LA 2008: Top 25 Desktop Wallpapers
Filed under: LA Auto Show Click above for a super high-res gallery of the 2008 L.A. Auto Show
When the press conferences have died down and most of the cars have made their debuts, we like to roam the halls of the convention center and simply enjoy the cars. This also gives us a chance to take photos of the cars away from the crowds of journalists, and we've put together the 25 b...
LA 2008: Mazda takes top honors in Design Challenge
Filed under: Concept Cars , LA Auto Show , Motorsports , Mazda
Click above for more renderings of the Mazda KAAN concept
It wasn't the number one pick of our readers (earning the silver medal in your voting), but Mazda managed to take the top honors at the LA Design Challenge with its KAAN concept. The design itself is a fanciful look into a future where all the roads in Calif...
VIDEO: Mercedes-Benz myCOMAND concept brings internet safely into cars
Filed under: Tech , Videos , Mercedes-Benz Mercedes Benz myCOMAND interface German automakers have gotten plenty of flack for their less than intuitive Navigation/Infotainment systems, but Mercedes Benz is working hard to change that with its myCOMAND concept. The myCOMAND system uses high-speed wireless Internet with upload and download speeds of over 3MB to bring the connectivity o...
Lamborghini delivers final Reventon to British customer
Filed under: Car Buying , Supercars , Lamborghini , UK , Special/Limited Editions Click above for high-res image gallery of the final Lamborghini Reventon
Lamborghini has cultivated an image for fast and exclusive supercars, but the Reventon broke the mold. Although rumors at one point suggested that the exotic automaker would increase the production run, Lamborghini stuck to...
LA 2008: PWM offers adult Erector Set to build work benches
Filed under: LA Auto Show , Etc.
Click above for high-res image gallery of the American Modular Tooling by PWM
While heading out to our first press conference of the morning here at the LA Auto Show , we spotted this... this... thing. It sort of looks like a car, but is actually an adult Erector Set of sorts. Paul W. Marino Gages ( PWM ) offers this line of customizable shop...
Japan's most stolen vehicle is... not what you think
Filed under: Minivans/MPVs , Government/Legal , Toyota Drumroll please! The most stolen vehicle in Japan is... the Toyota Hiace van! Bet that wasn't your first guess. The lowly Hiace has been creeping up the charts since 2005 when it was barely in the top ten. A year later it was fifth with a bullet. Now it's number one and not looking back. Scofflaws' taste for this workman van seems ...
LA 2008: Saab 25th Anniversary 9-3 Cabrio
Filed under: LA Auto Show , Convertibles , Saab , Special/Limited Editions
Click above for high-res image gallery of the Saab 9-3 Cabrio 25th Anniversary Edition
A couple of days ago we told you about this special edition 25th Anniversary Saab 9-3 Cabrio . It's a sure sign that there's not much happening when automakers launch these specials in lieu of any real new models. S...
VIDEO: Nissan 370Z doing its thang
Filed under: Coupes , Videos , Nissan
Click above to watch video after the jump
The new 2009 Nissan 370Z touts improved power, efficiency, handling and updated sheet metal for under $30,000. That makes the 370Z a bit of a performance bargain, and when you consider improved fit and finish, lighter weight and impressive new technology upgrades, Z fans should be plenty happy...
Michael Moore mixed on Big 3 bailout
Filed under: Government/Legal , Chrysler, LLC. , Ford , GM , Celebrities While there is definitely a huge rift between those who favor a Detroit bailout and those who would rather see the Big 3 fade away, you'd think that someone like Flint-native and documentary maker Michael Moore would be all in favor of helping the Big Three succeed. After all, Moore rose to fame for his first docu...
MkVI VW Rabbit & GTI coming to America next September
Filed under: Hatchbacks , Volkswagen Click above for a hi-res gallery of the 2009 Volkswagen Golf GTI
Volkswagen customers in the United States have been patiently awaiting the arrival of the new sixth-generation Rabbit and its GTI performance variant. And while it's still a little ways off, at least there's a light at the end of the tunnel as the German automaker has announced ...
LA 2008: Lotus Evora makes it to the States
Filed under: LA Auto Show , Sports/GTs , Lotus
Click above for high-res image gallery of the Lotus Evora live
The "mostly" U.S. version of the "midsize" Lotus Evora was shown today at the LA Auto Show and it looks exactly like the one that debuted at the 2008 British Motor Show back in June. It's just missing its side marker lights. The Evora follows the '70s Lamborghini U...
Jaguar tops JD Power customer sales satisfaction survey
Filed under: Car Buying , Trends , Jaguar The results are in from J.D. Power and Associates' latest annual Sales Satisfaction Index Study, and Jaguar has leapt back up to the top position that it occupied for three of the four past years before dropping last year to third. The study surveyed some 36,000 buyers and leasers of new cars on their dealership experience, taking into account the ...
LA 2008: Restyled Maserati Quattroporte makes North American debut
Filed under: LA Auto Show , Sedans/Saloons , Maserati Click above for a high-res gallery of the Maserati Quattroporte S
The updated Maserati Quattroporte made its debut at the Paris Motor Show earlier this year, but us Yanks are getting our first look at the LA Auto Show this week. The most noticeable new feature is the front grille that mimics the GranTurismo's vertical slat...
LA 2008: Two Gumperts are uglier than one
Filed under: LA Auto Show , Supercars Click above for a high-res gallery of the Gumpert Apollos
In case you hadn't noticed, the Gumpert Apollo isn't the prettiest car. Its garish and over-emphasized styling make it look cartoonish, but what it lacks in the visual department is made up with one of the most capable chassis and motor combinations ever produced. In fact, a pair of A...
Aw Snap! Congressional Democrats undercut compromise bailout bill
Filed under: Government/Legal , Earnings/Financials Wow, what an amazing piece of political theater that just went down. As we reported, four senators from auto producing state (two Democrats and two Republicans) led by Michigan Senator Carl Levin have reached an agreement on a compromise bailout bill for automakers. They were set to announce details of the compromise bill at 2:30PM, but ...
LA 2008: Kia's Soul-ful debut
Filed under: LA Auto Show , Crossovers/CUVs , Kia
Click above for more live shots of the Kia Soul in LA
Kia put on quite a show today, prancing out a slew of new Souls at the LA Auto Show . Expected to drop as an early 2010 model in late '09, the new boxy Soul will go head-to-head with the equally-new Nissan Cube for the affections of ex-xB buyers here in the States. While...
Officially Official: Europe gets diesel Porsche Cayenne
Filed under: SUVs , Euro , Porsche
Click above for a hi-res gallery of the Porsche Cayenne diesel
Porsche made it all official today. New European regulations that result in tax credits for diesel vehicles have spurred the automaker to drop an oil-burner under the hood of the Cayenne starting in February, 2009. Audi's 3.0L TDI V6 gets the call and will give the Cayenne diesel 2...
BMW M3 recalled over new double-clutch gearbox
Filed under: Recalls/TSBs , BMW Dual clutch transmission... sounds complicated. And it is. Case in point: BMW's new DCT on its latest-generation M3. This new transmission from Munich is so complicated that apparently even BMW couldn't get it right the first time, so they're issuing a recall. The problem, as concluded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, is that under har...
BREAKING: Automaker bailout agreement reached in Senate, still not a sure thing
Filed under: Government/Legal , Earnings/Financials CNBC is reporting that four U.S. senators have reached a bipartisan agreement on a bill to help the Big 3 automakers in Detroit. Those senators include Michigan Democrats Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow, Ohio Republican George Voinovich and Missouri Republican Christopher Bond. Details of the bill are not yet available, but a news confere...
BREAKING: Automaker bailout agreement reached in Senate, still not a sure thing [UPDATE]
Filed under: Government/Legal , Earnings/Financials CNBC is reporting that four U.S. senators have reached a bipartisan agreement on a bill to help the Big 3 automakers in Detroit. Those senators include Michigan Democrats Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow, Ohio Republican George Voinovich and Missouri Republican Christopher Bond. Details of the bill are not yet available, but a news confere...
