The Ford F-Series still dominates sales in North America with a total of 33,877 units sold in September 2009. Toyota’s Camry held the No.2 spot with 25,745 units sold. The Volkswagen Jetta broke into the Top 20 with a total of 9,568 units sold, beating out the Ford Focus, which sold 9,182.

The Chevrolet Camaro also broke it into the Top 20 with a total of 7,961 units sold – it outsold the Ford Mustang for the fourth consecutive month.

Click through for the list of the Top 20 Vehicles for September 2009.

Top 20 Vehicles for September 2009:

Ford F – Series – 33,877
Toyota Camry – 25,745
Honda Accord – 20,826
Toyota Corolla / Matrix – 20,741
Chevrolet Silverado PU – 19,401
Honda Civic – 16,093
Honda CR-V – 14,554
Dodge Ram PU – 13,452
Chevrolet Impala – 13,047
Nissan Altima – 12,149
Toyota Prius – 10,984
Ford Fusion – 10,834
Chevrolet Malibu – 10,479
Toyota RAV4 – 10,398
Volkswagen Jetta – 9,568
Ford Focus – 9,182
Ford Escape – 8,692
Lexus RX – 8,228
Pontiac G6 – 8,097
Chevrolet Camaro – 7,961

- By: Stephen Calogera

Source: Autodata Corp (via Free Press)

In a relatively small survey by MPH, The Prestige and Performance Motor Show, Ferrari came out on top as the most iconic performance badge around. Out of the 5,235 participants, 48 percent Ferrari makes vehicles that are exuberant in performance, luxury and price.

Coming in behind Ferrari was Aston Martin with 25 percent and Lamborghini with 9 percent. Bugatti followed with 5 percent. Porsche closed off the top 5 spots.

Make the jump for the top ten list.

MPH The Prestige and Performance Motor Show – Top 10 ‘Most Iconic’ Car Badges:

Ferrari
Aston Martin
Lamborghini
Bugatti
Porsche
Maserati
Spyker
Lotus
Koenigsegg
Pagani

Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 completely destroyed: What you see above is a picture of a Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 completely destroyed after a horrible head on crash. Check out more pictures at WreckedExotics.

Chinese woman pulls 6 cars with her hair: This past week, Zhang Tingting became the first woman to successfully pull 6 cars over 50 meters with her hair. All we have to say is – ouch. We’re guessing she uses Garnier – Jalopnik

Fastest cars under $50,000: Forbes has put together a list of the fastest cars for under $50,000. Some picks include the Porsche Boxster, BMW Z4, BMW 335i, Audi TTS, 2010 Camaro SS and the Ford Mustang GT. The Nissan 370Z seems to missing from the list and we’re pretty pissed off about that. On a side note, you should definitely go for the car pictured below. – Forbes

- By: Omar Rana

Earlier this morning we told you that Toyota has passed GM as the top manufacturer of the most vehicles purchased under the Cars Allowance Rebate System. We also told you that Toyota’s Corolla is the No.1 new vehicle being purchased for a traded-in clunker.

In fact, after looking at the top 10 list of new vehicles purchased under the Cash for Clunkers program, we noticed that there are only two American made cars on the list, the Ford Focus and the Ford Escape. Toyota and Honda both hold 3 spots each on the Top 10.

Honda’s Civic pushed the Ford Focus to the No.3 spot as of Friday

Take a look at the list after the jump.

Top 10 new vehicles purchased under Cars Allowance Rebate System:

1. Toyota Corolla
2. Honda Civic
3. Ford Focus fwd
4. Toyota Camry
5. Toyota Prius
6. Hyundai Elantra
7. Ford Escape fwd
8. Honda Fit
9. Nissan Versa
10. Honda CR-V 4WD

- By: Omar Rana

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

Looking for a cool car for under $18,000? Well, you’re lucky because Kelley Blue Book has just put together a list of the Top 10 Coolest New Cars Under $18,000.

“The vehicles that made Kelley Blue Book’s 2009 list of Top 10 Coolest New Cars Under $18,000 — typically a gas-sipping and obviously affordable bunch — are cooler than they have ever been,” KBB said in a statement. “More fun, more practical and more amenity-laden than ever before, today’s entry-level vehicles deliver more than simply affordable and efficient transportation.”

Check out the complete list after the jump and head over to KBB.com to read their article.

2009 Top 10 Coolest New Cars Under $18,000 List:

2009 Honda Fit

2010 Kia Soul

2010 MAZDA3

2009 Nissan cube

2009 smart fortwo

2009 Ford Focus

2009 Scion xB

2009 Subaru Impreza

2009 Suzuki SX4

2009 Volkswagen Rabbit

- By: Omar Rana

Automakers have reported their final sales figures bringing a close to 2008 vehicle sales. While it was a rough very year for American automakers, the Ford F-Series and Chevrolet Silverado held the no. 1 and no. 2 spots on the Top 10 Best-Selling Cars of 2008.

As KickingTires points out, even after high gas-prices the top performers haven’t really changed. Toyota’s Camry came in third place with a total of 436,617 followed by the Honda Accord with a total of 372,789. The Toyota Corolla came in at no. 5 with a total of 351,007 while Honda’s Civic followed in at no. 6 with 339,289.

Click through for the full list.

The Top 10 Best-Selling Cars of 2008:

    - Ford F-Series: 515,513
    - Chevy Silverado: 465,065
    - Toyota Camry: 436,617
    - Honda Accord: 372,789
    - Toyota Corolla: 351,007
    - Honda Civic: 339,289
    - Nissan Altima: 269,668
    – Chevy Impala: 265,840
    – Dodge Ram: 245,840
    - Honda CR-V: 197,279
December 2008’s Top 10 Best-Selling Cars:

    - Ford F-150: 41,580
    - Chevy Silverado: 33,340
    - Toyota Camry: 25,275
    - Honda Accord: 22,348
    - Toyota Corolla: 22,129
    - Chevy Impala: 21,148
    - Chevy Malibu: 17,355
    - Nissan Altima: 17,311
    - Honda Civic: 17,302
    - Dodge Ram: 16,618

Source: KickingTires

The 2008 Honda Civic has topped the list of the most-researched new vehicles in 2008 on Kelley Blue Book’s Web Site. The list consisted of seven Toyota models and six Honda models. The Honda Civic was followed by the Honda Accord and the Toyota Camry.

Noteworthy jumps into the top 20 most-researched new vehicles for 2008 that were not on the list in 2007 included the redesigned Chevrolet Malibu which jumped 55 places from last year’s rank at 72 to this year’s rank at 17. The Honda Fit was ranked 15 this year up from 35 last year while Toyota’s Yaris ranked 11 as compared to 23 last year. The Volkswagen Jetta came in last at 20 moving up from 25 last year.

Click through for the full list.

Kbb.com’s Most-Researched New Vehicles of 2008

   1. Honda Civic
   2. Honda Accord
   3. Toyota Camry
   4. Toyota Corolla
   5. Nissan Altima
   6. Honda CR-V
   7. Toyota Prius
   8. Toyota Highlander
   9. Toyota RAV4
  10. Mazda3
  11. Toyota Yaris
  12. Ford Escape
  13. Honda Odyssey
  14. Honda Pilot
  15. Honda Fit
  16. Ford Mustang
  17. Chevrolet Malibu
  18. Toyota Sienna
  19. MINI Cooper
  20. Volkswagen Jetta

It seems like the symbol for making it big is driving around in a large oversized American SUV. You know you’ve hit the jackpot when you buy a Cadillac Escalade or Hummer SUV. However, you better drop some extra cash on protecting your elite purchase because the Escalade and Hummer are two of the most likely to be stolen vehicles.

The 2007 Cadillac Escalade ESV has the highest probability of being stolen; 15 times more than the least-stolen car – the Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

To put together the list, the IIHS reviews the insurance-claim reports to come up with theft frequency rates based on the number of claims for every 1,000 vehicles insured each year.

Follow the jump for the full list.

Ten Most Stolen Vehicles:

1. Cadillac Escalade ESV
2. Ford F-250 SuperCrew
3. Cadillac Escalade
4. Dodge Charger
5. Ford F-350 SuperCrew
6. Hummer H2 SUT
7. Dodge Magnum
8. Hummer H2
9. Dodge Durango
10. Honda S2000 convertible

Ten Least Stolen Vehicles:

1. Mercedes E-Class
2. Buick Rainier
3. Subaru Forester
4. Buick Terraza
5. Volkswagen New Beetle
6. Ford Focus
7. Volvo V70
8. Toyota Prius
9. Saturn Relay
10. Ford Freestyle

Source: ABC News (via KickingTires)

Yes, we were a little disappointed that some of the models from the 2008 Paris Motor Show didn’t make it over the the 2008 LA Auto Show, but the City of Angels had its own reason to shine with some outstanding model debuts. While we would’ve loved to see the Lamborghini Estoque, 2010 Volkswagen Golf GTI, BMW X1  and the Toyota iQ we were more than satisfied with the world debut’s of the 2010 Ford Mustang, 2009 Nissan 370Z, Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4 Spyder, 2009 Infiniti G37 Convertible and many others.

Click through to see our list of the Top 10 2008 LA Auto Show Debuts that stole the show.

10. 2009 Nissan Cube:

9. 2010 Mazda3 Sedan:

8. Honda FC Sport Concept:

7. 2010 Lexus RX 450h:

6. 2009 Porsche Cayman S/2009 Porsche Boxster S:

5. 2009 Infiniti G37 Convertible:

4. Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4 Spyder:

3. 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid/2010 Mercury Milan Hybrid:

2. 2009 Nissan 370Z:

1. 2010 Ford Mustang:

You would think that during an economic storm entrepreneurs and investors would be hesitant to put their time and money in an auto startup. However, we have a couple of ambitious companies that are determined to change the way we drive by offering vehicles with new technologies and alternative fuel.

Taking advantage of low labor costs in China and Eastern Europe these auto companies don’t care about history that makes it quite inevitable that most of them will fail without leaving much evidence of their existence. But there are a few out there that may change the world.

The folks at PopularMechanics have the Top 10 New Eco and Exotic car companies that they believe have some potential to leave their mark in the auto industry.

Follow the jump for the list.

Top 10 New Eco and Exotic Car Companies:

10. Lightning Car Company
9. Noble Automotive Limited
8. Hybrid Technologies
7. Koenigsegg
6. Shelby Supercars
5. Ariel Motor Company
4. Carbon Motors
3. Fisker Automotive
2. Aptera Motors
1. Tesla Motors

Thanks for the tip Andrew.

Source: PopularMechanics

At a time where gas-prices have hit an all time high and the economy isn’t showing any signs of improvement, you would think that American hate big, expensive and gas-guzzling SUVs. However, according to Forbes.com, SUVs aren’t the only vehicles being hated by American consumers.

To generate its list of the ‘Top 10 Cars Americans Hate,’ Forbes looked at sales data for 10 major vehicle segments put together by J.D. Power and Associates. The data provides ranges from 2006, 2007 and the first nine months of 2008. Whichever vehicle showed the lowest sales made the list.

Forbes also looked at J.D. Power’s 2008 Initial Quality study which reports a buyer’s satisfaction with a vehicle in the first 90 days of ownership in terms of mechanical defects and malfunctions

Check out the list after the jump and head over to Forbes to read more about the study.

Top 10 Cars Americans Hate:

Kia Rio
Volkswagen Rabbit
Mazda Tribute
Saab 9-7X
Saturn Sky
Audi A3
Dodge Magnum
Mitsubishi Galant
Jaguar XJ
Acura RL

Happy Halloween to everyone that hangs out with us here everyday obsessing over car news. Our Top 10 Scary Cars from 2008 list consists of just downright weird, ugly and some very mean cars that we saw during this year.

The list consists of everything from the recent AC Schnitzer Falcon X6 with its two-tone gold and black body, to the awfully mean looking 600-hp Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR. Then there were some weird sightings like the Hummer H3 Wagon on wooden wheels and Citroen’s GT. Of course we had to throw in some cars that we felt were beaten with an ugly stick like the 2009 Honda Pilot and the 2009 Nissan Murano.

Check out the list (in no particular order) after the jump and let us know if you think there is something we missed or something we should have added.

Follow the jump for the list.

2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR:

2009 Nissan Murano:

2009 Honda Pilot:

2009 Nissan Maxima:

2008 Lexus LF-Xh Hybrid in matte-black:

Citroen GT:

2009 Kia Soul:

2009 Dodge Challenger SRT10 Concept:

HUMMER H3 on Wooden Wheels:

BMW X6 Falcon by AC Schnitzer:

We hope you enjoying July 4th with your friends and family and wish you all a very happy Independence Day. We’ll be coming in from time to time to bring you some updates, but for now enjoy this list of Top 10 Most Patriotic Vehicles. Maybe it’ll just convince to you to buy American for your next car.

American automakers are struggling. Sales of consumer-oriented cars and trucks at General Motors slid 15.9 January through May compared to the same period last year. Ford and Chrysler are seeing similar troubles with declines during the first five months of 11.2 percent and 19.3 percent, respectively.

Car buyers interested in giving the domestic automakers and by extension, the American economy, a lift can do so with their next vehicle purchase. The challenge is that neither the government nor auto manufacturers make it easy to figure out which vehicles have the greatest impact on the American economy.

Here’s the bottom line: The best way to boost the economy with your next new-car purchase is to buy a domestic-branded model manufactured in North America with the highest percentage of American-made parts.

Click through for the list of Top 10 Most Patriotic Vehicles of 2008.

Top 10 Most Patriotic Vehicles of 2008:

Sedan — Chevrolet Malibu: $19,645
Coupe — Pontiac G6: $23,100
Hybrid — Saturn Aura Green Line: $23,640
Luxury Car — Cadillac CTS: $33,245
Sports Car — Dodge Viper SRT10: $84,880
Convertible — Pontiac G6: $30,210
Wagon — Ford Taurus X: $27,030
SUV — Buick Enclave/GMC Acadia/Saturn Outlook: $28,625-$33,220
Truck — Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra: $17,500
Van — Chevrolet Express/GMC Savana: $26,395

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A Classic Reborn: Ford Mustang

Top 10 Most Patriotic Vehicles of 2008:

Top 10 Most Patriotic Vehicles

Feeling patriotic? Next time you go car shopping, take a closer look at those window stickers.

American automakers are struggling. Sales of consumer-oriented cars and trucks at General Motors slid 15.9 January through May compared to the same period last year. Ford and Chrysler are seeing similar troubles with declines during the first five months of 11.2 percent and 19.3 percent, respectively.

Car buyers interested in giving the domestic automakers and by extension, the American economy, a lift can do so with their next vehicle purchase. The challenge is that neither the government nor auto manufacturers make it easy to figure out which vehicles have the greatest impact on the American economy.

Here’s the bottom line: The best way to boost the economy with your next new-car purchase is to buy a domestic-branded model manufactured in North America with the highest percentage of American-made parts. But figuring out exactly which models fit that criteria isn’t easy.

Automakers must specify on each vehicle’s window sticker how much of its content comes from American or Canadian suppliers, where its engine and transmission were built, and its final assembly point.

The stickers divulge some surprising — and potentially bewildering — information.

For instance, the Chevrolet Equinox, which is assembled in Ontario, has an engine made in China and a transmission from Japan, which brings its domestic content down to 55 percent. The Chrysler PT Cruiser is assembled in Mexico, has a Mexican-made engine and only 37 percent domestic content.

Yet the Japanese-branded Toyota Sienna minivan, with a West Virginia-built engine and transmission, and a final assembly in Indiana, boasts 85 percent domestic content.

The international patchwork of auto parts is nothing new, says Paul Ryan, director of government affairs for the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers (AIAM). The group represents 14 foreign-based automakers and four parts suppliers.

“The industry is the poster child of the global economy, and it has been for many years,” he says.

To help patriotic car buyers hone in on the best domestic models that will have the most impact on the United States economy, we’ve compiled a list of vehicles from American automakers assembled in North America with the highest percentage of domestic parts. Read on to find out why domestic-branded vehicles with the most domestic-sourced parts are best for the economy, or skip the discussion and see the full list of the Most Patriotic Vehicles in the slideshow.

The list includes our best picks per category, including sedan, coupe, convertible and so on. We used safety ratings, fuel economy and cumulative analysis from test drives to break ties and have listed runners-up for each category.

Why Buy American?

Despite the hodgepodge of parts in most vehicles, experts say there are compelling reasons to buy from American brands, regardless of whether a particular vehicle was born on American soil.

John Wolkonowicz, senior automotive analyst for Global Insight, says to simply consider one question: Where does the profit of the car purchase accrue?

“You buy a Toyota and the profit accrues in Tokyo,” he says. “You buy a GM made in Canada and the profit still accrues in Detroit. Buyers of foreign-branded cars take delight in knowing that their cars are assembled in the U.S. But the value added in the assembly process is not all that great. At the end of the day, it’s where the profits accrue that really matters.”

Another way to look at economic impact is in terms of the number of jobs an automaker creates. As foreign car manufacturers expand operations in the United States and employ more Americans, the lines start to blur. But ultimately it’s still the domestic brands that create the most jobs for Americans.

“A Ford Fusion built in Mexico supports all the same jobs in Dearborn, Mich., that a car built in the U.S. does,” says James Doyle, president of the Level Field Institute, a group that represents the interests of the so-called “Big Three” American automakers — Chrysler, Ford and General Motors — along with their domestic suppliers and dealers.

GM alone employs more Americans than all foreign automakers combined; 40 percent of GM’s worldwide workforce is in the United States, compared to only 11 percent of Toyota’s.

Chrysler employs about 83 workers for every 2,500 vehicles sold, Ford employs 80 and General Motors 71, according to the Washington-based Level Field Institute. By comparison, Toyota employs 33 American workers for every 2,500 cars sold.

Doing Their Part

Buying a vehicle with the highest percentage of domestic parts possible helps the U.S. economy by invigorating the national auto parts industry, which provides 1.8 million jobs domestically.

Automakers based in the United States still overwhelmingly use American parts. According to the Level Field Institute, 79 percent of parts used in all vehicles produced by domestic automakers are American, while only 35 percent of parts in vehicles from foreign automakers come from North America.

But not everyone appreciates the domestic content figures. “It’s a fundamentally flawed formula,” says AIAM’s Ryan, who calls the rules, governed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “archaic and misleading.” He contends that they allow the same part from the same supplier company to be called domestic content in one car and foreign content in another.

If a supplier produces a car battery in the United States that is made of 70 percent domestic content, when that battery is installed in a U.S.-built, domestic-brand vehicle, it is considered 100-percent domestic content, says AIAM spokesperson Kim Custer. But if that exact battery is installed in a U.S.-built import-brand vehicle, it is considered only 70-percent domestic content.

In defense of the foreign automakers it represents, AIAM says its member companies do their part to support the American economy: They bought almost $53 billion in parts and materials from the United States in 2006. And more than half of the vehicles sold by those foreign automakers in the United States were built here too.

AIAM also cites the fact that several states, especially in the Southeast, have become hotbeds of manufacturing for foreign nameplates: In Kentucky, Toyota assembly facilities have created about 6,900 jobs. Toyota and the parts suppliers it contracts with collectively have brought $5.9 billion of investment revenue to the state.

Managing Perceptions

Fuel economy has jumped from eighth in 2003 to first in 2007 among factors that most influence new-car purchases, according to research firm J.D. Power and Associates. And the ratio of people who claim fuel economy is an influential factor in their decision rose from 8 percent to 34 percent during that same period.

American automakers face a significant hurdle in these times of high gas prices because of what industry analysts cite as a common misconception: that Asian vehicles are more fuel-efficient than domestic-brand equivalents.

J.D. Power’s 2007 Avoider Study, which polled more than 35,000 respondents who registered a new car in May 2007 about the reasons they passed up certain vehicles and brands, indicated that 20 percent of respondents avoided domestic models because of gas mileage, while only 7 percent of domestic buyers said they avoided a rival import model for that reason.

And by some measures, those perceptions aren’t far from reality: According to the federal government’s Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards, which rate manufacturers on the collective fuel efficiency of their vehicle line-ups, the Big Three trail Japanese automakers (Honda, Nissan and Toyota, in particular). But it’s hard to use any one measure to compare manufacturers’ aggregate fuel economy because, for instance, domestic automakers’ ratings are skewed by the large numbers of full-size trucks they sell.

There’s also a pronounced regional difference in whether buyers prefer domestic or foreign nameplates. “People on the coasts tend to favor imports, while those in the heartland tend to favor domestics more,” says Jon Osborn, research director at J.D. Power and Associates.

Quality and reliability are other reasons buyers favor import brands, according to J.D. Power research. “Domestics have certainly caught up, but there still is a lag in the quality perception,” Osborn says.

But American automakers have made strides in recent years. “The domestics have, somewhat, closed the gap,” says Jon Linkov, the managing editor of the autos division at Consumer Reports. Reliability of American cars has been on the upswing in recent years, he says. Ford is doing the best, with 41 out of its 44 current models maintaining average or better-than-average reliability records, according to Consumer Reports data.

But misconceptions die hard and don’t bode well for the domestic auto industry, Wolkonowicz says. Repeat Japanese car buyers — many of them Baby Boomers — will insist that domestics haven’t changed, he says.

While Boomers might be a lost cause, younger generations might not be. “Gen Y is blind to national origin … it simply doesn’t matter,” Wolkonowicz says.

Ironically, he says, that’s a good thing: “The savior of the domestic companies could be Gen Y.”

Helpful Hint: The window sticker on a new vehicle indicates its final assembly point, but you can also verify that it is U.S.-made by looking at the vehicle identification number (VIN) at the base of the windshield. If the number starts with one or five, it was built in the United States. Vehicles assembled in Canada have a VIN beginning with two, and those made in Mexico begin with three. 

FoMoCo is celebrating its 100th anniversary of the Ford Model T and has come up with a list of Top 10 list of important influences of the Model T and how it changed the world forever. A bit of a dramatic statement there? Yes, we think so too.

Anyway follow the jump to see the list and let us know what you think in the comments section below.

Press Release:

TOP 10 WAYS FORD’S MODEL T CHANGED THE WORLD

DEARBORN, Mich., July 2, 2008 -  This year, Ford Motor Company is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the car credited with “putting the world on wheels,” the Model T.  Henry Ford’s iconic vehicle, which officially brought the world into the age of the “horseless carriage,” also is responsible for hundreds of innovations that jumpstarted the automotive industry as we know it.  This list focuses on the 10 most important influences of the Model T and how the world was forever changed by them.

1. King of the assembly line – The Model T brought mobility and prosperity on an undreamed of scale through manufacturing efficiencies at a price that anyone could afford.  The mass production process perfected the moving assembly line, creating and defining the industrial age and enabling Ford to steadily decrease the price of the Model T.   In 1908, the first Model Ts sold for $825.  By 1925, it sold for only $260.

2. Friend of the factory worker – The Model T is responsible for establishing a minimum wage and the eight-hour work day.  The $5 a day minimum wage brought the best workers to the Ford factories and is often cited as having helped establish the middle-class.  The factory work also gave jobs to people who usually could not find work such as immigrants, women, minorities and people with disabilities.

3. Personalize it – Over the years, thousands of Model T accessories have been sold.  Because of this, the car spurred the aftermarket supplier industry, which is now a $38 billion industry annually.  Anytime you see a car with anything from a bumper sticker to chrome wheels, know that the Model T started the customization trend.

4. The Universal Car – Model T stands out as the industry’s truly the first global car.  By 1921, it accounted for almost 57 percent of the world’s automobile production.  It also was manufactured in several countries and had dealerships in six continents.

5. The American Way – Before the Model T, early cars might have a steering wheel on the right, left, or in the center of the front seat.  The Model T standardized the left-hand steering wheel.

6. Any Color As Long As It’s Black – The myth that the Model T only came in black probably comes from the reality that almost 12 million of the 15 million total Model Ts were black.  But, in the early and late years of Model T production, the car was produced in many different colors, including blue, red, green and grey.  Oddly, many these hues were so dark they were hardly discernable from black, another reason the myth lives on.

7. Built Ford Tough – By 1925, Ford was building its first factory-produced domestic pickup truck – the Ford Model T Runabout – with a pickup body.  Ford also offered a heavier-duty, one-ton-rated Model TT pickup – akin to today’s F-Series Super Duty.  The Model T chassis was simple, strong and lightweight, with a unique three-point suspension that isolated the frame and powertrain from road shock that would cause other less sophisticated chassis designs to flex under heavy loads.

8. Look at that thing go! – Tin Lizzie’s original engines offered flexibility and boasted 20 hp, with a top speed of 40-45 mph.  The front-mounted, 2.9-liter, four-cylinder, flex-fuel engine was the first single block motor with removable cylinder head and today remains the basis for most modern engines.  The engine could be matched to one of nine T body styles, all built on the same chassis.

The Touring, Roadster, Fordor, Coupe, and Sedan were just some of the options.  The Model T set the groundwork for modern cars that share the same chassis but are completely different from each other.

9. Tin Lizzie, a Pop Culture Icon – Soon after the Model T appeared in dealer showrooms, it started appearing in movies, songs, and became part of modern language and culture.  The Model T was featured in 1920s black-and-white comedies and became the subject of hundreds of jokes and cartoons that captured the experience about life with the Model T, the personality of the car and its creator, Henry Ford.  Hundreds of songs and even whole music albums were created as the Model T became part of pop culture, later generating dozens of nicknames for the car.  The most common – “Tin Lizzie” – was the moniker that had several possible origins ranging from the popularity of the female name “Lizzie” during that period to a famous Model T racecar named “Old Liz.”

10. The Car of the Century – The Model T was the best-selling vehicle ever, until 1972 when the VW bug finally surpassed it.  During 19 years of production, more than 15 Million Model Ts had been sold by May 26, 1927, when a ceremony marked the formal end of Model T production.  More than 20 years later in 1999, a panel of 126 automotive experts from 32 countries still chose the Model T as the most influential car of the 20th century. 

Hybrids have a well-founded reputation for being sluggish, but some are downright powerful.

Most hybrids rely on small, underpowered gasoline engines paired with electric motors — great for reducing fuel consumption; not so great when it comes to acceleration. A new generation of sporty hybrids is in the works and ought to give the segment an image makeover after coming to market. But those who require a vehicle with gutsy acceleration need not put off buying a hybrid until then: Some models already on sale get better-than-average gas mileage without being slowpokes.

The fastest hybrids on the market, highlighted in the accompanying list, are rolling compromises. Measured against non-hybrid competitors, they’re not necessarily the speediest. And measured against all hybrids, they’re not the most fuel efficient. But for drivers who want a vehicle that balances power with fuel efficiency, they’re worth considering.

Click through for the list of Top 6 Fastest hybrids on sale now.

Top 6 Fastest hybrids on sale now:

6. Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid (tie)
Starting price: $49,590
0-60 mph: 8.3 seconds
Miles per gallon: 21/22mpg

6. GMC Yukon Hybrid (tie)
Starting price: $50,045
0-60 mph: 8.3 seconds
Miles per gallon: 21/22mpg

5. Toyota Highlander Hybrid
Starting price: $34,200
0-60 mph: 8.1 seconds
Miles per gallon: 27/25mpg

4. Lexus RX 400h
Starting price: $41,580
0-60 mph: 7.5 seconds
Miles per gallon: 27/24mpg

3. Nissan Altima Hybrid
Starting price: $25,170
0-60 mph: 7.1 seconds
Miles per gallon: 35/33mpg

2. Lexus LS 600h L
Starting price: $104,900
0-60 mph: 5.5 seconds
Miles per gallon: 20/22mpg

1. Lexus GS 450h
Starting price: $55,800
0-60 mph: 5.2 seconds
Miles per gallon: 22/25mpg

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Top 6 Fastest hybrids on sale now Gallery:

Green Speed Demons: Fastest Hybrids On Sale Now

Hybrids are famous for getting great mileage, not for being speedy. But some actually are.

by JIM GORZELANY
ForbesAutos.com

Hybrids have a well-founded reputation for being sluggish, but some are downright powerful.

Most hybrids rely on small, underpowered gasoline engines paired with electric motors — great for reducing fuel consumption; not so great when it comes to acceleration. A new generation of sporty hybrids is in the works and ought to give the segment an image makeover after coming to market. But those who require a vehicle with gutsy acceleration need not put off buying a hybrid until then: Some models already on sale get better-than-average gas mileage without being slowpokes.

The fastest hybrids on the market, highlighted in the accompanying list, are rolling compromises. Measured against non-hybrid competitors, they’re not necessarily the speediest. And measured against all hybrids, they’re not the most fuel efficient. But for drivers who want a vehicle that balances power with fuel efficiency, they’re worth considering.

The five-passenger Lexus GS 450h — which tops our ranking of the most powerful hybrids available — is as quick as the much smaller and lighter Porsche 911.

General Motor’s new full-size SUVs, including the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid, Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid and GMC Yukon Hybrid, also made the list. They offer plenty of pep on the pavement and unprecedented towing capability for hybrids.

One drawback to all hybrids is that they cost more than their conventional counterparts. The models on our list are $2,780 to $32,000 more than comparable non-hybrid models from the same manufacturer.

The extra expense is for the added technology. Conventional vehicles have only a gasoline engine. Hybrids have the gasoline engine along with one or more electric motors connected to a battery pack that automatically recharges itself.

But with rising gas prices, even the least fuel-efficient hybrids with the steepest premiums over comparable conventional models have become more appealing — especially for those who don’t want to be sluggards on the road for the sake of better fuel economy.

Take for example the fastest hybrid currently on the market based on 0-60 mph acceleration time: the $55,800 Lexus GS 450h. An electric motor mated to its V6 engine increases fuel efficiency while actually adding power.

With a 0-60 mph time of 5.2 seconds, the GS 450h is speedy enough to be a match for the Porsche 911. Yet it manages class-leading fuel economy for a luxury sedan of its size: 22 miles per gallon in the city, 25 mpg on the highway.

Hybrids tend to be most efficient at slower speeds, where their electric motors can do most of the work to propel the vehicle.

But the hybrid GS 450h is half a second quicker from 0 to 60 mph than its non-hybrid V8-powered twin, the GS 460, in addition to being 15 percent more fuel efficient in combined city/highway driving.

Typical hybrids

When most people think of a hybrid vehicle, a super-high-mileage model like the Toyota Prius usually comes to mind. Currently the top-selling hybrid in the United States by a wide margin, the Prius is nonetheless underpowered even by economy car standards, a sacrifice necessary to help achieve its lofty 46 miles per gallon.

Sluggish as it is, the Prius would be even less zippy without its electric motor, which boosts the car’s puny 76-horsepower gasoline engine up to the equivalent of 110 horsepower.

So how can the same mechanical wizardry used to create the most fuel-efficient vehicles on the market also augment acceleration and performance? According to Marc Ross, a professor of physics at the University of Michigan, drivers need look no farther than the electric power source, which supplies lots of low-speed power (called torque) to augment the gasoline engine.

“That is probably the technology’s most important application,” Ross says.

Hybrid SUVs Are Not Wussy

GM is another manufacturer putting hybrid technology to good use in powerhouse vehicles. The Cadillac Escalade Hybrid, Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid and GMC Yukon Hybrid incorporate electric motors into an ingenious transmission that helps boost the fuel economy of the vehicles’ robust V8.

The 8.3 second 0-60 mph time for these heavy, seven-passenger vehicles isn’t too shabby.

But what’s more impressive is the towing capability their hybrid powertrains offer — 6,200 pounds.

Just as Lexus uses hybrid technology to boost performance in its GS 450h sport sedan, GM uses it to preserve the rugged towing, hauling and off-road capabilities its full-size SUVs are known for, while improving fuel economy by 31 to 50 percent over the conventional models.

The Cadillac Escalade, Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon Hybrids get an estimated 21 mpg city/22 mpg highway with two-wheel drive and 20 mpg city/20 mpg highway with optional four-wheel drive. That would save between $881 and $1,642 in annual fuel costs, according to the EPA’s online fuel-cost calculator, depending on which conventional version you compare it to.**

As with all hybrids, GM’s hybrid SUVs cost more than their conventional counterparts, between $12,660 and $15,230, depending on equipment level.

Don’t worry Ford – overall you’re still number one with the F-Series. Okay let’s get all this straight. Honda took the number one spot with the Civic in May 2008 with 53,299 while the Toyota Corolla and Camry followed with 52,826 and 51,291 respectively. The Ford F-Series came in behind the Honda Accord, which sold 49,098 units, selling a total 42,973 units and losing its number one spot for the first time since 1991.

Reuters has just released its list of Top 20 selling vehicles in the U.S. up until May 2008 and the Ford F-Series still leads the 2008 year with a total of 235,924 units, down 54,358 units from 2007. Toyota’s Camry holds the number 2 spot with a total of 198,309 units sold, up from 193,900 from the same period last year.

But the rest of 2008 may write a different story for the F-Series as the Camry lags behind by just 37,615 units. And with everyone moving towards smaller and more fuel-efficient cars, the outlook is not good.

Chevy’s Silverado clinches onto number 3 with 197,030. However sales are down 26 percent, a drastic drop from 265,941 in 2007.

Honda’s Accord is at number 4 with 166,158 units sold, followed by the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla with 164,994 and 152,308 respectively.

Source: Reuters

Edmunds.com has announced the winners of its first ever Consumers’ Top Rated Vehicle Awards. Consumers are given the control by rating the vehicles in eight different categories including performance, comfort, fuel-economy, fun to drive, interior and exterior design, quality and reliability.

Audi led the list with four awards while Toyota, Lexus and Chevrolet tied for second place with two awards each.

Click through for the full list.

The 2008 winners are:

Convertible Under $35,000 – Smart Fortwo
Convertible Over $35,000 – Audi TT
Coupe Under $25,000 – Saturn Astra
Coupe $25K-$35K – Audi TT
Coupe $35K-$45K – Audi A5
Coupe Over $45,000 – Chevrolet Corvette
Sedan Under $15,000 – Scion XD
Sedan $15K-$25K – Hyundai Azera
Sedan $25K-$35K – Toyota Avalon
Sedan $35K-$45K – Audi A6
Sedan Over $45,000 – Lexus GS 460
Hybrid – Mercury Mariner Hybrid
SUV Under $25,000 – Jeep Patriot
SUV $25K-$35K – Buick Enclave
SUV $35K-$45K – Lincoln MKX
SUV Over $45,000 – Lexus LX 570
Compact Truck – Toyota Tacoma
Large Truck – Chevrolet Avalanche
Minivan/Van – Mazda Mazda5
Wagon Under $35,000 – Volkswagen Passat
Wagon Over $35,000  Mercedes-Benz R-Class
Details on all award winners are located at the Consumers Top Rated Awards Page at http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/consumerstoprated/2008/index.html.

Go ahead, buy a drop-top. The latest convertibles are far more comfortable and safer than in years past. Some are almost as practical as “regular” cars, and they make summer driving a lot more fun.

With that in mind, we’ve assembled a list of 10 models that present the fewest compromises to achieve top-down fun. We considered only models with useable rear seats and took into account interior space and layout, trunk size and how well the folding top works, among other factors. See the full list of most practical convertibles in the slideshow.

Click through for the list of Top 10 Most Practical Convertibles.

Top 10 Most Practical Convertibles:

Jeep Wrangler Unlimited – $18,660
Chrysler Sebring Convertible – $26,150-$32,345
Toyota Camry Solara Convertible – $27,190
Volkswagen Eos – $28,990
Volvo C70 – $39,240
Saab 9-3 Convertible – $39,590
Audi A4/S4/RS 4 Cabriolet – $39,750-$81,900
BMW 3 Series Convertible – $43,200-$49,100
Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class Cabriolet – $54,200-$89,500
Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead – $407,000

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Top 10 Most Practical Convertibles Gallery:

View Slideshow

Top 10 Most Practical Convertibles:

Go ahead, buy a drop-top. The latest convertibles are far more comfortable and safer than in years past. Some are almost as practical as “regular” cars, and they make summer driving a lot more fun.

by JIM GORZELANY
ForbesAutos.com

Even an auto-industry expert can end up regretting a car purchase — particularly if that car is a convertible.

“I owned a convertible in the 1980s, and that’s probably the reason I will never buy another one. It was pretty primitive by comparison to today’s models,” says Tom Libby, senior director of industry analysis for J.D. Power and Associates in Westlake Village, Calif.

Convertibles of that era were notorious for their shakes, rattles, creaks and leaks. But things have changed a lot in the last 25 years.

For starters, the latest convertibles are just plain built better than their predecessors.

“The quality of convertibles has improved significantly in recent years, especially in terms of fit and finish, reduced noise, vibration and harshness, and the design and engineering of the convertible top,” Libby says.

Improved folding tops, advanced safety technology and solid substructures make some new convertibles nearly as comfortable and practical as “regular” cars.

With that in mind, we’ve assembled a list of 10 models that present the fewest compromises to achieve top-down fun. We considered only models with useable rear seats and took into account interior space and layout, trunk size and how well the folding top works, among other factors. See the full list of most practical convertibles in the slideshow.

Stretching Canvas

The fabric tops on some new convertible models are so well insulated that they rival many solid-roof sedans and coupes in the way they keep out weather and noise.

Drive the Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class Cabriolet with its multi-layer fabric top up, and then take a spin in the CLK-Class Coupe. You’ll be hard pressed to tell a difference in road and wind noise. Even with the top down, the CLK-Class Cabriolet’s interior is immune to serious wind noise and buffeting while cruising at 80 miles per hour — as long as the side windows are up.

But an excellent power-folding top isn’t the only reason the Mercedes CLK-Class made our list of the most practical convertibles. A rear seat large enough to accommodate average-sized adults in relative comfort for short to moderate-length trips and a trunk that swallows an impressive amount of stuff help make it more practical than other Mercedes models, like the two-seat SL-Class and SLK-Class.

The Audi A4 Cabriolet and Saab 9-3 Cabriolet are direct competitors to the CLK-Class and also made our list, thanks to their similarly spacious interiors and well-crafted fabric roofs.

But as good as those cars’ tops are, they pale in comparison to that of the priciest model on our list, which is “practical” only for those wealthy enough not to flinch at its $407,000 base price: The Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe boasts a fabric roof with five separate layers of insulation and a cashmere lining.

This showboat’s archrival, the $320,000 Bentley Azure, has a similarly impressive top and a rear seat that is slightly more spacious. But the Rolls ultimately edged out the Bentley on our list because of its unique side doors that are hinged at the rear — often called “suicide doors” by industry insiders and car buffs. These special doors make accessing the coddling rear seat easier than with conventional side doors.

Hard to Top

While soft tops have steadily improved over the past couple of decades, the retractable hardtop burst on the scene in the late 1990s and revolutionized convertibles.

Mercedes-Benz was the first contemporary automaker to popularize a retractable metal roof with its 1997 SLK-Class and 2001 SL-Class roadsters (neither of which made our list because they only have two seats). But it was French automaker Peugeot that pioneered the hardtop convertible idea with its “Electronique Transformable” concept in 1936, and Ford followed with a mass-produced version, the Skyliner, made from 1957 through 1959.

Current folding hardtops are marvels of engineering: A series of complex pistons and hydraulics fold the rigid roof into sections that get sandwiched in layers and hidden in the trunk.

Hard tops are prized for the way they create what is essentially two cars in one: a sleek drop-top and a practical hard top coupe. Three models on our list have folding hard tops: the BMW 3 Series Convertible, Volkswagen Eos and Volvo C70.

Each vehicle uses a slightly different method of folding and stowing the top, but all have significantly less trunk space when the top is stowed. That and the considerable complexity and weight hard tops add over traditional fabric tops are their main disadvantages.

However, because these models are based on conventional sedans, the trunks are spacious enough to allow useful storage with the top down. Go to the slideshow or see our Comparison tool to compare specifications for each model.

Like the best soft tops, retractable metal roofs typically open and close at the touch of a button and can be raised or lowered in less than a minute. For added convenience, some models like the BMW 3 Series Convertible allow owners to raise and lower the top from outside the car via an optional key fob remote.

The VW Eos’ folding hard top is unique in that it incorporates a power sliding glass sunroof so drivers can enjoy the sky even if they don’t want to drop the top.

The Volvo C70 includes a button in the trunk that raises the layered pieces of the roof to allow easier access to the storage area below.

A fourth model on our list, the Chrysler Sebring, can be ordered with a soft or a hard top. “A retractable hard top makes for a no-compromise convertible,” says Eric Andrew, a brand and marketing manager for Chrysler. “If you live in cold-weather places like Chicago, Detroit or New England, having a retractable hardtop makes it less of an intellectual exercise to try and talk yourself into buying a convertible. On the other hand, those who live in warmer climates are still choosing a traditional cloth top.”

Besides being more complex and heavier, hard tops also cost more than soft tops. Specifying the hardtop option on the Chrysler Sebring adds $2,000. The Mazda MX-5 Miata, which didn’t make our list by virtue of being a two-seater, costs $2,800 more with an optional folding hard top. Click here to see our list of the other convertibles that came close to making the most practical list.

On the upside, convertibles — including retractable hard-top models — have a slightly better resale value than regular cars, says David Wurster, president of Vincentric, a Bloomfield Hills, Mich.-based research firm that specializes in tracking long-term ownership costs.

“On average, convertibles enjoy about a 1 percent better residual value after five years than the typical sedan,” Wurster says. “This is primarily due to their inherent limited supply in the resale market compared with sedans, coupes, SUVs, vans, trucks and wagons.”

Practical Factors

Most four-seat convertibles skimp on rear leg- and headroom compared to conventional models, but all of the vehicles on our list have rear seats large enough to accommodate adults in moderate comfort on short trips. And unless a convertible is strictly a third (or fourth) car in a family’s fleet, we find that having four seats versus two is one of the key attributes necessary to make a convertible practical enough for everyday use.

Cargo space on four-passenger models is also typically more generous than in two-seaters, and you will also find the rear seat useful for carrying more than just people.

The model on our list with the highest storage capacity is an unconventional choice for a convertible: The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited has more than 45 cubic feet of cargo volume. Some might not consider a Jeep to be a true convertible, but its top can indeed be removed, even if it has to be taken off the old-fashioned way — by hand.

Which brings up another important point: A top’s mechanical operation affects practicality as well. Tops that retract automatically and store beneath power-operated lids are much more convenient than those that require the driver to get out of the car and snap a flexible cover into place. Of the 10 models on our list, only the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited and Toyota Camry Solara Convertible require a soft cover to be installed separately.

A folding rear seat or a pass-through to the trunk can help maximize a convertible’s cargo-carrying ability by allowing drivers to carry long items like skis. The BMW 3 Series Convertible and Volvo C70, among others, offer pass-throughs to their trunks. And fold-down seats, like those available on the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, can make bringing home a large appliance easier than expected.

About Our List

Our list of 10 practical convertibles is limited to four-passenger models, all of which offer greater utility than two-seat roadsters across the board, even if the rear seat is used only as additional storage space. We also looked at rear-seat legroom and headroom in order to evaluate each model’s people-toting abilities. Cargo space (both with the top up and down) was another primary consideration.

With multiple variables, we decided to present a selection of practical convertibles from different price ranges instead of ranking them and calling one model more practical than another. While the majority of our selections cost less than $50,000, we also included selections from the $50,000-$100,000 segment, as well as the mid-six-figure range, for the benefit of affluent open-air aficionados.