2007 Ford Super Duty Trucks

The Super Duty's V-8 diesel delivers 350-horsepower and 650-pound-feet of torque.

2008 F-Series Super Duty

The Super Duty series comes in a number of variations depending on cab, bed and engine size and when loaded with special packages and options the most expensive models can top $60,000.
Retail price:
F-250: Starts at $23,305
F-350: Starts at $24,025
F-450: Starts at $40,130
Engines:
5.4-liter V-8 , 300 hp, 365 lb-ft
6.8-liter V-10 , 362 hp, 457 lb-ft
6.4-liter V-8 diesel , 350 hp, 650 lb-ft
Transmission: 6-speed manual or 5-speed automatic
EPA mileage: Not rated by EPA because of size. Expect powerful engines to gobble up fuel, especially when towing.
Notes: Innovative options such as the folding bed extender give consumers a lot of choices.
Report card
Exterior: Excellent. In-your-face design is brash and confident. Bold design cues combine function and style.
Interior: Excellent. It's simple, comfortable and luxurious. Additional sound proofing also makes the cabin quieter.
Safety: Poor. No side curtain air bags or rollover stability control available. Traction control is an option; anti-lock brakes are standard.
Performance: Good. It rides well on the highway and in the mud.
Notes: It's more truck than suburban haulers may need but enough for people who aren't afraid of a few calluses. A good combination would be the F-250 with the diesel engine.

Unique Cobra brings $5.5M at car auction

An 800-horsepower Shelby Cobra, once the personal car of the racing veteran who developed the iconic vehicle, has sold for $5.5 million at auction, a record for an American car.

ıÜüThe sale of the 1966 Shelby Cobra "Super Snake" brought a packed house to its feet Saturday at the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction after a pair of bidders drove the price up.

Carroll Shelby, 84, who created the Cobra in the '60s using Ford engines and a British sport car chassis, said he built the Super Snake - with twin superchargers on a 427 cubic inch V-8 - and drove it for years.

"It's a special car. It would do just over three seconds to 60 (mph), 40 years ago," Shelby told the crowd before the sale.

What's New for the 2006 Volvo S40?

The 2006 Volvo S40 sedan receives only minor improvements this year, the most significant being improved cupholders, new wheel designs, standard wheel-mounted controls on the 2.4i and a newly optional cabin filtration system for T5 models (it's called the "Air Quality System"). Volvo has also simplified the car's package and option structure this year.
Advantages of the 2006 Volvo S40:

* Exemplary safety engineering
* Impressive performance with T5
* Available all-wheel-drive

Objections to the 2006 Volvo S40:

* Tight rear seat space
* Options bundled into packages

AutoSite's Advice:

The 2006 Volvo S40 is, as any Volvo must be, a safe car designed to provide occupants with the most comprehensive protection package in the segment. But unlike many Volvos of the past, the S40 is sleek and, in sporty T5 trim, speedy. Though Volvo may have trouble grabbing attention with so many competent models flooding the segment in which it competes, the 2006 Volvo S40 deserves a test drive.

2007 Lexus IS 350

The 2007 Lexus IS 350 is a 4-door, 5-passenger luxury sports sedan, available in one trim only, the 6-Speed Sequential.

Upon introduction, the IS 350 is equipped with a standard 3.5-liter, V6, 306-horsepower engine that achieves 21-mpg in the city and 28-mpg on the highway. A 6-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard.

The 2007 Lexus IS 350 is a carryover from 2006.

2007 BMW 3 Series Sedan

The 2007 BMW 3 Series Sedan is a 4-door, 5-passenger luxury sports sedan, available in 4 trims, ranging from the 328i to the 335xi.

Upon introduction, the 328i is equipped with a standard 3.0-liter, I6, 230-horsepower engine that achieves 20-mpg in the city and 29-mpg on the highway. The 335xi is equipped with a standard 3.0-liter, I6, 300-horsepower, turbo engine that achieves 19-mpg in the city and 29-mpg on the highway. A 6-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard on both trims, and a 6-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is optional.

The 2007 BMW 3 Series Sedan is a carryover from 2006.