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tires

Top Five Reasons Your Tires Fail

Mike Allen over at Popular Mechanics put together a handy list of the top five reasons for tire failure. We figure it's important stuff since, you know, your tires are pretty much more important than any other part of your car — they're what the whole rest of the vehicle rides on. Believe it or not, there's more that can be wrong with your tires than just underinflation, so check out the list below the jump. More »

Feature

5:00 PM on Tue Sep 23 2008
By Mark Arnold
5,927 views, 50 comments

Latest by bdon: My personal #1 reason is tire rating..back when I had 70s impala sized cars..Nothing lasted, like a 13 inch on more »

new volkswagen golf

2009 Volkswagen Golf VI, Reviewed

While we’re were busy salivating over the 62 MPG VW Golf BlueMotion, our friends at Popular Mechanics were in Iceland putting the regular 2009 Volkswagen Golf VI through its paces. “We just improved the old car," VW’s board member for product development told them. And that’s exactly what PM found, reporting that it’s basically a Mark V with revised looks, a much better interior, new engines and better handling. Those engines are the most interesting thing. According to PM, the US market Golf VI (or the Rabbit, as it's called here) will definitely be getting the 2.0-liter TDI and maybe, just maybe, the 1.4-liter TSI turbocharged, supercharged gasoline engine that’s capable of both 0-60 in 8 seconds and returning 39.2 MPG.


[Popular Mechanics]

1:00 PM on Thu Sep 11 2008
By Wes Siler
4,270 views, 37 comments

Latest by camp6ell: @Ray Wert: do they work in accounts payable? me, i never heard of them. until the recent merger. more »

alternative energy

Popular Mechanics Drives The Nissan EV-02 Electric Cube

We've told you about Nissan's new electric concepts. Now the trendy technicians over at Popular Mechanics have actually flown to Japan to drive the electrified Nissan Cube, the EV-02, and lived to tell the story. The lithium-ion battery-powered box on wheels is said to be just the start of Nissan's big li'l electric vehicle efforts, but how does current concept impress? [Popular Mechanics]

2:20 PM on Thu Aug 7 2008
By Mark Arnold
1,681 views, 13 comments

Latest by Carbonic: creepy how big the drivers look inside it! more »

2008 audi tt 2.0 tdi

2008 Audi TT 2.0 TDI, Reviewed

It's strongly rumored the diesel version of the Audi TT could find its way stateside. With that in mind, the boys over at Popular Mechanics packed their bags and boarded a midnight plane to Blighty to try one out. In a cable back to their New York HQ, they report the oil-burning 2008 Audi TT 2.0 TDI is smooth, refined and makes overtaking easy as a wiggle of your big toe. Exclusively available in the UK with a 6-speed manual, they calculated their average fuel economy during a mix of city and highway driving to be 39.1 MPG (US). That's while making 258 lb-ft and reaching a top speed of 140 MPH, mind you. Please, god of cars, bring us this beautiful torque-heavy 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. Please!

[Popular Mechanics]

12:30 PM on Fri Aug 1 2008
By Wes Siler
2,047 views, 37 comments

Latest by brandegee: @iamjames: Honda had trouble getting 35mpg out of its Accord hybrid, and barely cracks 30 with its 4-banger Accord. No more »

2009 aston martin v8 vantage

2009 Aston Martin V8 Vantage, Reviewed

The lucky buggers over at Popular Mechanics recently got their hands on the revised 2009 Aston Martin V8 Vantage. With a larger 4.8-liter, 420 HP engine and modified suspension, they find the $119,500 British sports car to be more refined, more focused, faster, and a welcome antidote to the "stuffy" DB9...if still not quite up there with the Porsche 911. Should you have the means, they highly recommend picking one up, as long as it comes with the optional Sport Pack.


[Popular Mechanics]

1:00 PM on Thu Jul 17 2008
By Wes Siler
2,495 views, 50 comments

Latest by FutureCarDesigner: If you recieved full-size trophies for all the awards this car should win, people who buy the car would need more »

2009 porsche 911

2009 Porsche 911 Carrera And Carrera S, Reviewed

Though we've yet to get our Cheeto-stained hands on the 2009 Porsche 911, the testers at Popular Mechanics had the chance to roam the Stuttgart roads in a few variations, finding the new model to be Porsche par excellence. They also found the new Porsche's wizardly dual-clutch PDK gearbox to be a vast improvement over the previous Tiptronic transmission. And those famous Porsche flat sixes? Both the Carrera and Carrera S get power increases to 345 and 385 horsepower, respectively, while also improving fuel economy. It seems the minor visual tweaks hide the important and immediately noticeable physical changes beneath.


[Popular Mechanics]

6:30 PM on Wed Jun 25 2008
By Matt Hardigree
3,693 views, 29 comments

Latest by FutureCarDesigner: 40 years of refinement at work. This car is amazing. more »

top gear usa

Adam Carolla: Top Gear For "Real Gearheads"

Adam Carolla, car guy, comedian and now, the new host of the US-Spec version of Top Gear, took a break from show-prep to talk to Popular Mechanics about the new NBC show. PopMech manages to get Carolla to reveal a lot about the show, including answers on why the ZR1 isn't top on his list of cars to review, his issues with Transformers (Shh, don't tell Wert!) and a denial of the assertion they can't diss the cars. Basically Carolla says it'll be exactly like the British version. Pop Mech also name-drops Jalopnik in a question about his style. Question and answer back-n-forth below the jump. More »

4:30 PM on Tue Jun 24 2008
By Matt Hardigree
8,875 views, 86 comments

Latest by stoneman: @ciscokidinsf: I've got news: GM, Ford, and Chrysler will be bankrupt in 5 years. more »

concept cars

Whatever Happened To Predictability? The Milk Man, The Paperboy, The Jet-Powered Concept Car...

Our esteemed editor, Herr Wert, penned a piece for Popular Mechanics about the demise of the futuristic concept car and the rise of practically-production concepts like the Honda Pilot and Dodge Challenger, which will end up being nearly indistinguishable from their production versions. The good days of the turbine-powered Firebird II are gone, though we hope they will come again. [Popular Mechanics]

10:00 AM on Thu Mar 20 2008
By Matt Hardigree
840 views, 33 comments

Latest by hootjigga: Well, with CAFE and all... You know how many miles a Bell helicopter engine gets? But then again, having a more »

novelties

Best Auto Accessory Ever: Dog In A Bag

We dug this up at Photobasement and we don't share their sentiments about it. Whereas they seem to be totally against a "dog in a bag on the side of the car" we are decidedly pro-"dog in a bag on the side of the car". First appearing in the June 1935 issue of Popular Mechanics the incredibly inventive doggie bag (not to be confused with the bag received at a restaurant) keeps your car clean of troublesome pooch sheddings and waste matter while your dog gets the fresh air he wants strapped to the outside of your moving car. Okay, so maybe it's not advisable to drive down dirt roads, through forest fires or around tight turns, but we still think this is awesome. We're thinking it needs a clever marketing name, like the Romney bag perhaps? Full article below the jump. More »

11:00 AM on Fri Mar 14 2008
By Ben Wojdyla
3,968 views, 64 comments

Latest by ChaoticLimbs: Look at the geometry of where the bag opening is in relation to the front door seam. How do you more »

retro

Like the XR-3 Hybrid? How About a Suburba 3-wheel-amino

Travis brought news of the release of plans for Robert Q. Riley's very cool XR-3 diesel-electric hybrid, but how would you feel about a much earlier PopMech version that comes as a mini truck/car? Finkbuilt has dug up plans for the Suburba, a DIY three wheeled running chassis that can be bodied however you like. We dig this version that's got a hint of Ford Econoline missing a wheel inspiration. After the Peel P50, this may be the best possible candidate for some big stinky motorcycle engine transplant.

1:45 PM on Fri Jan 4 2008
By bwojdyla
1,026 views, 9 comments

Latest by FuzzyPlushroom: It's a micro-Deora. more »