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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced ts best and worst gas mileage averages list for 2009 models. Each car is respectively listed with its city and highway mpg averages listed.
Toyota is hoping the 2009 Venza, is “the right vehicle at the right time.” That’s the message from the manufacturer as it unveils its new offering positioned between two of its long-time mainstays, Highlander and Camry. 
The biggest automotive news of 2008 remains the ongoing crisis among the “Big Three” manufacturers — General Motors, Chrysler and Ford. But beyond all the serious stuff, there was a lot of fun and intrigue for automotive enthusiasts in 2008. This year marked the sixth full year of The Weekly Driver reviews and the corresponding web site, www.theweeklydriver.com. I reviewed 32 new cars in 2008, Audi to Volkswagen, BMW to Suzuki. I drove about two dozen other vehicles at car shows and manufacturers’ functions. And a few dozen additional reviews from contributing writers also appeared on this site and I viewed my favorite new car, a 1954 Kaiser Darrin. Below is the second edition of www.TheWeeklyDriver.com’s Cars of the Year, 2008.
It didn't take long. Moments after President Barack Obama's speech Monday night, numerous automotive web sites and the Washington Post's fact-checker columnist brought attention a common mistake made by the president's speech writers.
President Obama has signed a memorandum requiring the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reconsider an application by the State of California to set more strict auto emissions and fuel efficiency standards. If the EPA grants the waiver, California and 13 other states would be permitted to set their emission standards presumably more stringent in all instances the reguirements set by federal law. 
It’s only been
tradition for about 65 years. But among the many intriguing components
of the inauguration of President elect Barack Obama will be one of keen
interest to automobile enthusiasts: How will the country’s new leader
be escorted by the Secret Service when he leaves the Jan. 20
proceedings for his two-mile trek down Pennsylvania Ave. in the
Inaugural parade? The answer, of course, is the new presidential
limousine.
Automobile manufacturer sponsorship is nothing in professional cycling. The Tour de France has had an official automobile designation for decades and Peugeot, Volkswagen and Saturn come immediately to mind as automotive brands with long histories as cycling team sponsors. But in tough economic times, a new sponsorship, particularly considering the drastically suffering automotive industry, is a surprise. Yet, Land Rover has done just that, joining the cycling market with a new title sponsorship of the Portland-based men’s development team, Land Rover-ORBEA.
The 36th annual
Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races and auto exposition is
scheduled Aug. 14-16, 2009, at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey,
Calif., General Racing has announced. Next year’s dates come in the
still-buzzing aftermath of this year’s successful event during which
special guest Mario Andretti drove his famous Lotus 79. Porsche, the
manufacturer that has long intrigued compassionate global automobile
enthusiasts, will be the featured marque.
Introductions from
the world’s major manufacturers will be featured at the San Francisco
Chronicle/SFGate.com 51st Annual International Auto Show presented by
AutoTrader.com., November 22-29 at Moscone Convention Center in San
Francisco. Introductions expected at
this year’s show, include: Aston Martin DBS; Ford’s 2010 Mustang, 2010
Fusion and Fusion Hybrid; Lincoln’s 2010 MKZ; the 2010 Mercedes-Benz
GLK; Mercury’s 2010 Milan; the new Nissan new 370Z Coupe; and
Volkswagen’s new Beetle convertible.
General Motors and Chrysler are
considering a merger despite the volatile economy and plummeting stock
values, according to a report on the web site of The New York Times.
Two of the auto manufacturers who comprise Detroit’s
“Big Three,” General Motors and Chrysler have
discussed joint engineering projects for several months. A merger, of
course, is a much larger issue. And its feasibility wouldn’t
be any easier after GM’s stock has fallen to below $5 per
share, its lowest level in 50 years.Copyright 2009 The Weekly Driver. All rights reserved.
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