Kyb 334504 Rear Gas Charged Strut on 2040-parts.com

U.S. sales of quirky 5-series GT disappoint BMW

BMW's 5-series Gran Turismo was meant to be a stylish alternative to minivans and crossovers when it debuted in November 2009. But sales of the tall, quirky five-door have been disappointing. Now, BMW of North America CEO Jim O'Donnell says he wishes the company hadn't stopped selling the 5-series wagon in the United States last year.

One Lap of the Web: Nine cars you'll drive in hell, airbag watermelon destruction and luxury, Soviet-style

-- After carefully weighing the options, Motor Authority has arrived at a list of the nine cars you'll drive in hell. The Aztek is an easy (if misunderstood) target, and the Renault Fuego makes sense on the basis of its name alone but there are a few unexpected additions, too -- like the Tesla Model S, which won't be easy to keep running because “… Hell is a lot like the San Francisco airport--roughly five thousand people and their 25,000 battery-powered devices, all fighting for a pull off Hell's only functional power outlet.” -- Don't ask us why, but we're fascinated with old Soviet steel, from the no-nonsense heavy duty trucks the crappy Cars of the People. The supposedly luxurious, Packard-inspired Chaika M-13 limousine sits somewhere between the two, and you can read a Special Interest Auto article on the car at Hemmings.

Tips for saving fuel on road trips: What's real and what isn't

Gasoline costs are hovering near $4 a gallon this week, and drivers hitting the highway for the holiday weekend are looking for ways to save. In preparation for Memorial Day, the Consumer Federation of America has released a list of tips that will help you pinch pennies at the pump. Most of these are the same evergreen recommendations that pop up for every road-trip holiday, and some of them are getting a bit stale.