Porsche 911 GT3

The parade of new or returning Porsche 911 models continues for 2011 with the introduction of the new GTS, Turbo S, GT2 RS, GT3 RS and limited-edition GT3 RS 4.0 and Speedster models. Also for 2011, the 911 Carrera, Targa and Turbo models offer Bluetooth and an iPod/USB audio interface as standard. New option packages available on the more mainstream models provide some cost savings. But do you even want one in the first place? Buying such a pricey automotive toy is seldom a rational affair, but as much as the 911 is a lust-worthy item (regardless of the particular variant you may choose), it also makes a lot of sense. A Carrera S will hit 60 mph in 4.2 seconds, yet also return 27 mpg. It'll humble just about any mountain road, but also take you in comfort from Phoenix to Vegas with a golf bag and a weekend's worth of luggage. The Porsche 911 has also been around so long in its most basic form that its engineers have simply been perfecting perfection. If this seems like we're blowing smoke up the 911's engine-filled bum, you'd be right. But what other choice do we have when every single one of its 19 variations is so darned good? Frankly, we'd be happy with a plain, old base-model 911 Carrera, which gives up very little to its siblings with longer names. But when the 911 Turbo became capable of reaching 60 mph in a shocking 3.2 seconds, we were absolutely smitten. Now for 2011, an even more powerful Turbo S model has arrived along with several models intended for more dedicated drivers or even track use. The GT2 RS in particular is one of the wildest and demanding cars on the road, adding power to the Turbo S engine while subtracting the security of all-wheel drive.

There's too much vertical motion, though to be clear, it's not that the vehicle is porpoising down the road - the degree of movement is quite small. No, the issue is that the body seems to be constantly moving and responding to the road surface, a condition that can grow tiresome, particularly on roads that still bear the scars of winter (thanks, Michigan Department of Transportation). Perhaps the issue isn't so much one of suspension tuning, as it is wheel choice. As previously mentioned, my tester arrived wearing 21-inch wheels wrapped in 255/40R21 Dunlop Sport Maxx GT tires. They look spectacular, but so do the standard wheels, which are an inch smaller and boast a slightly taller 255/45 sidewall. 800 and stick with the standard alloys. These oversized wheels and tires also have an impact on the SQ5's acoustics. There is more road noise than expected, and impact sounds are a bit more noticeable, too.

Wind noise, though, is hardly an issue, even at freeway speeds. The engine's lovely sound doesn't wear out its welcome, as it doesn't drone, even when the Drive Select's engine note is set to Dynamic. Regardless of wheel size, the SQ5 benefits from thoroughly uprated brakes. The vented rotors have grown from 13.6 inches in front and 13 inches in back on the standard Q5 3.0T to 15 inches in front while retaining the 13-inch plates in back. Aesthetically, these new stoppers are highlighted by having "SQ5" emblazoned on the front calipers. It shouldn't be a shock with this kind of disc acreage, but the SQ5's brakes proved up to the challenge posed by this 4,400-pound wagon replacement, delivering confident stopping power, as well as a communicative and easy-to-modulate left pedal. While the SQ5 generally feels solid in most areas, its electromechanical steering would prove to be a low point, as it lacks clear feedback and exhibits too little effort for the CUV's sporting character. Even when set to its heftiest mode, the steering lacked the sort of weight that one expects of a racy German vehicle, feeling particularly lifeless on center. Every piece of armor needs its chink, I guess. Let's be honest, fuel economy is not the SQ5's raison d'etre, so its EPA estimated rating of 16 miles per gallon in the city and 23 mpg in the city isn't particularly shocking. I finished my loan out with this fast Audi sitting nearer to the city rating than the 19-mpg-combined figure, although I place all blame squarely on the ear-pleasing exhaust and lickety-split transmission, not on my over-exuberant right foot.

Measuring only 81 centimeters (31.89 inches), the front overhang is unusually short. Depending on the engine, only between 61 and 63 percent of the weight rests on the front axle, a low value for a compact car. A number of details contribute to this, such as the position of the battery, which with most engine options is underneath the luggage compartment. With a base weight of only 1,045 kilograms (2,303.83 lb), the A1 is the lightest vehicle in the premium compact class. The front suspension comprises a MacPherson construction with lower triangular wishbones. The steering impulse from the electrohydraulic rack-and-pinion power steering, which is more efficient than a straight hydraulic system, is transferred via short paths to the pivot bearing for spontaneous steering response and precise, sensitive feedback through the steering wheel. Direct: the power steering. At a ratio of 14.8:1, the steering is sportily direct, requiring only slight steering angles at the wheel. The high turn-in of the front wheels keeps the turning circle to 10.6 meters (34.78 feet) - both factors give the A1 the ultimate in agility in city traffic as well as on open roads.

Audi painstakingly tuned the front axle bearings, the stabilizer bar and the springs and dampers for sporty and balanced handling. A torsion-beam rear axle with separate springs and dampers features new guide bearings that were developed from the ground up. The Ambition trim line comes standard with a sport suspension featuring taut springs and dampers. The A1 comes equipped with a new Audi technology regardless of the engine selected - the ESP stabilization system also includes an electronic differential lock. Similar to a mechanical locking differential, it makes the already agile handling even more neutral by largely eliminating understeer and improving traction. If the electronics detect that the load on the front inside wheel is reduced too much, it initiates brief, controlled braking of that wheel. The excess torque then flows to the outside wheel, which can apply more power to the road. Road behavior is even more precise, agile, stable and neutral, further enhancing objective safety and subjective confidence in the car.