2012 Ford Focus Electric: The strong, silent type (first drive)

On the road, the Focus Electric rides nearly identically to the gasoline-powered Focus. That is, until you listen and realize that there is no exhaust note and no engine noise, only the gentle "whoosh" of the road beneath the tires and the tiny, high-pitched hum of the electric motor. Unlike a hybrid, there's no gasoline engine that fires up when you get too heavy on the accelerator, so there's no audible feedback to deter you from your lead-footed antics, there's only silent and strong electric torque egging you on and prodding you forward. And just because there are no tailpipe emissions doesn't mean that there are no consequences to driving inefficiently. Rather than hurting the environment or your wallet at the pump, driving the Focus Electric like a tool hurts your range, a resource that is in quite limited supply on a vehicle that only starts with an EPA estimated 76 miles per charge.

Ferrari trivia contest

Over the weekend of April 28, Ferrari hosts its Racing Days at Infineon Raceway in Northern California. The featured event will be the Ferrari Challenge, a one-model race with the 458 Challenge version of the 458 Italia.
 Ferrari aficionados will want to see the 599XX Evo take laps. An example of this rare, 740-horsepower Italian stallion will be on hand, letting Ferrari engineers test its active aerodynamics system. Ferrari will also be running an FXX for testing purposes.
 Race history buffs will also enjoy seeing laps by historic Ferrari F1 cars.
To win, be among the first 20 to correctly answer this question: Which car earned the record last year for the highest amount ever paid for a car at public auction?

Audi gives China small and fast with the RS Q3 concept

Every automaker realizes the importance of China's growing thirst for cars, and the unique requirements of the market. Audi comes to the 2012 Beijing auto show with a concept vehicle that mixes practicality and excitement.

 The RS Q3 concept is based on Audi's Q3 compact SUV. Not sold in the U.S., the Q3 seats five and has a little cargo area. It is similar to the BMW X1 that will be coming to the U.S. this year. If BMW is successful with its car, maybe Audi will follow suit.
The RS Q3 combines practical passenger space with a powerful engine.
(Credit: Audi)
 The Q3 can be had with a variety of engines, the most powerful generating 211 horsepower. The RS Q3 gets 360 horsepower from a 2.5-liter direct injection turbocharged five-cylinder engine, an impressive achievement in power engineering. And it sends that power to all four wheels with its Quattro all-wheel-drive system. That should lead to some exciting performance.
 The RS Q3 gets some suspension tuning and cosmetic enhancements as well. It sits almost an inch lower than the standard Q3. Custom wheels and a black honeycomb grille treatment contribute to the performance look. Aerodynamics come in the form of a carbon fiber reinforced polymer front spoiler.

Lamborghini Urus SUV concept: Unconventional offroader

Following the example of Porsche, which used its Cayenne SUV to create more stable revenue, Lamborghini wants to add an SUV as a third model in its lineup. At the Beijing International auto show, Lamborghini finally revealed what its SUV will look like.
 Using the sharp edges of its current design language, the Urus concept presents a very unique look for a vehicle designed to drive offroad. Although about 16 feet in length, similar to the Cayenne, the Urus concept is only about 5.5 feet high, making it more like a raised sedan.

2012 Toyota Prius C: Fuel economy champ

It seems like the Prius C model should come after the Prius B, and before the Prius D. But Toyota shows no interest in alphabetical naming when it comes to its Prius lineup. Toyota recently expanded the cars it calls Prius, adding to the standard model the Prius V, a plug-in version, and now the C.
 The C means City, which explains the smaller dimensions of the car. The Prius C is a nice, modern little hatchback a foot and half shorter than the standard Prius. Its size makes it easy to park and maneuver through narrow lanes.

But its real virtue is fuel economy. Although the EPA estimates put it on level with the standard Prius, at 50 mpg, we found it did consistently better, turning in an average of 51.2 mpg after a week of driving in the urban confines of San Francisco, hills included, and the fast-moving freeways of California.
 It also serves as a showcase of new Toyota cabin technology, such as a new navigation system. The new Entune system uses your connected smartphone to bring in traffic data, local gas prices, Bing search, and other useful apps and information.

Beijing auto show features everything from @Ants to Urus

China's international auto show in Beijing starts on Friday, April 27, but we have an early look at the production cars and concepts that will be on display.

 The show features cars from Chinese automakers and their joint venture partners, the latter including such well-known brands as Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and Jeep.

2013 Porsche Panamera GTS: The track sedan

That is not to say the Panamera 4S or S would not excel when banged around a road course, but Porsche designed the GTS to beat both of them. Thirty more horsepower eked out of the same engine gives it a power edge, and Porsche includes many of its performance options as standard in the GTS.
 Minor cosmetic differences include black trim accents and a different front air intake. The GTS also sits slightly lower on its air suspension, and its all-wheel-drive helps it scramble through the turns.