| 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder: Lightweight model recalls seminal Porsches |
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|  CARMEL VALLEY, Calif.–The 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder proves that the ghosts of the founders of the Porsche car company are still patrolling the hallowed ground of its facilities in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen.
Yes, the company is still building three-tonne trucks.
But the new Boxster Spyder, due in Canada next March starting at $72,900, suggests that the principles of light weight, efficient power and nimble handling that defined such iconic Porsches as the very first 356 (1948), the 550 Spyder race car (1955), the RS 60 Spyder (1960) and the 909 `Bergspyder' (1968) still hold sway.
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| Driving the Audi E-tron Concept |
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|  We were gliding down a short section of Pacific Coast Highway -- temporarily closed for us by the Highway Patrol, no less -- in Audi's wild, battery-electric e-tron show car, when its German engineer sitting next to me leaned over and asked the pay-dirt question: "So what do you think?"
I nailed the accelerator again to judge its acceleration (officially quoted as 4.8 seconds to 62 mph). Felt the brake pedal once more for any wobbliness in its transition from regen to friction braking (none that I could detect). And considered its other key EV attribute -- a range of 154 miles per charge -- and replied "I'm impressed. This is a beautiful automobile. Gorgeous in fact. But...you know, I just got out of a production Tesla Roadster Sport that hits 60-mph a full second quicker and easily travels 200 miles on a full battery." The long look I gave him punctuated my point.
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|  First seen at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show in September, the Audi E-tron concept will make its first appearance on the west side of the Atlantic at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show. Sized between the Audi TT and R8 and stylistically similar to the latter, the E-Tron concept, features four electric motors -- one at each wheel -- that produce a respectable 313 hp and an earth-moving 3319 lb-ft of torque. Its 42 kWh battery is reportedly good for 154 miles and can throw down enough electronically limited juice to whip the 3527-lb car to 60 mph in 4.8 sec on to a top speed of 124 mph, according to the automaker.
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| 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet |
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 Bet you didn't know the origin of the word "cabriolet." In the horse-and-buggy era, the word was applied to lightweight open carriages pulled by two horses and used primarily for pleasure rides in fair weather. The word was pinched from the French verb "cabrioler," meaning "to cavort" -- move about carelessly, playfully or boisterously -- or "to cut a caper." The next installment in Mercedes-Benz's long line of "cavorters" isn't exactly lightweight, but it promises to extend pleasure driving well beyond the traditional fair-weather season, thanks to a new innovation dubbed Aircap.
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|  The Hyundai Tucson compact SUV has been a decent performer for the Korean automaker, but its unconventional styling and five years on the road without major updates have kept sales volumes down. To remedy this, Hyundai is pulling out all the stops for the all-new 2011 Tucson, which may end up adopting its European name, the ix35.
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