Star Cars: The 2014 Academy Awards Best Picture Nominees—as Cars! :-

The nominees for the Best Picture award at the 2014 Academy Awards were just announced, and, boy, there sure were a lot of them. This naturally got us thinking about cars. (What else?) Having seen at least some of these movies, and seen a poster for almost all of them, we decided to re-imagine each of them as an automobile. We think we’re pretty spot-on, but if you have your own ideas you’d like to share, have at it in the comments.

Toyota Reportedly Bringing Concept to Detroit Auto Show Previewing Supra Successor [2014 Detroit Auto Show] :-

Toyota reportedly is developing a successor to the Supra—something we haven’t seen since the FT-HS concept debuted at the Detroit auto show in 2007.

“Toyota” and “fun” are not two words we expect to see in the same sentence these days. That wasn’t always the case, and we offer as evidence two more words: “MR2” and “Supra.” Rumors have it that the latter may be back in the automaker’s lexicon soon, like, next month at the Detroit auto show.

Autoblog reports that Toyota executives have hinted at—a practice very common among auto execs and PR types—a new Supra in the works. Our last glimpse of a potential successor was in 2007 when the company’s FT-HS concept drove onto the scene just as the world economy drove off a cliff. Toyota retreated into its conservative shell, but is now being lured out by the likes of Nissan’s GT-R and Honda’s—well, Acura’s, in this country—upcoming NSX. None other than Akio Toyoda has repeatedly stated that his company needs to shake things up, and a new Supra could do just that.

New Cars for 2014: Aston Martin

Rapide S: With its slack-jawed grille, the Rapide S looks like a bit of a mouth breather, a transgression immediately forgiven when you eye its curves. Plus, this $202,775 sedan is up 80 horsepower, to 550, and its V-12's wail will give you shivers.
Vanquish: Aston's range-topper, new last year, loses its head to become the Vanquish Volante convertible. This circa-$300,000 blow-dryer boasts the same ingredients as the coupe: a 565-hp V-12, copious carbon fiber, and a six-speed automatic.
Vantage (shown above): The V-12 Vantage is supplanted by the V-12 Vantage S, with 565 horsepower and 457 pound-feet of torque, gains of 55 and 37, respectively. The S also introduces a quicker steering rack, an exhaust system derived from the One-77's, and a 205-mph top speed, which is a desperately needed increase of 15 mph if you live absolutely nowhere on earth. Unfortunately, Aston replaced the manual gearbox with a seven-speed automated manual. To compensate—because, hey, it's all about compensation—the V-8 Vantage S is now available with a three-pedal transmission.

New Cars for 2014: Acura 

ILX: Frugal shoppers will appreciate that the base 150-hp ILX now comes standard with heated leather seats, a power driver's seat, a noise-canceling system, a rearview camera, and 17-inch wheels.
MDX:
RLX (shown above): Introduced earlier this year, the '14 RLX is all-new and larger than its predecessor. Packed with the latest in electronic safety devices, the RL replacement is offered in front- and four-wheel drive and is powered by a 310-hp V-6. Later this year, a 370-hp hybrid will debut with expected EPA ratings of 30 mpg city and 30 highway. This powertrain presages the system that will power the upcoming NSX supercar. 

Minor trim changes: TL
Unchanged: RDX, TSX, TSX Sport Wagon
Dead: ZDX

Continental: Commemorating Bentley's six Le Mans wins are six paint-and-trim special editions for various models. Also, the convertible GTC is now available in Speed spec. Top speed is 202 mph, zero-to-60 is in the neighborhood of four seconds, the suspension is stiffer, ride height is lower, and the double-puffed W-12 makes 616 horsepower, up from 567 in regular GTCs. A quarter-mil and one's yours.

Suzuki Swift 4x4 SZ4 (2014) review.

A Suzuki Swift 4x4? Surely some mistake? After all, if any manufacturer were to go to the trouble of shoehorning all-wheel drive into a supermini, you’d expect it of Audi, with its Quattro heritage. Not Suzuki…

The Japanese maker has done it before – you could buy an all-wheel drive Swift back in 1992. Yet given we’re not fans of Suzuki’s full-size crossover effort, the ungainly and uninspiring S-Cross, the quasi-crossover Swift 4x4 could be the duff version of one of our favourite superminis. Read on for the CAR verdict.