The Ford GT is on the short list of coolest cars in the 21st century, with up to 600 horsepower, killer retro looks, and Ferrari F430-beating athleticism. Buyers were more than happy to accept a limited edition Ford supercar, but many owners were less than thrilled with Ford's corporate key and fob. While it sounds a bit petty, sharing a key with an F-150 just doesn't scream exotic track star.

via Auto Blog

Last year, Volvo introduced a line of vehicles in Europe capable of running on E85 fuel which it refers to as the FlexiFuel range. Already available in the C30, S40, V50 and V70 and S80 models with engines ranging from 1.8 to 2.5 liters, Volvo has seen fit to add a new police-specific V70 to its range of flexible fuel vehicles.

via Auto Blog Green

Though it's usually the adventure touring crowd that excels at turning their motorcycles into rolling technology test-beds, we've recently run across a Yamaha Vino scooter that has been fully farkled. Featuring an on-board computer based around a VIA mini ITX form factor motherboard that's cleverly been hidden under the stock Vino's seat, this rolling geek-mobile packs in WiFi, Bluetooth, USB, GPS, FM radio, a TV tuner and a front-mounted camera in its diminutive frame. With the full-spec computer, pretty much anything should be possible right from the road using this scooter.

via Auto Blog

The city of London is moving ahead with both a carrot and stick approach when it comes to encouraging drivers to use more environmentally friendly vehicles. The infamous Congestion Charge clearly falls into the stick category. On the carrot side, the city has been experimenting for some time with public charging stations for electric vehicle operators.

via Auto Blog Green

Since its debut last year, the new FIAT 500 has been one of the most talked about small cars in Europe. Now people in Berlin can share their thoughts on the 500 with th everyone in the immediate vicinity. A pair of billboards installed near the former Checkpoint Charlie reflect the words of passers-by. Along with videos and other messages, the 3,100-square foot boards also invite viewers to send a text message to a special number. The messages then scroll across a 65-foot wide ticker on each board. Presumably the messages are moderated in some way (either human or automated) before they appear on the boards, otherwise this PR stunt could get very interesting.

via Auto Blog

Whether the new TX4E electric cab is right for your favorite London cab driver just might have a lot to do with where that driver lives. According to a story in the South China Morning Post (can only find a Lexis Nexis link that probably won't work), the upcoming all-electric black cab made by London Taxis International, part of Manganese Bronze, has one major drawback: a 100-mile range. "Hey," you might be saying to yourself, "an EV with that sort of range would be perfect for me." And that might be the case. But for London cab drivers who live outside the city - and therefore need to commute 40 or so miles a day from home to downtown - the TX4E just isn't going to cut it.

via Auto Blog Green

What, you thought only Ford and GM did the full-size van thing anymore? Say hello to the eight-passenger Hyundai i800, which goes on sale late June in the UK. The i800 sports captain's chairs up front with two three-passenger benches out back. That makes a grand total of eight seat belts thanks to its totally accommodating third-row. Hyundai's big van is powered by a 2.5L four-cylinder CRDi diesel engine, so we expect acceleration is an afterthought in this cavernous cruiser.

via Auto Blog

Since winning the "Best New Engine of 2006" award from the International Engine of the Year committee, Volkswagen's Twincharger TSI engine has taken the 1.0 to 1.4 liter category by storm, taking the class victory last year and again for 2008. Cited reasons for the win include the engine's high power output and low gasoline consumption.

via Auto Blog Green

Man, the dangers of the new automotive world: confusing ethanol for biodiesel and kids hitting the silent Prius.

via Auto Blog

Sure, you might be able to describe the difference between cellulosic ethanol made by Coskata and that made by Mascoma. Or, perhaps your biofuel knowledge is just right to explain how cellulosic ethanol and corn ethanol are different, and what each might mean to the environment. But trust me, the general public has a long way to go to understand what all these new fuel types are.

via Auto Blog Green

General Motors has been hit so hard by the ongoing American Axle strikes that it's stopped production of the GMC Yukon, Denali, Sierra heavy-duty regular and extended cab, its commercial-duty pickup and variants of Chevrolet trucks and Tahoes.

via Auto Blog

There has long been an interesting paradox in the realm of cars. For some peculiar reason, people who buy really expensive cars are willing to make more compromises to the foibles of the car and cut them more slack. How else to explain grief that owners of Italian exotics withstood for decades in terms of reliability, ergonomics and build quality. Buyers of mainstream cars that often have far fewer problems as a percentage of the number of vehicles built have a fit at every little thing that goes wrong. That same paradox exists today.

via Auto Blog Green

As gasoline nears $4.00 a gallon here in San Diego, you can bet people are finding new ways of improving their gas mileage. Even the rich kids who drive the big-ass SUVs and Pickups are feeling the pinch.

via 4driversonly.com

OMG, Chelsea Sexton is so slumming with the biofuel folks! The staunch plug-in car supporter was in Santa Monica last week and participated in a eco-makeover courtesy of Elle Magazine and the publication's biodiesel-powered salon/bus. Ecorazzi's Anna Griffin was at the scene (that's her with the mic) and got the scoop on why one of the most prominent faces of today's EV movement - Sexton was a big part of Who Killed the Electric Car? and today works with Plug In America on electric vehicle issues (protesting Toyota, for example) - would deign enter the Elle Eco Spa Bus. The bus has got some eco-cred, that's why, and even though the bus doesn't feature a plug, it is raising money to plant trees around the U.S.

via Auto Blog Green

According to Dr. Lyle Dennis, the founder of the GM-Volt.com fan site, over 20,000 people are on the "Chevy Volt Waiting List." For comparison, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV online petition currently has just 1,350 signatures calling on the Japanese company to sell the electric jellybean here in the U.S.

via Auto Blog Green