First Drive

Behind the wheel of BMW's ragtop Hail Mary effort

It has exquisite balance, responds accurately and quickly to steering inputs, and its performance envelope takes both gentle and heavy-handed drivers and gives them similar point-to-point speed, no frights, and lets them gorge on giggles.

Sprinter vans in the United States will be offered with these two diesel engines, along with a gasoline-powered 188-hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. We'll have a choice of rear- and all-wheel drive, though the front-wheel-drive model available in other markets will be a no-show stateside.

It's even a bit of fun.

The 2018 Buick Regal Sportback is a serious driver's-car contender that can compete against our favorites.

The Jaguar XJR's premium trim lends a bit more modernity to the familiar cabin.

Folding the Sportbrake's rear seats down produces a nice, flat expanse for cargo, with no obtrusive humps or bumps on the side.

2019 Nissan Leaf EV offers more power, better looks and less noise.

A smaller engine is a bigger play this time around.

So, so very fast.

We test this executive sedan in Bavaria.

It's not necessarily sporty, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

The Nissan GT-R's appeal has always stemmed from its violent acceleration and singular focus on forward motion. For 2017, it also learned some manners.

Fiat's roadster hails from Hiroshima, but it doesn't subscribe to Mazda's low-power philosophy. It's truly its own car, but is it better than the MX-5?

The big goal for Ford on this refresh is: Don't. Screw. It. Up. It hasn't. This is a sweet natured car with a good ride and an interior that's easy to like.

Comfortable and efficient, the new second-generation 2016 Chevrolet Cruze is the Malibu of compacts.

The HS package turns the California T into something that's stiffer and faster and more fun. The trade-off is a slightly firmer ride.

The arrival of a new convertible Rolls-Royce is an occasion unto itself. We head to South Africa to tour the Western Cape swiftly and in great comfort.

Mitsubishi is updating its compact Outlander in the middle of a crossover boom. But too little might be too late, in this case.

Ferrari's successor to the amazing 458 Italia, the 2016 488 GTB, is wicked fast, but lacks the aural and visual thrills of its predecessor.