Mercury Propeller on 2040-parts.com

Porsche says Panamera avoids gas-guzzler tax

Few expenses were spared in conceiving the Porsche Panamera, but consumers will avoid at least one cost of ownership: the ignominious gas-guzzler tax. Porsche has announced ratings for the 2010 sedan; it will get a combined figure of 18 mpg or 19 mpg from the EPA, depending on the model. This means Porsche’s four-door foray will avoid a fairly substantial cost of ownership--a tax of up to $7,700 is levied on the most prolific guzzlers.

Tesla: Factory on track for 2012 Model S launch

At Tesla Motors Inc.'s first annual shareholders meeting since going public last July, Tesla CEO Elon Musk provided a vision of using the full capacity of the former New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. plant it acquired from Toyota. He also discussed a string of electric vehicles and the possibility of a chain of company-owned charging stations and battery-swap facilities.

Concept Car of the Week: Bugatti 18/3 Chiron (1999)

In 1998, Volkswagen AG acquired the French company Bugatti with the intention of restoring it to its former glory. After the luxurious EB112 and EB118 concepts, Ferdinand Piech commissioned Italdesign to work on another prototype: a Bugatti flagship supercar – the Chiron. While its predecessor, the mighty EB110, was a fantastic and bold design, it lacked a real Bugatti character.