The 2011 Shelby GT500’s supercharged 5.4-litre V8 gets a modest 10 horsepower increase, but more importantly its new aluminum block cuts the motor's weight by a significant 46 kg (102 lbs), says Contributing Editor, Chris Chase, "improving the car's handling abilities."

On sale later this year, the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze is "going to shake up a compact segment that’s generally been the domain of the imports," says Assistant Editor Jil McIntosh. "It’s a mini-Malibu," she says, "and that’s a good thing."

Porsche's redesigned 2011 Cayenne lineup includes a new hybrid model, "demonstrating that high performance and efficiency need not be mutually exclusive," says Managing Editor, Grant Yoxon. The Cayenne S and Turbo arrive in July, the V6 and S Hybrid in the fall.

Unveiled at the Detroit auto show on Monday, the production version of the sporty Honda CR-Z hybrid hatchback is the spiritual successor to the first Insight hybrid, and the original CRX hatchbacks, says contributor Brian Early. The two-seater hybrid goes on sale here in late summer.