2010 Nissan Altima Sedan

If you haven't paid attention to the Altima since Bill Clinton was president, know it's grown from a compact economy car into a powerful, confident-handling, mid-size, entry-level luxury sedan that maintains Nissan's sporty flavor and, especially for 2010, offers assertive styling.

The four-door Altima Sedan comes as the 2.5 CVT, 2.5 S and 3.5 SR CVT. Also, under the Altima umbrella is the Altima Coupe and Altima Hybrid sedan. (We'll leave the coupe and hybrid sedan for future reviews.) Here's how to decode Nissan's model nomenclature. The "2.5" indicates the car is fitted with a very strong 175-horsepower, 2.5-liter, four-cylinder. The "3.5" means it enjoys the awesome 270-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine. All Altimas are fitted with a "CVT," which stands for "continuously variable transmission." More on CVTs later. Prices start around $20,000 and go to almost $30,000 for the gas-engine cars.

If you're looking for an affordable, very roomy sedan, consider the 2.5 CVT. If you're willing to pay a bit more for Nissan's sporty feel, the 2.5 S CVT is an excellent choice. Those who like to go BMW hunting in the stoplight Grand Prix or on a curvy back road will be very entertained by the 270-horsepower 3.5 SR CVT.

Changes for 2010 feature a more assertive hood, grille and front bumper cover. Inside, the Altima received new fabrics. Electronic stability control, which Nissan calls VDC, now comes on all Altimas, but that's not too newsy as it will soon be government-required on all passenger vehicles. The 3.5 SR CVT (formerly called the SE) now comes with high-intensity discharge headlights.

Rather than physically changing gears like a conventional automatic, a CVT uses a belt and pulley system. It's designed to keep the engine at its most-efficient speed for the task required, regardless of whether that's optimum fuel mileage during highway cruising or maximum acceleration for merging into traffic. Few drivers will notice a difference between a CVT and a regular automatic, except for improved fuel economy and strong acceleration. Gear-heads: The Altima's CVT also employs a small gear set to increase its effective ratio range. Don't take this too hard, gearheads, but the CVT does a far better job of maximizing the engine's performance than you could with a manual transmission.

The four-cylinder delivers 23 miles per gallon in the government's city driving test and a very impressive 32 mpg on the highway. The V6 is rated at 20 mpg in the city and 27 on the highway. Altimas are made in Tennessee and Mississippi.

The 2010 Altima received "Good" crash safety ratings by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in both front offset and side impact tests. In the government's crash test studies, the Altima Sedan scored high marks—five stars—in both driver and passenger frontal impacts, as well as side driver impacts, and four out of five stars in the rollover category and side rear passenger impact test.

If you're thinking about ditching the SUV for a spacious and sporty sedan, think about the 2010 Altima.

Porsche Cayenne Exudes Class and Elegance

The Porsche Cayenne is considered by many to be one of Porsche's most brilliant creations. Just one look at this mid-size SUV will tell you that it is genuine Porsche pedigree. From the 911-esque headlights to the standard Porsche dual exhausts, it exudes class, elegance, and to the trained eye, just a hint of aggression. This SUV hauls quite the load as far as people and equipment are concerned, but also has straight-line and cornering performance that rivals that of sports cars. It is, quite frankly, one of the best all-around vehicles in the world.

The 4.8 liter V8 that comes in the Porsche Cayenne S is a 385 horsepower powerhouse that will launch this three and a half ton SUV from 0-60 in roughly 6.5 seconds. For those keeping score, that's fast enough to keep up with the all-new VW GTI, a 3000 pound hatchback. This normally-aspirated V8 is more than capable for towing as well; with 369 foot-pounds of torque, the Cayenne S will tow more than its own weight (maximum towing capacity: 7716 pounds). With sure-footed all wheel drive and flat torque curve, towing up even the steepest hills is a snap.

Some Porsche drivers want more, and more they'll get. The Porsche Cayenne Turbo S, powered by a 550 horsepower monster of a turbocharged 4.8 liter V8, will rocket the driver and his 6800 pound machine to 60 miles per hour in about four and a half seconds. 553 foot-pounds of torque comes standard, making even the heaviest towing job a breeze. Gas mileage isn't exactly the Cayenne's strong suit, but those wanting to save a bit of money can opt for the base Cayenne model. This comes with a 3.2 liter V6, and boasts 14 mpg in the city, and 20 mpg on the highway.

2010 Saab 9-3

The Saab 9-3, Saab's near-luxury car, has no power-train changes for what will probably be its final year.

2.0T models have a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline four. Known as the LK9, this 16-valve, DOHC engine is part of GM's Ecotec family. It is all aluminum, with cast-iron cylinder liners and twin balance shafts for greater smoothness. With a compression ratio of 9.5:1 and up to 12.3 pounds of boost from its inter-cooled turbocharger, the LK9 produces 210 horsepower and 221 lb-ft of torque.

Aero models have a 2.8-liter turbocharged V6. This 24-valve, DOHC engine, known as the LP9, is part of GM's High Feature family, manufactured in Australia. It is all aluminum, with a forged steel crankshaft and connecting rods, a variable intake manifold, and continuously variable timing for both the intake and exhaust valves. The version in the 9-3 has a compression ratio of 9.5:1 and an intercooled, twin-scroll turbocharger, with a separate inlet from each cylinder bank to reduce turbo lag. In 2008, Saab raised maximum boost pressure from 7.3 psi to 11.6 psi, increasing output to 280 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque.

The 2.0-liter engine suffers more turbo lag than newer designs like Volkswagen's 2.0 TSI engine. It is slightly weak at low speeds, and power comes on with a bang once the turbo spools up. The 2.8-liter V6 has less lag. The 2.8T performs well at all speeds, although it is no stronger than the normally aspirated V6s in rivals like the Acura TSX. Both 9-3 engines are smooth, but their persistent exhaust drone at cruising speeds annoys some reviewers.

The 2.0T's EPA fuel economy estimates are average for this class, but the 2.8T's thirsty 15/24 rating is well behind the 280-horsepower Acura TSX and the 300-horsepower BMW 135i. Saab recommends 90-octane fuel for both engines.

2009 Porsche Caymans 2.9 Liter

For the 2009 model year, the relatively young Cayman line of Porsche coupes gets its first makeover. While there were some subtle, yet sophisticated alterations to the exterior, it's important not to judge this book by its cover. Some might stipulate that the lack of changes to the body is due to the fact that there was little that wasn't attractive about the old model. Porsche cars have always been hallmarked by their exceptional performance and handling, and the new Cayman is absolutely no exception.

Under the hood, the Cayman's engine got a slight displacement bump, going from the available 2.7 Liter from last year's model to a 2.9 Liter Flat-Six, which granted it approximately 20 extra horses. This brings the 2009 model's output to around 265 horsepower, which is substantial in a relatively small car like this one. That's not all that's new, and Porsche designers have sought to put their best foot forward this year by offering a new 7-speed automatic transmission. All of this leads to a generous performance boost that is only further enhanced by the optional limited-slip differential, which has never been a part of the performance package for this car model until now.

While the new engine and added hardware goes a long way to bring the 2009 Cayman up to par with a lot of its competition, a lot of owners will appreciate the character statement that Porsche cars represent. They're well equipped, with all of the modern electronic conveniences of any luxury car, and their ownership makes a big statement about pragmatism and practicality. With similar performance characteristics to the legendary 911 series, the Cayman is built to cater to people who aren't afraid to take command of the road.

2011 Ford Super Duty

2011 Ford Super Duty

For 2011, Super Duty features both an all-new diesel and gasoline engine that are mated to a new transmission. The new diesel, the 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel engine, was designed, engineered and built by a Ford team dedicated solely to delivering this class-leading diesel engine to the next-generation Super Duty to enable continued best-in-class towing and payload.

2011 Ford Super Duty Pictures

2011 Ford Super Duty Wallpapers