2013 Audi RS 5: Photo Gallery

Cars.com's test cars are parked amid a vast sea of vehicles in a multistory parking tower; Audi's RS 5 was easy to spot with its unmistakable LED headlights, aggressive grille, carbon fiber accents and Sepang Blue pearl paint. Likewise, its throaty exhaust note is hard to miss.

The performance-oriented RS 5 slots above the already amped up S5 and regular A5 in price and power. It's equipped with a 4.2-liter V-8 good for 450 horsepower and 317 pounds-feet of torque.

Our test RS 5 coupe Quattro started at $68,900 but had an as-tested price of $77,320, including destination, thanks to goodies like the pearly paint, MMI Navigation Package, Titanium Package and sport exhaust system. Even without the options, it commands a hefty premium over the S5's $51,795 starting price and makes the A5, which bases at, $38,745, look like a bargain.

Check out Cars.com photographer Evan Sears' photos below.

Is the Subaru BRZ's Small Backseat a Big Inconvenience?

We knew full well the 2013 Subaru BRZ wasn't meant to carry more than a driver and a passenger when it became Cars.com's Best of 2013 winner. The BRZ and Scion FR-S got our vote for reasons you can read here. Still, we went through with a plan to buy one and live with the BRZ's small backseat.

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The four-seat BRZ has received plenty of use in its six months of ownership so far; the backseat has not. It remains something Cars.com editors have to live with considering the BRZ is a daily driver — even split a dozen ways — not a weekend warrior.

2013 Honda Civic Gains NHTSA Five-Star Safety Rating

The 2013 Honda Civic sedan has earned the highest safety rating of five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the automaker announced Thursday. This adds to the top honors the 2013 Civic received from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. In NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program, the Civic sedan received a five-star overall vehicle score despite scoring four stars in frontal tests. It received five stars in side-impact crashes and has a four-star rollover rating.

The 2013 Civic sedan and coupe previously received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from IIHS, which included a top score of Good in the stringent new small-overlap frontal collision test. Honda noted that the Civic sedan and coupe are the first and only small cars to earn the IIHS’ Top Safety Pick+ rating; however, IIHS is still implementing the new test, and in the past, we've seen additional vehicles added to the organization's award lists.

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2014 Scion tC Starts at $19,965

Scion's tC coupe debuted at the 2013 New York Auto Show with mildly freshened exterior styling as well as upgraded materials and features inside; it'll debut at dealerships next month with a slightly higher price. The 2014 Scion tC starts at $19,965 for models with the six-speed manual and $20,965 for automatic-equipped versions (all prices include a $755 destination fee). That’s an increase of $485 over 2013 base models.

Outside, the front-wheel-drive coupe wears new grille and headlight designs as well as LED taillights. Inside, there's a new 6.1-inch touch-screen audio system. Newly optional is an upgraded Scion BeSpoke audio system with navigation and smartphone app compatibility for $1,198. Under the hood, the previous version's 180-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder returns; Scion says it's mated to a faster-shifting six-speed automatic transmission for 2014.

The automaker announced pricing for its tiny iQ hatchback, too. The 2014 version also gets the new 6.1-inch touch-screen audio system and is otherwise unchanged. It starts at $16,420, including destination; model-year 2013 versions started at $16,250. The minicar also goes on sale in June.

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2014 Porsche 911 Turbo and Turbo S: First Look

• Competes with: 2014 Audi R8 5.2, 2014 Nissan GT-R
• Looks like: A 911 with swollen rear fenders
• Drivetrain: 520- or 560-hp, twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter six-cylinder; seven-speed dual clutch automatic transmission; all-wheel drive
• Hits dealerships: Late 2013

The new 2014 Porsche 911 Turbo and Turbo S are the latest, most powerful additions to the 911 lineup since the platform was redesigned for the 2012 model year. A steady release of new 911 variants, including the 911 Carrera, 911 Carrera 4 and track-oriented 911 GT3, continues with the bad-boy 560-horsepower Turbo S. Porsche says it's capable of accelerating from zero to 60 mph in 2.9 seconds. The "entry-level" 911 Turbo with 520 hp takes 3.2 seconds to reach 60 mph.

VW Beetle Turbo, Jetta GLI Get Power Boost

Volkswagen has a midyear upgrade planned for its Jetta GLI and Turbo models of its Beetle coupe and convertible. The cars' 200-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder is now rated at 210-hp; Volkswagen says the revised engine is quicker and more efficient thanks to reduced weight and other mechanical updates.  

As equipped, the 2013 Beetle Turbo coupe goes from zero to 60 in 6.6 seconds, a hair faster than the previous model. The GLI boasts similar performance figures. Volkswagen expects fuel economy to go up too; it estimates that Beetle Turbo models should see a 4% to 9% increase in efficiency. 

There's also a few exterior changes to both cars. All Beetle Turbos will now get grained black R-Line-model bumpers and more exterior chrome trim. Model-year 2013 GLIs with the more powerful engine get LED taillights on all three trims.

2013 BMW 135is Video

While BMW continues to trend toward the large and luxurious, the 2013 BMW 135is espouses the delights of the small and sporty. Cars.com reviewer Mike Hanley says the performance coupe's "back-to-basics" approach makes for some fun, road-hugging driving. The 135is' 320-horsepower six-cylinder provides impressive quickness while its sport suspension connects drivers to the terrain without bombarding them with it.

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2014 Corvette Gets Modest Price Bump

The C7 version of Chevrolet's iconic Corvette Stingray gets modern styling, a more powerful and efficient powertrain, and a modest price increase for 2014. The coupe will start at $51,995 when it goes on sale this summer and the convertible at $56,995. Model-year 2013 coupes start at $50,595 (all prices include a $995 destination fee).

Power comes from the next-generation of Chevy's 6.2-liter V-8, good here for 450 horsepower and a zero-to-60 sprint of less than 4 seconds. GM expects it to exceed the current version's EPA rating of 26 mpg highway thanks to fuel-saving direct injection and cylinder deactivation systems. A new seven-speed manual with rev matching also joins the lineup for 2014.

Standards on both body styles include eight-way power seats, two configurable driver and infotainment screens, Chevrolet MyLink infotainment system, rearview camera, nine-speaker Bose audio system, Bluetooth connectivity, USB port/auxiliary input jack, keyless access with push-button start and power tilt/telescopic steering wheel. The convertible comes standard with a new electric top that can be lowered using the key fob.

Options on the coupe include:

Talkin' 'Bout Regeneration: Cadillac ELR Lets Driver Harness Power

A new feature set to debut next year on the Cadillac ELR puts control over energy regeneration in the driver's hands. Equipped with the Regen on Demand system, the extended-range electric compact luxury coupe uses paddle shifters that enable the driver to temporarily control the regenerative braking system, which captures and stores braking energy in the battery pack for later use.

To engage Regen on Demand, the driver removes their foot from the accelerator and pulls back on either the left or right steering-wheel paddle, according to Cadillac. That provides greater deceleration than normal coasting and is similar to when a driver downshifts with a manual transmission, Cadillac stated. Releasing the paddle disengages the feature, allowing the vehicle to coast normally; it cannot stop the vehicle.

"Regen on Demand enables ELR drivers to actively recapture energy when slowing down, such as when approaching slower traffic or setting up for a tight turn," said Chris Thomason, ELR chief engineer. "This allows the driver to take a more active role in the electric vehicle driving experience."

2014 Audi R8 Lands at Dealerships as 'Iron Man 3' Readies Launch

The "Iron Man" movies have an uncanny ability to make you wish you could walk in another man's shoes — or fly in the super suit of "genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist" Tony Stark. While it's unlikely Iron Man suits will be available at Men's Wearhouse anytime soon, you can at least drive the same car as Robert Downey Jr.'s Stark. The all-new 2014 Audi R8 went on sale April 11 and will be prominently featured in the upcoming "Iron Man 3."

You don't have to have billions to get your hands on this high-performance luxury sports car, but you will have to have an abundance of disposable income. With Audi's seven-speed optional S tronic transmission, the V-8 coupe starts at $125,250, the V-10 at $161,550 and the V-10 Plus at $180,895. The Audi R8 Spyder roadster with the V-8 and S tronic transmission starts at $138,750 and the V-10 at $175,050. All prices include a $1,250 destination fee but exclude a $3,000 gas guzzler tax.