The spy shots above and below (at right) show a number of minor changes to the prototype Flex Flex model since we first saw it at the New York auto show last month. We’ll get to all of them in a minute, but our first impression upon seeing the Flex hit the road? It looks long, long, long—much bigger than the discontinued Ford Freestar minivan it’s replacing. Flex could fit in well as an airport shuttle van, but we do still like the hinged rear doors (they could convince soccer moms that this is a perfect new ride after all those long years of service from the family minivan). Continue reading Ford Flex: Spy Report
Categories:Ford
I tested Saturn’s Aura midsize sedan last year and had a chance to get in its new hybrid version last week. The Aura Green Line shares its hybrid drivetrain with Saturn’s Vue Green Line SUV and gets an EPA-estimated 28/35 mpg (city/highway). That’s the same rating as the Honda Accord Hybrid but less than the Toyota Camry Hybrid’s 40/38 mpg. If the Aura isn’t already at your local Saturn dealership, it should be arriving shortly. 
We were mightily impressed with Volvo’s all-new S80 when we tested the V-8 powered AWD version a few months back. At the time, the only other engine offered was a 235-hp six-cylinder, with front-wheel drive. Now, Volvo is adding a turbocharged version of that six-cylinder, which produces an impressive 295 hp and 285 pounds-feet of torque paired to an AWD system. The V-8, for comparison, produces 311 hp and 325 pounds-feet of torque. 
If one were to create of list of things needed to successfully elude the police in a chase, you’d think a full assortment of limbs would be pretty high on the list. Michael Francis Wiley, 40, from Florida would likely beg to differ. Wiley is a three-time amputee who lost both his arms and one leg in an accident when he was 13. Despite that, he taught himself how to drive with stumps and acquaintances report he can even drive stick.