03-06 Mercedes E Class W211 4dr Vis Euro Body Kit Non Amg Style Rear Bumper Lip on 2040-parts.com

Ownership costs of traditional versus alternative fuel vehicles

As gas prices remain high, and an increasing number of automakers roll out plug-in hybrid cars and full-electric vehicles, it's becoming easier to be tantalized with the idea of driving right past the gas station and simply "plugging in." The debate ensues when it comes to cost: These alternative fuel vehicles mean a larger outlay of cash at the onset, but the long-term fuel savings could make the purchase worthwhile. To help straighten out this numbers game, we use the Department of Energy's Vehicle Cost Calculator to compare alternative fuel vehicles with their gasoline-only counterparts. For each scenario, we assumed that our hypothetical owner was able to get the full $7,500 federal tax credit and a $2,500 state tax credit, such as is available in California.

Porsche Cayenne Diesel – it’s official

We all wondered how long it would take for Porsche to bite the bullet and give in to the diesel bandwagon. Well, it’s happened. Porsche has officially announced today that the Porsche Cayenne diesel will go on sale in Europe in February 2009.

XCar tests the Jaguar F-Type R coupe in Spain

Host Alex Goy put the new hardtop Jaguar F-Type R coupe through its paces in the latest edition of XCar. Goy says the loud, red Jag was the first car he has been pulled over in during a shoot -- which must mean he’s either more restrained than we’d have guessed or just supremely lucky. The F-Type R is now the fastest Jaguar you can buy, with 543 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque on tap.