Our diminutive long-term Mazda 2, the least-powerful, least-expensive car in our fleet for quite some time, has completed its 40,000-mile stay. Few tears were choked back as, after 16 months in our care, it pulled away from our office for the last time. Sure, the minimalist Mazda was fun to toss around, but it illustrated the difficulty some manufacturers have faced in coercing Americans out of large cars and crossovers and into pint-sized hatchbacks. (more…)

Our diminutive long-term Mazda 2, the least-powerful, least-expensive car in our fleet for quite some time, has completed its 40,000-mile stay. Few tears were choked back as, after 16 months in our care, it pulled away from our office for the last time. Sure, the minimalist Mazda was fun to toss around, but it illustrated the difficulty some manufacturers have faced in coercing Americans out of large cars and crossovers and into pint-sized hatchbacks. (more…)

Attention, dreamers: BMW has powered up its online configurators for the 2013 M5 and M6 coupe. Regardless of whether you have the scratch to afford the $90,795 M5 or the $106,995 M6 coupe, it’s always fun building out a fantasy ride.

Attention, dreamers: BMW has powered up its online configurators for the 2013 M5 and M6 coupe. Regardless of whether you have the scratch to afford the $90,795 M5 or the $106,995 M6 coupe, it’s always fun building out a fantasy ride.

On Monday we presented this week’s shifter and asked you to identify the make and model of the vehicle from whence it came. The shifter apparently was quite easy to identify, and the first person to comment figured out it belongs to the 1987 Dodge Charger Shelby GLHS. As a reward, Lh415cd will receive a Save the Manuals button and sticker.

The GLHS pictured here is from our February 1987 issue. The Charger GLHS is not the finest creation to have ever worn Carroll Shelby’s name, but it was quick. The car’s 175-hp, turbocharged 2.2-liter four could propel it from 0 to 60 mph in just 6.7 seconds. On the other hand, refinement wasn’t the Charger’s strong suit. In our 1987 review, we describe the turbo engine as “so rough and noisy that everything that isn’t welded into place is shaking, rattling, or squeaking.”

See our retrospective collection of classic Shelby reviews for coverage of the man’s more-interesting and historically significant cars from our archives.

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Land Rover is giving the Range Rover Sport a few minor updates for 2013, as well as introducing two new special-edition models: the Sport Supercharged Limited Edition and the Sport GT Limited Edition. The updates to the regular Sport include a fresh wheel design for the Supercharged model; a new optional towing package for all trim levels; and some new interior color combinations. Also, Supercharged customers now get red-painted Brembo brake calipers standard, with the option to switch back to non-Brembo brake calipers at no extra cost.

Ten seminal drives, tests, and comparisons of Ol’ Shel’s most iconic cars. (more…)