MotorMouths

The 2009 Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 has the mechanical chops to keep up with the best of them, but it still comes across as a fashion accessory for the filthy rich.

Bottom Line: Never mind the Firebird or the GTO, because the 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP is Pontiac’s best car ever.

The real advances in the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG in both performance and fuel economy have been made in the seven-speed Speedshift automatic transmission.

With the 6.2-liter engine, The 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is an even more impressive off-road device. It’s safe to say there’s nothing else like it with a factory warranty. Sure, it rules the desert, but now we know it’s the ultimate Michigan mudslinger.

The 2011 Ford Fiesta SES is a compelling subcompact that retains much of what drew us to the new Fiesta in the first place. They didn’t screw it up. Time to uncross those fingers. Ford just hit another home run.

Will the Land Rover LR4 lure more owners out into the hinterlands? Probably not. But it might have an even stronger appeal to those who motor down Melrose Avenue.

We’d take the 2009 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI over the more expensive gasoline V8, and that’s saying a lot. Clearly, the new crop of clean diesels is the real deal.

The 2011 Chevrolet 3500HD can boast the largest towing capacity, the highest payload and the healthiest engine output in the 1-ton segment.

Ford’s mad scientists have been very busy indeed with the new 2011 F-350 Crew Cab 4×4. They have focused their cruel talents on the bits that matter to us: the engine, the transmission, the tow hitch paraphernalia, and yes, the seats and the cupholders.

The Dodge Ram HD trucks have been very much improved. Dodge has kept the trustworthy powertrains and chassis while thoroughly upgrading the cabins, the interior trimmings and the exterior look.

There’s no denying that the 2010 Ford Taurus is large and hefty at precisely the wrong moment. But it’s by far the best SHO to date.

We’d like to say you’re getting more car for your considerably boosted sum of money when you sign up for the MKT. But the undeniable fact is the 2010 Lincoln MKT EcoBoost isn’t as desirable or functional as our relaxed and happy friend, the Ford Flex.