Cars and Motors

Fastskinz Vehicle Wraps May Not Be an Easy Solution to Increased Miles per Gallon

by George Delozier

Not too long ago, a company called Fastskinz released a product that was supposed to increase your average fuel mileage by up to 20%. The idea was fool proof, simply cover you vehicle with a made-to-fit skin and viola, instant boost in miles per gallon. Sure it sounds great, but does it actually work? According to a test conducted by our friends at Popular Mechanics, it may actually decrease your fuel economy.

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Mile Meter’s Car Insurance By The Mile: For Those Who Don’t Feel Like Hitting The Road

by Beth Hodgson

Most drivers have some qualms with their car insurance policies, or more specifically, their insurance carriers; but insurance is a big business, since those who want to get behind the wheel of a car need to make sure they're insured. Typical car insurance policies insure vehicles for a pre-determined term, but Mile Meter tries to offer drivers a more flexible and affordable option, by insuring people based on how much they drive.

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Pit Start Self Service Garage Offers Full Auto Shop to London Area

by George Delozier

One of the most common reasons people are unable to work on their own vehicles is a lack of space. While the problem can manifest itself in several ways (too much stuff in the garage, live in an apartment, and so on) the heart of the issue is still a lack of available space. Pit Start may provide a new solution to this problem, at least for the people living in or around London.

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Miss Pontiac Already? The ASC Trans-Am Might Be Able to Help

by George Delozier

After the release of the new Camaro, many tuners and fabrication specialists were immediately engulfed in ways to make the new bow-tie faster and sleeker. High performance upgrades and body kits were being introduced almost hourly and in no time at all the aftermarket for the Camaro became very extensive. The most recent of these add-ons isn't actually an upgrade, but a full bodied transformation to the Camaro's counterpart, the Trans Am.

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BMW Expands on the Project I Line-Up: Hints at Production

by George Delozier

BMW has been making quite a bit of noise about their new Project I program, with rumors of such vehicles as the Z2 and new Megacity concept spreading like wildfire. While BMW can "neither confirm nor deny" many of these rumors, they can keep pushing out new concepts that fall under Project I. Most recently, that German automaker has taken a lineup of small 2, 3 or 4 wheeled city vehicles into consideration.

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Biofuels Or Bioelectricity? Miles Per Acre Are Compared In New Study

by T Goodman

What is the most efficient way to use farmed crops to power our vehicles - biofuels or bioelectricity? Researchers at the Carnegie Institution for Science, University of California, and Stanford University studied these issues as well as their relative impact on the environment. Guess which one fared miles better per acre than the other.

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Lotus Working On Advanced Noise Cancellation System for New Vehicles

by George Delozier

Ever since the first electric hybrids were on the road, many people have been questioning how safe they really are. These worries are not about the crash test reliability, but rather the lack of noise the vehicles make when cruising down the road. While several aftermarket companies have presented solutions, Lotus Engineering is no working on a system that provides the necessary engine noise to the outside, while also reducing noise in the cabin.

GO2 Will Harness Power from Passengers Dancing: Redefine Alternative Energy

by George Delozier

Alternative energy is a term that has been used quite a bit in the past year or two. The real challenge comes in trying to define exactly what alternative energy really is. Thankfully a new concept boat called the GO2 has given us an interesting and extreme definition for the all too common phrase.

Want to Increase Your Fuel Economy? Try Buying A GPS

by George Delozier

In car navigation has very quickly become one of the most relied on pieces of gadgetry inside the vehicle and with good reason. No longer having to print out directions from the computer or rely on memory alone to get from point A to point B is a huge benefit. Coupled with live traffic updates and road work conditions, GPS units have become a very useful device. They may be even more useful thanks to a recent study done by a research firm called NuStats that points to an decrease in the amount of money spent on fuel by GPS owners.

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Let No Haggles Play Hard Ball & Find You A Great Deal On A New Car!

by Beth Hodgson

Buying a car can be a trying process; first you have to locate the dealership with the best price, then you have play hard ball to try and negotiate the price down, and then you have to secure the financing at a good rate because you don't have the cash. By the time the process is complete, you have a new car, and quite likely a few new grey hairs to go with it. To save the stress, a company appropriately named No Haggles does all the haggling and legwork for you to get you in that new car.

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Hood Mounted Air Bag Could Provide Much Needed Protection for Pedestrians

by George Delozier

As long as there are cars on the road, there will be accidents. Because of this auto manufacturers have spent substantial amounts of time and money trying to develop safety features that will decrease the chance of a serious injury in the event of a crash. While this is all fine and dandy, what about when the object being struck by the vehicle isn't another vehicle, but rather a pedestrian? What can we do to improve their chances of survival? This is exactly the question that a team of crash specialists from Cranfield University have set out to answer.

The Business Of Boys And Their Toys: Heavy Equipment, Construction Amusement Park For Men

by Beth Hodgson

They have always said that boys love their toys, and I think we all know that it's an expression that refers to the over 18 male demographic. Some men prefer their video games, or their set of garage tools, but there's others that prefer entertainment that's a little bigger and little dirtier. At Mannerspielplatz, Germany's playground for men, men get to play out their construction worker fantasies and leave their suits and ties behind at the office.

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New Transparent OLED May Take Place of Rear-View Mirrors

by George Delozier

It seems as though auto makers can never decide in what arena they would like to challenge the competition. One day it's all about horsepower, the next it's about fuel economy and by the end of the week it's about in-car technology. While this drives prices down and brings the overall quality up, it also eventually leads to the question of "do I really need that?"

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Chrysler Electric Van to Provide USPS with Small Test Fleet

by George Delozier

While many of Chrysler's employees have been focused on the bankruptcy issue that has put the company's future in question, a few have been working hard on ways to help the company pull out of these tough times. Out of this effort came a new electric vehicle that Chrysler hopes will be able to catch the attention of the USPS.

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Chinese Automaker Shows Off Electric SUV...Hints Production

by George Delozier

While a few automakers have explored the idea of an electric SUV, many quickly shift their interests to smaller vehicles that are easier to engineer for high mileage. Not too long ago at the Shanghai Motor Show, a Chinese manufacture has unveiled plans for a Hybrid Electric SUV that may just see production in the near future.

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Hitachi Takes the Lead in Lithium Ion Battery Technology

by George Delozier

Advances in Lithium Ion Technology have been fairly consistent, but many of them are relatively small and provide little to helping improve the overall effect of battery powered devices. Hitachi has broken this trend with a battery they say could become the new standard for the automotive industry.

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Ford Fusion Hybrid Breaks 1,000 Miles on a Single Tank of Fuel

by George Delozier

A few days ago, a team set out to try and find the maximum number of miles you could squeeze out of one of Ford's new Fusion Hybrids. After some substantial amounts of coffee and snacks, the final number is in, and it may surprise you.

New Formula 3 Racer to Be Fast and Friendly...to the Environment

by George Delozier

Once again, we find ourselves returning to the realm of more environmentally friendly racing, this time with something a little faster than a vehicle that runs on wind power. This time, the brilliant minds at the University of Warwick have designed a Formula-3 Racer that runs on biodiesel and uses as many green production and assembly practices as possible.

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Scarpar--Motorized Skateboard That Rides Anything

by Chris Weiss

The Scarpar motorized skateboard rides everything from snow to pavement to dirt.

Xcite Bike Blurs Line between Motorcycle and Skateboard

by George Delozier

It seems like humans are always looking for a new and exciting way to maim themselves. We always feel the need to push our limits to the extreme and completely blow convention right out of the water. It was from this attitude that the Xcite Bike was born.