He was right, because we were doing it wrong. In our misguided effort to drive the new Turbo into the corners as smoothly as possible here, we were being too gentle and too timid. It appeared the only way to drive the new 500-horsepower all-wheel-drive 2010 Porsche 911 Turbo would be to grab it by the scruff of its neck and throw it past the apex on the gas, and always on the gas. Slow-in, fast-out. It is, and always has been, “The Porsche Way.”

He continued, “Nixt co-nah, brick ha-dah, off szoon-ah, then kvickly on zeh gaz. Don’t let it roll — and you just missed the second apex! Tell me agin vhat you do for a living?”

That’s pretty much how our first-ever lap of the 2.7-mile Autódromo do Estoril circuit in Portugal went in the seventh-generation $133,775 911 Turbo. Our instructor seemed happy that the Porsche Stability Management (PSM), also known as “Physician Survival Mode” system was keeping a watchful eye on the attitude of the car, even with the racetrack-tuned “Sport Plus” button selected.

Read more at: http://www.insideline.com/porsche/911/2010/2010-porsche-911-turbo-first-drive-and-video.html

Despite its charms, we can’t get past the M5′s serious flaws, the result of timing and a product at the end of its life cycle. An overabundance of technology almost kills the joy of that huge power. For starters, BMW’s semi-manual SMG transmission is only for fans of a truly harsh shift experience. You’ll need to choose the no-cost six-speed manual to enjoy the M5 to its utmost, thanks to crisp throws, precise gates, perfectly arranged pedals, and surprisingly smooth clutch engagement.

But you can’t opt out of the technology that commands the M5′s suspension, steering, and throttle inputs. They offer a bewildering 279 combinations through an MDrive menu that can be linked to the steering wheel’s MDrive button, which might as well be a panic button for users who can’t figure it out.

Read more at http://www.thecarconnection.com/review/1046048_2010-bmw-m5

Let’s start with the specs. The hand built, supercharged LS9 V8 pumps out 638 hp and 604 ft-lb going to the rear wheels. The power is put down through a Tremec six-speed manual. The power goes to the rear wheels via two half shafts which are each different diameters to minimize wheel hop under hard launches. The driver’s side half shaft is larger to offset the weight of the battery being on the passenger’s side in the rear. Ride control features Delphi’s Magnetic Selective Ride Control system. The shocks in this set up provide real time dampening and change instantly with road conditions. There is a sport and touring mode which is controlled by a round knob on the center console. To save weight, the frame of the ZR1 is aluminum and many body panels including the fenders, roof, hood, front splitter and rocker extensions are all made of carbon fiber. The hood has a polycarbonate window that allows visibility of the intercooler and the polycarbonate window is visible on the hood while driving.

Read more at: http://www.joelfeder.com/2010/03/11/first-drive-2010-corvette-zr1/

The relationship between BMW and Alpina started in 1962 when a German enthusiast named Burkard Bovenseipen realized his BMW 1500 had plenty of untapped potential. Bovenseipen developed a dual carburetor kit for the 1500′s four-cylinder, and as the carbs flew off the shelves, he realized there was a serious market for BMW-based performance parts. Mr. B formed ALPINA Burkard Bovenseipen KG in 1964 and in the decades since, the company has become known simply as Alpina.

But while the name has changed, its mission remains the same, and its line of upgrades have grown considerably since its inception. Bovenseipen’s team continues to recognize the potential in almost every new BMW product, and the small but competent company, now managed by Bovenseipen’s son Andreas (his staff calls him Andy), delivers better, less compromised, higher-performance versions of BMW production cars.

Updated for 2008 and beyond, the Corvette Coupe receives an all-new 6.2L LS3 V8. The bump in displacement — up from 6.0L — increases horsepower to 430 or 436 with an available sports exhaust. Peak torque is 424 pound-feet on the basic model and 428-pound feet with the improved exhaust.

Other engine features include high-flow cylinder heads, enhanced valvetrain, a high-flow intake manifold larger-bore block with structural enhancements.

Channeling that added power to the rear wheels is either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic with paddle shifters. The manual features improved manual transmission shift effort for 2008. The automatic delivers quicker shift times and a 2.73 performance axle ratio.

Read more at http://www.leftlanenews.com/chevrolet-corvette.html

Read more at http://jalopnik.com/5199679/2010-shelby-gt500-first-drive

The Buick is the 2010 Regal. It’s an old American nameplate for a brand-new car — a rebadged version of the Opel Insignia, a stylish Fusion-size sedan that’s selling to critical acclaim in Europe, having recently been voted 2009 Car of the Year there by a jury of 59 European auto writers. The Opel-based 2010 Regal replaces the old W-body model that has been sold in China since 2003. Like its predecessor, it’s built in China by Shanghai-GM, the joint venture company operated by General Motors and Chinese automaker SAIC. GM is currently selling 5000 new Regals a month in China. (Here’s a startling contrast: Buick hasn’t sold 5000 a month of anything in the U.S. for some time.)

Read more at http://motortrend.automotive.com/110292/112-0905-2010-buick-regal-drive/index.html

Beneath the glistening lights of the New York Auto Show, BMW officially presented “The Ultimate Gap Filler,” a 3 Series that approaches the power and visual élan of the M3 for considerably less money. It’s called the 335is.

But before we go any further, let’s get this turbo thing straight. The “ordinary” 2011 BMW 335i Sedan and Coupe use a new 3.0-liter inline-6 engine, dubbed N55, that employs a single twin-scroll turbocharger combined with Valvetronic variable valve timing and lift and direct fuel injection. Yet the perfectly good N54 twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-6 that we’ve come to know and love in the former 335i is still around, and is said to be better suited to higher-horsepower applications.

This is the end of Viper, but in the aptly named “snake pit” here at the Los Angeles show, they’re having a party to celebrate the record-setting lap time at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Only 500 or so Vipers will be produced as 2010 models, and one of the cars shown here—specifically the black and red car—was the actual record-setter from Laguna.

Until a few months ago, a 2008 Dodge Viper ACR held the production-car track record at Laguna. Its mark was eclipsed by an exotic car called the Devon GTX, which just happens to be powered by a Viper engine. Not liking that very much, Chrysler responded quickly, having vehicle dynamics engineer Chris Winkler drive a few laps in a new 2010 ACR and easily knock a second off the record set by Justin Bell in the GTX. Winkler admitted to leaving more time out there, but said he was concerned about getting the car to the L.A. show in one piece.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/auto-shows/los-angeles/2010-dodge-viper