Mazda has had a string of notable successes lately. The MAZDA3, CX-7 and CX-9 have all exceeded corporate sales expectations and have planted the Japanese automaker firmly on the map. With the 2008 MAZDA5, Mazda hopes to continue the positive sales trend.

The 2008 MAZDA5 Multi Activity Vehicle (MAV), if marketed correctly, should re-write the small utility segment. Think of it as the ultimate urban people mover. It’s styled like a mini Minivan. It’s not as long as a Honda Odyssey, yet still transports six in comfort. It’s not as powerful as a Toyota Sienna, yet the MAZDA5’s proven 2.3-liter four offers smart acceleration. It’s not as thrifty as a Ford Escape Hybrid, but you can’t put the starting five and the coach in an Escape. Who needs more size when less will do just fine?

Now in its third year of production, the ‘08 model features significant upgrades. The 2008 MAZDA5 got a significant makeover, with a new front fascia, grille, headlights and taillight design. The overall design is athletic, superbly masking its people moving duties.

Inside, much has been updated for the MAZDA5’s Sport, Touring and Grand Touring trim levels. Electroluminescent gauges have been added along with second row heating/cooling vents with fan-speed controls, front passenger inboard armrests, second row passenger outboard armrests, and audio auxiliary input jack (full iPod integration is optional). New shift panel and center console designs add a sporty flair. Five-speed automatic or manual transmissions are standard depending on trim level.

Grand Touring models add a security alarm, Bluetooth hands-free phone system, a leather-wrapped shift knob, auto on/off headlights, LED taillights, heated door mirrors and rain-sensing wipers.

For the driver and up to five invited guests, Mazda’s aim was to make the cabin as spacious and comfortable as possible. Three features contribute to the MAZDA5’s roomy interior: a low profile fuel tank, a compact multi-link rear suspension, and a stepped floor. The latter permits excellent legroom for all – especially those sitting in rows two and three. In the third row, legroom is a generous 30.7 inches. In row two, legroom is a comfortable 35.2 inches. Second row seats slide and recline and can be folded flat without removing their headrests. They feature a one-touch lever that automatically tips the seatback forward and slides the cushion to its front-most position to allow access to the third row.

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The third row seats are split 50:50. They can be tipped forward individually and folded flat, creating 44.4 cubic feet of storage capacity. Fold the second row and the load floor area is over 63 inches long.

Interior storage space includes an illuminated glovebox, half-liter bottle holders in each front door pocket, a removable tray/net between second row seats, and under second row storage bins.

On the safety front, standard advanced front air bags use sensors to measure seat occupants’ weight, severity of the impact, and distance from seat to dash, before deploying. The front side and side curtain airbags that protect occupants in all three rows of seats are also standard. Additionally, three-point seat belts and head restraints are standard for all six seats.

MAZDA5 pricing begins at $17,995. Nicely equipped models will set you back about $25K. Comparison shop and do the math. If you are a young family who needs a vehicle with room to grow with, or a Boomer with the desire for a fun-to-drive ride with space to spare, you should consider this solid offering from Mazda.

What would Zeus drive? It would have to be opulent, powerful, solid, and strong. And, it would be nice if it impressed the ladies, too. So, when Zeus comes down from the mountain, we suggest he head straight to the nearest Rolls-Royce purveyor and ask to see the Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé.

We recently were among a select number of journalists who got to see the first official unveiling of the Phantom Coupé. This newest Rolls-Royce model is set to debut to the public at the Geneva Motor Show on March 4, 2008. Production starts in the summer, with deliveries (Zeus, are you listening?) starting soon thereafter.

An introduction by Tom Purves, Chairman and CEO of BMW NA, a fast beat on the sound system, dim lights, red uplighting on the walls…and then a curtain pulls aside to reveal Ian Cameron, Chief Designer for Rolls-Royce, driving the Phantom Coupé to within mere feet of our table.

Exterior Styling
The Phantom Coupé’s exterior is classic Rolls-Royce. Understated, yet imposing, it features the traditional Rolls-Royce grill, rear-hinged coach doors, a brushed steel bonnet (hood) and A-pillar surround, and round headlights topped with LED bar parking lamps.

At over 18 feet long, over 6 and a half feet wide, and over 5 feet high, the Phantom Coupé has an impressive silhouette. However, while it is almost as large as the Phantom sedan, it somehow doesn’t have that ‘limousine’ feel of the sedan, where you can’t imagine being anywhere but in the back seat of the car with a chauffeur in the front. Make no mistake–the Phantom Coupé is a driver’s car.

Interior Styling
Those unique rear-hinged doors open to reveal a lush interior. What seems like acres of hand-stitched leather and hand-rubbed wood surround you. Ingress to the rear seat is surprisingly easy, aided both by the size of the car and those rear-hinged doors.

We push a button; the driver’s door closes itself. For a moment, we know the sense of power the gods must feel when they speak and a miracle occurs. We push another button. The analog clock in the center of the dash rotates backward to reveal a car information and navigation screen, controlled by a BMW-iDrive-like center console knob. We can’t figure out how to get the clock back, so it really does seem to be iDrive at heart.

We look up. Van Gogh’s Starry Night comes to mind. The headliner of the Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé is the most unique of any car we’ve seen. At the flick of a switch, hundreds of tiny white LED lights twinkle above us; we almost expect to see a shooting star.

Safety
Any car which weighs almost 3 tons has a certain amount of inherent safety, with other cars noticing it and making way lest they be overrun. The Phantom Coupé has an advanced hand-made aluminum space frame with over 130 meters of welding that provides the core of the Phantom’s safety cocoon.

Remember those rear-hinged doors we keep mentioning? Without the hinges in the front, the A-pillar struts are able to run uninterrupted to the very floor of the car, adding to the Coupé’s safety.

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Powertrain & Performance
How do you accelerate nearly 3 tons from 0 to 60 mph in under 6 seconds? With a 6.75 liter 48-valve V12 producing 453 hp at 5350 rpm and 531 lb ft of torque at 3500 rpm. The engine and 6-speed automatic transmission are electronically limited to 149 mph.

Rolls-Royce very properly describes the ride of the Coupé as being ‘on the refined, comfortable side of sporty’ (please say this with a British accent)…would you expect anything less from this marque?

Self-leveling air struts, new spring dampers, and lighter anti-roll bars (compared with the Phantom sedan) combined with the stiff chassis and 50:50 weight distribution make the Phantom Coupé an exceptionally well-handling car. Heavy components such as the engine and transmission have been mounted as low as possible in the chassis to keep the center of gravity low. To reduce unsprung weight, the wheels feature lightweight ceramic cores. Rolls-Royce thinks of everything.

Conclusion
As we’re about to step out of the car, we notice a button inside the door opening toward the front quarter panel by our knee. We push it and an umbrella slides out of the front quarter panel into our hand.

This snaps us back to reality. Mere mortals such as us typically only dream about owning such an automobile. But, Rolls-Royce is giving the opportunity to a select few privileged souls to own and drive the best the marque has to offer.

We hope Zeus put his deposit down early; production is limited, and even with a price tag north of $300,000, we expect there to be no shortage of buyers for this chariot of the gods.

As the replacement for the Land Rover Discovery in 2005, the LR3 debuted with its predecessor’s off-road abilities but with more amenities that make the daily drive a bit more enjoyable. In our 2007 LR3 tester, the three sunroofs, built-in fridge in the center armrest, independent audio controls/headphone jacks for the 2nd and 3rd row outboard seating, and adjustable air suspension made this SUV perfect for taking the family out on the road less traveled.

However, while the price does not cause sticker shock, starting at $52,235 and reaching $56,100 when generously equipped, the numerous trips to the gas station for premium fuel may begin to wear on you because the LR3 only averages 12 mpg city and 18 mpg on the highway.

For a full review, watch the 2007 Land Rover LR3 Video.

Browse the 2007 Land Rover LR3 Photo Gallery:

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Driving the all-new 2009 Nissan Murano, I had a flashback to winter, 2002, when a blizzard struck the Washington, D.C. area. My niece, who suffers from Sickle Cell Anemia, was having a crisis, and had to be quickly transported to Children’s Hospital in Washington. The only problem was the snow was so deep, even emergency vehicles were having a rough time getting through.

But I had a trump card in the driveway, as the advanced all-wheel drive system on my tester 2003 Murano, coupled with sensible driving, would take us all the way from Crofton, Maryland where my niece lived to the care she desperately needed at Children’s.

Fast forward January, 2008, and I’m in the new ‘09 Murano in the foothills of Atlanta, Georgia. No blizzard here, but there were enough snaking turns to fully evaluate the road prowess of the second generation of the strong selling Crossover Utility from Nissan. With a totally revamped, more rigid platform, advanced version of the “Xtronic” Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) and intuitive all-wheel drive, the 2009 Murano has the road savvy of the first generation model taken to the next level.

Styling for the new Murano is pleasantly evolutionary. Nissan wisely left well enough alone by keeping the basic dimensions within inches of the original. A dramatic new grille, fascia and headlights define the front. The side view is dominated by large fender openings and a defined “character” line. Available 20-inch wheels are a must have feature (they’re standard on the Murano LE trim), as they give Murano a muscular look. The rear features a redesigned hatch with LED tail lights. Dual exhausts with chrome finishers complete the fresh re-do of an already good design.

The first gen Murano enjoyed sales growth over its five year life span. The only real complaint about that model was the so-called “rubberband” effect of Murano’s CVT. CVTs enjoy variable gear ratios suited to whatever the current driving situation is. There’s no gear shift feeling like you have in a conventional automatic transmission. But the first model’s tranny seemed to wind up forever, kind of like rolling up a rubber band on a pencil and waiting for it to unwind, except it never did. Nissan has fixed the “flaw” by introducing the Xtronic CVT, which exhibits none of the quirky characteristics of the first gen unit. Shifts are seamless and well defined. Xtronic features advanced shift control logic with a high speed computer processor, offering shift patterns that adapt to the driver’s style and driving environment. Like to accelerate quickly? Xtronic remembers this and sets shift parameters accordingly. Slippery outside? Murano’s powerful CPU can sense this as well, tailoring shift points so you don’t get into sideways trouble. The new unit features more slick engineering that reduces overall internal component friction by 20%, a plus for better fuel economy. Overall shift speed is improved by 30% over the previous generation CVT.

On all-wheel drive models, Xtronic is linked to the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system that connects yaw, wheel slip and steering angle sensors for maximum traction and control. Torque is initially set in a 50/50 split front to rear. If conditions are ideal, torque is split 100% to the front wheels, essentially making this AWD model front-wheel drive. The system is variable, with no less than 30% of torque going to the rear wheels under tricky road conditions. The result, Nissan claims, is that Murano is more secure and stable in various road conditions than vehicles without AWD or even with traditional AWD systems found on other vehicles.

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Under the hood lies Nissan’s tried and true 3.5-liter V6 with a healthy 25% bump in horsepower over last year’s model (now at 265 hp). This engine is quiet, powerful and very smooth, and returns respectable 18 mpg city, 23 mpg highway fuel economy.

Perhaps the nicest feature of all on the new Murano is the inviting interior. Gone are the days when buying a Nissan meant compromising on interior style and comfort. Cheesy plastics have been replaced with real wood and aluminum trim. Hard surfaces are now soft to the touch. Poor quality audio has been replaced by concert quality systems. An available dual panel glass moonroof brightens your road travels. A nifty, multi-function cargo divider pops up in the cargo area to help you sort out groceries and gear. Once folks find out about Nissan’s interiors, Honda and Toyota better watch out. With Mazda coming on like gangbusters, and Nissan raising its own quality bar, the war for number one in the Japanese car arena is sure to heat up.

The 2009 Murano is available in front wheel drive or all-wheel drive with various trim levels. Prices range from $26,399 for the FWD “S”, to $35,910 for the premium “LE” AWD.

Nissan refers to the upgrades in this terrific offering as”Murano-ness”. It’s a word that could become a standard bearer when defining the near luxury SUV class.