Whether it’s the rather bland looks or the underwhelming stats, the 2011 Lexus CT 200h hasn’t primed us for our first shot behind its wheel. Today’s announcement of four driving modes for the car doesn’t do much to change that, though we’re interested to see just how much sport can be added to the car with the press of a button. In addition to the…

Are luxury-car shoppers feeling the recession in the same way everyone else is? Take a look at the boarded-up store fronts on Main St., then check out the country club parking lot, political contribution coffers, and luxury dealerships and you might feel differently. There’s a distinct division as well between the Miracle Mile auto malls and…

The luxury car segment has long been the leader in automotive safety technology, as discerning buyers and higher base prices allow the carmakers to do more than is possible in more cost-conscious cars. Mercedes-Benz and Volvo in particular have earned reputations for being leaders in the safety technology field. Now Infiniti is making its bid to…

We’ve delved into McLaren’s future car plans before, but a new report out today puts some structure to the models to come. With one new model or model variant planned per year for the next half-decade, we’ll have much to look forward to from the Woking team. The McLaren MP4-12C isn’t due to sell until next year, and even then it will be limited to…

Always wished you could slip behind the wheel of a Ferrari Formula One car? Well, soon you’ll be able to, courtesy of Ferrari’s official Virtual Academy simulator. Coming September 9, the simulator offers a run in the F10 simulator cockpit around Fiorano, Mugello and the Nurburgring. And for those with a competitive streak, Ferrari will be…

As the world’s automakers go back to the drawing board on what they need to compete in today’s market, both structurally and in terms of product, parts sharing and efficiency are increasingly becoming key concepts. The next-generation of the Mercedes-Benz ML-Class SUV could embrace both concepts with a much closer link to the next G-Class and…

Crossovers don’t really get my blood flowing. They’re useful, to be sure, and some even look decent, in a tall-hatch kind of way. But really, at the end of the day, they’re about functionality, not passion. Nonetheless, the sporty model in Kia’s crossover range, the 2011 Kia Sorento SX, nails the functionality and even manages to toss in a bit of…

As we all know and axiously await, we Yanks are due to get our own version of the world’s most popular car-related TV show, Top Gear. Today, History Channel gives us a preview of what to expect from the team, and so far, it looks pretty good. The video editing will be familiar to anyone that’s seen the original U.K.-version, though the tone and…

Chrysler is on a roll with SUV designs, and though the Durango doesn’t quite hit the sweet spot the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee does, it’s not far off the mark. Sleek, smooth, and modern, the 2011 Durango’s look wraps what Dodge is pitching as a “performance-tuned” setup, and does it with three rows of seating. Performance SUVs are hardly a new idea…

Hyundai has been working on a new compact MPV based on its 2008 HED-5 concept car, which we have seen testing in prototype form on a number of occasions in the past several months. At this month’s 2010 Paris Auto Show, we’ll finally get to see the production version, which will go on sale in Europe next year as the new Hyundai ix20…