Even though the BMW 335i could still spank both the Audi A5 and the Audi S5 on the track, Audi still gets points for trying. Scheduled to hit dealer lots in the second quarter of 2009, both the Audi A5 and Audi S5 Cabriolet will come available with an impressively powerful array of engine options. Reserving the best for it’s top-of-the-line model, the 2009 Audi S5 Cabriolet will be powered by a 333 horsepower supercharged 3.0L direct-inject V6, capable of reaching 60mph in 5.6 seconds at a max speed of 155 mph.

The A5 Cabriolet comes with a significantly wider range of performance options, including two turbo diesel and three standard gasoline engine variations. With TDI’s making a very slow climb to popularity in the United States, the A5 Cabriolet bound to get the most attention is the model equipped with the most powerful - yet fuel-efficient - standard gasoline engine. Using Audi’s unique dual-stage valvelift system, the Audi A5 Cabriolet 3.2L FSI V6 is conservatively rated at 265-hp @ 3,000 rpm yet still manages to maintain a 27.35 mpg fuel-consumption average.

Press release and full gallery after the jump

On February 27, 2009, Ford will officially cease production of its sedan-based crossover, the Taurus X, much to the dismay of youth soccer league parent volunteers everywhere. Originally introduced in 2007 as what many deemed an unnecessary and largely unwanted spin-off of the Ford Freestyle XUV, the Taurus X sat in Ford’s line-up as the car of choice for couples who had already begun to have children, but hadn’t quite reached the level of hopelessness and despair that would propel them to purchase a minivan.

Competing in a niche market that seemed to be dominated by the Ford Explorer from day one, the Taurus X was met with lukewarm enthusiasm from consumers and corresponding lackluster sales. Perhaps if it had debuted on the market 5 years ago, and perhaps if it wasn’t so damn fugly, the Taurus X might have risen to the same critical acclaim as the original Ford Taurus.

Recently, photos have surfaced of the new 2010 BMW Z4 wearing nothing but the exterior molding the Ultimate Driving engineers gave it. Spotted on the set of the new upcoming Michael Douglas film, Solitary Man, this grainy shot of the 2010 Z4 was snapped by one aspiring young spy photographer while on set. While I can’t truthfully say I’m in love with it, at least BMW didn’t give it the rounded-off, Porsche-like, 6-series treatment.

Early this morning, Bloomberg News’ reported that sources privy to inside information revealed that both Chrysler LLC and General Motors Corporation are considering filing for bankruptcy at the behest of the federal government. According to the report, accepting a pre-arranged bankruptcy settlement would allow both GM and Chrysler to renegotiate their debts without liquidating all of their assets. Neither Chrysler nor GM would offer any official comment on the matter, but their mounting financial misery coupled with Congress’ continued reluctance to approve the disbursement of a bailout package certainly suggests Chapter 11 might be in both automakers’ immediate future.

Apparently secure enough in their masculinity to do without the testosterone-drenched HUMMER’s of years past, the U.S. Military has announced that they will be upgrading their fleet of vehicles with newer, greener, technology. Effective immediately, on-base transport vehicles at U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force installations nationwide will be replaced with Neighborhood Electric Vehicles [NEV], replete with bumper stickers affirming, “Army Green, Army Strong,” (no seriously, I’m not making this up). Completely battery powered with a speedometer that maxes out at 35 mph, the first NEV will be commissioned for duty at Fort Belvior, Virginia before December 15th.

Throughout the next three years, the Army eventually plans to add a total of 10,000 NEVs to their fleet at a total estimated cost of roughly $13 million. While that number looks steep on paper, statistics pulled from the General Services Administration estimate that the $13M price tag will ultimately be offset by the fuel savings the Army stands to gain. Each NEV is expected to require only $400 worth of electric power a year, a stark contrast to the $2,400 in fuel-related expenses a gasoline-powered car would guzzle. In addition, initial estimates indicate that once the first wave of 4,000 NEVs assume battle their respective battle positions, the Army will already begin saving an astounding 11.5 million gallons of fuel per year.

Revealed in prototype form at the Paris Auto show back in October, the production version of the 2009 Honda Insight wasn’t scheduled to debut until January 2009 at the Detroit auto show. Obviously unable to contain their excitement with their new Prius-pounder (only sounds dirty if you’re into drum circles and smoking hashish), Honda decided to jump the NAIAS gun just a tad by leaking official images of the new, 2009 Honda Insight. Described by Honda as an elongated version of the super fuel-efficient, super tiny Honda FiT, the 2009 Honda Insight is rumored to average a whopping 71 mpg - although official numbers have yet to be released.

Full gallery after the jump

Ford CEO Alan Mullaly testifying before the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs hearing on the automotive industry bailout on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2008. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Yesterday, as the first round of Senate hearings intended to determine the future of the auto industry launched, word broke that Ford was breaking ranks with its Detroit brethren. According to reports that surfaced late in the afternoon, rather than continue prostrating before lawmakers on Capitol Hill in a desperate plea for federal funding, Ford Motor Company CEO Alan Mulally chose to leave his dignity intact. After presenting his case before Congress, outlining Ford’s plan for the future, Mulally then revealed that while a $9 billion emergency aid package would provide a significant (and welcome)safety net for the admittedly ailing automaker, Ford can certainly survive without it.

The highly anticipated specs for the 2010 Nissan GT-R Spec-V have leaked their way into the auto blog world and is dispelling quite a few rumors that had begun to brew. Contrary to fanboy belief, the new GT-R Spec-V will not be equipped with a 520-hp engine but will instead be powered by the same 478-hp twin turbo V6 found under the hood of the current GT-R. Since big girls don’t get much love from speed demons, Nissan attempted to slim down the 3,814lb curb weight by replacing the rear seats with a carbon fiber shelf. The interior and exterior aerodynamic components also received the carbon fiber treatment, but it’s unclear how successful the tweaks were in reducing the overall curb weight since Nissan has decided to sit on that particular detail for now.

Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW)

After receiving widespread criticism for arriving to Senate hearings regarding the auto bailout via private jet, General Motors has announced today that they will be suspending the use of their corporate jets. Scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2009, the new company policy will terminate the operation of General Motors Air Transportation Services (GMATS) at Detroit Metro Airport. In addition to placing all four of the airplanes currently in GM’s fleet up for sale, the company will also begin seeking a tenant to assume responsibility for the remainder of their lease.

Full press release after the jump

Today’s desperate attempt to evade arrest comes out of Pleasanton, California courtesy of the California Highway Patrol and one extremely bad driver (read: a woman).

According to reports, after failing to yield to an officer’s attempt to initiate a traffic stop, a woman behind the wheel of an Acura Integra attempted to evade CHP officers in a high-speed pursuit northbound on the I-680. After exiting the freeway at an unsafe speed and losing control of the Integra, the female driver and her male passenger abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot. When officers apprehended the female, she was promptly handcuffed and placed in the backseat of a CHP cruiser. After ensuring the woman was securely in custody, the arresting officers then left the woman unattended as they left to render assistant in the arrest of her male counterpart.