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 It's the week ending November 20, and we've browsed our favorite automotive blogs all week long to gather the highlights from each.
 It was a bad week for a handful of luxury car owners, with no thanks to powerful forces of nature that took a couple of pricey cars off the streets. Most notably, a Texas driver dumped his Veyron into a salt marsh while trying to avoid a kamikaze pelican. Autoblog has video of the bobbing Bugatti alongside a few pix of the million-dollar car in its natural, DRY, state. And don't miss pix of this Porsche Cayman left buried in the sand after an especially powerful tropical storm. And let's not overlook this three-way pileup at Wrecked Exotics involving an Audi R8, BMW 6 Series, and a Range Rover. Bummer, doods.
 Electric and plug-in vehicles utilize both a large battery pack and electric motor for their power. The capacity values of these devices are written using kW (kilowatt) and kWh (kilowatt hours), but don't think that a 90 kW motor is anything like a 90 kWh battery pack. That little h makes a big difference. Exactly what is the difference? Well, that's what this week's Greenlings investigates!
 As a resident of Los Angeles for more than 40 years, I have spent much of my life driving around our famed cloverleaf freeway exchanges, but when it comes to the most awesome veins for our four-wheeled adventures, Los Angeles has nothing on the world's most amazing freeway constructions. Jalopnik has a gallery of ten of most mind-blowing efforts.
 3M Car Care wants NASCAR fans to see a race in a whole new light - and see better on the highway, too! 3M Car Care and Greg Biffle, driver of the No. 16 3M Ford Fusion in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, have joined forces to give one lucky fan an opportunity to win a trip to see a night race under the lights. Find out how to enter at AskPatty.com.
 Let's face it: MINIs have a lot of curb appeal, and their commercials always seem to have a bit of a sporty attitude. Have you seen the new advertisement for Mini's extended motoring protection? Check it out at The Car Connection. and let us know if you think this one stands up to the other Cooper commercials. Mini brags that its Motor Protection plan is offered in L and XL, which may seem a bit conspicuous for such a tiny little car.
 BMW and Mercedes announced pricing this week for their first gas-electric hybrids arriving in showrooms this month, and Hybrid Cars has specs and photos on both the Mercedes-Benz ML 450 Hybrid and BMW ActiveHybrid X6. You know what they say: "If you have to ask...."
Teenagers: You talk at them, and they don't listen. Consumer Reports shares another study showing that a quarter of American teens have texted while driving! That's incredibly dangerous behavior for a group that statistically, already carries significant risks when behind the wheel.
 Yeah yeah, it's possible you've been under a rock this week, and
haven't yet heard that Motor Trend has awarded its 2010 Car of the Year
Award
to the Ford Fusion. Available in both traditional gasoline and hybrid
powertrains, Editor Art St. Antoine says the Ford Fusion represents
"a sensational lineup of quality powertrains (for which Ford deserves
huge applause), smartly tuned chassis, functional and attractive
cabins, and outstanding value." Don't miss the 20-minute video that
explains their testing protocol and highlights on each contender.
And with that video to keep you occupied for the rest of your coffee break,
we thank you for joining us for this week's autoMedia.com CARnival!
Have you got something of interest you want us to include in a future
carnival? Then fill out our online form so we can be notified of
your interesting entry to our weekly blog CAR-nival. Check back next
week for another installment--until then, have a great weekend! Brandy Schaffels, autoMedia.com contributing editor
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 Mazda will introduce its award-winning Mazda2 subcompact to North America at the LA Auto Show. It is offered in sedan, three-door hatchback, and five-door hatchback body styles in other markets, though it looks like it will be the five-door that makes its American debut.
The Mazda2 shares its platform with the much promoted Ford Fiesta, another international import being unveiled for the first time in American trim in LA. (Read: "Ford Fiesta to Arrive in 2010.") Overseas, the Mazda2 is offered with diesel and gasoline powertrains, though it is anticipated that it will have a traditional 1.6-liter gas engine for the U.S. market.
Details will be revealed in a few days, but it will likely have a 120-hp four-cylinder with a choice of six-speed manual and four-speed automatic transmission. The Ford is relatively refined for a small car, agile, and generally rather entertaining. We would expect the Mazda2 would be, as well. And we look forward to verifying that assertion.
See our highlights from the 2008 LA Auto Show.
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 Los Angeles kicks off the North American new-car auto show circuit on December 2nd when the LA Convention Center opens its doors to the media, ahead of the public days later that week. Among the unveilings being teased is an array of high-tech models from Mercedes-Benz, including the SLS AMG supercar, the fuel-sipping E350 BlueTec and the fuel-cell-powered F-Cell. Mercedes will also show its first hybrid SUV, the ML 450 Hybrid, and its SplitView dual-content viewing technology that allows the driver and passenger to see something different on the LCD screen.
The model expected to insight the most salivation is the SLS AMG, the modern reinvention of the classic mid-1950s 300SL. This new version features a lightweight aluminum space-frame body with gullwing doors and a 563-horsepower dry-sump V8 engine. With its front-mid engine and dual-clutch seven-speed, the SLS AMG has a balance weight distribution and track-honed dynamics.
See our highlights from the 2008 LA Auto Show.
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 Adjustable shock absorbers
are readily available today. If you haven’t seen or touched them first hand,
you’ve no doubt heard about them. Typically, these shocks are fitted with
adjustment knobs on the outside of the absorber body. That means anyone can
make a simple modification to the way a car or light truck handles. And most of
these adjustments can be made without the use of hand tools.
Fair enough, but what do
these adjustments accomplish? More than you might think. Good, quality
adjustable shock absorbers can have 12 separate adjustments (single adjustable)
to more than twice that number that in some double adjustable shock absorbers.
Where one knob looks after bump and rebound settings in a single adjustable shock
absorber, the bump and rebound settings are individually set in a double
adjustable shock absorber.
So you have different (and
in some cases, complex) setting capabilities, but what does the adjustment
really provide? It allows you to tailor the way your car or light truck
functions under specific conditions. Having a vehicle with adjustable shocks
means you have control on how your car is set up to handle the type of driving
you'll be doing. While the adjustments won’t turn an econo car into an F1 beater,
they will allow you to set up a vehicle for road racing (gymkhana or track
days) or drag racing or street use. Our newest Car Care feature: Adjustable
Shocks - What Each Adjustment Does
shows where the typical adjustments are made and how the adjustments affect
handling. It also provides you with baseline settings for street use, road
racing and drag racing. If you’re interested in basic suspension tuning, then
this article is the place to begin. ~ Wayne Scraba, Contributing Editor, autoMedia.com
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 The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has announced 19 car and eight SUVs as Top Safety Picks for 2010—far less than the 94 vehicles that earned the accolade for 2009. The IIHS has made the requirements to be named a Top Safety Pick more stringent by adding a roof strength test to measure protection in a rollover accident. In addition, the Picks also factor performance in front, side, and rear crashes the Institute performs, as well as the availability of electronic stability control.
Subaru again shines in IIHS tests, being the only manufacturer that has winning products in all four categories for a total of five awards. Ford and subsidiary Volvo have six winners, and Volkswagen/Audi has four. Chrysler earns four awards, continuing recent trend of improving the crashworthiness of its vehicles.
This marks the second time the Institute has raised the bar for Top Safety Pick status since the awards were introduced in 2005. As with its other tests, it is expected that the rollover rating will push automakers to improve their vehicles ahead of federal mandates. And there is good motivation; The Institute estimates rollovers kill more than 9,000 people in passenger vehicles each year.
To earn a Good rating in the new IIHS test, a vehicle roof must be more than twice as strong as the current federal standard requires. The Institute estimates that such roofs reduce the risk of serious and fatal injury in single-vehicle rollovers by about 50 percent compared with roofs meeting the minimum requirement.
2010 Top Safety Picks
Large cars
Buick LaCrosse
Ford Taurus
Lincoln MKS
Volvo S80
Midsize cars
Audi A3
Chevrolet Malibu built after Oct. 2009
Chrysler Sebring sedan with optional ESC
Dodge Avenger with optional ESC
Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Subaru Legacy
Subaru Outback
Volkswagen Jetta sedan
Volkswagen Passat sedan
Volvo C30
Small cars
Honda Civic sedan with optional ESC, except Si
Kia Soul
Nissan Cube
Subaru Impreza except WRX
Volkswagen Golf 4-door
Midsize SUVs
Dodge Journey
Subaru Tribeca
Volvo XC60
Volvo XC90
Small SUVs
Honda Element
Jeep Patriot with optional side airbags
Subaru Forester
Volkswagen Tiguan
The links above go to autoMedia reviews. Learn about car safety and how IIHS tests cars.
You’ll find crash test ratings for all vehicles in the new car buyer’s guide.
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 Ford has announced a replacement for venerable Crown Victoria full-sized sedan will see service in 2011 as a police interceptor. Though details are slim, Ford has declared that it will have a purpose-built car ready for duty when Crown Vic production ends in late 2011.
Ford has owned the police cruiser market for years, commanding 75 percent of the U.S. business. Chevrolet and Dodge have sold cars in spurts, but both the Impala and Charger have compromises compared to the roomy, rear-drive Crown Vic. Each year, Ford sells approximately 45,000 police vehicles, plus even more taxis.
In developing the new car, Ford engineers have prioritized key vehicle attributes, such as safety, performance, durability, driver convenience, and comfort. The final shape and specs will be revealed next year, in ample time to court municipal business and allow for third-party outfitters to develop the essential gear to equip the sedans. This will also provide highway hooligans a chance to commit a new grille to memory.
In the meantime, read "Drive Lika a Cop, Save Driving Tips." See our last Ford Crown Victoria review.
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 Motor Trend Executive Editor Matt Stone will be at the Petersen Automotive Museum Saturday, November 21 from 1:00 - 3:00 pm signing his newly penned book, Winning: The Racing Life of Paul Newman, an in-depth look into Paul Newman's storied life as an automotive enthusiast and racecar driver.
In his book, Stone writes about Newman's late but intense start into auto racing, his partnership with Chicago racing entrepreneur and team owner Carl Haas, and his colorful collection of cars. One such car, a one-of-a-kind race-prepped Volkswagen Beetle, with a Ford 351 engine and a Corvette radiator, will be on display at the museum, and as part of the book signing.
Admission to the Petersen Automotive Museum is free with purchase of the book at the Museum Store. The museum, founded by the late Robert E. Petersen, who also founded Motor Trend, Hot Rod and several other automotive magazines, is located at 6060 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036. www.petersen.org.
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 Green Car Journal has announced its five finalists for the 2010 Green Car of the Year; for the fifth consecutive year, this prestigious award will be announced at the opening of the Los Angeles Auto Show on December 3.
For the first time an Audi makes the final five with its sporty A3 TDI clean diesel. Volkswagen's new Golf TDI shows an expanding focus on clean diesel technology in the VW lineup. The Insight is a completely new hybrid sedan for Honda and the 2010 Toyota Prius is a totally redesigned, third-generation version of this popular hybrid model. The Milan Hybrid is Mercury's application of its advanced-hybrid technology in an upscale mid-size sedan.
"We're seeing the trend for 'green' cars emerging at all levels, from entry-level cars to luxury models, and even performance cars and SUVs/crossovers," said Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of the Green Car Journal and editor of GreenCar.com.
"An array of technologies and fuels as well as strategies like lightweighting and reducing rolling resistance are being applied to the challenge. Greater choice provides buyers a personal stake in lessening environmental impact, and that's important."
The Green Car of the Year(R) award honors environmental leadership in the automobile field and recognizes vehicles that are readily available to consumers during the award year. Green Car Journal editors perform an exhaustive review of vehicle models to identify the five finalists. The winner is ultimately decided by jurors such as Jay Leno, Jean-Michel Cousteau, Carroll Shelby, Matt Petersen of Global Green USA and the Sierra Club's Carl Pope, along with Green Car Journal editors.
By Brandy Schaffels, autoMedia.com contributing editor
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 The best
anti-DUI message ever.
“If you
drink and drive, everyone will see you on a moped.”
That’s the
message the state of South Carolina is unintentionally sending. I think it’s
the best anti-DUI message ever. (“Buzzed driving is drunk driving” is another
good anti-DUI slogan.) All the rest are a waste of time and effort, especially
among regular and serious drinkers.
“Do you
want your friends to see you on a moped?” is the only anti-DUI message that
takes the glaze from teenagers’ eyes.
In South
Caroline, first-time DUI offenders (and others who have had their licenses
suspended for six months or less) don’t need a license to ride a moped.
Drunk-cycles, some call them. The law says mopeds can have no more than two
horsepower and not be capable of more than 30 mph on a level road. Moped
manufacturers: I’m sure your vehicles are wonderful for getting around major
metropolitan areas and other uses I can’t imagine.
On the
positive side, mopeds allow offenders to continue going to work and do the
things our automobile-centered culture requires. For other motorists, the
vehicle’s license plate—MOPED—gives fair warning that the rider may be a DUI
offender.
On the
negative side, the slow top speed of mopeds means they don’t mix well with
automobile traffic even if the rider is sober. Also, people with no experience
riding motorcycles are unintentionally forced into riding an
almost-a-motorcycle. In addition, most alcoholics continue to drink:
Knowledgeable sources say the multi-year recovery rate is in the single digits.
Another knowledgeable source says, “Motorcycles get drunk real easy.” By that,
he meant a motorcycle rider may not have to exceed the alcohol limit to have
difficulty maintaining control. Either way, I see a lot of mopeds weaving
around on the edge of control.
If you
drink and drive in South Carolina, think about which moped you’d like to be
seen riding.
Mac
Demere is a veteran automotive journalist and former racecar driver. He can be
reached through macdemere.net.
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 Volkswagen is launching its newest GTI using an exclusively online campaign featuring a free downloadable racing game highighting the car and a contest giving away six real 2010 VW MkVI Limited-Edition GTIs.
To be among the first to virtually drive, and maybe even win, one of these custom GTIs, players may simply download the iPhone / iPod Touch application, Real Racing GTI, from the Apple App Store, and click on the Winner's Circle to register for the contest from within the game. Then, race your virtual GTI every day for additional chances to win.
More information on the app, contest, and all-new 2010 GTI can be found at Volkswagen's GTI Microsite.
In addition to playing Real Racing GTI, fans of the GTI can show their enthusiasm for their favorite vehicle by joining the VW and GTI fan communities on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/vw and http://www.facebook.com/vwgti.
 They'll be posting regular updates announcing the three remaining winners and giving tips for the contest, which runs until December 2nd. Cars are awarded on Thursdays, so be sure enter before Wednesday night to make it into this week's drawing!
See another of Volkswagen's future models here at autoMedia.com
By Brandy Schaffels, autoMedia.com contributing editor
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 It's the week ending November 13, and we've browsed our favorite automotive blogs all week long to gather the highlights from each.
 The Classic Car Examiner knows if you're a fan of 60's-era comics, and you're a fan of classic cars, then you won't want to miss this auction of two of the most well-known automotive icons of late-1960s television: Replicas of the Batmobile (currently bidding at $105,000) from the 1966 TV series and The Green Hornet's 1966 Chrysler Imperial-based Black Beauty (currently bidding at 21,000) are on the block and accepting bids until November 16.
 Usually we get this kind of entertainment from Jalopnik, but this week, it's AutoBlog bringing us Taylor Swift on Saturday Night Live, in a parody commercial about bad parent drivers. My son speaks to me with that same annoying squeaky tone of voice: Where do the teenagers learn it?
 Everybody loves the IDEA of an electric vehicle, but pretty much everyone also wonders the same thing about owning one: How do you charge that thing at home? Well, AutoBlogGreen has the answer in its Greenlings column. The answer is easy: You just plug it in, and they've got five videos to demonstrate the simplicity.
 LeftLaneNews says United Auto Worker members at Ford's Kansas City, Missouri crossover and truck factory are considering a strike following changes to the plant's work processes. The Kansas City plant produces the Ford F-150, Ford Escape, Mercury Mariner and Mazda Tribute. Stay tuned on that one.
 AskPatty is reporting that Valvoline has rolled out a new program meant to help ensure your engine lasts as long as 300,000 miles with regular Valvoline oil changes, and guarantees the program with up to $5000 in repair expenses if it doesn't.
 Vehicle miles traveled have grown in recent years 15 percent faster than our country's roadway network itself. And congestion keeps getting worse, leading to increased fuel consumption and increased emissions--plus growing economic consequences. According to The Car Connection, BMW has been meeting with U.S. DOT officials on the importance of upgraded traffic signals--hoping for a new focus on improving them--and will share results of their Green Wave studies with interested groups in the U.S. Let's hear it for smart lights!
 Volkswagen has overtaken Toyota as the world's largest automaker - at least for now, according to The Car Gurus, quoting production figures for the first nine months of the year of 4.4 million vehicles for Volkswagen, compared to just 4.0 million for Toyota. Other experts say the uprising is most likely temporary, as VW benefited from the European cash for clunkers deal much more than Toyota did with the US program, predicting that production will swing the other way once Toyota production ramps back up.
 As one who flies between Detroit and Los Angeles nearly monthly, last week's mishap with two Northwest pilots who overshot their airport by 200 miles because they were playing with their computers is one of those things that makes you pucker up just a tiny bit. Matt Stone at Motor Trend very astutely compares this distraction to texting while driving, saying "A driver who is not aware, and not in control, of the situation while driving 60 is just as dangerous." Yep, we're right there with you on that one, Sir!
 In a strange paradigm shift, we got this week's goofy item from AutoBlog and the serious bit from Jalopnik: Check out this uh-may-zing 3D animation of Captain Sullenberger's flight of US Airways 1549 from the moment brakes are released at LaGuardia to the moment the flight splashes down in the Hudson River. Watch it at full screen so you can read the transcript of the conversation.
And with that amazing little video to keep you glued to your monitor, we thank you for joining us for this week's autoMedia.com CARnival! Have you got something of interest you want us to include in a future carnival? Then fill out our online form so we can be notified of your interesting entry to our weekly blog CAR-nival. Check back next week for another installment--until then, have a great weekend!
Brandy Schaffels, autoMedia.com contributing editor
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 Buick will reveal the 2011 Regal sport sedan to Los Angeles journalists on Thursday evening with a private performance by singer Colbie Caillat. Touting its turbocharged horsepower, driver-selectable suspension system, and a firm, European-tuned chassis, General Motors promises it will deliver a driving experience intended to rival the best import sport sedans in the segment.
"The 2011 Buick Regal is like nothing you've ever experienced from this brand," says Susan Docherty, general manager of Buick GMC. "The Regal is the next chapter in Buick's transformation and will expand the portfolio to include a sport sedan."
It will be powered by the 182-horsepower 2.4-liter Ecotec direct injected four-cylinder engine found in its sibling LaCrosse, with a 220-horse/2.0-liter twin-scroll turbocharged version available late-summer 2010. Both engine choices will be mated to a standard six-speed automatic transmission to provide an estimated 30 mpg on the highway with the 2.4-liter, or 29 mpg on the highway with the 2.0L turbo powerplant.
The driver will enjoy thick-rimmed, leather-wrapped steering wheel, standard heated leather seats, Bluetooth capability, XM Satellite Radio, available navigation system, and a Harmon Kardon sound system, USB port, 1-gig internal flash drive, and a 10-gig hard drive with for storing music. And, of course, OnStar. Inside, lovely ice-blue LED lighting will highlight the piano black and new, Kibo-wood interior.
 Regal's Interactive Drive Control System (IDCS) chassis technology (available on 2.0-liter turbocharged models) promises enhanced vehicle stability and greater driving safety, with three different operating modes - Normal, Tour, or Sport - which change the suspension settings, throttle response, shift pattern, and steering sensitivity. It's designed to change the personality of the car based on driver input, so that when a driver begins to drive more aggressively it will tighten the suspension and increase steering effort and change to a more aggressive throttle response. When the vehicle senses that the driver is doing relaxed cruising, it will adjust settings for rolling smoothness and comfort.
The new Regal arrives in the second quarter of 2010, with its sights aimed squarely on such competitors as the Acura TSX and Volvo S60.
By Brandy Schaffels, autoMedia.com contributing editor
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 Ford CEO Alan Mulally told Automotive News recently that the company would not be importing its global Ford Ranger pickup truck and Ka minicar into the United States, as previously thought. The Ranger built in Thailand, and sold throughout the world, is different and significantly newer than the model sold here, which has roots back to the 1990s. The Ka is considered too small for our market. Unstated, the Ka may also be too inexpensive to be profitable given transportation costs and exchange rates.
Word of the Ranger not coming hurts. The current model is due to be phased out in 2011, and this news suggests there is no imminent replacement. The American Ranger fits an increasingly important niche beneath the full-size truck category, but it feels decidedly long in the tooth. An updated model design to from the onset to deliver significantly improved fuel economy could likely find its place. (Read our Ford Ranger review.)
That may still be in the cards, though sourced locally. Pickuptrucks.com has reported that the long-speculated F-100 project may live on. Past rumors have suggested it would be a lightened F-150, though more likely it would be an unique design built for lighter-duty chores. (Read our 2010 Ford F-150 review.)
Research the current Ford Ranger and F-150 in the new car buyer’s guide.
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 Volvo is continuing its recent tradition of giving very early looks at upcoming models with this 2011 Volvo S60 preview. The relatively curvaceous styling was first seen at the 2009 Detroit auto show, where the concept gave a clear indication of the production styling. (See the S60 concept.) From the front, it bears more than a passing resemblance to the XC70, and it is aerodynamic enough to forever erase the connotation that Volvo design equates to the classic, darn-near-bulletproof 240 boxes.
The production model will make its debut in March 2010 at the Geneva Motor Show, and the factory will begin building the new sedan the following summer in Belgium.
Volvo previously indicated that the new 2011 S60 will be powered by a 1.6-liter/180-horsepower turbocharged, direct-injection engine. As seen on the concept car, the S60 is expected toboost fuel economy by using an auto start/stop function; twin manual gearboxes that work in tandem; electric steering; grille shutter to reduce aerodynamic drag; a DRIVe-Mode economy function that prioritizes a variety of functions to emphasize fuel economy; and flat under-chassis panels.
The S60 will tout a new, potentially life-saving Volvo safety technology called Pedestrian Detection. As the name suggests, Pedestrian Detection can detect pedestrians in front of the car and brake automatically if the driver does not react in time. Further, in a variety of potential emergency situations, the driver is given an audible warning together with a flashing light in a head-up display.
Research the current Volvo
S60 in the new
car buyer’s guide, and read our Volvo S60 R
review.
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 Word has spilled from the Motor City via The Detroit News that General Motors will produce the Cadillac Converj extended-range electric car. For industry pundits, it seemed predestined that GM would offer a luxury sibling to the much ballyhooed Chevrolet Volt. By packaging the innovative drivetrain in a Cadillac model, GM can amortize the investment across more sales volume. Just as significantly, a Cadillac sports car can absorb the cost for the expensive battery packs, and it will make the Volt seem like an affordable, practical alternative, rather than the most expensive Chevrolet in history.
First shown at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the Cadillac Converj served as the automaker’s grand finale. Product czar Bob “Maximum” Lutz at the time said if greenlighted, the production Converj would closely resemble the show vehicle.
As you can see here, the Converj bears more than a family resemblance to the CTS Coupe, and it puts a sharp edge on luxury sportsters in general. Going green is fast becoming cool.
The Volt is expected to go on sale by late 2010, so don’t look for a Cadillac version till 2011 at the earliest.
Also see:
Driving a Chevy Volt Test Mule
2011 Chevrolet Volt to Get 230 mpg?!
Learn more about fuel economy and
driving green.
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