Annette Dutton

        Annette Dutton Bratcher Blog : With a fortified 220-hp supercharged engine and street-legal racing rubber, the Lotus Exige S was a potent device. It’s basically a two-seat formula race car, which shows in the precise feel of the steering and brakes. Compared with the R8 and 911 Turbo, the Exige S was slower down the front straight by 13.9 mph and a whopping 21.4 mph, respectively, yet the Lotus ran a quicker lap than those two. In the twisty parts, the Lotus outgripped everything, especially in tricky Sector Four, where its time of 14.5 seconds was the best of the day.

        Annette Dutton Forum : With German competition such as the Audi RS4 and Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG as well as the Lexus IS-F all offering four doors, it's a logical move by BMW. The photos of the vehicle's trunk area with the rear seats down highlight the car's increased capacity. The range will be completed with a M3 convertible, which should make its official debut early next year, probably at the 2008 Geneva motor show.

        Annette Dutton Forum : For 2009, the 2.5XT and top-of-the-line 2.5XT Limited benefit from a revised turbo, bigger valves, and a meatier intercooler to produce—hey, wait a sec—the same 224 hp and 226 pound-feet of torque as before. How come? Subaru’s aim was to flatten the power curve and reduce the turbo’s on/off-ishness, goals they’ve absolutely achieved. Behind the wheel, the first thing you notice about this third-gen Forester is that, apart from a tiny bump in power at 3000 rpm, there’s little clue that this is a forced-induction engine. Idle quality could be better, and 42 dBA is a titch noisy for a vehicle freshly returned from the NVH lab. Step-off is a little abrupt, too. On the other hand, full-throttle launches evince almost zero torque steer.