The fifth-generation (1996-2005) Volkswagen Passat was always a bit of a problem child for the German automakers and its vehicle owners. While it was both handsome and a pleasure to drive, it was afflicted by numerous mechanical maladies, including…

When we recently reported that hyper-miler Wayne Gerdes was going to attempt to drive 1,000 miles on one tank of gasoline in a new 2011 Hyundai Sonata, we were unaware that the drive had actually already occurred. Gerdes and a traveling companion set…

If the headline writer responsible for the example above is indicative, the future of diesels in the US market doesn't look good. The Detroit News got a chance to drive the new Jeep Grand Cherokee CRD and while Chrysler said he should be able to run…

The Society of Automotive Engineers sponsors a number of design competitions for engineering students, including MiniBaja, Formula SAE and SuperMileage. One of the newest is the Clean Snowmobile Challenge, started in 2000. Snowmobiles have had a…

When car-makers introduce new vehicles at auto shows they hand out press kits to all the media afterwards that contain all the relevant information. One of the more useful things that are generally included in the kits are CDs with all the studio…

For what it's worth, Best Car magazine in Japan is reporting that Nissan is developing a hybrid version of the Fairlady Z (called the 370Z everywhere else in the world). It's certainly plausible that the company could produce a hybrid Z since the…

Hyundai engine in Rhys Millen's drift car – Click above for high-res gallery
A minor controversy broke out a few weeks back when it became known that Rhys Millen's new Hyundai Genesis Coupe Formula Drift car debuted at the Long Beach season opener…

When the Audi Q3 compact CUV hits the streets in 2011, its assembly will be handled by the workers at VW's Spanish division, SEAT. In preparation for the crossover's arrival SEAT is building an all-new body shop at its Martorell factory. Like other…

Click on the photo for a high-gallery of images of the EVE hybrid demonstrator
Lotus Engineering and their main shareholder Proton have collaborated on a new hybrid technology demonstrator for the Geneva Motor Show called the EVE Hybrid (Efficient,…

Ford's new airbag tests – Click above for high-res gallery
One of the cool things about being an engineer is that in addition to designing innovative new features, you get to develop novel ways to test those features. The 2009 Ford F-150 and 2010…