auto

The folks in Mountain View, Calif., have recently updated their Google Pack, and while combining some of the best programs with an automatic updater and installer, some of the program choices have left me disappointed. The recent addition of StarOffice confirms that while this collection is good, it could be a lot better.

… Read more

Jaguar is going to use next month's Frankfurt auto show to officially unveil its 2009 XF midsize sedan, but images and specs on the latest Big Cat were released today. Based on the Jaguar C-XF concept that we saw in Detroit earlier this year, the XF comes with four engine choices, including a supercharged V-8, as well as some advanced cabin and drive-train technology. Check out our gallery of the '09 Jaguar XF here.

We're just a couple of weeks away from the first major auto show of the new season, and the buzz around concept cars and new model launches is already in full swing. According to Just Auto, GM is planning to use the Frankfurt show to unveil a concept hybrid version of its compact Opel Corsa. The Corsa Hybrid concept will make use of the same belt-alternator starter system that we've seen recently in the Saturn Vue Green Line and the Saturn Aura Green Line. Unlike the production Saturn models--but similar to the much-hyped Chevy Volt--the Corsa Hybrid … Read more

The Ford Verve concept car was unveiled at a press conference in Hanau, Germany, on Thursday.

As goes the automakers' dance with the media, come car season, Ford distributed photos and a bland release to the press, while saving for the official unveiling at the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show any possibly juicy details of how this thing might actually run.

The car is an example of how the company now has an eye toward small cars, and it will be the first of three cars that Ford plans to reveal this season in Europe, Asia and North America. The "… Read more

Over dinner on Tuesday night, Geoff Day, director of corporate communications for Mercedes-Benz, hinted at many major announcements for the upcoming Frankfurt auto show. His big promise: Mercedes-Benz will introduce 19 cars in 15 minutes. These won't all be new cars, with probably a mix of concepts and updates, but Mercedes-Benz intends to make a big splash this year. We expect to see some sort of hybrid in the mix, although we couldn't pin him down on the details. The most firm information we got was the previously leaked F700 concept, rumored to be a big luxury car, … Read more

Welcome to Girl on Cars, a new destination for tech-savvy motoring enthusiasts. Here you'll find information (and lots of opinion) on a variety of automotive-related topics, including new car models, aftermarket accessories, design trends, fuel efficiency, and racing.

Beyond news and product reviews, this blog celebrates the lifestyle of cars and car culture. Sneak a peek into exclusive industry events, from new product launches to the making of Hollywood chase scenes.

Readers are encouraged to join in and leave feedback. Half the fun of cars is being able to talk about them!

Mitsubishi fulfills our love of concept cars with its just-announced Concept-cX, to be officially unveiled at the upcoming Frankfurt auto show. This concept car is designed as a crossover (although the Mitsubishi Outlander covers that ground pretty well). As a crossover, Concept-cX will have an SUV-like body, but an engine, chassis, and suspension designed for the road. The press release mentions a turbocharged 1.8-liter clean diesel engine that complies with the new Euro 5 emissions standard, appropriate for a car that will be shown at a European auto show. Other tech notes we like about this car are the … Read more

Someone is using a Grand Theft Auto mod video as a way to trick viewers into infecting themselves. Although YouTube videos remain safe to view, that hasn't stopped criminals from finding new ways to entice YouTube viewers to get infected with the latest Trojan horse. The latest example is a Grand Theft Auto video for a mod called Hood Life. According to Chris Boyd, Director of Malware Research at FaceTime Security Labs, the graphics in the mod are lame. He says the images used in the video are circa 1986, crudely rendered, not up to the high standards of … Read more

Figuring that its Touareg is too big for some people, Volkswagen will launch a smaller SUV, the Tiguan, at the 2007 Frankfurt auto show. But VW is no tease--the company offered up photos and a short press release today with a few specs. The Tiguan has five different engine options: two diesel and three turbocharged gasoline. Different combinations will be made available worldwide. In the United States, we will most likely get the 200 horsepower version mentioned in the press release, which is most likely the same engine found in the Volkswagen GTI, a 2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. A version with … Read more