Thursday, July 29, 2010
Bruce Hall: Six months ago, this blog asked the question: Why not natural gas?
Now Congress is considering $4 billion in subsidies for natural gas vehicles … 
Scott Burgess: The Chevrolet Volt will cost $41,000 -- subtract $7,500 for the government rebate -- and it's going to cost $33,500.
So is that a value?
There … 
Daniel Howes: You know it's shaping up to be another crappy week for Team Obama and it's economic management when the lefty elite gather in Aspen ... and trash the … Viewpoints
Right now in Autos Talk
No one sells cars to the government or it's agencies until after June 1. That is when the car companies stops taking orders. … Read more
-- jane_m, Portales, NM
Right now in News Talk
Source, The Detroit News Forum............. Let's not forget... Granholm was handed a state that was on the verge of collapse thanks to Engler.Hmmm... oh … Read more
-- Tijeras, Mt. Clemens, MI
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AP Headlines
Business
- Citigroup paying $75M to settle civil charges - 03:32 PM
- Obama: We'll get back money from auto bailout - 03:08 PM
- Feds OK project to drill under, not on, wild areas - 03:31 PM
- Initial jobless claims drop to 457,000 - 11:19 AM
- Stocks regain ground as market stays on bumpy path - 03:34 PM
- New rule cracks down on debt settlement industry - 03:29 PM
- Gov't warned company about oil pipeline monitoring - 03:38 PM
- Republicans block small business lending bill - 12:35 PM
- Key step to kill Gulf gusher may happen sooner - 03:36 PM
Scott Burgess
Shelby GT500 delivers breathtaking performance with a touch of danger
If you love roller coasters, you'll love the 2011 Ford Shelby GT500. Really, there's nothing at Cedar Point offering as much fun as just driving to Sandusky in this car. Seat-of-your-pants cruising takes on a whole new meaning in this hopped-up, tricked-out Mustang that bears the name of the legendary racer and all-around Maverick Carroll Shelby. - 07/29/2010
New owner expects 9-5 sedan to boost sales of Saab in U.S.
New York -- The new owner of Saab expects U.S. sales of the Swedish car brand to double in 2010, as the company benefits from greater stability and the introduction of the 9-5 sedan later this year. - 07/29/2010
Soup It Up
Lockstraps secure valuables in truck bed
Real estate agent Jeff Cranny got tired of stuff being stolen from the back of his pickup truck. That stuff included gas cans and bicycles, and the thefts weren't limited to the bed of his pickup; a $1,500 hydrofoil chair was swiped one day from his boat. - 07/29/2010
John McCormick: Car culture
Premium auto brands move to survive green shift
It's tough being green when you are selling high-performance sports cars and luxury vehicles. - 07/29/2010
Scott Burgess
Volkswagen's Touareg SUV tougher but more expensive
The Touareg TDI is living proof why diesel engines should become mandatory on all midsized SUVs. - 07/24/2010
Scott Burgess: Auto review
Style meets function with 2011 Toyota Sienna
The new Sienna offers parents all of the luxury amenities they could ever want. It's designed for function first but still pulls off style. - 07/22/2010
Melissa Preddy: Car Culture
Custom car designs are on the way
From leopard-print cell phone sheaths to Hello Kitty laptop skins, we're all about personalization. - 07/22/2010
Honda hopes CR-Z shows fun side of hybrids
Honda Motor Co.'s gasoline-electric cars haven't rivaled Toyota Motor Corp.'s Prius in sales, so it's trying a different tactic. With the CR-Z coupe, it's aiming to carve out a U.S. niche for a low-priced, sporty hybrid. - 07/22/2010
Soup It Up
Owens company rides on running boards
Owens Products Inc. of Sturgis was founded in 1965 to manufacture and distribute a pickup bed-mounted fifth-wheel hitch and a fifth-wheel recreation trailer created by Owen Baker and his son, Denny. Since Denny's middle name was also Owen, they called their company Owens Products. - 07/22/2010
Sneak Peek: 2011 Town & Country
Chrysler executives have promised major modifications to its minivans by year's end. We have evidence of that with this first peek at the face-lifted 2011 Chrysler Town & Country. - 07/22/2010
Scott Burgess
Ford F-350 a beast on the road
I'm sorry: Did I just run over your car? That can happen when you drive the 2011 Ford F-350, which makes every other vehicle on the road look like a tin can ready for crushing. - 07/17/2010
Scott Burgess: Auto review
Nitro's name finally fits
There's danger in offering a Detonator version of the 2010 Dodge Nitro: It might end with an explosion, or worse, a thud. - 07/15/2010
Suppliers, conservationists work on recycling options for electric-car batteries
A decade from now, owners of electric cars, having driven their share of clean and green miles, may encounter a dashboard light flashing an unwelcome message: "Check battery." - 07/15/2010
Rex Roy: Car Culture
Cars get smarter on road to autonomy
Drivers aren't obsolete. Yet. - 07/15/2010
Soup it up
Vaughn Gittin Jr., Ford join forces for Mustang RTR
In 2002, Vaughn Gittin Jr. of Abingdon, Md., entered the fledgling motor sports competition known as drifting, a form of racing in which the car looks out of control, but isn't, with lots of tire smoke and squealing. He drove his personal Nissan 240SX and did well enough that he caught the eye of the Falken Tire Co. - 07/15/2010
