Ferrari Official Postcard 1987 ~ Print #471/87~ Michele Alboreto 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.

Jaguar brand up 39 percent for April, Land Rover up 8 percent

Jaguar's U.S. sales rose 39 percent in April and Land Rover's sales rose 8 percent, compared with the same month a year ago. Land Rover reported 2,982 sales in April and Jaguar recorded 1,249 sales.

Toyota goes on offensive, seeks 100 percent owner response to recall notice

Toyota Motor Corp., spurred by criticism that previous recalls failed to prompt enough owners to seek fixes, hopes to distribute mailings this week to the 2.3 million owners targeted in a January recall. Toyota says it will be vigilant in reaching each of the affected customers and hopes to have all repairs done within 90 days. The goal was outlined today as the automaker detailed its strategy for eliminating the possibility of unintended acceleration in the eight Toyota-brand models that were the focus of a Jan.