Since its inception in 1899 under the name A. Horch & Cie, Audi has dedicated themselves to producing vehicles that set the standard for luxury. And while the rest of the world is still struggling in a down economy, the manufacturer posted a record breaking month as recently as July 2012, with four Audi models (the Audi A3, A4, A5 and A6 models) recording year-over-year sales increased of 20% or more. Meanwhile, Audi pre-owned vehicles saw their second best July in history, selling 3,136 vehicles in spite of reduced inventory of available models. It can be hard to believe that a company that…

The legendary Porsche 911 is rich with history and beloved by passionate automotive enthusiasts throughout the world. The 911, the eventual replacement for the 356 and first  produced in 1963, surpassed its predecessor in sales, longevity, and glory. Believe it or not, the 911 is so intensely cherished by owners that Porsche has not been allowed to replace it, despite trying on a few occasions. To understand the legend of the Porsche 911, consider that the vehicle has been cited in at least 71 movies. So, what makes the 911 so special? The automobile offers lasting value, top-level engine performance,…

The cars of today are costly in more ways than one. In 2010, there were 35,000 deaths due to car crashes in the U.S., and car crashes cost the economy $230 billion every year. Traffic congestion costs the U.S. economy a staggering $87.2 billion a year. As a nation, we waste 4.2 billion hours in traffic each year—that’s one work week for every traveler. The environment takes a beating from the cars of today as well. Twenty-two percent of carbon dioxide emissions come from cars and trucks, and 2.8 billion gallons of fuel are wasted each year due to congestion. Fortunately, self-driving cars figure…

Did you know that Sedans are the most popular type of vehicle and that hatchbacks are the least purchased by customers? This little known fact was just one of the many interesting pieces of information I learned from the infographic below. Another was in discovering what women vs. men look for when purchasing a vehicle and what they feel is important to have in a car; and you guessed it, they are not the same things. …

After numerous delays, the 2012 Fisker Karma plug-in electric performance car will finally be heading to showrooms by the end of this month. According to British automotive magazine Autocar, Fisker’s first customer will be actor and committed environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio, with Al Gore and Colin Powell set to follow. Just five Karmas will be built per week at Fisker’s assembly plant in Finland until November, when production is expected to increase to 300 units per week. Three thousand pre-orders for the car have been tallied, so Fisker expects all Karmas to be accounted for until…

Electric vehicles are finding buyers, even while range anxiety persists. But those that worry about their vehicle suddenly running out of electricity while driving need not worry, as AAA has you covered. AAA has just announced the addition of EV mobile charging units to its roadside assistance operations. The organization is starting off with just six units in select states in August. Each of these charging units should be well-equipped to handle the needs of most electric vehicles, and will feature Level 2 chargers and super-fast Level 3 chargers that can power up a car in a matter of minutes….

Mercedes-Benz is gearing up to show off the true potential of hydrogen fuel cell technology. The German automaker’s B-Class F-Cell will soon embark on an around-the-world trip to prove the efficiency and reliability of hydrogen cars. While most automakers these days appear to be concentrating on battery-powered EVs, some brands like Mercedes-Benz, Honda, and General Motors, continue to research hydrogen fuel cell technology as a viable alternative. Although extensive testing has proven the technical maturity of fuel cells, a network of hydrogen filling stations is still one of the…

As the proud owner of a Smart car, I simply had to post this. Mercedes gave Wired a couple of Smart ForTwo’s to take up to Inuvik, Canada to test drive the same routes used by ice truckers carrying wood down to Dawson City, Yukon. Considering these cars were originally meant for the gentle streets of continental Europe, they handle the challenge admirably. The Smart cars started even without engine block heaters in 40 below temperatures, no mean feat. At 70 horsepower, the cars struggled to keep up with the pace, but managed that task too. I love my Smart car, and it’s great to know that if I ever wanted…

Remember when your parents always reminded you to turn off the lights when you were not using them? Seems logical enough, right? It helps the world and saves on the energy bill. But Ford must slept through that childhood, because the company has only recently become aware that they could save over a million dollars simply by shutting down their computers at night. Insane, right? Yes, our beloved American automaker is reporting that it plans to shut down or utilize power management functionality already built into computers and laptops to save the company an astounding $1.2 million per year. Could…