16x8 Black Raceline Renegade 6 (891) Wheels 6x5.5 +0 Toyota 4-runner Fj Cruiser on 2040-parts.com

One Lap of the Web: The Economist talks cars, Maria Sharapova's Porsche and crazy bikers

We spend a lot of time on the Internet -- pretty much whenever we're not driving, writing about or working on cars. Since there's more out there than we'd ever be able to cover, here's our daily digest of car stuff on the Web you may not otherwise have heard about. -- Have you ever seen two motorcycles going wheel-to-wheel at 200 mph in the rain?

For new CAFE rules, automakers place high-stakes tech bets

Game-changing 2015 fuel economy rules are forcing vehicle development teams to make high-stakes bets on expensive technologies--bets that will separate the winners from the also-rans. Not only do federal rules target a 2015 fleet average of 35.5 mpg, up from the current 27.5 mpg for cars and 23.1 mpg for light trucks; they force automakers to bet on different technology packages for each vehicle segment. Companies that do best at mixing technologies while keeping down costs will have an advantage when buyers wince at higher stickers.

Pontiac Solstice Coupe

By Liz Turner Motor Shows 20 March 2008 10:47 The Pontiac Solstice Coupe has a fairly simple brief in life. This is the car for anyone who likes the styling of the Roadster but doesn’t have the degree in origami needed to fold the flying buttresses and get the roof down. But the Solstice Coupe has a sunroof, so you can still get some wind in your hair.