Market for Vintage Cars Kicks into Overdrive   05 Jun 2007 13:57 GMT
Christie’s began its annual vintage car auction in Greenwich, Conn., this past weekend. Prices continue to head north in what is becoming a market that is as frothy as art. The usual suspects—a 1938 Bugatti Type 57C, a 1959 Jaguar...
Source: wired.com

Smart Fortwo Takes Deposits on 18,000 Units   05 Jun 2007 13:52 GMT
That’s about as many of the cars as the Mercedes Benz Smart division had planned to sell in the U.S. for all of 2008. Admittedly, deposits on the two seaters are only $99 a pop. But the hoopla surrounding this...
Source: wired.com

Spy Photos of 2008 Cadillac CTS-V Hint at Turbocharging   05 Jun 2007 13:45 GMT
Edmunds.com says it’s unlikely. Despite the bulge on the hood (2007 model shown here), which hints at a blower beneath, the CTS-V is already powered by a Corvette engine and tranny—with minimal modifications. More likely, the new Caddy will get...
Source: wired.com

Ad Campaign Begins Fight Against Higher Mileage Standards   05 Jun 2007 13:40 GMT
The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers began their first defensive move against higher mileage standards with a $1 million-plus radio and print campaign to convince consumers they are being robbed of “choice” and that the new standards will result in higher...
Source: wired.com

Why Gas Mileage Has Stagnated Since the 1970s   05 Jun 2007 13:30 GMT
Despite huge advances in fuel injection, timing and computer-controlled engine management, gas mileage has barely budged in the past 20 years. “The Wall Street Journal” looks at the various reasons and finds, not surprisingly, that the biggest culprit is weight....
Source: wired.com

Bill France Jr. Dies at 74   05 Jun 2007 13:25 GMT
Son of NASCAR’s founder William (Big Bill) France, Bill France, Jr., built stock-car racing from a small-time backwater sport into a billion-dollar enterprise. He spent his entire life around car racing, working in speedway concession stands as a teenager, before...
Source: wired.com

Renault's Answer to the BMW 3 Series   04 Jun 2007 20:55 GMT
Renault introduced the latest version of its Laguna luxury car today, which was short on driver-interface technology compared to competing mid- to low-end models from the likes of Mercedes and BMW, but it show some promise in the way of...
Source: wired.com

Is Bush Making an End-Run on Global Warming Talks?   04 Jun 2007 13:43 GMT
To his supporters, President Bush was finally facing the realities of global warming in his speech last Thursday by proposing long-term targets for reducing U.S. emissions. It also sidestepped the politically nettlesome Kyoto Protocol, which remains a bane to business...
Source: wired.com

May Auto Sales Rose, But Don’t Hold Your Breath   04 Jun 2007 13:35 GMT
The five-percent rebound from April’s dismal numbers was heartening to automakers, but no one is breaking out the champagne. The weak housing picture and soaring gasoline prices promise to keep the lid on auto purchases through the summer. Toyota sits...
Source: wired.com

Gas Station Owner Raises Prices in Protest   04 Jun 2007 13:28 GMT
Prices at a Shell gas station in San Francisco have held steady for the past month at $4.43 a gallon. While prices in the Bay area notoriously rise above the national average, this eye-popping number is nearly 80 cents a...
Source: wired.com