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Base Price: $27,940

As-Tested Price: $32,885

Drivetrain: 3.0-liter V6; AWD, six-speed automatic

Output: 264 hp @ 6,950 rpm, 222 lb-ft @ 5,100 rpm

Curb Weight: 3,770 lb

Fuel Economy (EPA/AW): 20/19.6 mpg

A nice little ute, by far the best small SUV to come out of General Motors ever. It looks terrific to my eye, and I like the interior, too. The materials look good but aren't (too many hard plastics). The sliding rear seat is helpful, expanding legroom for passengers.

There's plenty of power though the ute drives heavy, because it is. Why a truck this small has to weigh this much is beyond me. It doesn't feel quite as flingable as some of the other smaller utes like the Honda CR-V or the Toyota RAV4. It is, however, nice and quiet on the road and thus feels more refined than some of its competitors.

COPY EDITOR CYNTHIA L. OROSCO: I appreciated a weekend in the Equinox, as did my fiancé, who is looking at this small ute to replace his 2005 Equinox. His verdict: He wants it. We both liked the additional room the new Equinox provides, the user-friendly layout of the center stack, the easy-to-work navigation and entertainment functions. The back seat offers good legroom and headroom, although one passenger found the step-in a bit high. Also, there's good cargo space out back.

The V6 provides good power, but the truck did feel heavy sometimes, and I noticed the engine seemingly working hard to find/maintain the needed gear. It was the sensation of hesitation or lag; not terrible, but certainly noticeable.

I also like the exterior lines of this Equinox, which give it a sporty look. A new Equinox won't be debuting in our driveway this year, but maybe next year.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR ROGER HART: I like this ute, too. I like the size, the quietness, the overall interior design, and the overall look of the thing. I'm a little disappointed with the hard-plastic dash, although it has a pattern to it so it doesn't look all that bad until you start tapping your fingers on it. The driver's seat is quite comfortable and very adjustable, and there is decent rear-seat legroom.

The engine has decent power but I did notice the transmission shifting up and down quite a bit during my drive, trying to always be in the higher gear, but just a little throttle application necessitated a quick downshift to accelerate. That could get annoying.

Base Price: $68,000

As-Tested Price: $68,000

Drivetrain: 5.0-liter supercharged V8; RWD, six-speed automatic

Output: 470 hp @ 6,000 rpm, 424 lb-ft @ 2,500 rpm

Curb Weight: 4,306 lb

Fuel Economy: (EPA/AW) 17/19.8 mpg

Options: None

Even after being around for a couple of years, the XF hasn't lost any of its street appeal. Back when we had our long-termer, I would constantly get stopped and asked about the sexy cat at grocery store parking, gas stations and everywhere else. And why wouldn't people ask about it? I mean, look at it! The car is gorgeous.

Sure enough, when I got gas last night I was once again asked about the slick looking feline. This time it was a slightly tipsy gentleman who stumbled out of the pub next door to purchase some cigarettes from the gas station. Maybe it was the beer goggles that made the car look 300 pounds lighter, but he stood in front of the car stunned and continually told me how beautiful it was. He asked about the price, how it drove and how much horsepower it had.

Speaking of horsepower, this test car is packing a more potent punch compared to our long-termer. For the 2010 model year, Jag slid in a new engine under the hood of the XF. Replacing the previous 4.2-liter supercharged V8 is a 5.0-liter supercharged V8 for an increase of 50 hp to 470 and small bump in torque of 11-lb-ft to 424. The lightning quick ZF automatic gearbox remains, which is a good thing.

The extra power is noticeable from the first throttle mash and pushes the car well past posted speed limits in short order. The car remains light on its feet with quick response to steering inputs and the suspension keeping the car well planted in all situations. Brakes return instant grab.

I'm still mildly entertained by the handshake at start-up with the opening vents and raising shift knob from the center console. What I still don't like much is the center touch screen that controls functions navigation, sound, heated/cooled seats and steering and etc. Going between menu screens still includes a screen wipe that saps precious seconds from your life that you will never get back, and it requires you to sometimes have pinpoint accuracy when using it. It's not something that would make me not recommend the car, but it's an annoyance.

Kruse Inc., the auction company that sold the famous William Harrah car collection and has been synonymous with auctioning enthusiast automobiles since the 1970s, has lost its licenses in its home state.

The Indiana Auctioneer Commission ruled on Tuesday to revoke both of Kruse Inc.'s licenses, and the company has to wait seven years to apply for new ones, said Kelly Butters, a spokeswoman for the Indiana Attorney General's Office.

Dean Kruse, president of the auction house, has had his personal license suspended indefinitely. He can apply for reinstatement in two years. He and his company were fined a total of $70,000.

A message left at Kruse Inc., which is based in Auburn Ind., was not immediately returned on Wednesday evening.

Kruse has appeared to have been in trouble since last year, when reports surfaced of consigners (sellers) at auctions not getting paid, and buyers not receiving their cars. He told AutoWeek last summer the financial woes were the result of a down economy and cash-flow problems.

The ruling is a stunning fall for a company that helped grow the popularity of auctions and collecting cars among enthusiasts. In addition to selling the Harrah collection for $41 million spread out over three auctions, Kruse also claims to have sold the first car for $1 million in cash, a 1934 Duesenberg, and Dean Kruse has presided over more than 5,000 auctions, the company Web site said. He also is known for an impressive personal collection and has been profiled in AutoWeek for his extensive array of cars.

Terms of the ruling are not final but have been agreed on by Kruse, his company and state officials. A written ruling is expected as soon as this week.

“This agreement is satisfactory and this remedies the situation,” Butters said. “An important aspect of this is getting the consigners repaid.”

It's unclear what this means for Kruse's auctions in other states. But the company and Dean Kruse cannot auction cars in Indiana or use those licenses elsewhere. Kruse held auctions in Arizona, Florida and Alabama earlier this year.

Additionally, Dean Kruse must submit quarterly reports certified by a CPA to the auction commission showing payments to consigners. If he applies for reinstatement and gets his license back, he has 18 months to have paid off all claims and civil penalties.

My experiences with the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor in the past were confined mostly to paved roads--hardly the right environment to get a good feel for this wild beast of a pickup. While the truck offers major appeal in the styling and suspension departments, the 5.4-liter, 310-hp, 365-lb-ft V8 just didn't seem to live up to the bat-out-of-hell tradition of its SVT truck predecessor, the F-150 Lightning.

All that changed when Ford invited us out to drive the 2010 SVT Raptor 6.2--the mid-year upgrade with the all-new 6.2-liter, 411-hp, 434-lb-ft V8. Ford promised some on-road driving along with plenty of off-road work during a day at its Michigan Proving Grounds about 40 miles outside of Detroit.

Rain was the dominant weather for most of the week leading up to the event, and the drive day dawned wet and nasty. While rain might put a damper on enthusiasm for most drive events, in this case it could only mean one thing: Joy in Mudville.

Sure enough, the drive routes and trails scratched out by the Ford team were in terrible shape--almost like someone had imported a slice of the soggy British Midlands to Romeo, Mich. But hey, we're talking the Raptor here, with mongo Fox shocks, Raptor-exclusive all-terrain tires, massive ground clearance, electronic locking rear differential, stability control, traction control, hill descent control, off-road mode--the works. The truck seemed up to the task, but were we?

With my co-pilot, SVT suspension and vehicle dynamics chief engineer Eric Zinkosky, serving as navigator and cheerleader, we launched into a series of severe driving endeavors, the likes of which I've only encountered a few times (driving Land Rovers in the aforementioned Midlands comes to mind). Though seven inches wider than a normal F-150, the Raptor made easy work of tight wooded trails, despite mud that made steering nearly irrelevant at times. We picked our way through the rutted, sloppy backwood two-tracks, up and down hills, with the Raptor's 6.2-liter engine's extra punch providing ample assistance.

But the real fun came later in the day when Ford cut us loose on a wide-open high-speed off-road course that wound its way around a fairly open field, over hill and dale, and through all manner of mud. Zinkosky complained that the mud was limiting our speed in several stretches, but it had no effect on the pure joy of pounding around an off-road course that truly tested the truck's mettle. We bounded out of the cockpit after each track run literally sweating from the workout.

Is the Raptor for real? So far, 7,200 buyers have stepped up to get one, and the truck's average time on a dealer lot is six days. Like its effect on the Raptor's 0-to-60-mph times (6.9 seconds vs. 8.4 seconds for the 5.4-liter V8), the addition of the 6.2-liter engine to the lineup is only accelerating that process.

Need more? Ford tells us that when the 2011 Raptor hits the market late this summer, the lineup will expand to include a Crew Cab model--offered exclusively with the 6.2-liter engine.

Mud, as we understand it, will be optional.

What is it?

Bentley says its flagship Mulsanne is the largest production sedan the British automaker has built yet, and the only brief the British automaker's development engineers were given was to "create a Bentley that is the pinnacle of British motoring."

First shown last August at Pebble Beach (yes, it looks much better in person than in photographs), the sedan comes in at a whopping 18 feet long. Power comes from a new twin-turbo 6.75-liter V8, developing 505 hp and an amazing 752 lb-ft of torque (peaking at just 1,750 rpm), mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The car will hit 60 mph in 5.1 seconds and has a 184 mph top speed, riding on a new chassis and new air suspension system with continuous damping control.

The interior is typical British luxury car, all woods and leathers--three times more wood than Bentley has ever used. It's like your favorite club. But the car is not short on high-tech: In-car technology includes a 60GB disc-drive nav system that includes audio/video, personal data, telephone and Bluetooth. You'll also find connectors for iPod, USB and mini USB.

What's it like to drive?

Extraordinarily smooth, quiet and fuss-free. Ultrafast but effortless, the Mulsanne blasted us along Scottish two-lane roads with authority. Considering we were in a right-hand-drive car on the left side of unfamiliar roads, the car instilled confidence. There are four suspension modes: comfort, Bentley, sport and custom. Each adjusts the throttle and steering. The Bentley mode is set to what the engineers felt was the best setup, and we liked that one best. It struck a nice balance between good handling, a good ride and weighty steering. By the way, you might be tempted to ride in back while James does the driving, and we can't blame you. We tried it, and it's more than pleasant back there, especially with the back massager on. But the Mulsanne is an entertaining driver.

Do you want one?

Of course you do; it's the new flagship after all. Just 20 a week will be built. The cost (if you must ask) is $285,000, and the Mulsanne replaces Bentley's Brooklands and Azure models. About the only cars competing with the Mulsanne come from Rolls-Royce and maybe Maybach. Your biggest decision will probably be which of the 100 paint schemes, 24 leathers or nine woods to choose from. You've got time to think about it--you won't be able to get a Mulsanne until 2012. They're sold out until then.

The second-generation Volvo S60 takes a slightly different approach than its predecessor. Yes, there are a ton of safety features in the car, more than on any previous Volvo. Loaded with items such as City Safety and the company's third-generation of collision warning, the S60 has an optional pedestrian safety system that, using a camera and radar system, recognizes people (up to 10 at a time, distinguishing the nearest threats) and will bring the car from up to 25 mph to a dead stop to avoid a collision. The system works only with two-legged creatures, so it will not respond to four-legged animals.

How's it drive?

While safety is Volvo's calling card, company engineers have spent years working on the chassis and suspension of this new S60 with the goal to make the car not only safe, but fun to drive.

After sampling a preproduction car on the twisting, undulating roads of the Taunus hills near Frankfurt, Germany, we can say their effort was worthwhile. With the turbocharged six underhood--the only engine variant to be offered when the car goes on sale in the United States this fall--the S60 is fun to drive. A six-speed manual or six-speed dual-clutch gearbox would make the car even more fun to drive, but simply saying "Volvo" and "fun-to-drive" in the same sentence is certainly a good step forward.

During development Volvo engineers paid special attention to the car's steering, offering drivers the option to choose the effort needed to turn the wheel. Using the center console display, you can choose low, medium or high, depending upon personal preference. Low gives you the type of feel you might expect in say, a Lexus, while medium feels like a traditional German sports sedan. High is a notch up from there. Steering weight preferences are very personal, and during some tight switchbacks the high felt a bit too much, while medium seemed spot-on while low was, well, too light. Your experience may vary. Giving the driver the option is a nice feature, we think.

No matter which setting you use, the car responds with crisp turn-in, and the steering feedback lets you know where the car is at all times. Our test car was riding on 18-inch summer tires and the grip was very good. U.S.-spec cars will come with all-season rubber, so the ride may be jut a tad softer and the grip not as good. Summer tires may be offered as an option here in the States.

The Haldex AWD system splits torque according to which wheels are getting bite, and, working in coordination with the car's traction control system, minimizes understeer.

The suspension is stiff, not brutally so, but you notice very little body roll and hardly any brake drive. Jounce and rebound are very well handled, giving the car a solid, secure feel on a variety of road surfaces. The net result is a car that will surprise those who might think of Volvo as being the equivalent of a European Buick. We all know the Euro Buick is, of course, an Opel Insignia.

Do I want it?

Volvo knows convincing customers the S60 is a driver's car, not just a safe cocoon in which to haul precious cargo--aka family members--is a tall order, so Volvo priced the car competitively. At $38,550, the S60 packs more features and more horsepower than similar-sized cars offered from Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Lexus. Start ticking off options, and you can easily push the price of the car north of $45,000. Still, the S60 offers one of the safest cars built in a handsome package that is fun to drive and extremely comfortable. The interior design is elegantly simply, with just two round dials in the instrument panel fitted into a dash with a sweeping design reminiscent of a road-course layout. The center stack, topped by a seven-inch display screen, is again simple and straightforward. And Volvo continues to put in its cars some of the most comfortable seats available in a car today.

Who said safe can't be fun?

2011 Volvo S60

Drivetrain: 3.0-liter turbocharged I6, 300 hp, 325 lb-ft; AWD, six-speed automatic

Curb weight: 3,764 lb

0-60 mph: 6.5 sec (mfr)

Fuel economy: TBD