Cars

We don’t need to tell you that buying a new a set of wheels can be stressful endeavor. Throw in a monkey wrench like buying a car powered by energy sources you’re unfamiliar with — electricity for example — and you’ve got an ordeal you could probably do without. But with gas prices at or near the $4.00 mark nationwide, now might be the right time to take that drive down Electric Avenue. If you’ve looking into buying an electric car,… Read More

How do you celebrate a car company’s birthday? James Bond’s favorite car, Aston Martin, is turning 100 next year, so a celebration is in order. Aston’s executives decided to go with a special edition model, rather than a giant cake. How special will this car be? Aston Martin CEO Ulrich Bez says the centennial car will be an “entirely new model,” but for this British company, that term is relative. Like Porsche with the 911, Aston has mastered… Read More

Big rigs are not known for being fast, or fuel efficient, and the engineers at Volvo apparently viewed that as a challenge. The Swedish company built a one-off diesel hybrid truck, nicknamed “Mean Green,” that recently set a world speed record. At 236.5 kph (147 mph), this is the world’s fastest hybrid truck. The record was certified by the United States Auto Club, a division of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the… Read More

If you buy a new Corvette, the most low-tech component is probably the transmission. Most Corvettes come with a manual, which means that magical box of gears operates just like the one on the first Chevy, from 1911. However, that is exactly how most performance enthusiasts like it. Manual transmissions, they say, make driving more involving. No wonder car people are often called “gear heads.” Luckily for those gear heads, sales of cars equipped… Read More

For a car company with a name like Mini, which has long thrived on its small stature, the German-owned British marquee isn’t afraid to offer a large variety of cars to choose from. Our last count put the total number of variations at six — more if you count the all the special editions, limited editions and John Cooper Works models. But despite there being more Mini models than days of the week, the next model coming from the company is… Read More

Electric vehicles (EVs) can save consumers money, and not just on fuel. The 18,000 electric vehicles sold last year earned a combined $150 million in federal and state tax credits, according to Inside Line. Federal tax credits of up to $7,500 per vehicle totaled $135 million. The credit is deducted from a taxpayer’s bill, so buyers have to wait until tax season to get their money back. The amount each individual receives is based on their tax… Read More

Going on vacation? Need to park your car at lot during your trip? If you think your ride is safe and sound while you’re off on a well deserved vacation, then you’ll be surprised to learn the truth. Premiere Parking Spot in Cocoa, Florida is one of many parking lots that watch over patron’s car while they hop a cruise liner or are out of town on vacation. Generally, you pay, you park, and the company watches over your wheels while you’re away.… Read More

General Motors and its luxury brand Cadillac will enter the growing EV market with the ELR, an extended-range plug-in hybrid coupe, late next year, reports GMInsideNews.com (GMI). We’ve been aware of GM’s plans of bringing a Cadillac-branded plug-in hybrid to the market for while now. Back in 2009, GM introduced the world to the ELR – known back then as the Converj concept – at the North American Auto Show in Detroit. Last August, GM… Read More

Ford’s compact Focus is good for one thing: variety. From the staid base sedan to the all-electric hatchback, there seems to be a Focus for everyone. Everyone, that is, except the performance enthusiast. The 2012 Focus debuted with a brace of green powertrains, but nothing that could be described as “sporty.” That will change soon, because Ford is rolling out another Focus: the ST. Ford announced this sporty Focus last year, and is just about… Read More

When it comes to cars, the simple truth is: looks matter. Regardless of what someone says, nobody really wants to drive an ugly car. In fact, one of the major complaints consumers have about hybrid/electric vehicles is that they aren’t always easy on the eye — often polarizing people’s opinions on just how unattractive they are. But with average gallon of gas at or near the $4.00 mark, consumers have really had to decide over purchasing… Read More

Conventional wisdom says that a car should have four wheels, but why follow the herd? If you want a free-standing vehicle with an odd number of wheels, your only real choice is a motorcycle and sidecar. That is, until now. Morgan, the British sports car company that hasn’t changed its styling since the 1940s, is bringing its new three-wheeler to the U.S. Granted, “new” is not really the best way to describe this vehicle. Morgan started building… Read More

They grow up so fast, don’t they? It’s hard to believe it’s been ten whole years since Toyota unveiled its youth-oriented Scion brand. The Japanese automaker was in it to win it, so to speak, with a concentrated push towards capturing the youth market with its off-shoot brand. But that was then and this is now. The once wide-eyed youth Toyota was chasing are now older and Scion may need to grow up along with them to keep pace. Having just… Read More

It may have a Japanese badge, but the world’s most popular hybrid might soon be made in the good ole’ U.S. of A. Toyota is planning on making Priuses, specifically ones it wants to sell here, at an American plant. The company hopes this move will trim costs and increase availability of the hybrid hatchback. Koei Saga, Toyota’s senior managing officer in charge of drivetrain R&D, told Automotive News that Toyota is looking to start Prius… Read More

You don’t need a fire suit, or a name like Andretti, to own a racecar. All you need is cash. If you want a car that comes with racing numbers as standard equipment, head to Monaco on May 12. RM Auctions will be selling a Peugeot 908 HDi FAP, a bona fide racecar that competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The 908 was the culmination of Peugeot’s campaign to beat perennial champion Audi in the French race. Like its main competitor, the Audi R10 TDI,… Read More