Fuel Efficiency Bill Moves Forward   21 May 2007 20:48 GMT
The Senate Commerce, Science and Technology Committee approved a bill that would force automakers to increase the fuel efficiency of their vehicles, setting the stage for the first meaningful change to CAFE standards in decades. The bill is expected to...
Source: wired.com

Fragrant Tires   21 May 2007 20:48 GMT
Why do tires stink? Rubber compounds, any way you compound them, just can’t manage to please the nostrils. As reported in “Car and Driver” this month, Kumho has introduced a tire with a lavender fragrance. At $100 a pop, each...
Source: wired.com

GM Sued Over OnStar Digital Switch   21 May 2007 20:48 GMT
GM's is being sued for leaving some subscribers behind as it switches to a digital network. The OnStar safety system, which automatically connects drivers to operators, is going all digital next year because some of it mobile phone network partners...
Source: wired.com

Oil Industry Keen on Biofuels   21 May 2007 20:48 GMT
The oil barons (or energy companies, as they preferred to be called) are increasingly tying up with biofuel and chemical companies to diversify their sources. From BP to Chevron to Shell, investments in ethanol and biodiesel are opening the doors...
Source: wired.com

Spy Photos of the Lamborghini Murcielago SuperLeggera   21 May 2007 20:48 GMT
Okay, you photo-forensic experts, have these pictures been doctored—or are they real? Either way, a look back over Laborghini’s early days reveals the DNA of this raging bull. Car and Driver's Spy Photo Autoblog's Spy Photo A Look Back...
Source: wired.com

Race and Driving Patterns Paint an Incomplete Picture   21 May 2007 20:48 GMT
The National Transportation Safety Board reports that “Per mile traveled, African-American males ages 13-19 are twice as likely to die in a motor vehicle crash than [are] males in general.” As a remedy the NTSB doles out the usual bromides...
Source: wired.com

Honda’s Secret Museum Teems with Auto Nostaglia   21 May 2007 20:48 GMT
The 50cc Super Cub motorcycle was the company’s first U.S. offering, sold out of an erstwhile carpet showroom in Gardena, California, beginning in 1959. Luckily, Honda kept replicas of its products from those humble beginnings, now stored in a garage...
Source: wired.com

How Long Must You Wait for a Ferrari?   21 May 2007 20:48 GMT
This week's Wall Street Journal reports that the waiting list for a Ferrari is getting longer. The standard 12-month wait--they're hand-built cars, remember--has vaulted into a 24-month wait, thanks to soaring demand, especially in China. Only a few years ago,...
Source: wired.com

The Lexus LS600hL Turns Very Pale Green   21 May 2007 20:48 GMT
I need help understanding the new luxury hybrid from Lexus. The LS600hL weighs 5220 pounds. It’s propelled down the merry road by a 5-liter V8 engine that produces 389 horses. It reaches 60 mph in 5.5 seconds. And it’s supposed...
Source: wired.com

As Rumors Swirl, Greg Biffle Looks to the Bank   21 May 2007 20:48 GMT
It’s the typical catch-22 of racing finance. Greg Biffle’s contract with Roush comes up for renewal in 2008. But AmeriQuest, chief sponsor of his #16 Ford, wants to terminate its contract with Roush because Biffle has only one year left...
Source: wired.com