With nice weather just around the corner, we couldn’t think of a better time to test drive the 2010 Mazda RX-8. Despite being in its sixth year on the market, the RX-8 still boasts a fresh and contemporary look. The four-door design with rear-hinged back doors gives the RX-8 a practical side with seating for passengers. However, don’t expect to squeeze back there if you’re on the taller side, because the space really isn’t comfortable for those above the five foot mark.

Unlike your typical sports car, the RX-8 is powered by a rotary engine. The 1.3 L engine with the manual transmission produces 232 horsepower at 8,500 rpm and 159 lb-ft of torque at 5,500 rpm. With the automatic transmission, the horsepower does down to 212 hp. Unfortunately, when we tested the 0-60 time, the RX-8 lacked pep, hitting 60 mph around 7 seconds. But, on the flip side, the RX-8, while still a sports car, offers amenities you’d be more apt to find in a luxury sedan: heated seats, sun roof, heated side mirrors, rain sensing wipers, and keyless entry to name a few.

So now you’re probably asking yourself, “What will this cost me if i’m getting the best of both worlds?” The answer will probably surprise you. The RX-8 is very affordable, with a base price of $27,245 and an as-tested price of $33,170.

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Dr. Stefan Utsch, Porsche’s project manager for Sales and Marketing for the Panamera, was on hand to present the all-new 2010 Panamera at the recent press launch. When Porsche set forth with the new concept of the Panamera, there was one stipulation that could not be overlooked: the Panamera had to be a REAL Porsche.

To be a real Porsche, the Panamera had to provide the same spirit and abilities like its siblings in the Porsche lineup. True to that specification, the Panamera delivered. The seating position and steering wheel in the driver’s seat are identical to that of the 911. The exterior design is also sporty, with shorter overhangs at the front and rear of the vehicle. And of course, the Panamera has the Porsche Doppelkupplung dual-clutch transmission (PDK).

The Porsche Panamera essentially offers three different vehicles in one, by way of the three different driving characteristics. The three modes (Comfort, Sport, and Sport Plus) tailor the driving experience to the mood of the driver and the road conditions. Pair the three modes to the other technologies like adaptive air suspension, stability management and traction management, and you have an all-new vehicle that embodies the Porsche spirit.  If you want to see how those systems fared on the track, watch our 2010 Porsche Panamera 0-60 Test.

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Also see the Roadfly Porsche Panamera forum.

If you spot a vehicle with a Honda badge that looks like a BMW X6 bred with a Dodge Caliber, then you are probably seeing the Honda Crosstour. The 2010 Accord Crosstour is Honda’s  sedan mixed with hatchback SUV styling.

From the exterior, the ’10 Accord Crosstour is getting mixed reviews, with the Insight-esque nose to the high back, slightly narrow wheels, and visible odd covering of the under-mounted spare.  With the high hatchback, you’ll want to go with the rear camera since visibility isn’t the greatest. The Crosstour also has some pretty big blindspots and unfortunately, Honda did not include some of the blindspot warning technologies that other manufacturers utilize.

The interior of the Accord Crosstour has the Honda feel but the center console is a bit confusing, with anti-intuitive controls. However, everything else about the Crosstour interior is premium, with an Acura feel without the Acura pricing.  Under the hood, the Crosstour is all Honda.  The engine is a 3.5L VTECH V6 that produces 271 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 254 lb-ft of torque at 5,000 rpm.  For a heavy SUV of this size, the Accord Crosstour gets decent mileage, with 17 mpg city and 25 mpg highway.

The cargo space inside of the Crosstour is phenomenal, with almost 26 cubic feet in the back hatch. Put the seats down with the 60/40 split, and you have almost 51 feet of space. The hidden, waterproof, and removable storage box is a nice touch, allowing the driver to stow valuables out of sight or to keep dirty, messy items confined.

Base price for the 2010 Accord Crosstour starts at $30,390 for the 2WD EX. Our tester topped out at $36,930 for the 4WD EX-L model.

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We were just in San Diego, CA to test the all-new 2011 Infiniti M56 S Sport Sedan. The 2011 M56 S boasts a beast of an engine, the new 5.6L V8 mated to a 7-speed automatic transmission that produces 420 horsepower and 417 lb-ft of torque.

Like any car lover, we were curious to see just how quickly this brand new sport sedan could move, so we decided to do a 0-60 test. With the VDC off, and host Charlie Romero mashing down on the accelerator, the M56 S hit sixty in under five seconds. Our official time: 0-60 in 4.95 seconds.

Stay tuned for our review of the 2011 Infiniti M56 S Sport Sedan.