The quiet launch of avast! 5.1 has some people guessing: Is this a concept vehicle, a new model, or just a facelift?

In the automotive sector, a concept car is the designer’s visualization of how the car’s identity and key features will develop, a new model has brand-new exterior metal, and a facelift just has a different plastic bumper slapped on the same old sheet metal.

So if the 5.1 was a car and I was a 'gearhead', this is what the report would be:

1. More than a facelift. The new 5.1 doesn’t look different than 5.0 as the GUI is the same. Under the hood, the Behavior Shield has been strengthened, enabling avast! to spot more malware based on its suspect activities rather than the traditional virus signature. Avast! is also now able to scan for 64-bit rootkits, nipping this new type of malware in the bud for the newest computers.

2. Not quite a new model. The key antivirus engine has remained essentially unchanged. To see the complete range of new safety and community features, you will need to wait for the upcoming avast! 6.0.

3. The concept is here. Within 5.1, there are several key features which will be visible in the next-generation 6.0. In fact, these features are already included in the software, they just haven’t been turned on yet. We will tell you about them in the coming weeks. The jury is now deliberating: concept, new model, or facelift. Download it, hop in, and take a test drive yourself. It's your decision.