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Consumer Reports says infotainment systems 'growing first-year reliability plague'

The Consumer Reports Annual Auto Reliability Survey (right) is out, and the top two spots look much the same as last year's list with Lexus and Toyota in first and second place, respectively. However, there are some major shakeups for 2014, with Acura plunging eight spots from third in 2013 to 11th this year, and Mazda replaces it on the lowest step of the podium. Honda and Audi round out the top five. This year's list includes six Japanese brands in the top 10, two Europeans, one America and one Korean.
Acura isn't the only one taking a tumble, though. Infiniti is the biggest loser this year by dropping 14 spots to 20th place. Other big losses come from Mercedes-Benz with an 11-place fall to 24th, and GMC, which declines 10 positions to 19th.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, it's not traditional mechanical bugs hauling down these automaker's reliability scores. Instead, pesky problems with infotainment systems are taking a series toll on the rankings. According to Consumer Reports, complaints about "in-car electronics" were the most grumbled about element in new cars. Problem areas included things like unresponsive touchscreens, issues pairing phones and multi-use controllers that refused to work right.

2014 Porsche Panamera Turbo S is a 911 Turbo for the family man

In the event that the Porsche Panamera Turbo's 520 horsepower and 189-mile-per-hour top speed aren't enough to sate the appetite of the speed freak, Porsche has just given the auto show debut to the faster, more powerful Panamera Turbo S.
With 570 horsepower being pumped from a 4.8-liter, twin-turbocharged V8, the Panamera Turbo S promises even faster acceleration, hitting 60 mph in 3.6 seconds, a 0.3-second improvement over the standard Turbo. The top speed, meanwhile, climbs to 192 mph, which is kind of ridiculous for a car with four doors and a trunk.
Other enhancements that come with this Panamera's extra syllable include carbon-ceramic brakes and the entirety of Porsche's active chassis systems, including Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control and Porsche Active Suspension Management. The performance goodies come standard, but that doesn't mean the Panamera Turbo S is cheap.

Porsche releases new Panamera Edition models

We can't remember the last time we came across a special edition called "Edition," but that's what Porsche is offering with the Panamera. Available on the base, 310-horsepower models, the Panamera Edition is so subtle you'd need to be in the secret owners club to identify it. High-gloss black trim strips outline the windows, it sits on 19-inch Panamera Turbo wheels with colored center caps, the sills are inscribed with the word "Edition," and body-colored door handles are fitted if you pay extra for Porsche Entry & Drive. The cabin gets Porsche logos in the seat headrests, those front thrones being 14-way in the US, climate controlled seats throughout, and a two-tone treatment in black and Luxor Beige. Oh, and special floor mats. Performance upgrades come in the inclusion of active suspension, and convenience comes with the included Park Assist. Tempted? Head to your Porsche dealer in June to take one home. The Panamera Edition will require $80,000, an eminently reasonable (for Porsche) $1,900 premium over the standard car. The Panamera 4 Edition needs $84,300, an even more reasonable $1,500 premium. Destination adds another $995 to both of those prices. The press release below has a few more details. Related Video: Porsche Panamera Edition: Sports sedan with extensive standard features Atlanta. A new special version of the Porsche Panamera sports sedan stands out through elegant styling combined with a significantly expanded range of standard equipment. Two models with powerful six-cylinder engines will be offered: the Panamera Edition and Panamera 4 Edition both come with an engine that delivers 310 hp. The Panamera 4 Edition features active all-wheel drive with an electronically controlled, map-controlled multi-plate clutch (Porsche Traction Management, PTM). The exterior of the Panamera Edition models is marked by additional subtle design tones, including high-gloss black trim strips on the side windows. The standard 19-inch alloy wheels in Panamera Turbo II design feature wheel center caps with a colored Porsche crest. The door handles are finished in exterior color when Porsche Entry & Drive is optionally selected. The Panamera Edition also boasts a two-tone standard interior in Black / Luxor Beige with the Porsche crest embossed on all head rests, Sport Design steering wheel, door sill plates with "Edition" lettering, and special floor mats.