The Audi TT appeals to sports car enthusiasts and weekend cruisers alike. The powertrains are responsive and quick. The steering is sharp and the handling is crisp.

Quattro all-wheel drive gives the TT enhanced handling tenacity and remarkable bad-weather capabilities. The interior is stunning, with a brilliant design and layout, beautiful detailing, tight panel gaps and first-class materials. But what really sets the TT apart, and has since the introduction of the first-generation version some years ago, has been and still is its wonderful exterior design, giving it a style and a look that is unlike anything else on the road.

The TT is available as a coupe or roadster. The coupe is claimed as having 2+2 seating, meaning two adults in front and maybe two other, non-complaining and hopefully smaller person in back, but it’s really a two-seater. The roadster has no pretensions of being meant for anything other than two people. The coupe also offers a certain degree of luggage space under its rear hatchback.

The Audi TT offers a choice of a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine or 3.2-liter V6, and with front-wheel drive or quattro all-wheel drive. There are a variety of trim levels and a wide range of options, including some really neat leathers and interior options, and we think it’s well worth taking time to carefully consider them all.

Audi TT 2.0T models have a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque; they are available in front-drive or quattro versions, but the only transmission choice is the six-speed S tronic, a dual-clutch transmission that can be operated either as a manual or an automatic. The 3.2 models have a 3.2-liter V6 that produces 250 horsepower at 6300 rpm and 236 pound-feet of torque from 2500 to 3000 rpm; all 3.2 models have quattro, but there is a choice of a six-speed manual or the six-speed S tronic.

The Audi TTS is powered by a version of the 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder that’s been up-rated to 265 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 258 pound-feet of torque from 2500 to 5000 rpm. It’s available only with quattro and the S tronic dual-clutch transmission.

Fuel efficiency for the TT line is remarkable given the levels of performance. The 2.0T is EPA-rated at 23/31 mpg City/Highway, the 3.2 with the manual is rated at 17/25 mpg, and the TTS is rated, somewhat astoundingly, at 21/29 mpg.

The Lexus LS is extremely quiet and extraordinarily smooth. The LS 460 is easy to drive and operate and is less fussy than the German luxury cars. It delivers excellent performance but tilts more to the luxury side of the equation.  The 4.6-liter V8 can propel the LS 460 from 0-60 mph in a mere 5.4 seconds, according to Lexus, yet it gets an EPA-rated 24 mpg Highway. The eight-speed automatic is super smooth and plays a big role in the fuel-economy story. The electrically powered steering system adjusts according to speed.

The ride quality and handling are exemplary. It doesn’t get any smoother than the Lexus LS and it meets every expectation for refinement and luxury.  The Lexus LS 600h L employs a hybrid powertrain using a 5.0-liter V8 and electric motors rated at 438 total system horsepower. The LS 600h L delivers EPA fuel economy ratings of 20/22 mpg City/Highway. The LS 600h L is certified as a Super Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV). The LS 600h L comes with all-wheel drive and rides on the long wheelbase. 

For 2009, all-wheel drive is available on the LS 460 and LS 460 L for enhanced traction and stability. The all-wheel-drive system features a Torsen limited-slip center differential to distribute torque between the front and rear tires. Normally, the front-to-rear torque split is set at 40:60 but it can vary between 30:70 and 50:50 depending on driving conditions.  The LS is packed with luxury and bristles with technology. The Lexus LS 460 was the first car in the world with a computer-controlled eight-speed automatic transmission.

The LS 460 L is a long-wheelbase version that offers reclining heated bucket seats, a cool box, dual-zone rear HVAC controls, a folding table, an ottoman, a shiatsu massager and, of course, DVD with wireless headphones. The list goes on.  The 2009 Lexus LS lineup is largely unchanged from the previous year. The LS 460 was launched for the 2007 model year and the LS 600h joined the line for 2008.  Lexus surpasses other luxury brands in terms of quality, durability, reliability, and desirability among American buyers, an astounding performance.

The flagship sedan that started out as the LS 400 and then grew up as the LS 430 is now the Lexus LS 460. The Lexus LS challenges all comers as the best luxury sedan in the world. It competes with the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and S-Class, BMW 5 Series and 7 Series, and a few others.

As vehicles become more complex, driving becomes more like operating a computer. Yet the new 2010 Lexus RX 350 and RX 450h seems uncommonly easy to operate. And they are brimming with new technology. If the RX were a computer, and in more ways than ever, it is, it would have a plug-and-play operating system and an inviting, engaging user interface.

When driven back-to-back against the previous model, it’s clear the new 2010 RX offers more than cosmetic improvements. Mechanical improvements for the all-new Lexus RX include an independent rear suspension, a 10-airbag safety system, a six-speed sequential transmission, and an improved all-wheel-drive system. Upgraded accommodations include better seats, integrated satellite radio, acoustic glass, automatic high beam control, and a heads-up display among other things. Many of the improvements are due to more and better computer logic for integrated control of driving systems such as the transmission, all-wheel-drive, navigation, steering and brakes. Perhaps the key interior upgrade is the introduction of a mouse-like controller which Lexus calls Remote touch. It’s used instead of a touch screen to operate climate, audio and the navigation system.

Compared to competing SUVs, such as the current Acura MDX, Mercedes ML 350 and BMW X5 3.0, the RX 350 gets better mileage and cleaner emissions ratings. The RX 450h hybrid gets better mileage yet, and is among the cleanest vehicles yet devised by man.

The RX 350 and RX 450h are offered with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The all-wheel-drive system is completely new, lighter and more efficient. It works electronically without the locking center differential in previous models.

The RX 350 comes with a 3.5-liter V6 mated to a six-speed automatic multi-mode transmission. Compared to the current model, the RX 350 is a little heavier due to stouter rear suspension components, which provide upgraded crash performance.