Car reviews

Bella macchina: 2011 Maserati Gran Turismo Convertible

After 96 years of engineering and design triumph mixed with disappointment and a series of parent companies, Maserati prospers today. And it has a new convertible to show for it.

Few marques can equal the racing heritage and just plain longevity of Maserati.

If feeling like you are a part of that history appeals to you, then you will find that it adds to the excitement of driving the Gran Turismo Convertible.

The MORE

Life at the top: 2011 Aston Martin Rapide

Nice things happen when you show up behind the wheel of an Aston Martin. Neighbors are envious. Complete strangers stare in appreciation. Parking attendants accord you special privileges.

If they are aficionados, and you arrive in an Aston Martin Rapide, they know that you are driving something really special.

The Rapide is the first four-door in Aston's 97-year history and only 2,000 will be made annually. With an MSRP of $197,850, you MORE

The cat claws back: 2011 Jaguar XJL

Other luxury car makers, listen up: in the heedless pursuit of technological one-upmanship, you sometimes lose sight of the driver.

To put it more bluntly: Slipping behind the steering wheel shouldn't make you feel as if you are climbing into the cockpit of a space shuttle.

The driver should feel his nerves soothed because he has entered a world designed expressly for his comfort and enjoyment. At the same time, his senses MORE

An icon returns, repositioned: 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Chrysler showed the latest iteration of its flagship vehicle to its northeast dealers and the media on Thursday at the United States Military Academy at West Point.

The Grand Cherokee lives up to its advance notices. It is based on components from the Mercedes-Benz ML, so you know it is solid. The wheelbase has been stretched five inches so there is more room in the backseat. And it features a MORE

A pair of BMW Sevens

With a six-cylinder engine and a refined exterior, BMW's Seven-series returns to the U.S. with a new attitude.

With BP's well still spewing oil into the Gulf of Mexico, energy policy and the importance of fuel economy are on everybody's mind.

Automakers are ahead of the curve on this topic, as they race to meet strict mileage standards coming due in 2016.

The new standards weigh especially heavy on makers of German luxury MORE

Leader of the pack: 2011 Hyundai Sonata Limited

I have to confess: I hadn't been totally sold on Hyundai.  Yes, it offered superb value -- more equipment than you expected for the price. But the designs were at first too quirky, and then too bland -- frankly imitative of its competitors.  Hyundai seemed more a clever follower than a market leader.

The 2009 Genesis sedan was the first Hyundai that showed real originality as well as a sophisticated aesthetic. MORE

Saga of the sporty coupe continued: The 2010 Nissan Altima Coupe 3.5 SR

One of the most enthusiastic proponents of the sporty coupe is Nissan.

As CEO Carlos Ghosn tries to revive interest in the Nissan brand, he has invested in high-profile coupes.  He revived the 370Z sports car and launched the GT-R supercar.

But the Altima Coupe doesn't quite fit in with that crowd.  While the other two cars are purpose-built two seaters, the Altima Coupe is derived from the humble Altima sedan and MORE

Techno Toyota: 2010 Prius

One of my rules for covering the auto industry is to never judge a new car based on the manufacturer's preview.

It is all too easy at these events to get swept up in an atmosphere of artificial excitement. You have been flown to some distant resort in California or Arizona in the middle of winter for a test drive. You are seeing a car for the first time, weeks before MORE

Melancholy Mercedes: Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren

The supercar has been a struggle to sell, which means potential bargains for interested buyers.

Among the more exotic niches of the car business is the marketing of supercars.

The cars, which carry price tags in the mid-six figures, require a tricky marketing balance. If they become too scarce, speculators move in, driving up prices and making the cars unavailable to enthusiasts. But if too many examples show up on the MORE

Lusty Lincoln: 2010 MKT

Are better times coming? Ford seems to think so, based on the design and features of the new Lincoln MKT.

When you want to take the psychic temperature of the Ford Motor Co., all you have to do is look at the latest offerings from Lincoln.

When times are tough, the company makes little effort to distinguish luxury-pretender Lincoln from its homelier Ford origins. A new grille here, redesigned tail lamps there, MORE