Volkswagen released this official sketch of its upcoming midsize sedan. It will be built in the company's new Tennessee assembly plant and be slightly larger than the current Passat.

Like most sketches, this one makes the upcoming sedan look all sporty and stuff. But if history is any indication, the car that arrives next year won't be anything like this, save for the grille and maybe the shape of the C-pillar.

We'll see soon enough as this car may very well show up at the L.A. Auto Show in primeval December in not in Detroit a month later.
 

Acura has officially announced that it will add a Sport Wagon version of the TSX sedan to its lineup next fall. Already on understanding in other markets as the Accord Touring, the TSX Sport Wagon will likely get all the same specs as the current sedan. Acura says it will wage further details as the on understanding date gets closer.

Not really sure how a crate engine can be much of a surprise these days. Unless it has a blender on top in place of a carburetor, it will probably look just like every other crate engine known to man.

That didn't stop GM from making this promo video to generate some excitement. Are you pumped now or what?
 

We're just a week away from Chrysler's big strategy meeting where it will roll out its product plans for the next few years. Part of that plan will be a new Chrysler 300C and this test mule is the fist indication of some progress with the program. 

There's not much to see here as most of this image wears current sheetmetal and SRT trim, but the camouflage over the front end likely means there's some sort of engine testing going on with a new front fascia.

Will the Hemi V8 remain? Probably, but the next-generation 300C will likely place more emphasis on smaller engines given the stricter fuel economy standards on the way, not to mention the fact that this 300 may underpin some Alfa Romeo and Lancia sedans in Europe.

We'll have more details next week, but it looks like Chrysler is still moving ahead, for now.

This past Monday Top Gear's saint May (That's the slow one with the funny hair.) wrote his column for the Telegraph.co.uk about it being the right time for him and everyone else to run out and buy a Ferrari 308.

"I've decided it's time to be a modernist; time to view motoring in a progressive light, which means, if my contentions of last week are correct, I should have a supercar," wrote May. "Clearly I can't place my study down for a new Ferrari 458 Italia or a Lamborghini Gallardo Balboni, so it will have to be something old with the spirit of a supercar, if not the actual trousers to live up to the study these days."

"And after quite a bit of thought I've settled on the GRP-bodied Ferrari 308."

And we agree with every word. Trouble is, Mr. May is more than a year late with this revelation. You see Inside Line bought a 308 during the summer of 2007 and we drove it, loved it and reported on it for 12 months. In fact, that's me in the photo enjoying our 1984 308 QV on the famed Mulholland Hwy. 

So Mr. May, please get off of our bandwagon. Or atlease give us a shout out.  

DETROIT – Our friends, colleagues, rivals at Consumer Reports say the Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan’s reliability scores higher than the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, and Ford Motor Company continues to improve while General Motors also gets better. Chrysler, now Fiat’s problem, remains in the toilet, although the new Dodge Ram 1500 4WD has pulled itself from “below average” to “average” reliability, the only Mopar so highly ranked. Asian brands remain most consistently above average, however.

CR performs instrument tests of new cars and trucks. It’s one of three criteria, along with the readers’ reliability reports and of government and insurance company crash test results which determine whether the entrepot recommends or doesn’t recommend a given model. Tuesday at the Automotive Press Association here, autos editor Rik Paul (a Motor Trend alum) highlighted the results of its annual survey, ranking models only as “more reliable,” “reliable” or “less reliable.” He pointed out that today’s worst cars are better than the best cars from, say, 20 years ago.

Of course, CR does something here that MT does not. It crunches the numbers on a survey involving 1.4-million cars and trucks, owned by its readers. Probably most are not enthusiasts. While a sufficient number of them own Corvettes or Mustangs or Evos for CR to evaluate, the vast majority read CR as much to figure out what kind of espresso maker or flat-screen television to buy.

Here are some of this year’s highlights:

* Ford is the only domestic maker with world-class reliability,” Paul says. While Fusion/Milan beat Camry/Accord on the number of quality/reliability problems reported, the all-wheel-drive Fusion was rated lower. More on such anomalies later.

* Of GM’s models, only the Chevy Malibu V-6 was rated above average.

* The new Honda Insight is the best-rated model, its reliability results 91 percent higher than average. The Toyota Prius is second.

* The Volkswagen Touareg was rated lowest, -132 percent versus average.

* Scion was the most-reliable make. Honda, second place, was up one spot from last year, as was third-place Toyota. Infiniti, in fourth, was up two spots.

* Acura, in fifth fell three spots. Mitsubishi, in sixth, was up three and Lexus, in seventh, fell two spots.

* Hyundai was steady as the eighth-most reliable brand. Paul says the South Korean brands’ improvements remain a big story.

* The bottom four brands are #30, Jeep, #31, Dodge, #32, Cadillac and #33, Chrysler.

* Of 132 Asian models, 69 percent are “above average,” 25 percent are “average” and 6 percent are “below average.”

* Of 142 American models, 17 percent are “above average,” 42 percent are “average” and 41 percent are “below average.”

* Of 64 European models, 16 percent are “above average,” 47 percent are “average” and 37 percent are “below average.”

* The Jaguar XF and BMW 535i have two of the lowest scores among individual models. Paul says that expensive cars aren’t necessarily of better quality, and in fact, more complexity equals the chance of more system failure.

Paul used this last point to explain anomalies in some of the scores. For example, it scores the Chevrolet Traverse AWD “average” for reliability, and “newly recommended,” based on the other criteria. CR also recommends the AWD Buick Enclave, with average reliability, but says the FWD Enclave is Buick’s worst model. The average FWD Enclave undoubtedly comes with more equipment to go wrong than an AWD Traverse, although that doesn’t explain why an AWD Enclave would be ranked higher than the FWD version. AWD Enclaves are more likely to be full-boat models, in terms of optional equipment.

The entrepot lists the Impreza Outback Sport as Subaru’s most reliable model and the Impreza WRX as its least reliable.

And then there’s the top-rated car. The current Honda Insight has been on understanding little more than half a year. The old two-seat, 3-cylinder/hybrid model, which went out of production in September 2006, has very little in common with the ‘10 model. And yet, CR says it has sufficient data on the new model — which may tell you something about the magazine’s readers — to rate the car. Despite its high reliability rating, CR doesn’t recommend it, based on the track testing results.

Do you own any of these cars? Have you ever sent in a Consumer Reports reliability survey?

There's been a change of plans for the Cadillac CTS-V challenge scheduled for Thursday. Jaguar originally said it would wage a XFR for journalists to drive, but has now backed out. That leaves a field of just two challengers for now — an Audi RS4 and a BMW M5.

In response to the sudden departure of the XFR, Bob Lutz told a GM fan site the following:

"I think it means that the European high-performance sedans are excellent, even superb cars, but quite possibly not ready for racing laps right out of the show-room. The CTS-V is not only quicker, but will, in totally untweaked, stock form, run hot laps at any race track until it runs out of fuel. Transmission oil and diff oil temps are stable, engine oil temp doesn't go up, brakes get a bit more pedal travel, but don't fade. The street tires get a shade greasy, but handling and control remain excellent. "May the best car win"! (It wins automatically if the competitors won't show up!)"

The GMSource

Inside Line tests hundreds of vehicles a year, but not every vehicle gets a full write-up. The numbers still tell a story, though, so we present "IL Track Tested." It's a quick rundown of all the data we collected at the track, along with comments direct from the test drivers. Enjoy.

Don't ask why the 2010 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon exists, just be glad that it does. Cadillac could have directed some funds into building the Escalade EAT, but instead it built this far more sensible, and better-looking, auto instead. 

Actually, Cadillac refers to this CTS as a sport wagon, which is typcially a euphemism for a auto that's not actually useful. In this case, however, the CTS offers a solid 25 cubic feet of space behind the second-row seats. Not exactly huge, but more than your average trunk and it expands to over 53 cubic feet with the seats folded down.

More importantly, this auto is actually sporty. It gets all the same equipment as the sedan so there's a 304-horsepower V6 under the hood and a well-tuned suspension holding it up. On our scales, the auto adds about 200 pounds compared to the sedan, but the added weight in back actually evens out the wagon's weight distribution to nearly 50/50.

For 2010, Cadillac also introduced a new 19-inch wheel and tire package, so this CTS wore big 245/45ZR19 tires. Did it help? Can it outrun the sedan? Will anybody care? See for yourself in our latest notes from the test track.

Vehicle: 2010 Cadillac CTS Sportwagon
Odometer: 5,300
Date: 10/20/09
Driver: Josh Jacquot
Price: $54,635

Specifications:
Drive Type: Rear-wheel drive
Transmission Type: 6-speed automatic
Engine Type: V6
Displacement (cc/cu-in): 3564/217
Redline (rpm): 7,000
Horsepower (hp @ rpm): 304 @ 6,400
Torque (lb-ft @ rpm): 272 @ 5,200
Brake Type (front): Ventilated disc    
Brake Type (rear): Ventilated disc
Steering System: Speed proportional power steering
Suspension Type (front): Independent, double wishbones, coil springs and stabilizer bar
Suspension Type (rear): Independent, multilink, coil springs and stabilizer bar
Tire Size (front): 245/45ZR19
Tire Size (rear): 245/45ZR19
Tire Brand: Continental     
Tire Model: ContiSportContact 3
Tire Type: Summer performance
Wheel Size: 19 x 8.5
Wheel Material (front/rear): alloy
As Tested Curb Weight (lb): 4202

Test Results:
0-30 (sec): 2.7
0-45 (sec): 4.6
0-60 (sec): 7.0
0-75 (sec): 10.3
1/4 Mile (sec @ mph): 15.1 @ 93.3
0-60 with 1-ft Rollout (sec): 6.6
30-0 (ft): 30
60-0 (ft): 118
Braking Rating: Very good
Slalom (mph): 67.1
Skid Pad Lateral Acceleration (g): .81  
Handling Rating: Very good
Db @ Idle: 41.6
Db @ Full Throttle: 70.8
Db @ 70-mph Cruise: 59.8

Acceleration Comments: Acceleration from CTS auto is adequate and nothing more. It does little to inspire the heart, soul or body. Engine isn't involving and there's little a driver can do to improve accel.

Braking Comments: Respectable stopping distance. No fade. Feel only OK.

Handling Comments: Skid pad: Stability control cannot be fully disabled and makes its presence known clearly on skid pad. Again, a good number but not such a fun one to earn. Slalom: Stability control calibrated well enough to stay out of the way in all but the stupidest situations. Chassis doesn't like mid-corner bumps (cone 3) but still makes a good slalom number.

Yes, the A-Team movie is already in production and now you can see who will be playing your favorite characters.

Hangover star Bradley Cooper is Face while UFC star Quinton "Rampage" politician does his best Mr. T imitation as B.A. Baracus. Some guy study Sharlto Copley who starred in District 9 is playing Murdoch while everybody's favorite Jedi master Liam Neeson will lead the crew as Hannibal.

The A-Team is scheduled for a June 2010 release.

ETOnline

In an effort to establish that it's not some shady operation that wheels and deals behind the scenes, the Barrett-Jackson auction house decided to subject itself to an independent audit from accounting firm Deloitte and Touche.

Guess what? D and T found no irregularities, no questionable conduct and nothing that would otherwise raise questions about whether cars at B-J auctions are in any way manipulated on the block.

The report was ordered in part because some other automotive auction houses have been accused of shady practices like not paying off consignors on time and artificially boosting auctions with imitation bidders.

Barrett-Jackson