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Transmissions gone wild!

If you've been car shopping recently, or just paying attention to Autoweek car reviews, you've noticed that the six-speed automatic -- de rigueur as recently as a year ago -- suddenly has ratio envy. The new hotness? Eight- and nine-speed automatic transmissions.

Volvo XC60 (2008): first official pictures

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 19 February 2008 12:10 Volvo has finally sanctioned official shots of the XC60 – a junior version of the XC90 SUV that has helped turn around the fortunes of the Swedish company. Yes, it’s another crossover entering an increasingly congested marketplace, but Volvo hopes this one will appeal to buyers wanting the versatility of a 4x4 without the heft. Key points worth noticing are the Swedes’ gently evolving design – this is the first model developed under Steve Mattin’s watch as design director.

Where did the word 'automobile' come from?

On Jan. 3, 1899, the New York Times printed the word "automobile" upon its austere pages. It wasn't the first publication to do so; Scientific American used the phrase "automobile carriage" in a May 14, 1898, review of the Winton Motor Carriage, but the Grey Lady -- a more influential publication -- was the first to debate the term.