Nissan Juke-R clears its throat for the first time

Filed under: Concept Cars, Etc., Videos, Nissan

The end of the Nissan Juke-R build has come and gone. The vehicle is done. Only a lucky few were there when the 485-horsepower twin-turbo V6 borrowed from a Nissan GT-R cleared its throat for the first time. The thrills and high-fives, that wave of adrenaline that buoys dog-tired [...]

Evolution of Speed: Chevy speedometers through time

Filed under: Classics, Etc., Chevrolet, GM, Design/Style

The devil is always in the details when it comes to industrial design. Sure, there are some ugly and disjointed consumer products that should never have been wrought upon the buying public, but the differences between most of the things we build and buy are subtle. Paying attention to [...]

Gas prices not scaring car buyers as much this time around

Filed under: Hybrid, USA
With gasoline prices soaring this year, one might assume, justifiably, that hybrid and fuel-efficient small vehicle demand must also be on the rise, mimicking the market situation in 2008. However, history may not be repeating itself this time around. AutoPacific President George Peterson says, based on a study by the consulting group, [...]

Aston Martin V12 Zagato hits the racetrack for the first time

Filed under: Concept Cars, Motorsports, Coupe, Europe, Aston Martin, Racing

It’s the oldest journalism adage in the book. Dog bites man, not news. Man bites dog, now that’s news. So what does this have to do with cars? We’ll tell you.
Whereas most sports racers are converted for the purpose from existing, commercially available road cars, once [...]

Ford Windstar recalled again, this time for suspension issues

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Recalls, Safety, Ford

Back in August, Ford recalled 462,750 Windstar minivans in Salt-belt states for rear axle corrosion problems, with another 117,000 units recalled in Canada. Then Utah’s 29,900 Windstar owners were added to the list in November. In 2009, Ford also recalled 1.7 million Windstars for faulty cruise control deactivation switches.
So is [...]

California gets $2M more for clean vehicle rebates; only for 4-passenger vehicles this time

Recently, we reported that Environment California is urging Governor Jerry Brown to put a plan in place that will result in 1 million clean vehicles on California roads by 2022. This goal has just gotten a little help with the California Air Resources Board’s announcement that the 2011 budget for clean vehicle rebates will receive [...]

Disposable traffic cones, an idea whose time has come? [w/video]

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Videos, Design/Style

Guy Griffith’s disposable traffic cones – Click above to watch video after the jump

You don’t really think about traffic cones very often, unless they are forcing you into a detour or stuck in your wheel well because you missed that last apex. Though we may not think of them, they’re [...]

Democrats and Republicans agree on higher gas taxes, just not in public all the time

Filed under: Legislation and Policy, USA

Senator Alan Simpson (left) and Erskine Bowles (right), Co-Chairman of the Deficit Reduction Commission

There is a sport in Washington D.C. that comes around like deer season every year: the gas tax debate. And stepping into the clearing this week with brown overcoats and deer antler hats are some former legislators [...]

Video: Jay Leno gets private time with Porsche 918 Spyder

Filed under: Concept Cars, Hybrid, Performance, Videos, Porsche

Jay Leno’s Garage gets private time with Porsche 918 Spyder – Click above to view video after the jump

One of the things we like most about Jay Leno, aside from being a hugely knowledgeable car guy, of course, is his access. Who else would Porsche pick for some [...]

It’s about time to pay tribute to Porsche’s first Le Mans victory

Filed under: Etc., Porsche, Design/Style

Porsche Design P’6612 Dashboard Le Mans 1970 Limited Edition – Click above for high-res image gallery

Some races come and go, but a handful remain inextricably intertwined with the very fabric of motor racing around the world. Races like the Monaco Grand Prix, the Indianapolis 500 and the 24 Hours of Le [...]

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