Our long-term 2008 Ford Focus isn't the most loved car in the long-term fleet, but I've spent the last several days driving it (despite several other options) for a simple reason: SYNC.

It's no secret that the "new" Ford Focus is basically the latest version of an aging chassis long past its sell-by date.  Many have flatly stated that SYNC is the only thing the Focus has going for it in the ultra competitve economy-car segment. After playing with the system for several days and watching it talk to my iPhone I've decided...they may be right. Not because the 2008 Ford Focus is really that bad, but because SYNC is simply that cool.

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Here's some non-news - car sales are in the toilet.

I know we're already a week into May, but I just got April's numbers from our data folks (my fault, not theirs) and it's not a pretty picture. Here's the basic rundown in all its badness:

April car sales were the worst since 1995, and 8% below March (usually sales pick up from March to April)

The Honda Accord was the best selling vehicle last month, better not only than Camry, but better than Ford F-150 and Chevy Silverado, too (the Silverado started the year in the #1 position, and the Chevy/Ford full-size trucks have outsold midsize sedans for years)

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If put to a real-world test, which of these cars would get the best fuel mileage? That's the question we intended to answer with our test of a 2008 Ford Focus, 2005 (certified used) Volkswagen Jetta TDI, 2008 Toyota Prius and 2008 Smart Fourtwo.

So we ran each of them through an identical test loop of close to 1,000 miles. The loop included everything from highway travel and constant speeds to stop-and-go driving in one of the most congested towns on the planet (not L.A.) to medium speeds on deserted two-lanes. When you put a diesel (Jetta) up against a hybrid (Prius) up against a traditional economy car (Focus) up against a...a -- well, whatever the Smart car is -- what do you get in terms of fuel mileage and fuel costs?

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Has the Mazda Miata ever really jumped the shark? Moreso than the BMW M3, I would argue it has not.

In looking at the Miata's basic specs over its three generations there is an undeniable weight gain -- from just over 2,000 pounds for the 1990 model to 2,400 pounds in the current roadster. A "bulk-up" of more than 25 percent for a two-seat sports car could be reason enough to suggest the jumping of predatory fish. But if you've driven all three generations you know the Miata's core mission of providing exotic-car levels of fun at just over economy car prices hasn't faltered.

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Everyone from Ford to GM to Toyota is betting on plug-in hybrids, with models like the Ford Escape, Chevrolet Volt and Toyota Prius promising to offer the technology in the next couple of years. The promise of all-electric operation, and the equivalent of 100 mpg, is hard to ignore. Yet there are many hurdles to overcome, like lithium-ion battery technology, heat management and warranty concerns. But an even bigger quesiton remains: How will utility companies react to this new drain on the power grid?

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Every authentic automotive enthusiast has at least heard of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and/or Monterey Historics that happen each year in mid-August on the Monterey Peninsula. But if you've been following (and/or attending) those events for any length of time you know it's gotten a bit too big for its britches. What started as a pure car-guy weekend has, largely, become another corporate tool. For example, it's no longer the Monterey Historic Race event that it started out as in 1974, it's the ROLEX Monterey Historic Races presented by TOYOTA. And it doesn't just happen at Laguna Seca raceway, it happens at MAZDA RACEWAY, Laguna Seca.

The Pebble Beach Concours hasn't officially sold its name or location to a corporate entity since its 1950 genesis, but during the long weekend leading up to the Sunday car show just about every automotive-related company tries to get in on the action with sponsored events, vehicle introductions and general corporate posturing. If you can fight your way through the traffic, crowds and paid signage (much of it made up of clearly non car folks or subject matter) you might catch a glimpse of some of the best vehicles on the planet, both racing at LAGUNA SECA and displaying on the 18th green of the Pebble Beach golf course.

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With a 35 mpg standard by 2020 staring automakers in the face it seems unlikely SUVs will survive the coming CAFE spike, right?

Maybe not. First, as I noted in my blog post last December, that 35 mpg CAFE rating doesn't really equate to a 35 mpg EPA rating. You can read more about the topic in this article. Bottom line -- because of the different testing procedures between these two agencies a vehicle only needs to average about 26 mpg, by EPA testing standards, to meet the 2020 CAFE requirement.

And if you check our latest Top 10 Most Fuel Efficient SUVs for 2008 list, you'll see that every SUV on this list already has at least one number above 26 mpg, and the top five entries average 26 mpg or better. Yes, five of them are essentially the same car (props to Ford for being so far ahead of the game) but the Escape, and even the Escape Hybrid, have been out for years already.

And remember, these are 2008 vehicles on sale today. In 12 years how many more SUVs will be pulled up to this level? Well, I guess all the ones still on sale at that point...

When it comes to product testing you can't take just anyone's word on it. The potential for questionable, if not downright incorrect, results are plentiful. Another way to look at it: There are plenty of ways to get testing "wrong" but very few ways to get it "right." That goes for testing cars, computers and everything in-between, including child seats. Need an example of someone getting it wrong? Well, I don't want to name names (cough-Cosumer Reports-cough), but you all may remember last year's child seat testing debacle.

This is what I call a "committed car." You might think it's because the 2008 Lotus Elise Supercharged is committed to being a serious performance car with an excellent power-to-weight ratio and valid track-day yearnings. Well, that's part of it.

But it's also because, as an Elise driver and owner, you have to be committed. Putting up with the wind and road noise above 40 mph? That's a commitment. Hitting only the pedal(s) you want in that tight footwell? That's a commitment. Hell, just getting into this car with the targa top in place -- that's a major commitment. Makes my GT's entry/exit procedure feel like a minivan.

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In case you haven't noticed, the price of gas is a bit higher than it used to be. Actually, its ranging from 50 to 80 cents more per gallon than it was this time last year, and over the past weekend I almost couldn't cover my fuel charge with a $20 bill -- for my motorcycle! That was a bit of a wake up call.

I remember a conversation between my parents where my dad was talking about all the people who said they'd use roller skates before paying a given price for a gallon of gas. Of course, this conversation took place in 1984, and the price people were agonizing over was $1.25-a-gallon. Now we're at $4-a-gallon, and I still haven't seen any rollerskates.

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