It’s really been a hectic time around here at AutoUnleashed but we still managed to write the reviews for the last two episode of this season of Fifth Gear. Episode 7 was a pretty good one, with highlights such as a dirt bike race between Tiff and Vicky or an Audi A3 which can park itself.

The show kicked off with Jonny’s experiment to improve on one of the most excitinghot hatches ever, the mark 2 Volkswagen Golf GTI. Although the normal car was a really good one, gaining Tiff’s praise, Jonny, together with some specialised VW tuners, managed in about a month to take the old car to new heights. After fitting it with special adjustable suspension, a revamped engine and special exhaust they created an even more powerful car which handled even better. So there you have it, you can improve one of the best cars made. Check out the video here.

“It’s new but is it any good?” followed, with Vicky testing Suzuki’s new city car, the Splash. They pitted it up against the current favorite city car of the Fifth Gear team, the Fiat Panda. A special test was put together, with the two cars being driven on cobblestones and the presenter tested which of the cars have the worst ride. It took into consideration how your groceries were at the end of the road, and how the confort of the driver was. Read More: "Fifth Gear Season 14 Episode 7"

A bit late but here’s the review for the sixth episode of Fifth Gear, one which was pretty interesting.

Tom kicked off the show with a review of Volkswagen’s newest and most gorgeous coupe, the Scirocco. He tested a model fitted with the optional DSG automatic gearbox and really proved it’s worth in the sport setting. Although the outside looks great, the inside is a bit of a dissappointment, giving off the impression that there are just bits and pieces taken from other VW cars. Because it is named after a wind, Tom thought what better way to test the car than racing with a paramotorist. In simpler terms, a guy with an industrial fan on his back and a parachute. Although the sand really gave Tom a run for its money he managed to win the race, proving that the Scirocco can even beat Mother Nature.

“It’s new but is it any good” followed next, Jonnie testing the new Hyundai i800, the korean new minivan which can seat up to 8 people. He put it up against the Chrysler Voyager, which seats only 7 persons. Not having 7 or 8 guys at the ready for the test, Jonnie decided to use bags full of potatoes instead. In the end, for the family guy, the Hyundai is great but for someone with a taste for luxury, the Chrysler is the more sensible choice, proof that many celebrities use it to transport their entourages. Read More: "Fifth Gear Season 14 Episode 6"

Although this week’s episode was also a bit late, it sure made up in the great cars it had on this show.

It all kicked off with a classic dog fight between Jason Plato and Tiff Needell, driving two performance sedans, the Lexus IS-F and the BMW M3. It was a true show of force, but on the circuit the M3 beat the IS-F by only a tenth of a seconds, quite impressive because nobody ever gave the Japanese car a chance at taking up the classic performance european models. But the fight didn’t end here, they later picked up the clash between the fast sedans with a rather unique test, Jason and Tiff both taking 3 girls in their cars and going on a lap of the circuit, the winner being the one who managed to get the heart rate of their passangers the highest. Needless to say, Tiff’s driving style and the donuts at the end of the lap won the challenge. Read More: "Fifth Gear Season 14 Episode 5"

This week Fifth Gear really prepared a lot of test drives for us, which can only bring smiles upon our faces. The show kicked off with a Honda Civic Mugen RR, the fastest hot-hatch model available, unfortunately, only in Japan. So Jason Plato decided to put it up against Honda’s fastest model available in Europe, the S2000. The Civic really proved it’s worth on the track, being especially tuned by the guys from Mugen, and beat the S2000, which lagged almost a whole two seconds behing the Japanese model. In the end, the Civic really sounds great, but for an everyday car, which offers you power in the right situations, the S2000 is the right one.

Next up, Tim Shaw showed us some situations where you can beat the CO2 emissions tax. Starting next year, in the UK, new tax bands will be introduced, making the car owners pay a lot more on their yearly tax. Tim came up with quite a few ways of cheating the tax or advantages that it brings. The first solution was getting a motorbike, which has a tax of maximum £66. Next up, was getting a car which was 8 years old, before the tax was introduced, or you can take it one step further, by buying a classic car, registered before 1973. Read More: "Fifth Gear Season 14 Episode 4"

The 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt XFE is a new option package designed to offer improved fuel economy. Model-year 2008 also marks the return of the Cobalt SS high-performance model to this compact car’s roster. Manual-transmission Cobalt LS and LT models come with the XFE package, which includes specific tires and powertrain tweaks designed to maximize fuel economy. Note that the XFE package is not available on Cobalts equipped with the 2LT option package.

Sport coupes and sedans have a 171-hp 2.4-liter engine, while the SS is a coupe only, and it has a 260-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter powerplant. In terms of safety, the Chevrolet Cobalt is a mixed bag. In contrast to some cars in this class, rear disc brakes and ABS are optional except on the highest trim levels. Side curtain airbags became standard for ‘08, while they were previously optional. When equipped with the side curtain bags, the Cobalt has scored quite well in crash tests. Small Chevrolet cars have rarely been known for the quality of their interiors, and the Cobalt doesn’t do much to change this.

In editorial reviews, the car has earned negative commentary in regard to its hard plastics, inconsistent build quality and limited storage. On the positive side, the Cobalt’s interior is nicely insulated from road and engine noise, and the front seats should be very comfortable for the majority of drivers and passengers. The Cobalt debuted for the 2005 model year. As such, it is only now starting to appear with frequency as a used vehicle. The Cobalt effectively replaced the long-running Chevy Cavalier, which was both smaller and of much poorer quality.

Last week, I got the chance to drive the new Fiat 500. I was really excited, because, ever since the car was announced, I’ve been a big fan, especially after I got the chance to see it live at the Geneva Motor Show. So, I got in the car and went driving around to find a nice spot for some cool photos, in the same time checking out how it handles the traffic. I should tell you that the version I had was powered by the 75 hp 1.3 MultiJet diesel engine. The most powerful version is the 100 hp 1.4 liter 16v petrol engine and the other engine available is the 69 hp 1.2 liter. I would’ve loved to have the 100 hp one, I’m sure it’s the most thrilling to drive, but the experience was cool anyways.

First of all, my version is the most expensive in the Fiat 500 offer, 13,800 Euro all taxes included. There are three equipment levels available, Pop, Lounge and Sport. The cheapest Fiat 500 available is the 1.2 Sport, priced at 11,500 Euros, all taxes included and I had the 1.3 Lounge. The Lounge and the Sport versions have the same price, the difference being in the optional features. The Sport, as it name says, offers more sporty looks, while the Lounge takes care especially of the comfort. Read More: "AU Test Drive: The Fiat 500"

Probably the most expected car game on the market, Need For Speed ProStreet was launched two days ago and we couldn’t let this go by, so here’s a review, made by our friend spooky, from Gameater.com. Though featuring great graphics and great cars, like the BMW M3, Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera, Pontiac Solstice, Nissan GT-R, Mitsubishi Evo X or the ‘67 Shelby GT-500, it seems that ProStreet is quite a disappointment. Here’s what spooky wrote:

“The most anticipated racing game of 2007, Need For Speed: Pro Street has finally been released and yet I can’t say I’m ecstatic, this latest addition to the legendary series is far from perfect. It does have a ton of cars though…

First of all, unless you own a high end PC, don’t waste money and time on it, you’ll be very disappointed. ProStreet only looks good on high settings, the low and medium ones are simply hideous, jagged lines and blurry surroundings is all you get. Let me just say this, the game needs a more powerful rig than Crysis…
Read More: "Need For Speed ProStreet Review"

Here’s a cool video review we’ve found, of the upcoming Audi S5, which will hit US in November. We liked it, and we hope you’ll like it too. Enjoy! And remember, the Audi S5/A5 is a candidate in our European “Car of the Year” Competition, so go ahead and vote your favorite car.

This is a paid review ordered by Autotropolis, through ReviewMe. But stay cool, even if they paid for it, the opinions expressed here are completely mine and are not influenced in any way by them.

So, what is Autotropolis? It’s a website that wants to turn into an indispensable resource for those of you trying to find a new car. Their “weapon” is the very interesting Vehicle Selector Aid tool, reviewed by us here, a few days ago. The tool allows you to search for the best new car for you, depending on your lifestyle, your needs and your preferences. And it is pretty good, as I found out by reviewing it, the solutions it gave me being close to what I wanted. If you don’t want a suggestion, they offer you the possibility of searching by Manufacturer, Make, Type or Price. Read More: "Autotropolis.com Review"