MOTOR-CAR SPORT

Just a few years ago, the concept cars the major automakers created to showcase their design and engineering teams were all abouthorsepower, speed and luxury; however, massive increases in fuel prices are causing an industry-wide change. The unveiling of the Cadillac Provoq concept at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas -- not one of the large auto shows, where such designs are usually debuted -- is just one sign of the times. The Provoq's listed top speed of 100 mph is another. The concept car of 2008 isn't an ultrapowerful sports car or high-torque off-roader -- instead, it sports alternative fuels, environmentally friendly materials and high fuel efficiency. Of course, cars that achieve amazing miles-per-gallon numbers using fuel cells, rechargeable batteries and lightweight materials are nothing new, especially when it comes to concept cars. The real challenge faced by Cadillac's designers was to make efficiency sexy. More importantly,...

It's sleek. It's aerodynamic. It's environmentally friendly . BMW's H2R (Hydrogen Record Car) is powered entirely by the clean-burning process of   liquid-hydrogen combustion , and this next-generation racecar has already set speed records in its class. So why is BMW expending copious amounts of time, money and energy to spearhead the production of hydrogen-powered vehicles? According to the BMW Web site, the company's long-term goal is to eventually replace the cars that run on atmosphere-polluting fossil fuels with vehicles that use clean-burning, liquid-hydrogen fuel. In this article, you'll learn about the H2R and its unique, hydrogen combustion engine. With its smoothWith its smooth lines, aerodynamic design and gleaming silver body, the H2R appears to have sprung from the pages of ascience fiction novel: It looks like a cross between a thoroughbredsports car, a sleek zeppelin and a futuristic rocket ship. With a lightweight aluminum chassis, a...

Before Audi became known for its supercars and luxury cars, it was just a little automaker that made quirky German boxes that happened to have a really awesome all-wheel-drive system known as Quattro. Volkswagen scooped up Audi and saved it, then Volkswagen narrowly avoided its own financial collapse, and a couple of decades later, we have stunners like the Audi R8. Not a bad turnaround, all things considered. But it looks like Audi's itching to show its cars still have some of the old spirit, and the new technology to make it better than ever before. The Audi Nanuk Quattro was unveiled on Audi's home turf, at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September of 2013. It was a surprise reveal -- most journalists and industry insiders were not expecting an as-yet-unheard-of Audi, especially not one that looks like Audi's R8 supercar mated with an Audi rally car from the 1980s. So the Nanuk Quattro, sitting there on the showroom floor, shiny and red, hunkered down over its huge whe...

The Volvo Your Concept Car (YCC), like all concept cars, provides the auto maker with a valuable testing ground to push the limits of new car designs. While the design of the YCC is filled with forward-looking ideas, the most innovative aspect of the car is not the design, but who designed it -- an all-woman design team. Unveiled at the 2004 Geneva Auto Show, the YCC is the first concept car to be designed from start to finish by a team composed exclusively of  women . Women are a growing market for the Swedish auto maker. According to Volvo, 54 percent of its U.S. buyers are women, and its female customer base in Europe is growing. With women identified as a key market, Volvo handed the drafting pencils over to those who best know what women want from their cars. In this article, we'll take a look inside Volvo's newest concept car, and see what these designing women produced. The YCC is a two-door sports coupe and is tame by some concept car standards (see theToyota P...

1. Keep Your Vehicle Safe Vehicle maintenance isn't just an important way to extent your car's life -- it's a major safety issue. Many maintenance issues are addressed by state mandated vehicle inspections. If your car is unsafe, the inspecting mechanic will let you know what you need to do to fix it. However, there could be a year or more between inspections, so car owners need to be aware of any potential safety issues and get them repaired before they lead to an accident. One of the most common maintenance problems that can lead to a crash is improper tire pressure. Uneven tire pressure, or pressure that is too high or low, can impact performance or lead to a blowout -- especially in high-performance cars or heavy vehicles like SUVs. You can buy a cheappressure gauge at any auto parts store and check the pressure against the recommendation in your owner's manual. While you're at it, you might want to rotate your tires to promote even wear and consistent pe...