Tata purchase complete and world still turns 05-13-08
I have reached out to my extensive sources overseas, who have confirmed just what I expected: Despite the fact that the European Commission, the executive panel of the 27-member European Union, approved the acquisition of Jaguar and Land Rover by Tata Motors of India, the sun rose on April 26, the day after the ruling. It has risen daily since.

An inside look at California car culture 05-13-08
Detroit has misunderstood, underestimated and ignored California in the past, and the Detroit Three automakers have paid the price.

Nissan Pathfinder's new V8 delivers power with little penalty 05-13-08
It sounds like lousy timing considering the price of gas: For 2008, the Nissan Pathfinder comes with an optional 310-horsepower 5.6-liter V8.

Lancer's back — more woof than growl 05-13-08
You can get a 650-watt premium sound system with nine speakers plus a subwoofer that, when adjusted properly, will not only dissolve anything in your sinus cavities, but also melt the wax in your ears.

Diesel's edge no longer adds up at today's prices 05-13-08
Q. Wake up. You said diesels are smelly and noisy, but they aren't smelly or noisy anymore.

Automotive Q&A: CV repair may be able to wait 05-13-08
Q. I was just told by my lube shop that one of my car's CV boots is split and needs to be replaced.

Charities get little from car donations 05-13-08
HACKENSACK, N.J. - Your '92 Honda has been sitting unused in the driveway, taking up space. Should you call one of those car-donation charities?

This SUV lacks luxury, but its value comes from its thrift 05-06-08
Let's get this out of the way first: Yes, the sensible, comparatively simple Saturn Vue Green Line is a hybrid, but it does not get the astronomical fuel economy that Toyota Prius drivers crow about.

The G8 re-establishes performance as a Pontiac priority 05-06-08
Pontiac, marketed as General Motors' performance division since the Eisenhower administration, hasn't lived up to its own hype over the last 20 years, substituting overwrought styling for outright muscle.

The future of performance: Automakers more 
prepared to adjust to fuel standards than in 1970s 05-06-08
A picture is forming of how automakers will build vehicles with power and performance in the face of coming tough fuel economy rules.

Fun, fuel-sipping Clubman fits 
loads of style into a small wagon 05-06-08
Nothing will ever make a seductive pair of spike-heeled shoes comfortable, but exhaustive research with the stylish women wearing them reveals that some of the shoes are less uncomfortable than others.

‘Mild' hybrid returns surprising mileage 05-06-08
A neighbor stopped me as I pulled out of my driveway in the new 2008 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid.

Luxury cars are still affordable - if you know what to buy 05-06-08
NORFOLK, Va. - It seems we're all feeling a little lighter in the wallets these days and even luxury car buyers are feeling the pinch.

Automotive Q&A: Decoding tire numbers 05-06-08
Question: Help! I just started shopping for a new set of tires, and am bewildered by all the numbers used to list each tire. What do the numbers 98V mean?

Gas prices could aid Ford museum 05-06-08
DETROIT - Jacked-up gas prices could help boost attendance at the Henry Ford and Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Mich., this summer.

Driving a bargain: Today's car buyers have negotiating power 05-06-08
CHICAGO - Consumers in the market for a new car this year may be able to drive some hard bargains with auto dealers.

Have you driven over a fjord lately? 05-06-08
It was a miserable Friday, with rain of biblical proportions. But I had little to worry about thanks to my traveling companion: a 2008 Volvo XC70, the perfect tool for facing Mother Nature's wrath.

Prius, profits and promises make and interesting story 05-06-08
Regular readers of my column with very long memories may recall a little dust-up I had with a Toyota executive in 2004.

Risk of buying a rebuilt wreck doesn't go away 05-06-08
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Lance Scott shelled out $14,900 plus $1,475 for an extended warranty when he bought a used Ford Explorer in 1994.

Pontiac's roomy, fuel-efficient wagon flies under the radar 05-06-08
Some cars get far less credit than they deserve. They please their owners, start every day, look good and go about their business reliably without fanfare.

Chrysler needs focus 05-06-08
Chrysler's deal with Nissan earlier this month demonstrates an important, often overlooked fact about the struggling Auburn Hills, Mich., automaker: Chrysler does some things better than any car company in the world, and other things far better than most.

Battle for China's car market builds 05-06-08
BEIJING - At 23, Shi Lingxi bought his first car this month.

Base Cayenne best bargain of the bunch 04-25-08
If one question clearly illustrates Porsche's ambition to become a full-line auto manufacturer, it's this: What's the cheapest new Porsche you can buy?

Plane with a parachute makes it easy to love flying again 04-25-08
We are 6,000 feet above Leesburg, Fla., 2,000 feet above the clouds, and for just a moment, I'm reminded of a longstanding coffee-table topic discussed for decades by private pilots:

Boomers' babies a Challenger market 04-25-08
PASADENA, Calif. - More than just a trip down memory lane for baby boomers, the new Challenger performance coupe could establish Dodge with buyers in their 20s and 30s if the brand plays its cards right.

Mazda5 is an efficient, affordable people mover 04-25-08
Sound an all-points bulletin: We've lost the "mini" in our minivans.

Automotive Q&A: Mysterious 
problem needs look from certified tech 04-25-08
Q. I am having a problem with my 2003 Ford Taurus. Occasionally, upon start-up, it runs very rough.

Ford's Focus is a driving force 04-25-08
DETROIT - A year ago, Ford Motor Co.'s sprawling assembly plant in Wayne, Mich., which builds the Focus compact car, was on the chopping block as part of the automaker's restructuring plan, putting the lives of its 3,000 workers in flux.

Toyota pickup probe pushed 04-18-08
WASHINGTON - It's a wonder Frank Visconi walked away from the crash that turned his new Toyota Tacoma pickup into an unrecognizable mush of metal, plastic and dirt. But Visconi has a different wonder - why Toyota doesn't believe his complaints of sudden acceleration.

Mugged auto journalist finds out Detroit cares 04-18-08
The savage mugging that left automotive journalist Frank Washington struggling for life in Detroit on Jan. 31 could have happened anywhere, but the generosity that followed is rare.

Oh, baby, 1-Series is all BMW 04-18-08
A baby Bimmer. BMW adds a new 1-Series in 128i or 135i coupe and convertible versions for 2008.

Bet of FWD when redone Impala arrives 04-18-08
Q. Has it been confirmed when the Chevy Impala will get a styling makeover and whether it will be front- or rear-wheel-drive? 

Five car options that can save your marriage 04-18-08
NORFOLK, Va. - How many times have you and your spouse gotten lost, only to end up in a fight over whether to stop and ask for directions?

For Ford Escape hybrid, it is easy being green 04-18-08
The great thing about the Ford Escape is that, unlike other small crossover SUVs, it isn't cute. 

Audi R8 has traffic-stopping looks, road-hugging performance 04-18-08
With styling out of "Star Wars" and the agility of a spooked antelope, the mid-engine Audi R8 sports car was carefully conceived to shift drivers' perception of the brand into high gear.