11.) Feature Hand-Cut Tires On Giant Wheels

As evidenced by the production Honda Insight, production cars and concept cars roll in majorly different ways. Concept cars get gigantic, futuristic-looking wheels on slick hand-cut tires which, by comparison, make the production versions look like they're driving around on steel donuts.

10.) Give It Super-Tinted Glass

Whether it's because they want to obscure what's going on inside or because it just looks cool, you'll find few concept cars without darkly tinted windows. In some cases, as with the Soueast X1 Hybrid GT, it obscures the fact that the car has no interior.

9.) Place LED Lights Everywhere

LED lights are awesome but, in most cases, they end up being relegated to service at the rear of production versions of the car (except for everything from Audi). The Honda Insight Concept was nothing but LED lights, which were dropped for the 2010 Honda Insight production version because those things are seriously expensive.

8.) Add Futuristic Doors

No one in the future will ever open a door by using a handle. Either you press a tiny button (as with the Insight) and the door opens itself or you think about it and the door leans forward in some sort of Gullwing-scissor door combination. Or, as with the Land Rover LRX Concept, you just don't put any door handles on at all.

7.) Don't Forget The Obnoxiously Expensive Paint Job

When cars go into production you get mostly basic choices like red, black, blue, sliver, green or white. Rarely do these colors end up on a concept car. You've got your electric blues, magical greens and lacquered creams. Volvo, for some reason, always paints cars like a surf rescue vehicle because the Germans love Baywatch.

6.) Make Sure You Have Overly-involved Apple Product Integration

Apple products, like the iPhone and iPod, are the measure by which all modern design is measured. They're also considered "cool" by almost everyone. Therefore, every concept has to work in conjunction with an iPod. The LRX uses one as a smart key. The Hummer HX records your off-road videos and downloads them to an iPhone. In the case of the Volt, the entire command console looks like an iPod.

5.) Design Impossible Seating

No one in the future will have legs or working spines, at least if you're to believe concept cars. The seats are slung impossibly low and the back seats fit together in ways even Cirque Du Solei performers would find uncomfortable.

4.) Throw In A Whimsical Steering Wheel

Look at a concept car steering wheel and you'll wonder if the government hasn't repealed the airbag requirement on new cars. Though most follow the standard three-spoke design, these futuristic wheels are made of leather, metal and typically clean and smooth even though the production version will almost certainly be black and covered with buttons.

3.) Do Something Strange To The Roof

The high-angle, three-quarter perspective is the one typically used for news articles and press shots. Why not throw on a panaromic glass roof? It worked for the Ford Verve. In the case of the Maybach 62 design study they just removed the roof outright.

2.) Use Expensive Materials

Concept vehilces, especially for premium automakers, are designed to encourage buyers to see themselves in the brand's luxurious appointments. For the Lincoln MKT Concept, this means a dash inspired by Swarovski crystal. For the Nissan above, it means headlights that look like Jewels. For the ConceptFASCINATION from Mercedes, that means actual crystal glasses and a jewel-encrusted humidor. Fancy!

1.) Surround It With Models

Designers and marketers understand that sticking a pretty piece of flesh in front of a not-so-attractive piece of metal is an easy way to draw attention to your car. If it's an expensive luxury car put a woman in a gown in front of it. If it's an exotic sports car make sure she's wearing a cocktail dress. If the concept is hip and urban make sure the model looks like she'd give you the clap.

Recently, ROUSH gave us a shot behind the wheel of an F-150 converted with the first ever propane kit system —a new complete plug-and-play propane conversion kit for 2007.5 and 2008 model years equipped with the 5.4-liter V8 engine. The installation kit includes a fuel pump, fuel injectors with matching fuel rail, a reprogrammed ROUSH ECU, all of the proper fluid lines and wiring and either an under-bed 25-gallon tank or the one pictured here that sits in the bed and holds 59-gallons. Installation can be accomplished at home with a reasonable set of tools in about eight hours.

So how does driving the propane-powered F-150 differ from the gasoline or diesel-powered model? It doesn’t. ROUSH's earth-friendly Ford drives, stops and steers exactly like its conventional cousin. Since this truck runs off liquid propane, starting the engine is as simple as turning the key. This is vital, as models from other manufacturers burn gaseous propane, resulting in issues with turning over in the cold; that wouldn't cut it up here in the Dirty Glove (Michigan, for the uninitiated) with our freeze-your-ass-off winters. Horsepower and torque numbers are supposedly identical to the gasoline-fed model, but we noticed a bit more pep. Cargo loading and tow ratings remain unchanged.

Mother Earth is all "Hell Yeah" about this truck as much as Hank Hill would be if he got his hands on one. Propane touts a much lower carbon footprint than gasoline, diesel, heavy fuel oil and even ethanol; the exhaust contains virtually no toxic compounds. Safety actually improves over the gas-fed truck: The propane storage tank is tested at six times the usual pressure to ensure you don't turn into a mushroom cloud on your way back from Best Buy. Try saying that about the fuel tank in your Camry.

All this namby-pamby greenwashing is fine and all, but let's talk economy. With propane producing fewer BTUs per gallon than gasoline, it's only logical to expect a hit in fuel mileage. After 615 miles of mixed driving, our truck returned a calculated 9.6 MPG, albeit with significant and prolonged hoonage practiced. Reports from other drivers agree highway mileage sits around 12-14 MPG when driven gingerly. Fuel is astonishingly easy to come by on the open road as every U-Haul, Airgas and the like all have the proper nozzle to dispense some clean burnin' goodness.

So, if it eats a bit more fuel than its conventional brother per mile, where are they hiding the savings? The cost of the complete kit starts at a suggested retail price of $8,595.00. Obviously, nobody's saving a buck there. Well, propane must be mighty cheap, right? Not quite: We paid $2.11 a gallon from the local U-Haul, which offered the most competitive pricing in the Detroit area. The simple fact is that, just like voting Republican, this truck doesn't make sense for Joe the Plumber and it isn't supposed to. If you take a look at the math from a fleet perspective, the numbers start lining up in attractive little rows. First, propane rings in at about $1.00 a gallon once you start purchasing at the wholesale level. Then, factor in the $0.50 per gallon tax credit offered by the Fed for using propane as a fuel in a road-going vehicle. The cherry on top of that financially-delicious sundae is the whopping $2,500 maximum tax credit allowed for each ROUSH Propane-fueled F-150 purchased. Suddenly, this mathematically-approved messiah brings the promise of flipping your bottom line from red to black while Joe gets to keep his job fixin' the pipes. [viaROUSH]

Photo Credit: Alex C. Conley

Specifically, Automobile selected cars from Detroit they believe are able to stand up to other automakers in competitive classes such as mid-size cars and crossover SUVs and not just trucks and Jeeps.

The Top Ten Relevant Products Detroit Has To Offer

1. 2010 Ford Fusion/Fusion Hybrid
2. 2009 Chevrolet Malibu/Malibu Hybrid
3. 2009 Chrysler Town & Country
4. 2009 Ford Escape/Escape Hybrid
5. 2009 Cadillac CTS/Cadllac CTS-V
6. 2011 Chevrolet Volt
7. 2010 Ford Fiesta
8. 2010 Chrysler Town & Country EV
9. 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
10. 2010 Ford Transit Connect

It's a good list and we're in strong agreement with most of the choices, though we think it's a bad sign that 80% of the list is dominated by Ford and Chevy projects and to get two Chrysler products they had to include two versions of the Chrysler Town & Country as opposed to lumping them together as they did with the hybrid vehicles from the other two domestic automakers. It's also troubling the other version of the Town & Country is the highly speculative electric version.

[Cruise over to Automobile Mag for their reasoning]

The Miles Electric is the brainchild of Polo by Ralph Lauren Jeanswear founder and avowed environmentalist Miles Rubin and it has taken a more stealthy approach to the public spotlight. The Highway Speed is an all-electric converted version of the Hafei Saibao 3, a Chinese-made compact that actually passes European safety standards — shocking! Pun intended.

The Miles Electric Highway Speed, which is the unofficial but silly name, draws power from a 37 KW lithium iron phosphate battery pack which charges on 220V power and has enough juice for a 100 mile round trip. The still murky motivating motor reaches a claimed acceleration of 8.2 seconds 0-to-60 MPH with a top speed over 80 MPH. Chassis and battery components are built and assembled in China at the Hafei assembly line while the motor and controller are US made components.

But what's the bottom line on all of this? Price, somewhere in the neighborhood of $40,000 to $45,000, but considering the battery pack exceeds the 20 KW capacity which earns the federal $7,500 incentive, the price becomes a bit more reasonable. But that's not really the bottom line anyway is it? The real question is whether Americans, and Californians specifically, would consider buying a largely Chinese-made electric vehicle built by a company captained by a fashionista environmentalist. [via Hybrid Cars]

The biggest factor into how well a cash loan will work with the automakers will be the number of total auto sales in the United States. If an automaker makes the right projections they should be able to figure out how much money they'll need to get them through this downturn. So how did they each do in their projections? Let's take a look and grade them. Here are the sale projections from the three automakers:

Photo Credit: Christopher Furlong / Getty Images News

Also knows as 1:42:08, the short is essentially a quickly edited representation of a racecar driver testing his vehicle. Filmed at California's Willow Springs Raceway, it features a script which makes Le Mans look like it was written by Aaron Sorkin. The barren hills even hint at Tatooine and, if you squint your eyes, the Lotus 23 looks just a bit like an XP-34 Landspeeder. Thanks to the guys at VODCARS for finding and posting the video.

[VODCARS]

I have always been fascinated by cars and from an early age used to go with my god father to brands hatch race track. He belonged to the Aston Martin owners club and so would accompany him to the races. We would often go into the paddock and see all the cars being tuned and tweaked- I'm sure this is where I came across for the first time a Lamborghini, and it made a lasting impression.

In 2005 I made my first wireframe car, a Subaru Impreza P1. I called it 'Modern Japanese Classic'. A Subaru was chosen for many reasons; it was at the time a joy-riders favourite, it was my preferred car when playing Gran Turismo on Playstation, but really its charm comes from the fact that despite being very, very fast, underneath the lowered alloys and fat spoilers lurks a family saloon (albeit on steroids!).

With the Lamborghini I made it because I just knew the wireframe technique would suit it and it is the most iconic supercar of all time. I had to make it to get it out of my system.

It was a fun project, I loved doing the little details like the pepper pot wheels and Pirelli P7 tyres, the Koenig side spoilers and air intakes, and of course the rear spoiler- It looks so simple but it took ages because it's all about the economy of line — too much steel and it becomes unsophisticated and not enough and it doesn't represent it sufficiently.

I chose the fluro orange because like the car it is uncompromising! It's aggressive and has attitude. It also looks great when the car is either set in the street or photographed against a white background.

The car is currently on display at the Classic Car Club UK, a genius organization with a collection of cars the members collectively drive. If you're interested the Countach is indeed for sale or, if the right opportunity comes along, a lease. We'd certainly drop this beauty into the corporate entry at Jalopnik HQ over some generic piece of post-modern corporate art.

Our friends over at Motive have waded knee-deep through this series of tubes known as the internet to bring you all of the wonderful ways folks can and will do it wrong. Since "YDIW" is so closely related to fail, almost imperceptibly close, it is important to note the subtle differences. Who are we trying to kid - The internet isn't supposed to make any sense.

As the sales leader of the CD3 triplets, the 2010 Ford Fusion is the most important of the trio and does its best to pave the way for the new European-derived models that Ford plans to have appear shortly (pending any Carpocalypse-related financial troubles) and the new 2010 Ford Taurus we expect to see hit the show floor at the Detroit Auto Show. For starters, the most noticeable changes to the 2010 Fusion happen in the front fascia. Ford designers seem to have tried to split the difference between the “Hi, I’m Dave” bold American design and the more sophisticated Euro Ford styling. They may have failed. Instead, the three bar grille retains the signature best-a-man-can-get look, but does so in a much larger “Hey, look at me, I’m Dave’s garish cousin from fake America” fashion. Gone are the simplistic geometric forms, replaced by a swoopy, upswept chrome three bar treatment with a bevel running through the bottom, leading up and over the headlights. The headlights have lost both the squircles and the vertical design from the previous model, replaced by an aggressive horizontal set encompassing a pair of projector lamps.

The hood has now been completely reshaped, taking some of its design from the 2007 Ford Interceptor concept, featuring a simulated high-rise power dome. If there’s one design element we truly like, it’s the leading edge of the hood, helping the overall front design in its message of strength and sophistication; without it, this design would look contrived and weak.

The lower fascia is now comprised of a large central opening flanked by chrome detailing wrapping around the outer edge, giving visual continuity with the upcoming Fiesta small car. The outer surround features an aggressive trapezoidal form diving into the lower fascia opening while housing two small projector fog lamps. The chrome detailing here represents Ford’s attempt at heightening the perceived quality of its new mid-size contender. We’re not sure why Ford decided to move the side marker lamps lower in the fascia - their placement seems a little haphazard and we would have preferred that they follow the same design as the 2010 Mercury Milan by sitting on the front wheel arch. But whatever, it’s an improvement over the Bland Moves of the original Fusion.

The rear end of the 2010 Fusion has the same overall feel of the outgoing 2006-2009 model, but the devil’s in the details. The use of existing rear quarter panels dictated the use of a similar shape for the taillights, but the detailing is all new. The dip to the lower lamp surface mimics the dip in the trunk surface and helps lift the rear visually. The taillights have lost the visual depth from the previous model (and the squircles!), but have gained an attractive honeycomb pattern that will help make up the difference.

The trunk surface gains a horizontal bevel that dips to mimic the taillights and borders the new, narrower license plate pocket. Another horizontal line runs through the top surface of the plate pocket and leads into the taillight to provide a resting place for the newly-chromed badge surround with integrated CHMSL.

Ford interior designers for some reason decided the Fusion’s interior wasn’t in need of a full refresh though the changes made were for the better. By moving the belt line of the IP up, the 2010 Fusion now appears less cramped and more inviting though we’re not sure how we feel about the painted accents in the Sport model which remind us more of boy-racers than urban sophisticates. The horizontal break line splitting the top of the center stack reminds us of the horizontal lines of the front and rear, a nice tie-in to the exterior. The center stack now houses new HVAC controls and Ford’s awesome SYNC 2.0 multimedia system. The steering wheel is a carryover piece but now features some aluminum bright work to help lessen the visual weight of the overwhelming black plastic.

Easily the coolest part of the 2010 Fusion interior is found in the Hybrid model. The greener-than-gas-alone model features two high resolution LCD displays on either side of the speedometer that give valuable information such as battery power levels, average and instant mpg. Ford really hit a home-run with this display and weíre excited to see future applications of this system.

The 2010 Milan takes a subtle approach to its front end sheet metal changes. The waterfall grille is now wider and takes on a trapezoidal form with a large chrome strip on its top edge. An upward facing bevel runs around the lower edge and rises to meet the hood, running rearward to the outer edge of the windshield. The headlights lose their horizontal form from the previous model and now feature an attractive vertical layout flowing downward from the hood. The peak of the front fender runs down to the edge of the lower fascia and wraps rearward to create a small light catcher just before the front wheel arch. The front reflector has moved from the fascia cutline of the previous car to the flat edge of the wheel arch, following in line with the revised vertical headlight design. The lower opening of the fascia is now lower and wider and has two projector fog lamps neatly tucked within.
Rear

Differences between the rear design of the outgoing model and the new 2010 Milan are again, very subtle. The use of the existing rear quarter panel once again dictates the outer edge of the tail lights and it seems as if Fordís designers gave up changing the overall form. The carry over trunk surface features a horizontal crease that runs into the tail light housing and forms the break-up of brake and reverse lamp details which now feature vertical elements that follow the trunk cutline and talk to the vertical elements of the front fascia design. The rear fascia has subtle differences that help modernize the car and visually tighten up and shorten the rear view.
Interior

The 2010 Milan shares it’s interior with the 2010 Fusion and thankfully loses some of the outgoing cars cheap looking metallic surfaces. As with the 2010 Fusion Hybrid, the Milan Hybrid gains the visually stimulating SmartGauge with EcoGuide; a sharp twin LCD unit displaying information to the driver about fuel economy and other vehicle functions.

The 06-09 MKZ had to defend its spot in the Lincoln lineup when the handsomely designed MKS made its debut this year. The 2010 MKZ can rest easy knowing while still not as attractive, it received a worthy upgrade to its front sheet metal, highlighted by a stunning double-grille/headlight setup. When the 2007 MKR concept made its debut at the Detroit Auto Show, many heralded it a design renaissance for the Lincoln brand and the 2010 MKZ represents this philosophy well. The modern double-wing grille was first seen on the MKR concept and is also featured on the ‘09 MKS. Its historical inspiration is the 1938 Lincoln Zephyr.

This split grille is designed to resemble the bow of a boat cutting through the water while the new, larger Lincoln star sits proudly dead center. The grille features jewel-like chrome elements on the vertical blades and a finely detailed chrome strip runs around the full shape of grille and headlights. The headlights themselves carry most of the MKR concepts form until the unfortunate outer edge where they meet the carryover front fenders, resulting in a limp execution to an otherwise precise form.

The front fender peak runs downward through the headlights and wraps underneath the grille to meet the centerline peak. The lower fascia features a wide opening flanked by two fog lamp openings on either side. The design tries to communicate a similarity to the MKR concept through a chrome detail that runs along the lower edge of the fascia and the surrounding for the fog lamp bezels but fails to execute in the same delicate fashion.
Rear

The 2010 MKZ carries on with horizontal LED tail lights that are now much wider, prominent and better detailed, almost touching in the center of the trunk surface. The top edge of the bumper surface wraps upward toward the front of the car and ties in with the rear forward swept surface of the MKR concept while the lower edge features two blackout sections for the dual exhaust and reflectors. Overall the rear design appears taller, wider and more elegant than the 06-09 MKZ.

The 2010 MKZ interior has been significantly upgraded over its Fusion and Milan siblings. A strip of either Swirl Walnut or Olive Ash wood runs horizontally across the center of the instrument panel and finishes on the newly designed door panels. The IP surface now features a horizontal layout as opposed to the vertical dual cockpit design of the outgoing model. The HVAC and radio controls run vertically, sitting below the wood trim line and a new larger NAV system with SYNC sits above. Square vents sit to the side of the NAV screen and the whole lot is surrounded by an aluminum trim piece that also runs parallel down the center stack and onto the center console. Twin beveled pads sit on top of the IP and help retain the feel of the front and rear exterior design by centering the THX center speaker. The steering wheel is mostly a carry-over unit but now features its wood trim between the 10 and 2 positions rather than being encompassed by the spokes. The door pads now feature a wrap up 360 degree door pull featuring a chrome strip that runs upward and towards the rear, above the wood trim. The leather used on the seats and the clamshell armrest is the same leather that was originally used on the Lincoln Continental Mark II and now features tuxedo stitching.

Dissection Conclusion

Ford has pulled off three successfully redesigned mid-size sedans for 2010, each carrying their own flavor and flair above and beyond the cars they replace. Each car has a decidedly European look and feel and we give kudos to Ford for showing it can still compete against the best the world throws at it. At least in design refreshes anyway. Call us when any and all of them get an Eco Boost engine under the hood.

10.) Ferrari 400i

The Ferrari 400-series cars are the best example of everything that's wrong with the Italian automaker's Malaise Era attempts at front-engined grand touring cars. Hidden below the stylish, though decidedly un-Ferrari, skin was the first automatic transmission offered in a production Ferrari. The base 400i featured a GM-sourced hydromatic three-speed transmission. Nothing like Italian power being routed through three speeds of American glory! Modern Ferrari tourers, like the 599 GTB FIorano have taken the bad taste out of our mouth, but opening the doors on an original 400i is like cutting through a crisp, buttery pie crust and finding tapioca pudding.

9.)Jaguar X-Type

If you're curious how Jaguar ended up being owned by an Indian company, look no further than the Jaguar X-Type. Designed to appeal to a wider audience than the typical Jag, thereby picking up significant market share, they hoped to sell 100,000 X-Types a year. That didn't happen. People saw through the distinctive Jaguar grille and headlights to the Ford Mondeo platform beneath. The FWD/AWD compact luxury car segment wasn't impressed by the lackluster performance, styling or luxury. Instead of saving the company, the X-Type became a moving example of Ford's mismanagement of the once premium brand. Cranberries out of the can do not an adequate side make.

8.)Datsun 280ZX Turbo

A classic Datsun 240Z, the original Z, is such a fine car that it's almost hard to remember that the 280ZX ever existed... until you see one. The 280ZX essentially takes the beauty of the Z and "modernizes" it to what was modern in the late 1970s. Those smooth lines become crisper (or at least crunchier), the unbroken hood gets oh-so-many ducts, and the once solid roof gets a pair of cheap-looking T-tops. Even better, emissions laws meant a successor that was less powerful than its predecessor until the later Turbo model. It's like when one of your relatives tries to spice up the green bean casserole by adding capers and endive. If you're going to change it, don't make it worse.

7.) Honda Insight

Though the 2010 Honda Insight hopes to win back fame for Honda's hybrid brand, the original Insight still sticks in our minds as a rare misfire for the brand. It wasn't a problem of foresight as, we were soon to learn, hybrids were the next big thing. It wasn't engineering as the Hondas achieved incredible mileage and tend to hold up fairly well. It wasn't even price, though the $20,000 price was a high premium for the two-seater. The Insight's main fault was that it assumed the market for hybrids would be urban and require something that looks radically different and suits only two adults individuals. The original Prius didn't look much different from most compact cars and easily carried as many adults as a Toyota Corolla. Like the first person to offer tofu for Thanksgiving dinner, the Insight was a pioneer. But with the Tofurkey and Prius, it took someone willing to shape it more conventionally to build a proper demand.

6.) "Slant Nose" Porsche

There's nothing hotter than a "slant nose" Porsche 935 racer, yet there's also nothing lamer than a custom- or factory-built Porsche slant nose. Meant to mimic the racer, the slant-nosed Porsches somehow manage to transform the aerodynamic look of the competition cars into an image of a sleazy stock broker rocking the Don Johnson white jacket and pastel fitted t-shirt. Originally offered only by customer companies, Porsche rode the wave in the mid-to-late 1980s by selling a slant nose version for basically every rear-engine car for sale. Despite the factory blessing even the OEM slant noses looked as fake as easy cheese on apple pie. [Photo: PCA.org]

5.) Chevrolet SSR

The retro-styled, hard-top convertible Chevrolet SSR was GM's answer to the retro-styled Plymouth Prowler though, perplexingly, it was designed as a truck. At over $40,000 a piece, the sport pickup wasn't exactly a bargain considering its Chevy TrailBlazer-based platform meant it wasn't quite sporty enough to be a sports car and its small bed large fender flares meant it wasn't quite useful enough to be a pickup. It also wasn't particularly fast. The SSR was simply as ill-timed and ill-designed as a Thanksgiving Day dessert of Easter-egg shaped candy canes.

4.) Volvo 262C Bertone Coupe

Designed to be the Swedish answer to the Lincoln Mark IV, the two-door Volvo 262 C Bertone Coupe instead ended up as an expensive European oddity appreciated more for its strangeness than anything else. Based on the basic 262GL platform, the Volvos were shipped off to Bertone's factory in Turin for the addition of custom body panels, vinyl roof and leather interior. Rather than sporting a special engine, the Volvos carried the same V6 the company shared with Peugeot-Renault. Substituting a 262C for a true European coupe is much akin to showing up with Becherovka when you were asked to bring a bottle of wine. It's unique and memorable though you wouldn't go so far as to describe it as pleasurable. [Photo/Source: Hemmings]

3.) Chrysler Crossfire

The Chrysler Crossfire has the novelty of being one of the few cars so unloved it was sold en masse on Overstock.com. The successor to the Plymouth Prowler, a car that was more quail than turkey, the Crossfire is the only true progeny of the Mercedes-Chrysler marriage. German engineering and American design, what could go wrong? The coupe, and eventually the roadster, were built on a borrowed SLK platform but wrapped in an uninspiring body. The mix of old mechanicals, bland styling and a high price tag made the Crossfire the unofficial pace car for the DaimlerChrysler merger's race to dissolution. Like turkey stuffed with spaetzel, the Crossfire was only good on paper.

2.) BMW Z1

The BMZ Z1 was a car of the future that became part of the past before it went on sale. When it debuted at the 1987 Frankfurt Motor Show the Z1 received a lot of positive attention and it was set for a production launch in early 1989. Unfortunately, the time that passed between the concept and final car was not good to the design. The strange doors, which dropped into the car, were neat as a concept but strange in a production car. The drivetrain, consisting of a Getrag five-speed matched to the 170 HP inline-6, also didn't provide the zip to match the unique design. The Z stands for Zukunft, the German word for future, and the Z1 holds a special place as vehicle that eventually led to the far more successful Z3 Roadster/Coupe, Z4 and Z8. Like that first Thanksgiving dinner, not everything went right with the original Z but it laid the ground for a future that would be gobble gobbled up.

1.) Chrysler TC by Maserati

Then Chrysler Chairman Lee Iacocca gets a lot of credit for his role in the creation of the modern minivan, which is why history has been kind enough to forget the Chrysler TC by Maserati. Before Chrysler learned that mixing with the Germans wouldn't work they tried to shake some dollars out of a pairing with another Axis power, with similarly disastrous results. Though the 1989 TC came equipped with a powerful turbocharged version of the 2.2-liter Chrysler engine, few could get past the weird combination of Opera windows and a LeBaron-esque profile on what was a $33,000 car. Aunt Sally may claim that the "special" $12 jar of organic mayo in her spinach dip is worth the price, but like the TC, no one buys it.

We're told the Ragster concept, first shown at the 2005 Detroit Auto Show, provided a slight glimpse into how a redesigned New Beetle could look. Our sources tell us the Beetle will lose some of its cutesy flair in favor of a more grownup look, something that will appeal to more than a few VW fans. The car will ride on the same next-gen Group A platform due out next year for pretty much every small and mid-size car in the VW stable, and feature similar choices from VW's lineup of four-cylinder engines. It's also a possibility VW will give U.S. buyers the choice of an 1896cc TDI inline-four that is currently serving duty in the Polo. A convertible model will follow the introduction of the coupe and there is also a possibility of a second four door Beetle model that will ride on the Golf platform. We’ve had KORSdesign illustrate what this new New Beetle could look like. Tell us what you think in the comments below.

In comparison, the E60 BMW M5’s record lap is 8:13. That car starts at $85,100 and betters the G8 GXP by 92 HP. The Porsche Boxster S is two seconds slower than the G8, despite weighing over 800 Lbs less and retailing for $15,700 more.

So basically, the G8 GXP gives you the performance of a Porsche Boxster S and the practicality of an M5 with the price tag of a Pontiac. If you haven’t already, make sure you check out our Pontiac G8 GXP First Drive.

'When did they make 2009 a year of 28 months?' you ask. They didn't, but Pirelli, bless their hearts, threw a lot of the images that didn't make the final cut onto their website. The things they do to sell tires. Speaking of which, we were thinking just now about how Pirelli's are a superior tire in every way, and a brand that adds not only performance, but style to automobiles. Wait, what the...? The marketing! It works! Nooooooo! [Pirelli (NSFW)]

10.) Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4 Spyder Live Unveil

9.) 2009 Porsche Boxster Gets New Transmission

8.) 2010 Nissan Cube Gets Accidental Unveil

7.) 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid

6.) 2010 Mazda3 Sedan Shows Off New Design Peppy Engine

5.) 2010 Ford Fusion

4.) Honda FC Sport: Hydrogen Sports Car Concept Of The Future

3.) 2009 Nissan 370Z Unveild Live At Secret LA Event

2.) All-Electric MINI E Hits LA Auto Show Floor With Hottest. Deputy Mayor. Ever.

1.) 2010 Ford Mustang GT

The car seems fairly true to the original, with an independent suspension from a Citroen (three lug wheels!), single wheel drive, a Renault steering box, and various pieces of brightwork from a Cadillac. Cool barely even describes the car and it's hard to believe anybody would want to sell it.The listing is up on eBay and at the time of posting it's current price is sitting at $22,456 with a measly buy-it-now price of only $29,000. That's dangerously close to sounding like a reasonable price for some magnificent workmanship on a very unique and hairy-knuckled roadster.

A SOLID WOOD CAR!! RARE ARIEL SQUARE FOUR ENGINE! A ROLLING PIECE OF ART THAT WILL SURELY COMPLETE ANY COLLECTION!!A truly One of a Kind work of automotive art! Built by a west coast boat builder in 1959, this awesome wood car will complete any collection. The story behind the car is that the builder wanted a unique hotrod, one that reflected his superior woodworking skills along with his knowledge and love for boats. He started by building a wood body modeled after a Modern Mechanics Magazine article, then he sourced out an ultra rare 1952 Ariel Square Four motorcycle engine and transmission for the power. The suspension was taken from a Citroen of the era, and rest was all hand fabricated. Many parts are period correct new car pieces, the taillights are Cadillac, the headlights are generic part store replacements, and the fuel cell is a California Speed shop special.

Driving this car is an experience only a lucky few will ever have. Starting the engine is easy, just turn the key. The pedals are like that of a normal car, the shifter is a sequential 4 speed, braking is done by four wheel hydraulic drum brakes. The real fun is cruising around town and seeing the looks on people's faces, accelerating thru the gears is exhilarating, but the car stays stable while doing so. The exhaust note is fantastic due to the hand built side exit pipes. Proper running lights for legal street driving where installed when the car was built, however comforts like climate control are absent.

After building and driving the vehicle for a short time the builder put the car in storage, and later sold the car to a Nevada Collector. The car remained in the care of that collector until it was purchased by a friend of the museum during a Rare Motorcycle hunting trip to Vegas, shortly after the car was transported to St. Louis it was sold to the Museum. It is important to note the original condition of the vehicle, the high build quality and excellent care the car has received over the years has preserved it very well, a piece of Americana from a similar time of innovation and individual creativity. The car does have a clear Missouri title as a 1952 Ariel and carries the VIN from the motorcycles engine. Please do not hesitate to contact us about this rare opportunity to purchase this spectacular motorcar. If nothing else it is truly fun to show your friends the new piece of art you just acquired.

[eBay Listing, St. Louis Car Musem and Mechanix Illustrated via Hemmings Auto Blogs]

Here's the thing about the ReplicaAudiR8 — we don't hate it. For being a front-engine, front-wheel-drive approximation of a mid-engined all-wheel-drive supercar it looks damn good. We find ourselves thinking it wouldn't be a terrible thing if an actual Audi looked like this. Sure some of the details need a little work, like the lack of inner fenders at the back, and an interior upgrade which goes beyond adding an "R8" badge to the steering wheel, but it's pretty slick looking. Lets take a look at the car side by side with its inspiration.


Let's get the first, and most obvious angle out of the way, the profile. Since the ReplicaAudiR8 is based on a front engine front wheel drive sporty hatchback, one would think the thing would look like a wreck from the side. Surprisingly though it's just not that bad. The sculpting works nicely and the car even integrates intake vents from the as-yet unrevealed Audi R8 V10. The lines running front to back are massaged a bit to camouflage the change in layout, but overall it's an impressive effort.


The rear makes the ReplicaAudiR8's lowly Cougar origins blatantly apparent with a much narrower track and a higher roofline. The rear vents are actually bigger on the Replica than on the real Audi, but it lacks the exhaust tips poking through the back bumper. The lower bumper is one of the few places on the car that's fairly awkward, but it's nothing compared to some of the stuff we've seen on Fiero specials.

The front three-quarter view is almost creepy in how much the cars look alike. If you didn't know better, you'd swear it was a Chinese rip-off and not a home-built replicar. The only dead giveaway is the treatment on the lower lip of the front bumper. We'll be honest here, we're split on which one actually looks better from this angle. Henkl and Udo will be miffed at us, but it's the truth.

The one area the ReplicaAudiR8 has nothing on the real R8 (aside from the engine, the transmission, the suspension, the wheels, the chassis etc.) is the interior. The stock Mercury Cougar interior remains largely untouched from the day the Ford line workers installed it. The addition of an "R8" badge to the wheel can't compete against the shiny stainless steel, Nav system, D-wheel and general awesomeness of the Audi R8 interior.

At the front end we see the proportions of the wide Audi is again interpreted pretty cleanly on the Cougar chassis. The intakes are again a bit deeper on the replicar, and that lower lip comes into a clearer focus. Take a note, the ReplicaAudiR8 gets thin-line fog lamps where the real Audi is lamp free.

After all that, here's the big kicker: You can buy one of these if you live in Spain. The car was built by Alberto Gavach Fuertes of Zaragoza, Spain, who has a website dedicated to the car. Don't go to the site unless you want to scream bloody murder at the terrible website design, but on it, Alberto outlines the details on the car and tells us the price on this beauty: 40,000€ or about $50,000. This of course makes us wonder how fast the four-ring fellas will be slapping Al with a cease and desist, but that's for him to worry about. [Replica Audi R8, NECO Forums]

Driving in LA is a strange mix of sitting still in hellish traffic and driving flat out on the best roads in the world. Get on one of the highways at the wrong time and it’ll take you three hours to go 30 miles, but hit the canyon roads to the North or East and it’s easy to forget that you’re within mere miles of the most populous metropolitan area in the country. The G8 GXP excels in both environments.

In the city it’s easy to drive and comfortable, belying the potential of its performance. LA’s rutted concrete highways and constant construction fail to upset the suspension or disturb the peace of the quiet interior. Keep it below 3,000 RPM and, with the aid of its anonymous styling, you’ll probably avoid speeding tickets too.

But after four days spent trying to keep my temper in check in traffic it was time to head for the hills. More specifically Deer Creek Road in Malibu. Mostly first and second gear hairpins with no guardrails and 500-foot drops into rocky gorges, it’s not the kind of place you’d typically want to drive a traditional GM product. But it is the kind of place you’ll want to drive this GXP.

This isn’t just some overpowered muscle car, the GXP can seriously handle. Throw it into a sharp corner and it’ll hold its line tightly without even a hint of understeer; pushing the tail wide on exit with the immense torque before rocketing down the short straights. Nothing in here feels wallowy; instead the overall impression is of lithe performance.

That’s thanks to lower, stiffer FE3 suspension over the 2008 Pontiac GT’s FE2 setup. GM tuned the handling, as is the fashion these days, on the Nurburgring, where the engineering team set an unofficial fastest time of 8 minutes and 30 seconds. That’s a similar suspension setup to the CTS-V, with which the GXP also shares its Brembo front brake calipers and Tremec 6060 6-speed.

Of course, the GXP isn’t all perfect. It doesn’t have SatNav (based on an Aussie-market Holden, the screen violates some pointless US angle regulation and the G8 is too small a production run to reengineer the interior) and the interior isn’t up to the standard of contemporary European or Japanese competitors. But with an estimated MSRP of $37,000 (excluding gas guzzler tax and destination, figure $40k to drive it off a lot) we’re prepared to forgive those foibles and instead concentrate on the performance: 0-60 comes in 4.7 seconds and it’ll run the quarter in 13.0 seconds at 108mph. All while carrying five people and plenty of their luggage in comfort. Fuel mileage is estimated to be 14 MPG city, 20 highway.

So where does BMW come into this? There was a time when — before exclusively focusing on overweight, overcomplicated, boring-to-drive, ugly cars — that it produced vehicles that rightfully deserved the “Ultimate Driving Machine” title. They were simple, well-engineered and put driving first. They had solid, well-built black plastic interiors, manual transmissions and pretty big engines driving only the rear wheels. They don’t any more. They used to combine practicality with fun in just the right proportions. They don’t any more. This Pontiac does. So do the Cadillac CTS, the CTS-V, the G8 GT, the Corvette and the best car in the world, the ZR1. But, unlike even the old BMW, all of the above are, for their classes, very affordable. GM isn’t just the new BMW; it’s better than that.

This review has to come with a slight disclaimer. The G8 GXP is scheduled to go on-sale in February. At this point, we don’t know for certain if GM will still be in business then. I’m not of the opinion that GM and its counterparts are the wisest place to invest our tax money, nor do I entirely believe their apocalyptic forecasts of job losses and economic collapse should we allow them to go out of business. I'm wearing my Save GM T-Shirt for one reason and one reason only: If they're going to keep making cars like this, I really want to keep driving them.

1.) Both carry a bunch of signs at all their get-togethers. UAW workers, picket signs. Congressmen, re-election signs.
2.) Both have exorbitant pensions and will receive health care for life upon retirement.
3.) Both have work stoppages for months at a time during summer, winter and around all federal holidays.
4.) Both take credit for creating the middle class.
5.) Both have a historical reputation for shoddy quality of work product.
6.) Both like pork. One likes it in "rind" form, the other in "spending" form.
7.) Both live well beyond their means. UAW workers with boats on Lake Superior. Congress gets junkets and fact-finding trips to the Cayman Islands.
8.) Both are paid the same regardless of how much work they do.
9.) Both have a national approval rating of under 10%.
10.) Both are seemingly out-classed by their foreign counterparts.
11.) Both get to take election day off.

See, there you have it, they're like ebony and ivory — and really, they've got to figure out a way to live together in perfect harmony.

Ford released two concepts at the Watkins Glen Racetrack - the first, on October 7th, 1962 was dubbed the Mustang I Prototype and a year later on October 9th, 1963, the Mustang II Prototype. These prototypes planted the seed for Lee Iacocca to push forward the production plan for a rear-wheel drive sports car for Ford to call its own. Lee Iacocca’s original vision for a “pony” car was:

1. It would seat four.
2. It would have bucket seats and a floor mounted shifter.
3. It would weigh no more than 2500 pounds and be no more than 180 inches in length.
4. It would sell for less than $2500.
5. It should have multiple power, comfort and luxury options for the buyer to select from.

These 5 goals gave birth to the Mustang initially penned by Dave Ash and Joe Oros under the executive guidance of Iacocca in the Ford Advanced Design studios. Development started on the Mustang in 1962 and in 18 short months the first 1964 model rolled off the line. This model spawned many variations and was featured in the James Bond movie, Goldfinger, late in 1964, which most likely helped the unexpected first year sales numbers. The original sales numbers were speculated to be 100,000 units, but with 22,000 cars sold on the first day and 418,812 during the first 12 months; these were sales numbers that would solidify the Mustang in Ford’s lineup for years to come.

The new 2010 Mustang

Ford has had the pony car market to itself for a number of years and now that Chevrolet is getting ready to launch the new Camaro and Dodge already launching its Challenger, it’s now time for the Mustang to reclaim its top spot in the stable. The current model arrived in 2005 as a retro throwback to the first generation cars. Then, in 2006, just to mix things up a bit, the design divas at Giugiaro released their Mustang Concept.

Although the concept was never meant to herald a new design direction for the new 'stang, Ford apparently decided to split the difference between the ’05 bodystyle and the Giugiaro Concept to make this new pony car reach a bit further, jump a bit higher and appear to run a lot faster. Some will say this is the same Mustang that we’ve had for the last few years, but we’ll take this opportunity to bust that myth. It's certainly different, despite not being revolutionary so.

Front

The front fascia of the 2010 Mustang shares some resemblance with the outgoing model but loses the dumpy eyes in favor of the aggressively pissy stare of the Shelby GT500. The racetrack has become a defined and taught feature encompassing the headlights and grille. The lower intake is now closer to the ground and wider with what appears to be a plastic insert running the entire upper length and dropping to define the lower lip spoiler, a throwback to the ‘70s era Trans-Am cars, though it looks a little out of place from the front ¾ angle. Mostly noticeable in the direct front view are the raised front fenders that peak at the outer edges of the hood; again, a throwback to the 1970’s models and a sign that this Mustang has trimmed the fat from the previous model. But it's the hood of the 2010 Mustang, with the prominent power bulge diving into the leading edge that provides a hint to what lies beneath. Unfortunately, at the moment the options for what "lies beneath" are the same as what we've seen in the 'stang range for the past couple of model years. You'll have to wait until 2011 to see any real changes.

The headlights angle inward and share their design heritage with the 1970s model Mustangs though the indicators are located inboard the headlight rather than on the fender. However, this change has less to do with a design desire, and more to do with lighting requirements in the U.S.

Side

The first thing most will notice in the side profile is the new stronger shoulder and the new bulging rear fenders kicking upward just aft of the reshaped door glass. While the ’05 model looked civil in profile, the ’10 shows it means business with these throwback fenders. The shoulder is also redefined as it rises gradually toward the front and then drops quickly just past the leading edge of the front wheel arch to intersect the racetrack seen in the front view. The speared belt line has been revised and now features a pinched crease that starts at the front wheel arch and runs to the rear with a slight undercut that gives a visual loss in weight and adds a lot of visual interest to the previously slab sided car. The signature lower feature line opens up more gradually and gives visual continuity as it walks your eye upward toward the quarter glass to the top edge of the rear glass and back down the other side. A less noticeable difference is in the wheel arches. Gone are the intersected hard edged arches of the ’05 car replaced by softer gradual radius arches that open wider to accommodate the larger wheel/tire combo.

Rear

The rear view of the 2010 Mustang is probably one the most noticeable differences from the outgoing model. The aggressively formed rear haunches sweep rearward into the slight ducktail spoiler on the deck lid’s trailing edge. This ducktail forms the top edge of the revised rear racetrack while it creases towards the front of the car, dropping to meet the upswept lower corner, continuing around to the opposite side. This racetrack encompasses the newly formed tail lamps and the center mounted badge. The tail lamp profile is an offset of the racetrack and features three vertical red elements with two clear reverse lamps intersecting, giving a very modern interpretation to the historical three bar lamps that have graced the Mustang rear since its inception. An interesting throwback to the original 1960 models are the sequential LED lamps, though they’re sure to be an annoyance to anyone sitting behind the car.

The license plate pocket sits in the same location as the ’05 model but intersects the new, much larger rear diffuser. The rear end of the ’05 car was very bulky and Ford’s designers have taken this opportunity to separate the rear fascia with a multitude of horizontal lines, effectively lessening the Mustangs rear visual mass. Of note is the relocation of the radio antenna to the rear fender from the front fender on the ’05 car, lessening wind noise inside the cabin.

Interior

Most will not see the changes in the 2010 Mustang interior, but if you look closely you’ll see them and appreciate them even more. The steering wheel from the ’05 model looked as if Ford had forgotten how to properly design a wheel and thankfully it’s been revised to not only be more useable but also more handsome while retaining the sporty, deep dished look of the one it replaces. The seats are virtually unchanged with the exception of new stitching and softer foam. The door panels are carryover.

The biggest change of the interior is the new instrument panel and we thank Ford for it. The top pad of the IP retains a similar design to existing car, a throwback to the ’64 model, but the aluminum on the face of the IP now wraps up and over the center stack with new horizontal air vents. That same panel on the ’05 model always looked cheap and this simple fix makes a world of difference while giving a slight hint of the ’64 model by mimicking the shape of the glove compartment and cluster. The fit and finish of the interior is of a much higher caliber and Ford managed to eliminate many of the parting lines from the ’05 car. The center stack is all new a features Ford’s SYNC media center; an upgrade that will be fully embraced though we don’t feel the same about the JC Witney style interior lighting package.

Badge

The Mustang badge has as much heritage as the Mustang itself, though it could have all gone in a very different direction. Some of the proposed names were: Puma, Cheetah, T-Bird II, Bronco, Special Falcon, Cougar and the development name, T-5.

Thankfully the Mustang name was chosen and Phil Clark was around to sculpt the now world famous Mustang pony. It has been asked many times why the pony is facing to the left, but the simple answer is that it was easier for Clark to draw the pony facing that way.

For the new 2010 Mustang, Ford decided that its famous badge needed an upgrade to represent the new sheet metal. Ford’s designers lifted the head to make the pony appear more proud and tipped the neck into the wind to give it a greater sense of speed and balance. Overall the design is more chiseled and muscular while retaining the feel of the original Phil Clark design.

Conclusion

The arrival of the 2010 Mustang couldn’t have come at a better time and its design couldn’t better represent the gradual changes to the heritage and future of the brand that is the Mustang badge. This is the point where we'd use some hackneyed expression like "we can’t wait to take this pony out of the stable" — but that'd be obvious.

Failblog.org]

The automaker clearly owns the car images it created, such as press photos and catalogs. However, Toyota loses some authority over these works when they disseminate them tot he public at large. But let's ignore that for a moment and focus on the other side of content — works created by individuals of Toyota products owned by individuals. An automaker doesn't posses the copyright far a painting of a Toyota Camry produced by an individual and uploaded to the site. They don't have the copyright on an image of a Toyota as shot by someone else, like this shot of someone's personal Highlander.

As Torrent Freak points out, Toyota hasn't sent an official copyright notice to the site but has merely unofficially requested the images be taken down. If they sent a DMCA (The Digital Millennium Copyright Act) notice, there would have to be a discernment between different wallpapers. The desktop site's owner said that Toyota wants to be paid to identify what is and what isn't a photo covered by Toyota's copyrights. The Japanese carmaker can win, essentially, by dragging this out into an expensive legal standoff. But why should they try?

Most of these images are actually used as promotional materials, which means that the company hopes people will share them. Many of them are wallpapers. From what we've seen on the site, most of the wallpapers are created to promote Toyota vehicles. In fact, the only negative images we've seen came after Toyota made this move. It seems strange that they're looking to piss off the same demographic group they created an entire brand to capture. Of course, the Scion Taco Truck will surely bring them back.

[Torrent Freak]

2009 Pickup Truck Comparison: Auto Cross

2009 Pickup Truck Comparison: Braking Challenge Results

2009 Pickup Truck Comparison: Drag Strip Acceleration Results

2009 Pickup Truck Comparison: Towing Results

The competitors represent some of the best engineering from the minds of both Detroit and Japan, entrants this year include the 2009 Chevy Silverado 1500, the 2009 Dodge Ram 1500, the 2009 Ford F-150, GMC Sierra 1500, 2009 Nissan Titan, and the 2008 Toyota Tundra. Competition has driven the capabilities of trucks forward in such a way that this modern crop will do more than their forebears could even conceive. However, this relentless march of capability has left us at a point where numbers no longer relate to real world usability and as such the competitors have begun to differentiate. The Ram with its new focus on ride and handling, the Titan is a bit more athletic, the F-150 is the heavy hauler, which leaves the GM twins as the remaining set of do-alls in a crowd of specialists.

Crowning A Champion>

We're going to come right out and say reviewing trucks is, in a way, a bit silly. Trucks, and specifically the half-ton truck segment, are frequented by some of the most loyal product buyers in the world. Magazines and websites opining passionately on the newest offerings don't really matter for these buyers. Reviews speak primarily in this segment to first-time truck buyers, and these days those are few and far between.

But, that being said, we must crown a winner. If we go by the numbers, it's the 2009 Ford F-150 that emerges as the winner when balancing capabilities against performance, finishing at or near the top in every category. But the absolutes of the statistics leaves out the subjective feel of these trucks and ignores that people buy them for different reasons.

But, saying the Ford is the best of the bunch is simply unfair. Is it the most well-rounded? Yes. But what about the most fun to drive? Certainly not. Is it the best styled? That's up to you. Does it have the best interior? Nope. So why is it the best? It just does everything well. The F-150 is, for lack of a better term, the working man's truck. The new F-series offers the greatest capabilities and the best long-term value resting on top of a long history of accolades. It really is a great pickup, but that's not to say it's everybody's cup of tea.

Then there's the Nissan Titan, which objectively scores in last place among the competition. If we were to build a truck for the person who occasionally needed the capabilities of a truck, wanted something incredibly entertaining on the street, offered reasonable fuel economy and a no-nonsense interior. We'd be hard pressed to build something more fitting than the Titan. Think Nissan Altima in truck form.

That's not to say that nobody wants a monstrously big pickup able to out-tow almost everything, rides like an old Cadillac and has an interior you can live with if you don't look too closely at the details. That would be a slot perfect for the Tundra. A truck so good at doing its job you actually overlook it as trying too hard and delivering where it almost doesn't count anymore.

And what of the Silverado and GMC Sierra? They run down the same assembly line, but have vastly different characters. The Silverado finishes a close second to the the F-150 by the numbers and, depending on what you're looking for, could be a better truck. The GMC feels better but somehow doesn't reflect so in the scoring. In fact, when pressed to make an overall choice, we'd be in a pickle to choose the Titan or the Sierra, the two "losers" in the field. Goes to show how much personal preference plays into the decision.

Anyway, if there's one thing we learned over our two day pickupgasm, it's this — there's a truck out there for everyone who wants one. Unfortunately, there's just not that many people who want them right now.