Examining Subaru’s Ne...

It still displaces 2.5 liters and makes 170 horsepower, but Subie’s flat-four is newer than you’d think. The EJ-series flat-four has ruled the Subaru universe since it debuted in the 1989 Legacy. In today’s most desirable Subarus, a 2.5-liter EJ makes anywhere from 224 to 305...

2012 Audi A6 – First ...

Lighter and prettier than its predecessor, the new Audi A6 is approaching perfection. There was some disappointment in Germany when the 2012 Audi A6 was unveiled. The seventh generation of Audi’s executive sedan looks an awful lot like the last A6, not to mention the smaller, less...

2012 Audi Q3 Spy Photos...

This Tiguan-based crossover likely won’t make it to our shores. Premium carmakers are filling the compact crossover market in a hurry, fulfilling the desires of a market that wants an alternative to traditional cars without the weight and fuel-economy penalties of larger vehicles...

What I’d Do Different...

The former “Stig,” 35, talks to us about driving for Top Gear, the biggest car show on television—but not about his time in the British Special Air Service. C/D : So let’s start at the beginning. You didn’t start racing until you were 19? BC: That’s right. My first taste was...

Brundle and Blundell pi...

Filed under: Motorsport , Ford , News Martin Brundle just missed out on a podium place at the Rolex 24 of Daytona on Sunday, 23 years after he won the gruelling endurance race. In a last-gasp effort on the final lap, the 51-year-old Briton tried a spectacular passing move on the...

Audi R18 takes to the t...

Filed under: Audi , Motorsport , Racing cars , News As we reported last month, Audi has turned to a coupe for its sportscar campaign this year and the Audi R18 enjoyed its first test outing at Sebring last week. Two R18s and a R15 TDI were used in the Florida test as the German...

Brundle and Blundell pi...

Filed under: Motorsport , Ford , News Martin Brundle just missed out on a podium place at the Rolex 24 of Daytona 23 years after he won the gruelling endurance race. In a last-gasp effort on the final lap, the 51-year-old Briton tried a spectacular passing move on the third-placed...

Name That Shifter, No. ...

It’s that time again. Time to identify the vehicle that houses the shifter seen here. Leave your answer in the Backfires comment section by mid-day Wednesday. The first person to correctly guess this week’s shifter will win a Save the Manuals sticker and magnet. Related...

Video: China’s je...

Filed under: Commercial Trucks , Police/Emergency , Trucks/Pickups , News If there’s one thing you can’t fault the Chinese for its ambition. Epic Olympic venues? Tick. Fifth-generation stealth fighter? Tick. Jet-powered fire engine? Tick. That’s right, China has thrown...

Video: Ford pick-up par...

Filed under: Supercars , Trucks/Pickups , Ferrari , Ford , News Imagine you’ve worked hard for years, saved up your cash, and to reward yourself, you invest in the latest exotic Italian supercars – a Ferrari 458 Italia. After waiting more than a year for it to arrive, the...