Cayenne is powerful, sexy, and luxurious. It is a posh alternative to the mini van or other mid size SUVS.

The 2010 base model exemplifies sheer power with a 3.6 -liter, 290 horsepower, V6 engine. However, this is only the start. As one climbs the Porsche Cayenne luxury ladder the power climbs as well. The Cayenne S boasts a 4.8-liter, 385 horsepower, V8 engine. From there, it gets even better. The Cayenne GTS offers a 4.8 -liter, 405-horsepower, V8 engine, while the Turbo comes with a 4.8-liter, 500-horpsepower V8 twin-turbocharged engine. In addition, the Turbo S includes a whopping 550 horsepower! This power is almost unparalleled in any other SUV.

With its astonishing power also comes pure luxury and class. The Porsche Cayenne has a sexy, refined, and sophisticated style for those would rather be driving a sports car. The 2010 GTS Design Edition 3 model is equipped with racing stripes and tinted windows. The DE3 also features blacked out bi-xenon headlights, color matched 21-inch wheels, and an extended roof-mounted spoiler, all of which add to its menacing exterior.

Toyota’s Aygo Black City Car for UK

A new version of Toyota’s friendly and economical city car Aygo Black is now available for order in U.K. , the Japanese automaker has announced. The range-topping version of Toyota’s European model has been built on the specification of the Aygo+ model.

The Aygo Black is powered by an award winning Toyota Optimal Drive 1.0-litre VVT-i petrol engine mated to a standard five-speed manual or optionally (only for the five door model), Toyota’s Multimode transmission. The combined cycle fuel consumption figures read 62.8 mpg while the CO2 emissions are not more than 106 g/km.

The car is available as three and five-door versions with air conditioning as an option. The pricing details list as follows:

• Aygo Black 3dr 5MT with A/C: £9,960
• Aygo Black 5dr 5MT with A/C: £10,31
• Aygo Black 5dr Multimode with A/C: £10,810
• Optional Aygo Xtra Protected pack: £390

Cadillac station wagon

The dramatically-designed 2010 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon makes its European premiere at Paris, followed by production launch in spring of 2009.

Porsche Tops in Dependability

2010 Porsche 911.

Jaguar executives are most likely sitting around sighing and saying, “It was nice while it lasted.”

They would be referring to the fact that Jaguar, in a tie with Buick, was at the top of last year’s Vehicle Dependability Study from J. D. Power & Associates. It was a particularly sweet victory for Jaguar and Buick because they had edged Lexus from first place, where it had ruled for the previous 13 years. But in this year’s Vehicle Dependability Study, released Thursday morning, Jaguar plunged to 23rd place.

Porsche, meanwhile, was the highest-ranking brand. “The 911, the Boxster and the Cayman all performed well,” said Dave Sargent, vice president of automotive research at J. D. Power. “The 911 is one of the better vehicles in the industry.” It also helps that the 911 represents 60 percent of Porsche’s sales.

The Most Reliable Cars 2010

Ford claimed two places in the 2010 long-term vehicle dependability survey, with Mercury ranking in at number 5.

In the midst of Toyota recall mania, the survey still ranked the controversial automaker 4th in overall reliability. The maker took home the most nameplate segment awards going to Highland, Prius, Sequoia, Solara, and Tundra.

Buick improved significantly in rankings and moved up to 3rd place from 6th in 2008. The survey found Buick owners less likely to replace car components than owners of other brands.