BMW

BMW began selling its revised-for-2008 5-Series cars earlier this year. And the German automaker changed the name of its six-cylinder-powered, mid-size 5-Series cars to, sort of, reflect larger, more powerful engines.

Thus, the 525i became the 2008 528i, now with 230-horsepower, 3-liter, six-cylinder engine, while the old 530i became the 2008 535i with 300-horsepower, 3-liter, twin-turbo, six-cylinder engine.

In fact, the addition of this twin-turbo powerplant to the 2008 BMW 535xi Sports Wagon makes it more powerful than the predecessor 540i wagon with 290-horsepower V-8.

BMW also updated the interiors of these sedans and wagons and adds optional Lane Departure Warning that subtly vibrates the steering wheel when it detects a driver might be wandering out of his or her lane.

The smaller, but oh-so-performance-oriented M3 debuts in 2008 with its first-ever V-8, generating 414 horses from its 4 liters.

CHEVROLET

Chevrolet’s mid-size, five-passenger Malibu sedan is bigger inside and out, and has a modern new look for 2008. It’s the first Malibu with head curtain air bags standard on all trim levels, and new optional features include a 110-volt, household-type AC power outlet and panoramic sunroof.

The Malibu is offered with a 164-horsepower, 2.4-liter, Ecotec, four-cylinder engine. When mated to a four-speed automatic, this Malibu version is rated at a noteworthy 30 mpg in highway driving.

The up-level Malibu powerplant is a 252-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 with six-speed automatic. Later in the model year, Chevy adds a gas-electric hybrid version that has an estimated rating of 33 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway, according to government figures.

Chevy’s sports car icon, the Corvette, is refined a bit, inside and out, and gets more powerful in 2008, thanks to a larger engine. The new 6.2-liter, LS3 small-block V-8 generates 430 horses with the standard exhaust system.

The retro-styled HHR five-door hatchback adds a performance SS version in 2008. SS is an old Chevy insignia that stands for Super Sport, and this HHR is powered by a 260-horsepower, 2-liter, turbocharged, Ecotec four-cylinder engine that’s also in the Pontiac Solstice GXP.

DODGE

The top-selling brand at Chrysler LLC, Dodge launched its mid-size Avenger sedan for 2008 early. The five-passenger car has distinctive styling “attitude” not normally found on mainstream family sedans.

The Avenger is offered with the 173-horsepower, 2.4-liter four-cylinder that’s used in the sibling Chrysler Sebring as well as the Sebring’s 186-horsepower, 2.7-liter V-6 and 235-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6.

Dodge’s smallest car—the Caliber five-door, compact hatchback—adds a new, high-performance model called the SRT4 for 2008. Last year’s top Caliber was an R/T. The 280-horsepower, 2.4-liter four in the SRT4 is turbocharged to provide a 0-to-60-mph time of around 6 seconds.

FORD

It’s back!

Ford’s Taurus sedan returns from the near-dead in its largest form ever—so sizable it’s classified by the federal government as a large sedan, rather than the typical mid-size family car.

With more safety features than any previous Taurus, the 2008 five-passenger model actually is a re-badged Ford Five Hundred with a larger, more powerful engine, improved sound insulation and re-tuned rear suspension.

The new, five-passenger Taurus is powered by a 263-horsepower, 3.5-liter, Duratec V-6 with 249 foot-pounds at 4,500 rpm. With its 20-gallon gas tank, the new Taurus can travel more than 520 highway miles on a single tank of regular gasoline. All-wheel-drive is offered, too.

Ford has a 2008 Focus small car that’s restyled inside and out and has a more modern ride and new features. Power comes from a low-emission, 130-horsepower, 2-liter Duratec four-cylinder or a more powerful, 140-horse, 2-liter Duratec four-cylinder. Head curtain air bags are finally standard Focus equipment.

This is the first Focus to offer the Ford Sync in-car digital communication system, which gives drivers hands-free voice control over cell phone calls and music players.

The five-passenger Escape is offered in front-wheel-drive, all-wheel-drive and as a gasoline-electric hybrid. With front-wheel-drive, the 2008 Escape Hybrid is rated at 34 mpg in city driving and 30 mpg on the highway. This is a better fuel economy rating than many small cars.

HONDA

The big news at Honda is its largest Accord ever. The 2008 sedan, with more front-seat hiproom and rear-seat legroom than ever before, officially qualifies as a large car for the first time under Environmental Protection Agency guidelines.

And styling looks richer, with a sweeping dashboard design in both the Accord sedan and coupe. The five-passenger Accord now has more safety features, including anti-whiplash front-seat head restraints. And four-cylinder and V-6 engines provide more power than before.

In fact, the Accord’s new, 3.5-liter V-6 is the most powerful in any Honda vehicle, with horsepower of 268 and torque peaking at 248 foot-pounds at 5,000 rpm. Yet this V-6 also works to save fuel with a new cylinder-deactivation system that lets the Accord travel on three, four or all six engine cylinders, depending on driver needs, terrain, etc.

The Accord gas-electric hybrid model has been discontinued.

The 2008 S2000 roadster gets a lighter-weight, racetrack-oriented CR model that comes standard with a removable aluminum roof substituting for the cloth soft top that’s on other S2000s.

Also in 2008, Honda’s Civic line adds a factory-prepared Civic MUGEN Si Sedan with a sporty, lowered suspension, forged aluminum wheels, aero styling package and a sport-tuned exhaust system.

HYUNDAI

The seven-passenger Veracruz crossover SUV debuted earlier this year as Hyundai’s first vehicle with a starting retail price of more than $25,000. For 2008, a first-ever navigation system from LG is a new Veracruz option.

Also in 2008, the Sonata sedan is offered with 162-horsepower, 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine across all trim levels for the first time to allow fuel-conscious buyers to get all the features and amenities normally reserved for V-6 models.

Hyundai also reduced the price of its 2008 Sonata GLS with 234-horsepower, 3.3-liter V-6 so it’s $450 less than last year’s lowest-priced Sonata with V-6.

INFINITI

Late December is the arrival time for Infiniti’s smaller, crossover SUV, the EX35. The five-door, five-passenger EX will slot under the Infiniti FX SUV, which has a starting retail price of nearly $40,000.

The only engine for the EX35 is a 290-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6, and both rear- and all-wheel-drive versions will be available.

Noteworthy features include a lane departure system that not only warns a driver audibly when the vehicle begins to stray out of its lane. It also works to gently bring the vehicle back into its lane by using sensors at certain wheels to activate the brakes. But Infiniti said the system, which monitors the steering wheel angle so it knows when a driver intentionally is changing lanes or making turns, doesn’t take over for a driver.

Additionally, the EX will be the first vehicle in the United States with an Around View Monitor. Using strategically placed cameras, this system can give a driver a view that appears to be from on high, above the vehicle, showing the ground close to the vehicle. It’s designed to help reduce blind spots when the vehicle is being parked.

The other big news at Infiniti is the 2008 G37 Coupe. It’s slightly larger than its predecessor, the G35 Coupe, and comes with a 3.7-liter V-6 with 330 horsepower. That’s up from the previous 3.5-liter V-6’s 275 horses.

Technology is plentiful and includes a sophisticated, optional Four-Wheel Active Steer system for nimble handling that makes the G37 feel like it can move almost unconsciously with a driver’s thoughts. Starting retail price with five-speed automatic transmission is less than $35,000.

JEEP

Jeep’s Liberty compact SUV is new this year, with revamped styling, improved on-road handling and ride and more safety equipment. New features include a new full-time four-wheel-drive system; Hill Descent Control for a smoother, controlled descent down a rough or slippery hillside; and Hill Start Assist, designed to keep a vehicle from rolling backwards when stopped on a hill.

Liberty’s only engine for 2008 is a 210-horsepower, 3.7-liter, gasoline V-6, since the Liberty diesel is gone.

The Jeep Commander, which debuted in 2006 as the first Jeep with three rows of seats, is available with just two rows of seats in a new-for-2008 Sport R package.

LAND ROVER

The compact LR2 SUV joins the 2008 lineup. Powered by a 3.2-liter, inline, six-cylinder engine matched to a six-speed automatic transmission, the LR2 has 230 horsepower and permanent all-wheel-drive.

There are plenty of off-road aides, too, including Land Rover’s unique Terrain Response system, which helps tailor the vehicle for off-road conditions, as well as a patented Gradient Release Control with Hill Descent Control, which help make descending steep, slippery slopes a bit easier.

LEXUS

Lexus started 2008 early with the release of its most technologically advanced car ever. The 2008 LS600h L is the world’s first full gas-electric hybrid using a V-8. “Full hybrid” means the car can be propelled only by the gas engine, only on electric power, or both.

It’s a sophisticated task to manage these power sources and merge their output seamlessly as needed in a luxury, limousine-size sedan. But the result in the LS600h L is a big car with 70-percent lower emissions than its nearest competitor and best-in-class V-8 fuel mileage—all while delivering power approaching that of a 12-cylinder car.

Specifically, with 380-horsepower, 4.6-liter V-8 and instant torque from onboard electric motors, plus an eight-speed automatic transmission, the LS600h L can zip from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.4 seconds.

The performance of this hefty five-seater with all-wheel-drive still nets a noteworthy fuel economy rating of 20 mpg in city driving and 22 mpg on the highway from the EPA.

Technology doesn’t stop with the hybrid system. The LS600h L has a pre-collision system that uses a camera focused on the driver’s face plus other cameras at the front of the car and radar to detect obstacles, even pedestrians, in its path and prepare the car and warn the driver.

Lexus also jumps into the high-performance sedan business with the new IS-F sports sedan. Powered by a 5-liter V-8, this new four-door is expected to boast more than 400 horsepower and 350 foot-pounds of torque. Drivers will be able to manage shifts through an eight-speed automatic with paddle shifters, and the 0-to-60-mph time is looking to be less than 5 seconds.

Lastly, a revamped LX SUV with a more powerful V-8 arrives in 2008, resulting in a new LX570 name.

MAZDA

Like its siblings the Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner, the Mazda Tribute compact SUV is revised with new styling, inside and out. Power comes from a 153-horsepower, 2.3-liter, four-cylinder engine and a 200-horsepower, 2-liter V-6.

A 2008 Tribute Hybrid with a four-cylinder supplemented by electric power for reduced emissions and improved fuel economy is offered, too. But it’s on sale only in emission-regulated California.

Elsewhere, the Mazda5 has freshened styling and a new, five-speed automatic transmission, and adds rear air-cooling vents.

The low-volume Mazdaspeed6 is discontinued.

MERCURY

Like its well-known sibling, the Ford Taurus, the Mercury Sable is back in dealerships for 2008 as a larger sedan with modern styling and more safety equipment.

Actually, the five-passenger, 2008 Sable is an updated version of last year’s Mercury Montego. The Montego was launched three years ago to replace the Sable but it didn’t sell as well as expected, and with the Taurus coming back, the Sable comes with it.

The Sable uses the same Taurus engine—a 263-horsepower, 3.5-liter, Duratec V-6 mated to a six-speed automatic transmission—and is available with front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive.

MINI

No major changes in current models. Early in calendar 2008, however, a new, four-passenger Mini Clubman arrives with more doors and longer body than any other Mini. Specifically, the five-door Clubman wagon is nearly 9.5 inches longer than a three-door Mini hatchback and provides 9.1 cubic feet of cargo space behind the two rear seats.

When the Clubman’s split rear seatbacks are folded down, there’s 32.6 cubic feet of cargo space, which is 36 percent more room than what’s in a Mini hatchback. Legroom is improved, too, with the Clubman adding nearly 3.2 inches over what’s found in a Mini hatchback.

There are two Clubman gasoline engines: a 120-horsepower, 1.6-liter four-cylinder and a 175-horsepower, turbocharged, 1.6-liter four-cylinder.

Company officials expect the Clubman to have a starting retail price somewhere between Mini’s hatchback and convertible models, probably more than $20,000.

MITSUBISHI

Mitsubishi’s 2008 Lancer arrived early as a ninth-generation model with bolder styling, roomier interior, new front-wheel-drive platform and a 30-horsepower boost. Now with 152 horses coming from a 2-liter four-cylinder, the five-passenger Lancer sedan is one of the few cars to include a driver’s knee air bag among its standard safety features. The knee bag helps keep a driver properly positioned during a frontal crash.

NISSAN

Nissan adds a Rogue and a first-ever coupe version of its Altima.

Debuting in the fall, the Rogue is a five-passenger crossover SUV that’s slightly smaller than the Nissan Murano. With a 170-horsepower, 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine, the Rogue is lower-powered, lighter weight and more fuel-efficient than the V-6-powered Murano.

Offered with a choice of front-drive or all-wheel-drive, and with a starting retail price expected to be less than the Murano’s more than $28,000, the Rogue fills an important slot in the Nissan lineup.

Meantime, the sporty-looking Altima Coupe likely will boost total Altima sales to a record this calendar year. The four-passenger coupe shares the sedan’s engines: a 175-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder and 270-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6. With a starting retail price of more than $21,000, the base coupe is nearly $3,000 pricier than a base, 2008 Altima sedan, however.

In 2008, the long-running Nissan Pathfinder SUV is available for the first time with a V-8.

PONTIAC

Early in calendar 2008, look for the new Pontiac G8. It’s the first rear-drive four-passenger Pontiac since the short-lived return of the Australian-bred GTO, which ended with the 2006 model year.

Like the GTO, the expressively styled G8 will be based on an Australian model, the Holden Commodore, and will be built Down Under. Engines reportedly are a 261-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 and a 360-horsepower, 6-liter V-8.

PORSCHE

Porsche is debuting its fastest 911 production car ever. The 911 GT2 generates an astounding 530 horsepower from its 3.6-liter, twin-turbocharged, boxer, six-cylinder engine.

It’s enough to jettison the lightweight sports car from 0 to 60 mph in only 3.6 seconds. Top speed, on a racetrack, is 204 mph. Note the previous 911 GT2 “only” had 480 horses.

Other exotic details of this new model are tailpipes and muffler made of titanium, and brake discs made of a carbon fiber/ceramic compound. Price, if you have to ask, is more than $191,000.

Meantime, 2008 brings a 911 Turbo Cabriolet priced at more than $136,000. The 2+2, all-wheel-drive sports car uses the same 480-horsepower, 3.6-liter, twin-turbocharged, boxer, inline six-cylinder that’s in the 911 Turbo Coupe.

ROLLS-ROYCE

Automobile magazine calls the Rolls Phantom Drophead Coupe the “grandest convertible in the land.”

The long-anticipated replacement for the old Rolls Corniche has a starting retail price of $412,000. Nineteen feet long, with a tailgate trunk opening for picnics and such, the Drophead is a massive, rear-wheel-drive convertible powered by a 453-horsepower, 6.75-liter V-12 with ample 531 foot-pounds of torque.

The four sumptuous leather seats, detailed interior craftsmanship and the notable lack of any windshield or body shake, even when the roof is down, provide a sense of luxury and quality unlike any other car. And the oh-so-long Drophead hood can be ordered in distinctive stainless steel, while hand-finished teak dresses up the tonneau area behind the rear seats and is reminiscent of the workmanship on fine yachts.

SATURN

Saturn follows up a busy year, when its Aura mid-size car was named North American Car of the Year, with a revamped, refined and larger Vue SUV. The five-passenger Vue crossover has upscale styling now, a roomier interior and three gasoline engine choices for the first time.

The powerplants include a 169-horsepower, 2.4-liter, Ecotec four-cylinder; a 222-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6; and a 257-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6. The latter is the most powerful engine ever in a production Vue. But only the four-cylinder is used in the Vue’s Green Line gas-electric hybrid version, which arrives later in the model year.

In other Saturn news, the 2008 Astra three- and five-door hatchbacks come from Europe. Astras have been sold as Opels by Saturn’s parent company, General Motors Corp., in Europe for years. This is the first time Astras are coming to the States. They will be powered by a 104-horsepower, 1.8-liter Ecotec four-cylinder engine. The Astra replaces the Saturn Ion small car.

SCION

Good-bye, xA. Hello, xD.

Scion’s smallest car, the xA, is replaced by a larger five-door hatchback with a new name.

The 2008 xD rides on a new, front-wheel-drive platform and has a more powerful four-cylinder engine than the xA, added safety equipment, bigger wheels and more standard features. Specifically, the xD’s 1.8-liter, four-cylinder develops 128 horses compared with the 103 horse from the xA’s 1.5-liter four.

New standard features include cruise control, curtain airbags and side seat-mounted airbags.

But with a starting retail price, including destination charge, of $15,170, the xD pricing is up significantly from that of the xA.

Scion’s five-door xB gets new looks and more power, too. But it retains its name and iconic boxy shape, though corners are softened a bit and there are now wraparound headlights.

SMART

The small, odd-looking car from Germany’s Daimler finally comes to the United States early in calendar 2008, albeit at select dealerships.

Sold in Europe since 1998, the roundish-looking smart cars are renowned for sipping fuel and occupying tidy parking spaces in crowded cities. Heck, some smarts even park on sidewalks over there!

The two-door, two-passenger models coming to the United States stretch just 8.8 feet long, half the length of a Dodge Ram pickup truck.

But the fortwo—all lowercase—comes with many standard safety features, including four air bags, electronic stability control and antilock brakes.

Starting retail price for a base coupe is $11,590, while the top model—a cabriolet with power-operated, fabric top—will start at $16,590 and be the lowest-priced new convertible in the country.

Fuel mileage from the fortwo’s 71-horsepower, 1-liter, three-cylinder engine is expected to be over 40 mpg.

SUBARU

On sale for only two model years, Subaru’s first seven-passenger SUV, the B9 Tribeca, is already getting a makeover. For 2008, the Tribeca loses its snouty face, boosts horsepower to 256 from its six-cylinder engine and updates rear suspension and automatic transmission for better ride and performance.

And that pesky “B9” in the name—which referred to an internal company code—is dropped.

Even better, starting retail prices have moderated for Subaru’s priciest nameplate. A base, five-passenger, 2008 Tribeca starts at $30,640, while shoppers seeking a seven-passenger Tribeca will see a starting price of $31,640.

Elsewhere, Subaru’s Impreza compact car is a restyled, larger model, inside and out, with new rear suspension for improved handling. The Impreza also is offered in a new five-door hatchback.

One thing hasn’t changed, though: All Subarus come standard with all-wheel-drive.

TOYOTA

Toyota’s news revolves around its SUVs.

The second-generation Highlander is bigger, heavier, more spacious, quieter and more powerful this year, and its gas-electric hybrid has a first-ever push button on the dashboard that lets drivers choose to drive the SUV in electric-only mode, if conditions permit. There’s only one engine now for gas-only Highlanders, and it’s a 270-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6.

The Highlander Hybrid combines Toyota’s latest generation Hybrid Synergy Drive system with a 3.3-liter V-6. Together, the electric power and smaller V-6 generate the same peak 270 horsepower as the larger V-6. But the hybrid is the one with the best fuel mileage. Toyota officials expect a government rating of 31 mpg in city driving, 27 mpg highway.

The new Highlander sits on a new chassis derived from the one in the Camry, so the ride is more refined.

But starting retail price for Highlander now climbs to $27,985.

Toyota introduces new Land Cruiser and Sequoia SUVs in 2008, but details are scarce.

Meantime, Toyota is reducing the starting retail price, including destination charge, of its Camry Hybrid by $1,000. The gas-electric mid-size sedan has slightly fewer standard features now.

Lastly, the Avalon large sedan is mildly restyled at the front and back and adds new features inside.

VOLKSWAGEN

The Touareg SUV becomes the Touareg 2 with subtle styling updates, and some equipment, such as power liftgate and Electronic Parking Assistance, becomes standard. Seats and side bolsters also are changed for improved comfort.

The VW Rabbit and Jetta cars get more power from a re-tuned, base, 2.5-liter, five-cylinder engine. The gas powerplant produces 170 horsepower, up from 150. Torque rises to 177 foot-pounds, up from 170.

The Jetta’s uplevel 2-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder is not offered in 2008.

Coming early in the calendar year will be a new SportWagen version of Jetta.

VOLVO

Ford Motor Co. has been sending mixed signals this year about whether it will sell this Swedish automaker. Meantime, Volvo plugs along, debuting a three-door hatchback built off the S40 sedan platform.

The resulting 2008 C30 becomes Volvo’s car with the lowest starting retail price, including destination charge: $23,445 for a manual transmission model. The C30 is powered by a 227-horsepower, 2.5-liter, turbocharged, five-cylinder engine and is available in front-wheel-drive. Only 8,000 annual sales are expected in the United States.