2009 BMW 7-Series First Look: Sharp Sheetmetal, Web Access—and a 2010 Hybrid?

The 2009 BMW 7-Series will soon get a version of the big joint venture from GM, Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler and BMW: the Two Mode hybrid system, which is good news in light of today’s high fuel prices.

• EARLIER: 2009 BMW 7-Series Spied in Death Valley

The Truth About Water-Powered Cars: Mechanic's Diary

It's one thing for a car to run on air, but do the latest claims of hydrogen-turned-oxygen-turned-electricity propulsion hold water—or feed in to the hysteria of the gas crunch?

• FIRST LOOK: Air-Powered Car Coming to U.S. Soon
• MIKE ALLEN: Monitor Your Fuel Economy in Real Time

2008 Mercedes-Benz Bluetec SUV Test Drives: Diesel Engine Offers Hope for Big Vehicles

Mercedes-Benz officials have faith that the current cost of diesel is an anomaly that will soon right itself and are launching a line of premium, diesel powered, SUVs.

• DRIVE GREEN: 5 Trends to Move Beyond Fuel Crunch
• SPECIAL REPORT: The Case for Clean-Diesel Cars

In Gas-to-Hydrogen Switch, Forget Ponies and Embrace Silence

PM's Citizen Fuel Cell feels some serious giddyup from his new hydrogren-powered electric motor. Comparing GM's prototype Chevy Equinox with his parents' Prius and a temporarily parked Jeep Grand Cherokee, his only complaint is some noisy idling (with audio).

• RACING: Biofuel Powered Audi R10 TDI Wins Lemans

Cobra XRS 9950 Tells You When Big Brother Is Watching: Tech Test

The XRS 9950 promises "total protection and peace of mind," but this clever gadget may have you stop looking for speed traps and start looking for hidden cameras instead.

• CES 2008: New Cobra GPS Turns Tables on Red-Lights
• PLUS: Camera Avoidance & New GPS Tech Features

Tesla Model S Electric Sedan Set for 2010 Production, $60K Price Tag: From SFGate.com

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced on Monday that Tesla Motors would soon begin building its long-awaited second vehicle: a five-passenger sports sedan that should hit a 225-mi. range per all-electric charge. Head on over to The San Francisco Chronicle for the scoop, then check out PM's expert analysis below.

• PLUS: Tesla Hits No. 2 on Auto X Prize List With Model S
• GALLERY: Inside Tesla's First Dealership
• ANALYSIS: Does Tesla Have Case Against Model S Designers?

10 Best Car Chases in Movie History: Does Wanted Make the List?

A Dodge Viper spinning at 75 mph, Angelina Jolie clutching to it as she fires large-caliber weapons, the supercar literally driving off the side of an out-of-control bus—is this the stuff of Steve McQueen territory?

• VIDEO: Smoky Burnouts in Ford’s New Bullitt Mustang!
• ANALYSIS: Why Knight Rider 2.0 Needs More Tech

5 Real DIY Aerodynamic Mods Detroit Can Add for MPGs in '09

You don't need a wind tunnel—or even a welding kit, really—to know which way the wheels go. PM's guest hypermiler tracks down five average joes whose simple, cheap DIY car adjustments are maxing out fuel efficiency—and could inspire the world's top automakers.

• BENJAMIN JONES: 10 Quick Hypermiling Tips
• THIS IS MY JOB: Penske Racing Aerodynamics Engineer

2008 MV Agusta F4CC Test Drive: Ultra Sportbike Is the Lambo Reventón of Motorcycles

Loud, fast and hideously expensive, the MV Agusta F4CC sets a new bar for exotic motorcycles. It's a case study in the marvelous things that can be accomplished when money is no object and the sky really is the limit.

• COMPARISON TEST: 5 New Middleweight Cruisers
• COMPLETE COVERAGE: Read All PM’s Bike Reviews

Cornell Auto X Prize Squad Swaps in Digital for Analog With Hybrid Tech

Armed with data from May’s Green Grand Prix, the PM-sponsored Cornell Automotive X Prize team is currently installing and testing a new digital control system that will increase the efficiency of its electric motor.

• EARLIER: Cornell AXP Mods Mule for Green Grand Prix
• PLUS: Top 10 Early Contenders for the Auto X Prize

2009 Bentley Flying Spur Test Drive: Speed, the Old-Fashioned Way

The Flying Spur isn’t exactly the poster child for our new eco universe. But for the few that have the means and want a luxury sedan that delivers performance, refinement and, of course, cachet, there aren’t many that beat the Spur.

• FIRST LOOK: 2008 Bentley Continental GT Speed

2009 Smart Fortwo Test Drive: With Li-Ion Smart Two Years Out, European Eco Trifecta Gives Preview

Mercedes-Benz announced this week that they will sell an electric Smart for 2010, along with an electric Mercedes-branded vehicle. We slid behind the wheel of the first-gen Smart EVs—part of a research project in conjunction with British electronic specialists Zytek.

• TEST DRIVE: 2008 Smart Fortwo Comes to U.S.

British Steam Car Hits the Road En Route to 170 MPH at Bonneville

The Jules-Verne-meets-Batmobile vehicle is being loaded up for a trip across the Atlantic, bound for the Bonneville Salt Flats and a potential rendezvous with racing history in late August.

• VIDEO: Ford’s 200-MPH Hydrogen Record Setter
• JAY LENO’S GARAGE: Going Green With Steam Power

2009 Porsche 911 Carrera & Carrera S Test Drive: Tweaked for Power, Efficiency & New Tech

Just when you thought the Porsche 911 was on its last legs, along comes a new one to reassert its primacy. The 2009 models, complete with more powerful and economical engines help keep the iconic Porsche one step ahead of its lower-priced brethren.

• TEST DRIVE: 2008 Carrera Holds Up Swagger

First Adam Carolla Top Gear Q&A: Exclusive Specs on NBC Show

Radio host Adam Carolla is best known as a comedian. But this self-proclaimed car “nerd” has a bigger role this fall as host of NBC's Top Gear, an hour of supercar test drives, ridiculous road trips and death-defying stunts.

• TEST DRIVES: Go Gonzo With PM’s Car Team!
• COMING SOON: Adam Carolla's Full Q&A

McCain Proposes $300M Car Battery Prize: Are We Close?

Looking to combat the energy crisis with a proposal that would literally give the Automotive X Prize a run for its money, Sen. John McCain's "Clean Car Challenge" aims to speed up the race for production-ready plug-in vehicles.

• PM NEWS: Plug-in Car Tech's Race to Production
• DRIVE GREEN: News on Plug-ins, Alt-Fuels & More

2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart Test Drive: 237-hp Evo Lite Done Right

The goal was to give buyers something other than the mild-mannered base Lancer or the bad-boy Evolution models to choose from. It was a great idea, because this new Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart contains real Evo DNA—and Mitsu gets the chemistry dead right.

• VIDEO: 2009 Lancer Ralliart Unveiled in Detroit

2009 Volkswagen Passat CC Test Drive: European Preview of VW’s Thrifty 296-hp Coupe Hits 32+ MPG

Even with the pain at the pump, we’d still take the gas engine over diesel any day. With a refining shortage and adverse taxes pushing diesel prices higher, we’re wondering whether the fuss about diesel is even worth it.

• EURO WATCH: 2008 VW Polo BlueMotion Hits 46 MPG
• PLUS: Coupelike Four-Door Sedans Head to U.S.

Fuel-Efficient 'Cute Ute' Concepts Could Resurrect the Dying SUV

Detroit says the SUV is (almost) dead. Long live the SUV? So says Jalopnik's editor-in-chief in his monthly guest analyis for PopularMechanics.com.

• TIME MACHINE: 41-MPG Compact Car Revolution From '54

5 New Middleweight Cruiser Motorcycles: Comparison Test

We gathered up five middleweight contenders from Yamaha (Star), Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki, and rode them nearly 350 miles through some of California's best roads. We found that the smaller bikes had enough power, efficiency and comfort to impress.

• VIDEO: Choosing the Right New Bike Gear Just for You

Corvette ZR1 to Hit 205 MPH at $103K: Historical 'Vette Matchup

GM released more info on the 2009 Corvette ZR1. We knew it could hit 638 hp, but with pricing, top speed and 0-60 in 3.4-seconds, we see how the ZR1 is tops.

• GALLERY: 10 Pix of the ZR1 (Plus Spy Shots!)
• VIDEO: Corvette ZR1 Unveiled in Detroit

2009 Cadillac CTS-V Ride Along: Inside the Tech Behind Caddy’s 190-MPH Wild-Child Sedan

The CTS-V holds on to Mother Earth like there are rotating claws in each of those fat Michelin tires. And it never appeared to put a foot wrong in GM’s ery experienced hands. Looks like a winner to us.

• FIRST LOOK: 2009 Cadillac CTS-V at Detroit Show

5 New Tech Trends From Benz to Move Beyond the Fuel Crunch

Talk about timing: Mere days before Spain was virtually shut down by truckers protesting a rise in diesel prices, Mercedes showcased an impressive array of green technologies, from nearly production-ready hybrids to its breakthrough DiesOtto concept.

• FROM JALOPNIK: Top Gear USA Coming to NBC Soon

Not Just the Hydrogen: Honda FCX Clarity Is Fun on the Road

The Web is abuzz as Honda's first fuel-cell car rolls off the production line. But as we learned in a test drive late last year, the FCX works pretty well as a prototype—you know, as far as 68-mpg vehicles are concerned. Take a look back at PM's full review of this next-gen ride.

• DRIVE GREEN: Alt-Fuel News, Drives & Videos

2008 Citroën C5 Test Drive: Diesel Powered, Fuel-Sipping Wagon Is a 34-MPG French Treat

Viva la difference! The Citroën C5 offers continent-spanning legs, an idiosyncratic heritage and supreme competence in areas that owners appreciate most often: ride quality and fuel economy.

• JAY LENO’S GARAGE: Hidden Charm of French Cars

How to Monitor Your Fuel Economy in Real Time on the Road

Tinkering with new mpg monitoring gadgets (not the “mega-efficient” gas savers he's debunked time and again), PM's senior auto editor reminds us of maybe the most obvious—if overlooked—advice when it comes to today's hell at the pump.

• SATURDAY MECHANIC: Using an Auto Scan Tool!

Coupelike Four-Door Sedans Ride Euro Wave to U.S.

American backseat passengers will soon be thanking Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Aston Martin and Porsche for making their climb a bit easier.

• FLASHBACK: Porsche Green Lights Panamera
• FIRST LOOK: Aston Martin Rapide Shown at Detroit