Cash for cars: September manufacturer rebates

The car pictured here is still officially a concept vehicle and will be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show next month. But with production happening so soon, the streetable model shouldn't differ that much, if at all.

Eric McCormack of Will & Grace fame puts the Porsche Boxster he got from the network up on ebay. Proceeds will benefit Project Angel Food.

After 37 years at Toyota Motor Corp., during which time he rose to the top job in North America, James E. Press shocked the car world by jumping to Chrysler last year.

Ford says August sales fell 26% from a year earlier. Toyota reports a 9.4% decline. Pickups and SUVs continue to depress results.

Remember that Palo Alto Toyota dealer we told you about last week who was taking $500 deposits for a plug-in hybrid that's not on the market yet? Well, Toyota got wind of it and basically said: "Cut it out."

Don't judge them by their wheels... The inside scoop on what the four Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates drive.

The gig: Chief executive of Conant Auto Retail Group, which manages eight car dealerships and is based in Newport Beach. Majority owner of all eight dealerships, including Norm Reeves Honda in Cerritos, the top-volume Honda store in the country and, by most accounts, the world. Combined, the Conant dealerships sell about 25,000 vehicles a year. Conant Auto Retail Group has about 900 employees.

Despite evolution, the 001 is recognizably a Porsche in the transcendent gestalt of the thing.

The racer, who was raised in Santa Monica, won the F1 championship for Ferrari in 1961 and was a three-time winner at both Le Mans and Sebring. He never suffered a serious injury.

GM's Motorama exhibit at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance included some of the company's historic show cars and one "Parade of Progress" Futurliner, one of the big red buses that carried GM's science and technology shows to small-town America in the 1950s.

Of the hundreds of cars out there, several are more than mere transportation, but not many transcend that level to become a dream car, a classic, a standout motor on the automotive landscape. The Mercedes-Benz SL has.

Keeping the same 2003 body style, the re-worked 2009 SL is a driver's car again.

Raquel Welch, Barbara Eden and other beauties are honored in the "Trophy Queens" exhibit opening today at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum.

Commissioner Steve Poizner releases proposed regulations. The plan is considered to be more accurate, and it would give a financial incentive to California motorists to drive less.

Releasing teaser photos of parts of cars is becoming increasingly common. GM works very hard to establish what they call a "story" leading up to the release of new models.

Automotive information site Edmunds.com has compiled a list of what it considers the five best 3-year-old and 1-year-old small cars.

The good folks at KBB perform a regular survey, called Brand Watch, that measures consumer perception of exterior and interior designs. Here are the latest results.

The best subcompact on the market is slightly larger, vastly stiffer, noticeably more quiet and comfortable, and every bit as dorky-looking as the previous edition. But what a view from the cockpit.

The 2009 Honda Fit is so wanted that it's showing up at dealerships now, a month ahead of schedule. Here's a look at five other cars to watch out for in the '09 model year.

Hyundai said this week that it would present a hybrid-electric version of its Sonata sedan at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November.

The best subcompact on the market is slightly larger, vastly stiffer, noticeably more quiet and comfortable, and every bit as dorky-looking as the previous edition. But what a view from the cockpit.

Volkswagen often invokes the climes and cultures of North Africa for its products' names: Toureg -- the name of VW's goodly sized off-roader -- is borrowed from the aboriginal people of the Sahel. Scirocco is a withering desert wind. This is a curious practice since the Germans had a decidedly mixed record in North Africa.

The luxury behemoth is beautifully constructed, exquisitely appointed, heroically engineered — and drives like an excellent BMW sedan with an elephant on its back.

A pair of evenly matched super-luxury sports cars have distinctly different personalities.

Europe's Car of the Year is fun to own and drive -- not least because of its fuel economy.

The total family package is high-functioning and deserves a good home.

And it's solid and safe, with charisma to boot.

Thanks to the A4, a troubled Audi was recharged in the '90s. This time the brand doesn't need saving, but the sedan comes back looking like a hero anyway.

A rejiggered product from Down Under, the G8 tries hard to please. Just don't compare it to the BMW 5-series.

The popular crossover has lost the boxiness and gained a few inches. In other words, there's more space for your legs, plus the skis, bikes or kids.

As a reborn pony car, the fuel-inefficient Challenger is a retro stallion

The GM import is as entertaining and nimble as its German cousin, the Opel Astra.

The sedan has the requisite sparkle and performance, but feels like a luxury car wrapped around an economy powertrain.

The best-selling small SUV in Europe vrooms to American shores.

The new luxury sedan has all the sparkle and power you'd expect. If they could just do something about that grille.

The 200-mph supercar, basically a Porsche Motorsport version of the 911 Turbo, is all the scarier for its effortless ways.

The Murano's new front looks more aggressive, but not much has changed on the road.

The 135i packs a lot of oomph into its little body, but those looks . . .

The little car that could grows out but, whew, not up with the Clubman.

In looks, ride, even in sound, a Ford Mustang edition pays proper homage to a legend.

The eight-speed IS-F brings swift splendor to the high-performance luxury club.

The new Audi TT is a bolder, sleeker version of its old self. Yes, still the designer's dream car.

In the midst of rising gas prices, General Motors VP Brent Dewar introduces the 2009 GMC Sierra hybrid to the heartland.

Computer-like precision kind of takes the fun out of it.

A sneak peek shows the truck-nugget tackles today's big issues: driveability, fuel efficiency, space.

The Subaru Impreza WRX STI is still rowdy enough to delight true believers. Yet nuance is part of the story in '08.

Infiniti's feisty little hatchback protects car and driver with its lane sensors and AVM cameras.

The Tahoe Hybrid is smart, smooth and strong, but it's a lot of vehicle for a little environmental progress.

Heavy on the technical -- and on the bulk

A bit better gas mileage, but only by a bit

Mercedes GL320 CDI is just fine, but it's another SUV in a world that should be thinking green.

From stem to stern, Audi's S5 Coupe is one smooth operator, all refinement and lubriciousness. Get it on the highway, and it moves like greased lightning.

Impreza gets bigger and blander -- not exactly the way to lure the mainstream.

Plagued by reliability issues, the company is doing damage control with its new C-class.

The Chrysler Town & Country Limited -- quick, comfortable and commodious -- is a patriarch among minivans.

With the capacious Enclave CXL crossover, Buick seeks to assert its premium-brand cred.

Overindulgence done right, Mercedes-Benz's CL63 is luxe lightning.

If you didn't sign up in 2004, you're outta luck.

The Accord EX-L's quieter, safer, more middle-of-the road. Just like its target audience.

Upgrades inside and out give the coupe a more refined feel.

In Germany, automakers are in fierce competition to come up with the most jaw-dropping shrines. Car-loving travelers, come peek under the hood.

Porsche's 911 Turbo for 2007, the class of its class, simply laughs at lag.

With a nifty and satisfying sport-utility like this in its portfolio, the automaker may save itself yet.

No question, there's a lot of bunny for the buck here. VW's re-engineered Rabbit is agile, sturdy and quite a catch.

Chrysler's '08 Sebring Convertible has a nifty roof mechanism. But things go down quickly from there.

The C30 could mark the emergence of a species: Volvo rockinus.

The classy automaker goes ultra-sassy with a supercar for grown-ups.

Ford's new offering is quite a looker, and much more affordable than the luxury brand.

Looks aside, there's plenty to praise in the 2008 Scion xB -- more fun, more substance, more room inside. And isn't beauty an inner glow?

Pumped up and powerful, this Mercedes brings a racy pedigree to the street.

The 2007 Tundra competes in the large pickup market with all the right gadgets

Jeep Wrangler takes a civilized turn from its wilderness legacy.

Hyundai's Veracruz has styling and room to spare. (Children are optional.)

Looks hot, drives great, comfy in any weather. It's hard not to like BMW's new convertible.

The Smart Fortwo is more than a little fun, but its tiny size offers slight advantage stateside.

This mega-Lexus parallel parks itself and detects if a driver's nodding off. It has everything, except, perhaps, the fun factor.

Fully tricked out, the S8 is a wicked sound machine. Go ahead, crank up `Radar Love.'

Lotus, Porsche flaunt their latest European power plays: street legal, if not streetwise.

Kia's seven-seater Rondo is compact, practical and, well, restful. Pile in the family and go celebrate thriftiness.

Ferrari's new 2007 599 GTB Fiorano gives the laws of physics a run for their money. Newton would approve.

Stylish, speedy, secure. Volvo's S80 runs easily with the BMW-Lexus pack.

If your house seems too small, you can always move into the Bentley Arnage T. But you may have an even bigger mortgage.

Cute? Yep, as a bug. But the carmaker skimped too much with its subcompact Yaris.

A new automatic transmission makes Maserati's Q-ship easier to drive. But is it easier to love?

The '08 LR2 has genteel charm, off-the-charts handling -- and plenty of star power.

Great mileage, big power, cleaned-up emissions. Only problem with Mercedes' E320 Bluetec diesel is you can't get it in California. Yet.

Despite the price, BMWs remain hugely popular. The new 335i Coupe, with a seriously great turbocharged engine and fine interior, demonstrates why.

The revamped Escape hybrid gives Ford a much-needed victory. Perfect? No. Revitalizing? Definitely.

Sleek and slithery, the Jaguar XKR is a quicker breed of cat.

The road to a certain enlightenment could begin with Nissan's Versa or Chevy's Aveo. Imagine: Contentment in less car than you can afford.

Like a Trojan horse, Camry sneaks gas-saving radicalism into a trusted American staple.

A hot-rodded Prius hybrid can get extraordinary mileage from a gallon of gas--even in stop-and-go L.A. Is triple-digit mileage just around the bend?

The car pictured here is still officially a concept vehicle and will be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show next month. But with production happening so soon, the streetable model shouldn’t differ that much, if at all.

After 37 years at Toyota Motor Corp., during which time he rose to the top job in North America, James E. Press shocked the car world by jumping to Chrysler last year.

Ford says August sales fell 26% from a year earlier. Toyota reports a 9.4% decline. Pickups and SUVs continue to depress results.

Commissioner Steve Poizner releases proposed regulations. The plan is considered to be more accurate, and it would give a financial incentive to California motorists to drive less.

Raquel Welch, Barbara Eden and other beauties are honored in the "Trophy Queens" exhibit opening today at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum.

Automotive information site Edmunds.com has compiled a list of what it considers the five best 3-year-old and 1-year-old small cars.

The good folks at KBB perform a regular survey, called Brand Watch, that measures consumer perception of exterior and interior designs. Here are the latest results.

Hyundai said this week that it would present a hybrid-electric version of its Sonata sedan at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November.

The Down Under discovery was first reported by Sports Car Market magazine, though the location is being kept secret, as is the identity of the collector. But photos that accompanied the article documented a cache of cars that probably ranks as one of the bigger finds of vintage metal in recent years.

Chrysler and three lead wheel weight makers agree to the phaseout in a settlement of a suit brought by an environmental group, which contended the car parts threatened drinking water.

The insurance industry gives top scores to the Ford Escape, VW Tiguan, Mitsubishi Outlander and Nissan Rogue.

More commuters use electric bikes to take some sweat out of cycling, relieve pain at the pump

Rare cars like the 1927 Bugatti Type 35B resurface as prized collections go to auction.

As gasoline prices were hitting record levels in June, Americans were hitting the brakes.

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) _ Chrysler LLC Vice Chairman Tom LaSorda said Wednesday his company will invest $1.8 billion to expand a Detroit assembly plant and retool it to make a new car-based sport utility vehicle.