Performance

Ford's crossover, the Flex, shows off original style in a practical people carrier, but doesn't short on the tech side. The 2010 model can be had with Ford's new EcoBoost engine, which delivers a huge amount of power without giving up fuel economy. The navigation option is excellent, featuring traffic, weather, and gas prices. Our review car lacked this option, giving us a chance to try out Sync's navigation service. This service proved problematic and frustrating, reinforcing our contention that onboard navigation is the best.

Read our review of the 2010 Ford Flex SEL w/EcoBoost. … Read more

When we last left our hero, I was putting the kibosh on the track session in the Audi S4 and had just been handed the keys to the Audi R8 5.2 FSI Quattro, affectionately known as the R8 V-10.

Taking a walk around the R8, I took note of the supercar's low-slung good looks and sporty proportions. Externally, the R8 V-10 can be visibly discerned from the V-8 model in a few ways. The R8's trademark sideblades receive flared intakes to help the larger engine to breathe. The front and rear bumper vents have been enlarged and finished in a glossy piano black. The HID Xenon headlamps have been replaced with the world's first production full-LED arrays. Most obviously, chrome "V10" badges on the front fenders let everyone know how many cylinders you're working with.

Under the rear glass, on display for all to see, is the 5.2-liter direct injected 10-cylinder gasoline engine. Not only does this power plant have two more cylinders and a full extra liter over the V-8, but it also gains a whopping 105 horsepower and 74 pound-feet of torque. The result is a complete transformation of the nature of the vehicle, whether cruising a back road or barreling, flat-out down the back straight of your favorite racetrack.… Read more

I was recently handed the keys to a fully loaded, brand-new Audi S4 sedan. So, I did what any motorhead would do in this situation and proceeded to put the sporty A4 variant through its paces on the open road, on an autocross cone course, and even on the track at Infineon Raceway at Sears Point.

Our adventure starts with a trip from an uncharacteristically sunny San Francisco across the Golden Gate Bridge and into Sonoma. While in the stop-and-go bustle of the city, the S-Tronic DSG double-clutch automated manual was so docile and the 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 engine … Read more

The 2010 Honda Accord lineup is getting a features upgrade on certain models with an expanded application of Bluetooth HandsFreeLink to vehicles equipped with leather seating surfaces (previously exclusive to navigation-equipped models) and new rear-seat ventilation ducts on Accord Sedan EX and EX-L models for more-direct rear passenger airflow. Subtle modifications include graphically optimized climate control buttons and the addition of a trunk roof lining on Accord EX models.

Other available features include the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System with Voice Activation and XM Radio2. The front seats are designed to provide generous lateral support and complement the Accord's sporty … Read more

Consumers have had the option of 64-bit Windows computing since the release of Windows XP Professional x64 Edition in May 2005, four years after the release of Windows XP 32-bit. At the end of 2006, Windows Vista 32-bit and 64-bit versions were released simultaneously. Yet chances are you're currently using a machine that runs the 32-bit version of Windows.

This is about to change. Windows 64-bit has started to gain a significant foothold in the past two years as more systems ship with 3GB or more of memory. However, with Windows 7, 64-bit computing is likely to become even more common.

What's the difference between 32-bit and 64-bit computing? In a nutshell, the numbers refer to the amount of bits a computer can process in one computation. They also translate into the amount of random access memory (RAM) a computer can address. A 32-bit Windows computer can address a maximum of 4GB of RAM, while a 64-bit Windows machine can address up to 128GB and even more (64-bit applications can address theoretically up to 16 billion gigabytes of memory). So the higher number of bit means better computing, both in terms of precision and capability.

Despite the potential, the transition to the new platform has been slow. This is because of the high price of RAM and the lack of device drivers and 64-bit software applications. (Drivers are a special type of software that make hardware components work with the operating system. Without the sound driver, for example, your computer wouldn't be able to play music.)

Back when Windows Vista was released, 2GB of RAM, which is the recommended amount to make Vista run properly, could easily cost a couple hundred dollars. (This is one of the reasons Vista failed so badly as a new OS release.) There was virtually no 64-bit application then, either, other than a few game demos, and most hardware vendors didn't provide the 64-bit version of the drivers. Apart from this, 32-bit computers have been able to satisfy most of our daily computing needs. … Read more

Ford mechanics lowered the suspension and added a few racing bells and whistles to this 2010 Ford Mustang GT to get it ready for its racetrack debut. All the parts they used are available through your Ford mechanic.

Top Gear reviews the new BMW Z4 and the Nissan 370Z, putting each car through the paces. Although the 10-minute video favors the Z4, the Nissan has a few surprises.

It's a rare and good day when Ferrari announces a whole new car. Today we are treated to the 458 Italia, a new model mid-engine two-seater, which looks to replace the F430. Rather than the Ferrari California unveiled last year, which Ferrari had to defend as fitting into its GT tradition, the 458 Italia fits perfectly into the Ferrari stable, with front-end and cab elements that borrow from the Enzo and FXX. The car also shows a particular good-looking design from the front, with a uniqueness that hearkens to the Dino. Ferrari has had somewhat of a renaissance over … Read more

Andrew Frankel, an Autocar reviewer, attempts the mind-numbing feat of driving 200 mph in a Bentley GTC--with top down. Watch the action unfold in this video from the Nardo Technical Center in Italy.