A couple of years ago, I was in a Corvette Z06.  Stopped at a light.  And was completely smoked at green by a woman.  In a minivan.  Who was talking on a cell phone.  Who probably didn’t notice me.  Some people might write this off to my conservative driving practice.  But I think that it is more characteristic of driving behavior that contributes to some of the problems related to the high cost of fuel in the U.S. (Despite the fact that gas prices are down of late, I am not one of those who thinks that happy days are here again.  A barrel of crude averaged $72 in 2007.  We’ve a long way to go before we get to that average.)

Vehicle manufacturers—especially those in Detroit, although Toyota is not immune to it—have found their business models turned upside down.  The trucks and SUVs that served them so very well are now almost radioactive.  So they are working vigorously at...Read More...

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2008 Lexus GS 450h

2008 Mini Cooper Clubman

2009 Lincoln MKS

2008 Suzuki SX4

2009 Scion tC

Driven Archives

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Turning Blue
Cambridge University has awarded Fitzwilliam College engineering student and Formula 3 driver Oliver Turvey an Extraordinary Full Blue for Motorsport, the first ever awarded in this category. A University Sporting Blue is an award that is usually earned by sportsmen and women at Cambridge for competing at the highest level of student competition. – View More 

The Name Game
The suspense is over. Pontiac has finally chosen a name for its G8-based sport truck after thousands of people submitted suggestions during its "Tame the Name" promotion. The unibody pickup will be called the "Pontiac G8 ST" despite a number of sentimental entries for "El Camino" after the car-based Chevy pickup of yore.– View More 

Vote Early...and Often
NASCAR has teamed up with the Alliance to Save Energy to feature car care tips on the NASCAR Angels reality television show, and public service announcements on NASCAR Performance Live on Sirius Satellite Radio. The Alliance’s Drive Smarter Challenge also features an interactive calculator that shows how much money and gas they can save. – View More 

California Logic
Far be it from The Newsmonger to make fun of California's Dept. of Motor Vehicles whose traffic school program allows scofflaw drivers to clear a ticket and keep insurance costs low – depending on the offense – simply by successfully completing a certified traffic school course. It’s sheer genius! – View More

Small but Fast
You almost have to wonder what is in the water at Mini headquarters. First, the company built a number of rickshaws for the Summer Olympics that combine a fiberglass facsimile of the rear compartment of the Mini Cooper Clubman to the seat and handlebars of a bicycle. Next, it partnered with ABF Performance to produce a Mini drag racer. – View More 

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Upcoming Industry Events:
IMTS 2008 - Sept. 8-13
The 8th-annual Automotive Composites Conference & (ACCE) - Sept. 16-18
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Learning from Beijing
Like 3.5 bazillion other people, I watched the Games of the XXIX Olympiad on TV. I witnessed the remarkable feats within the Bird's Nest (a.k.a., the Beijing National Stadium) and the even more remarkable feats (as in Michael Phelps) within the Water Cube (a.k.a., the Beijing National Aquatics Center).

Consider ...Read More...