Mazda MX-5 "Miata"

The Mazda MX-5, also known as Miata (pronounced /miːˈɑːɾə/) in North America and Roadster (pronounced [ɺ̠oːdosɯtaː]) in Japan, is a two-seater sports car built by Mazda in Hiroshima, Japan — introduced in 1989 and now in its third generation.

According to a 2003 Edmunds.com article, "the Miata deserves credit not only for reviving a dormant passion for roadsters, but for emboldening other manufacturers."

2009 Audi A4

That model uses a 1.8-liter turbo unit that is closely related to the 2.0T in current U.S.-market Audis. It, like all of the engines in the new A4 lineup, uses direct injection. In 1.8-liter form, it produces 160 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque, and when equipped with a six-speed manual, it accelerates the A4 to 62 mph in 8.6 seconds. A Multitronic continuously variable transmission (CVT) is available as an option on front-wheel drive A4s.

The top-specification 3.2-liter V-6 sends its 265 hp and 243 lb-ft of torque to all four wheels using Audi's rear-biased Quattro system, and, with a manual 'box can hit 62 in 6.2 seconds. A six-speed automatic transmission is still under development for Quattro-equipped cars - the previous unit won't fit in the new chassis because of the new layout. The 3.2-liter uses Audi's AVS variable valve lift system, which helps improve fuel economy drastically: the new engine uses almost fifteen percent less fuel than the old one - which produced ten horsepower less.

Moller M400 Skycar

So much of the automotive industry runs on the fumes generated by hype; how much air can you blow? And it’s very easy, even for jaded industry veterans, to fall for it, generally because you want to believe. One look at the 4-passenger Moller M400 Skycar and we don’t much care who you are, this is a dynamo—hustler and hooker, the collective futurecars dream.

Then we wake. And it’s a mess. Of the manufacturer’s claims quoted above, namely that the M400 is “feasible, personally affordable, personal vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle”, the one that is hardest to accept—and that almost ruins the dream for us—is the VTOL aspect. This technology requires an extraordinary amount of force and thrust. The manufacture claims it can achieve this with “a patented thrust deflection vane system that redirects thrust.” Could be, but to get an idea of how successful the far-better-funded US Army has been with VTOL, read about the V-22 Osprey. Or better yet, read about the RAF’s Harrier Jump Jet, with which the M400 claims some technological affinity.