Feature Stories Archive

2011 Chevrolet Caprice police car for America

An all-new Chevrolet Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle (PPV) will join the ranks of law enforcement departments across North America in 2011. It’s a modern, full-size, rear-drive sedan that will offer both V8 and V6 engines, as well as a host of specialized equipment and features. Continue reading »

The history of Nissan EV development

“His other concern was the batteries themselves. Thorne had selected the new lithium-ion batteries from Nissan, which were extremely efficient on a weight basis.” This quote could easily be from a government official at a pitch for a future fleet of zero emission vehicles. In reality, the source is a scene from Michael Crichton’s 1990 novel – and later blockbuster movie – Jurassic Park. Nearly two decades later, Nissan is still an industry leader in lithium-ion battery development. However, the real story of Nissan’s history of Electric Vehicles starts much earlier, though not quite in the Jurassic era, in 1947. Continue reading »

Suzuki: Celebrating 100 years of small automobiles

Small automaker Suzuki celebrates its centenary this October. Back in 1909, Michio Suzuki founded the Suzuki Loom Company in Hamamatsu, Southern Japan and it was while manufacturing looms for production of plain white fabric he learned that weavers wanted looms that could produce cloth with vertical and horizontal stripes. So he developed a unique loom capable of weaving patterned cloth from dyed yarn. Suzuki’s new innovation represented the start of an uncompromising focus on creating products that meet people’s needs and realize new lifestyle possibilities. Continue reading »

Honda celebrates 50 years in America

Honda marked its first 50 years in America this week, commemorating the establishment of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., in a small Los Angeles storefront on June 11, 1959. Honda associates observed the occasion with a brief ceremony at the company’s U.S. headquarters in California. Continue reading »

Mercedes-Benz S 400 ESF: Safest car in the world

In August 1939 the safety pioneer Béla Barényi started his work in Sindelfingen. He invented for example the principle of the crumple zone, a trailblazing innovation which entered series production at Mercedes-Benz in 1959. With the help of its in-house accident research function, which was founded in 1969, Mercedes engineers in the following years have developed several groundbreaking innovations in passenger car safety. Now it is time for a look behind the scenes, and in this anniversary year, Mercedes-Benz is using the ESF 2009 research vehicle to reveal what its safety specialists are currently working on – with a time horizon that often extends well into the future. Continue reading »

MINI John Cooper Works World Championship 50 edition – Mini history

Mini has unveiled a special edition Cooper S model in Britain. The Mini John Cooper Works World Championship 50 is supposed to celebrate the birth of Mini and John Cooper’s Formula One title victory 50 years ago at around the same time. Continue reading »

The most & least expensive cars to insure

Ever wondered how the insurance premium you are paying is compared to that of an exotic car? Insure.com has the answers, with a list of the 20 most expensive cars to insure in the United States. Not to be complacent, they have also provided a list of the 20 least expensive cars to insure. Continue reading »

History of the BMW Roadster 1934-2010

BMW announced their first roadster in 1934. This first concept, with its six-cylinder power and two-seater body, started a model line that extends all the way to the latest BMW Z4. Continue reading »