Yup, a real switch sounds more reliable.

I dislike the automated systems. Put something like a heavy bag of groceries or a laptop bag int he front seat and it starts screaming at you for not having a seatbelt on.

Thinking back to my recent drives in a 997 and an E90 M3... between the two of those I think the M3 is preferable. The 997 just wasn't that thrilling, even filtering out the misery that is an automatic transmission.

The latest C+D "Lightning lap" issue comparing various cars around VIR (a notorious horsepower track) was enlightening. The Cayman S was just as fast as a 911 S. That says a lot for how backwards the 911 is.

...and the E92 M3 was faster than either.

Yes. My 330i would tolerate my backpack (with heavy laptop inside); my X5 will not. So, I've just taken to buckling the seatbelt and putting the bag in front of it.

My E90 was really touchy. It got on my nerves. And I refused to buckle-in my laptop. So I'd usually just fling it over the seat into the back seat once the car started yelling at me.

I don't buckle in the laptop. The belt pulls tight across the seat and you can then put anything you want on top of it.

Well, I don't have to worry about it any more. The E90 is gone and the E39 doesn't give a shit if you buckle up or not.

Sometimes older IS better.

Unless they just had a burst of stupid when they tested the Atom (video), I'd take their comments with a grain (or bushel) of salt. The C&D test driver had comments like "the thing just does not want to point in a straight line as you can ...whoop... see".

This has been quite a topic of discussion (as you can imagine) over in the Atom forums. Either the car was set up very badly or the driver wasn't used to a car without power anything and no electronic nannies.