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Latest by Nick Jaynes

Gas that grows on trees? Bacteria that can turn plant matter, manure into real gasoline is now science fact, not fiction

E. coli that can turn plant material – or even manure – into biofuel that is chemically and structurally identical to those found in commercial fuel.

Power your e-bimmer off of the sun? BMW offers solar panel packages for i3 buyers’ homes through SOLARWATT

BMW realizes that powering your EV from the sun can be quite a pleasurable experience for those keen to save the planet.

Cadillac lightens up? Typically heavy-handed carmaker focuses on LED tech, shaves pounds from CTS

Cadillacs are becoming lighter – both visually and physically. The new CTS is the lightest vehicle in its class.

Audi will test 510hp diesel-hybrid powered ‘long-tail’ R18 e-tron quattro racer at Spa in Belgium

Audi extends the body on one of its diesel hybrid racecars to see if a new high-speed setup will shave times in various sections of the Spa racetrack in Belgium.

California gasses up, aims to have 100 hydrogen filling stations by 2017

California could see one million zero-emissions cars on its public roadways, more than 50,000 of which powered by hydrogen.

Here comes more carbon fiber: BMW develops quick, relatively inexpensive CF production process

The BMW i3 represents the German automaker’s foray into large-scale carbon fiber-based vehicle construction.

Meet the anti-Tesla: Terra Motors’ electric ‘tuk-tuk’ trike has big-name backers

Electric vehicles now span from the high end to the low.

Proposed California bill could further cut EV purchase prices while helping carmakers

With other draconian electric vehicle laws on the books, one Californian lawmaker looks to push buyers into dealerships with further tax incentives.

Nissan sells more LEAF EVs than any other car model in the greenie haven of Portland, Oregon

While LEAF sales overall are a virtual flop, they appear to be quite hot in Portland, Oregon.

Hongqi L9: The $1-million Chinese luxury car with the face of an Austin American and the body of a Bentley

Late to its own party: the original Chinese luxury automaker finally goes public.
MG Emblem

MG may reboot but oddly, CEO wants to distance carmaker from ‘affordable sports cars’

MG believes a new sports car is the wrong idea. Instead, the brand will focus on a compact CUV with British design sensibilities, ala MGB.

Shanghai Auto Show: Mercedes-Benz unveils long-wheelbase version of E-Class sedan

Longer, sportier looking, and safer: Mercedes rolls out an E-Class for the Chinese unlike anything that’s offered around the globe.

Volvo combines lightweight aluminum, Formula One technology in next-gen XC90

Volvo plans to combine a lightweight aluminum structure with four-cylinders and hybrid technology.

Koenigsegg’s amazing Swedish supercars: 0 to 100 in just ten years

Swedish supercar maker, along with breaking world records, has delivered 100 cars in the last ten years. While some automakers sell that in a day, few have achieved the notoriety enjoyed by Koenigsegg.

Audi mulls a more practical RS5 – and a minivan?

Audi could use the press from a shooting brake model to sell more of its lower-end models.

Shanghai Auto Show: Nissan’s Chinese brand, VENUCIA, unveils new EV concept

The all-new brand sells over 70,000 units of its first model in one calendar year and aims to release many more in the months to come.
shanghai auto show apple and volkswagen team up to create the ibeetle vw ibeetle1

Shanghai Auto Show: Apple and Volkswagen team up to create the ‘iBeetle’

Volkswagen paints the Beetle a couple new colors and comes up with a new limited edition, the iBeetle.

TomTom releases pared-down turn-by-turn only ‘Commuter’ nav concept

All too often drivers turn to their navigation systems not for directions but for traffic info.

London’s latest e-taxi will come from China’s largest EV automaker

Chinese automaker BYD is hoping that its first foray into the U.K. market will be seen as more than just kitsch.

Shanghai Auto Show: Buick shows off wild Riviera Concept wireless plug-in hybrid

110-year-old Buick has some tricks up its sleeve as it unveils the all-new Riviera Concept.

Volvo puts the S60 Polestar into production – but its not the one you want

Although it has a bigger turbo and brakes, the S60 Polestar production car falls far short of the 508 horsepower figures of its concept predecessor.

Mitsubishi’s Boeing-related lithium-ion battery issues puts new Outlander PHEV production on hold

Mitsubishi faces several cases of malfunctioning lithium-ion cells and halts further production until the issue is corrected.

‘Zinuo:’ Chinese for BMW – well, kind of

BMW has announced a Chinese-only brand called Zinoro.

Could Alfa Romeo’s forthcoming 4C create a new class of sports car?

We very well could be looking at the beginning of the lightweight, mid-engined sports cars renaissance with the Alfa Romeo 4C and the Alpines and Caterhams that will share its structure.

Smart offers battery rental program, price cut for customers suspicious of EV longevity

While other automakers like Nissan are making lower-end, entry-level models in order to attract buyers, Smart goes another…smarter route.

GM and Ford call temporary truce to co-develop 9 and 10-speed automatic transmissions

10-speeds are apparently not just for Schwinns anymore.

Daimler defies EU enviro directive, claims newly approved A/C refrigerant is flammable

Despite Opel’s insistence that the new 1234yf refrigerant is safe, Daimler won’t use it and defies an EU directive to do so.

Jaguar extends XK-RS GT production run, 20 really rich buyers quietly rejoice

Jaguar might just build 20 more XK-RS GTs than previously anticipated.

Is Bugatti preparing to unveil the Super Veyron after all?

Speculation is rampant this morning after Bugatti teased a new performance model on its Facebook page.

Move over Bentley, we’d rather have this Audi RS 8 instead

Although Audi has no present plans for an RS 8, these renderings from an Audi fanboy make us wish it did.

BMW’s M6 Gran Coupe as Official Car of MotoGP World Championship

BMW has sent five M models and two motorcycles to the MotoGP World Championship in Qatar to act as Safety Cars.

We scratch our heads as GM works to re-trademark ‘Chevelle’ nameplate; thankful it’s not the ‘Chevette’

Just when we thought GM was eager to move forward into the 21st century, we learn that it’s trademarking the Chevelle nameplate.

Swedish researchers bring ‘Mr. Fusion’ to life by generating hydrogen fuel from burned trash

Move over Doc Brown, researchers at Lund University in Sweden have developed a method for creating hydrogen from the ash of burned trash.

Will SRT shoehorn the Viper V10 under the hood of the Challenger to take on the Chevy Z/28?

SRT CEO Ralph Giles said at the New York Auto Show that the brand is planning a Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 competitor.