Alright guys, I've got a new series I want to start with today's Talk Back Tuesday.

It's the first installment of Cars that Jumped the Shark, in which we discuss when a particular model topped out before beginning that inexorable slide into pathetic-ness. In some cases you may feel a car never jumped the shark and it is still getting better, which is fine. In other cases, you may feel a car never even got up on two skiis, but was fish food from day one, and that's okay too.

To start things off I'm going to ask about the BMW M3. With an all-new version now in showrooms, and a previous-generation M3 in our long-term fleet, it seems fitting to ask the question: When did the BMW M3 jumped the shark?

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I don't have one topic worthy of a full Talk Back Tuesday post, but I do have a few mini topics from the past week that, when added up, almost equate to one worthy discussion...hopefully. Here goes:

In the spirit of "perfect timing" comes a new Hummer H2 book: Yes, just as oil passes $100-a-barrel and gas hits $4-a-gallon we get a new book that, according to the press release:

"With unfolded centerfold the book reaches a width of 237 cm (94.5 inches), wider than the subject of the book, the HUMMER H2, itself. HUMMER H2 - KING SIZE AMERICA! is the biggest and most exclusive car book in the world and is published in a limited edition of just 999 sequentially numbered and signed copies. On 200 gloss-laminated pages German automobile journalist Hans-Jürgen Tücherer tells a great many entertaining and amusing stories that surround this spectacular American SUV. More than 270 fascinating pictures up to 43 x 237 centimeters (17 x 94.5 inches) in size depict the HUMMER H2 in all its glorious details and from many highly unusual perspectives. HUMMER H2 - KING SIZE AMERICA! is available for 999 Euros. The German edition is on sale now. The English version will be available online at www.h2book.com starting in April 2008."

Yes, for a mere $1,500 you too can pay proper homage to your H2 with a book as obnoxious as the vehicle itself! Better reserve your copy today!!

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It's clear to anyone paying attention that Nissan's luxury division, Infiniti, has targeted those Munich-mavens of ultimate driving machines. And within the Infiniti line-up no model is more aggressive in its BMW-aping than the G35 sedan and G37 coupe. Both the G37 and the BMW 335i offer 300-plus horsepower, six-cylinder engines surrounded by sweeping body lines. Both offer aggressive suspension tuning and large wheels wearing performance tires (if you opt for the sport packages for either model). Both can be had with six-speed manual transmissions, and both portray themselves as high-grade premium performance machines.

Today I'm driving a 2008 Infiniti G37 with all the performance equipment, including the manual transmission, and there's no denying its power or luxury. The ongoiong complaints of plasticky interior bits have been quelled with this new version, and the 330 horsepower V6 can spin the rear tires at will (assuming you disable VDC). This car also possesses the cleanest, most effective iPod/iPhone integration I have ever seen. Not only does it equalize volume and allow for easy music selection through the car's native audio controls, but the display screen for artist, song title, play list, track time and play style (random, repeat, etc.) is rendered in the same soothing font and color scheme as the rest of the LCD screen's graphics. It's an automotive display almost on par with the iPhone's own high-quality pixels.

No, luxury, performance and quality are not issues with this car. Neither is price, as it beats the equivalent 3 Series by approximately $5,000. But is it the ultimate-driving equal of the 335i? No.

After 300 additional miles in the 2008 BMW 1 Series (driving between Monterey and Ventura County), as well as using it for some real-life errands, I can add a few more notes to the newest Bimmer's logbook.

First, it's extremely functional as a long-distance runner. The driving routes picked by BMW for the car's intro were the expected mix of low-to-medium-speed twisties, with almost no sustained high-speed highway travel. In contrast, my trip down the 101 after the event had the small coupe traveling at 65-plus mph for the bulk of the trip. Happily, I can report a combination of minimal wind noise, excellent ride quality and enduring seat comfort.

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If you've already been researching the new 2008 BMW 1 Series you already know one thing about this 1 -- it's pricey! I feel bad for BMW, because I'm certain they had a different pricing scale in mind when they started designing the 1 Series. I think the fluctuating dollar/euro situation only added to their hesitation in bringing it to the U.S., so I'm glad they finally committed...even if the MSRP feels a bit steep. The good news is that this is really the only bad news concerning the 1 Series.

And while $29,375 sounds like a lot for an "entry-level" BMW, the base 128i is powerful, fun and well equipped (not to mention the free 4/50 maintenance program and the 4/50 warranty coverage). Yes, the 135i is what has everyone buzzing, but a 6-second flat zero-to-60 time ain't slow, trust me. The fundamental principal of a light, nimble and entertaining BMW coupe is achieved with this model.

The 135i starts at $35,675, but here again you get a lot of performance bang for those bucks. Beyond the killer twin-turbo six you also get standard 18-inch wheels, sport-tuned suspension, xenon lights, a moonroof and automatic climate control. Basically, every 135i comes standard with a Sport Package, making the 135i's actual Sport Package (which only includes more aggresively bolstered seats, some exterior trim, higher speed limiter and M-sport steering wheel for $1,000) seem rather silly. So while you can make a 1 Series cost well over $40K, a 128i or a 135i with no options is a viable setup (though likely hard to find in the real world...).

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If BMW makes the M3 any easier to drive fast it's going to negate the need for actual driver training (or skill) in the world. Yesterday I drove the new 2008 BMW M3 at Laguna Seca and it is not only stupid fast and stupid fun, but stupid easy for stupid drivers who don't want to look stupid.

All the questions so many M-philes have asked can be answered easily: Does it feel heavy? No. Does a V8 really work in a car know for its soul-stirring sixes? Yes. Is $60,000 too much to ask for an M3? Only if you don't like beating up on $75,000-plus Porsche 911s while enjoying greater comfort, more interior space and higher at-the-limit confidence. Yup, this car is that good. It's got the visceral feedback of Zufenhausen's finest, plus room for four (or five if you get the sedan). The technical wizardry going on under this chassis is too much for me to follow (read the First Drive I've linked above if you want all the gory details), but I can verify that those engineering brainiacs got it right.

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I'm in Monterey, California for the next three days driving the all-new BMW 1 Series, M3 and Mini Clubman. The trip will include track time at Laguna Seca as well as plenty of public road driving around this picturesque local. Not a bad way to burn through a week.

However, while all three of these cars have piqued my interest, I'm not sure which one offers the greatest potential benefit to BMW. So I'm asking you: Which of these models is the most exciting new BMW product?

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I'm going to admit it -- I've always hated the BMW X5.

Well, maybe "hate" is too strong a word, but I was certainly annoyed by the concept of a slower, sloppier, thirstier, more expensive 5 Series wagon that offered less interior space. Trust me, I looked up all the specs in 1998 and confirmed that the X5 was worse than a 5 Series wagon in every measurable way -- except maybe ground clearance, which we all know doesn't mean squat to the target buyer.

But that was 10 years ago, when I could still question the need for tall station wagons meant to help parents deny their parental status. Today it's an undeniable fact -- parents want to look cool, even at the cost of functionality. So the minivan market wanes and anything with a tall profile and sloping rear hatch sells as fast as it's produced.

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BMW deserves high praise. I've driven cars I love, and I've driven cars I hate, but it's rare when one car can inspire both emotions over-and-over again.

This 5 Series' primary controls are a joy to use. The steering is perfectly weighted and properly responsive. The throttle pedal elicits a rapid-fire rev of the 4.8-liter V8, sending all 360 horsepower to the rear wheels while unleashing a throaty exhuast bellow. Braking confidence comes via the progressive stopping power with superb pedal feel. It would seem that, when it comes to man-machine interfaces, BMW can do no wrong.

Then it's time to manually tune a radio station...

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Like so many Audis (and, really, so many modern luxury cars) you can't think too carefully about the price tag when considering the new 2008 S5 coupe. At a starting price of $50K, and a finishing price closer to $60K once you add a few choice items like nav and adaptive headlights, this car is pricey -- plain and simple. It's 354hp V8 gives it a leg up on BMW's 335i, as does quattro all-wheel drive (it does zero-to-60 in 4.9 seconds), but those factors alone don't justify the increased coinage. Of course it's cheaper than a $75,000 BMW 650i and quicker than that two-door as well, so maybe it's a bargain?

However, to possibly understand the S5 you have to step beyond spec sheets and price points and feature content. This sleek coupe has taken Audi's gift for gorgeous to a new level, with sweeping exterior lines and passionate interior panels that belie it's Teutonic heritage. A warm and welcoming cabin, with organic shapes to match its rich materials? What a concept!

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