BMW’s New Vision: 155-MPH Plug-In Hybrid   31 Aug 2009 20:53 GMT
We were as shocked as anyone when BMW announced it was quitting Formula 1 to devote more resources to developing cleaner, greener automobiles. There was some skepticism, but BMW wasn’t blowing green smoke. It’s serious about building eco-friendlier pavement-peeling cars. First up is a slick 356-horsepower all-wheel-drive plug-in diesel-hybrid concept that BMW claims accelerates like an [...]
Source: wired.com

Greased Lighting: Inventor Creates LED Wrenches   31 Aug 2009 20:10 GMT
Gone, at last, are the days of bribing your best friend with pizza and beer to hold your flashlight as you tinker (or fumble) with a wrench in the dark recesses of your car. Grab yourself a set of Hi Beam-Light Wrenches and you can use one hand to hold the wrench and the light, [...]
Source: wired.com

Equilibrium Concept Makes Our Hearts Beat Faster   31 Aug 2009 19:30 GMT
A new concept aims to create an “intense” ownership experience by using emerging technologies to strengthen the emotional bond between man and machine. Bob Romkes, a designer at Britain’s Royal College of Art, penned the Equilibrium concept as a luxury car for the future. In an era when customization equals personalization, Romkes sees a chance for [...]
Source: wired.com

Design: Designer’s Goal Was a Buff Bull   29 Aug 2009 02:18 GMT
As he set out to restyle the Ford Taurus for 2010, Earl Lucas, the car’s chief exterior designer, had a mission: to make the high-set sedan more macho and muscular.


Source: NY Times

Motoring: Common Standard on Towing   29 Aug 2009 02:16 GMT
SAE International has established a voluntary standard that specifies how automakers should measure towing capacity.


Source: NY Times

Surfers Met Rodders, and a Genre Was Born   29 Aug 2009 02:15 GMT
The quintessential California hot rod canonized by the Beach Boys was the realized dream of a Detroit teenager.


Source: NY Times

Behind The Wheel | 2010 Ford Taurus: Much Ado About Another Do-Over   29 Aug 2009 02:15 GMT
The redesigned 2010 Ford Taurus is the third incarnation in six years of the same basic car.


Source: NY Times

Mercedes-Benz Makes a Small Bet on Hydrogen   28 Aug 2009 19:22 GMT
Battery electric cars are all the rage right now, with most of the major automakers promising to have one on the road within the next few years. But that doesn’t mean hydrogen is dead. To prove it, Mercedes-Benz will begin building hydrogen fuel cell cars this fall and offer them to customers next year. The F-Cell [...]
Source: wired.com

Lord Drayson, Environmentalist and Race Driver   28 Aug 2009 18:33 GMT
This is Lord Paul Drayson. He’s the Minister for Science and Innovation for the United Kingdom. He’s also a complete and utter car nut who races in the American Le Mans Series. Cooler still, he’s got a huge inclination for all things green. Drayson Racing recently bought a Lola B09/60 that will make its racing debut [...]
Source: wired.com

Your Town Car Can Be A Movie Star   28 Aug 2009 09:00 GMT
An independent movie producer in New York City is searching for a black Lincoln Town Car as the setting for his next film. He can’t pay you for it, but he hopes it’ll become as recognizable to indie filmgoers as Uncle Rico’s van. While black cars are about as hard to find in Manhattan as Bloomingdale’s [...]
Source: wired.com