Horsepower, torque and handling may be the topics that sell car magazines, but, according to Consumer Reports' blog, those considerations aren't the major factors in persuading drivers to switch brands.

American car owners are quite loyal -- 73 percent of respondents to a Consumer Reports survey (consisting of 1,700 interviews among adults whose household owns at least one vehicle) say that they are somewhat or very likely to purchase the same brand they currently drive. And, interestingly, females and older drivers are more likely to be brand-loyal than their male and younger driver counterparts; income, it seems, does not influence loyalty.

But if they were to switch, what would sway them? The answer isn't flash or power, but instead the very real-world considerations of quality and fuel economy. Those are the top two (lower price came in a close third) of thirteen factors, including safety record, reputation and styling, that influence buyers to switch brands. Check out the entire list after the jump. 

When you buy a premium vehicle, odds are you're supposed to use a premium fuel to keep the engine running at its peak. Of course, we're talking using a premium fuel to prevent avoidable engine wear and tear, not, well, full engine failure.

Yet possible engine failure is exactly why GM is recalling a small number (fewer than 600) of 2010 Cadillac SRX crossovers with the turbocharged 2.8-liter V6 engine. When filled with low-octane (i.e., regular) fuel and driven hard, preignition may be induced in the engines of these vehicles. Preignition produces a knocking or pinging sound from the engine.

It gets worse, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: 

McLaren Automotive celebrated the 20th anniversary of the start of the F1 program by inviting F1 owners past and present to a celebration dinner at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, England. The owners were treated to a display of 21 McLaren F1 road and race cars, the largest number of F1 cars ever assembled in one place.

It all started in 1988, when McLaren made the decision to expand from Formula One and design and build what it called "the finest sports car the world had ever seen." In March 1990, the team created to build that car came together for the first time.

Just two years later, the McLaren F1 road car was launched on May 28, 1992, in Monaco, with the first production car delivered to its owner in December 1993.

 

Hello, I’m here to talk to you about (BEEP!). Ah, could you excuse me, I just need to

switch off (BLURP!). Damn it, how do you shut off this crazy (BEEP!).

This infuriating test of emergency warning systems has been brought to you by the new Infiniti M37, an otherwise terrific midsize sport sedan that really wants to keep you safe behind the wheel -- and won’t take “no” for an answer.

 

In the Infiniti’s defense, the 6-cylinder M37 -- along with its beefier sibling, the V8 powered M56 -- isn’t the only luxury car to adopt the latest electronic do-gooders. And by these I mean lane-departure warnings, blind-spot monitors and a forward collision warning system, among others. Mercedes, Volvo, BMW and Acura are on that list, with some models actually braking themselves when their radar or laser beams calculate that a driver can’t stop in time to avoid a crash. But the Infiniti, like a maiden aunt that you can’t ditch, turns its digital chaperones on whenever you start up the car – forcing you to manually shut them down, each and every time.

 

The fine folks over at Axis of Oversteer have unearthed what seem to be spy shots of the rumored 458 Italia Challenge -- the race version of the Ferrari 458 Italia. (We found them through Autoblog.)

What looks right for a track version: The suspension is clearly lowered and the tires are race-friendly single lug units (not to mention the massive carbon brakes). Also, we've got some flared side skirts and, clear as day, hood pins. Another hint, via Autoblog: 

Nissan North America Inc. has taken legal steps to create a performance segment for its Infiniti Division product line, similar to its larger luxury rivals Mercedes-Benz and BMW.

Nissan has filed for trademark protection for the names “IPL” and “Infiniti Performance Line,” according to documents on file with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

According to the applications, the IPL trademark would cover the brand's use of “high-performance motor vehicle parts,” including turbochargers and superchargers for engines, cat-back exhaust and muffler systems, shifter knobs, suspension parts, brakes, sports seats and off-road headlights.

 

(UPDATE: Not sure what happened between yesterday and today, but we've received some comments that the video wouldn't play. I've embedded a new version and reposted, and it looks like it's working now. Sorry for everyone who couldn't see it before.)

Remember way back to Friday, when I pointed out that having your automotive crime recorded on camera is a pretty stupid idea? Well, even if you're not filming it yourself (or having yourself filmed by a friend) if you do something as stupid as pulling smoking donuts and propping your SUV up onto two wheels on Dubai's busiest highway, Sheikh Zayed Road, chances are someone's going to get it on video. Most people's cell phones are mini digital recorders, anyway.

Well, if attention was what these two insanely stupid drivers wanted, it's what they got -- from the police, no less, who used the YouTube video to arrest four individuals and seize two vehicles. Two of the detainees are facing charges of endangering people's lives, which could net them up to three years in jail. Check out the video after the jump, and you'll see why. 

Toyota execs must get a little jumpy every time they read news with their brand name and "safety" in the headline. But for the first time in awhile, there's good news for the automaker: The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has named three Toyota vehicles Top Safety Picks for 2010. The winning vehicles are the 2011 model year Toyota Avalon, Toyota Sienna and Lexus RX.

The awards are given to vehicles that receive the institute's highest rating ("good") for front, side, rollover and rear crash protection. This new round of awards takes place after new rollover test results have come to light. (Electronic stability control -- standard on all three of these models -- is also a requirement for a Top Safety Pick award.)