What do Tesla, the Sierra Club, and the Koch Brothers have in common? Car dealers, if you can believe it.

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder has signed into law a bill that reinforces laws against the direct-sales model that Tesla Motors employs, effectively barring the automaker from selling its wares in the state.

A bill that would prevent Tesla from selling cars in Michigan under its direct sales model has landed with a thud on the desk of Republican Governor Rick Snyder, and he's got six days to choose between pissing off State dealers or running afoul of his Republican colleagues.

Tesla was in the middle of a three-day Model S test drive program in West Des Moines, Iowa when it was forced to cancel the final day of the event. The local dealers association ratted out the automaker to the state's Department of Transportation because only licensed "dealers" are allowed to offer test drives. Sigh.

Over a year after 138,469 people signed a petition on the White House's "We The People" site to allow Tesla to sell its cars directly to consumers, the Obama administration has an answer: Nope.

My standard searching for derelict trucks just lead me to "Cyberust;" a primitive website showcasing a wide selection of delightful derelict vehicles somewhere in Texas. Naturally, I felt compelled to share it with you.

You know how sometimes you're looking for a lease on a new car and you think "oh yeah I could probably go for some eggs, too, from a chicken, with this car?" No? That's too bad, because Ling's Cars can provide both, and it's probably the most hilarious leasing company in the world at the same time.

Thanks to a perception of versatility, reliability and affordability, the Toyota Hilux is the pickup truck of choice for terrorists and mercenaries all over the world. Now, a Florida car dealer is paying $7.5 million for making that association at the expense of a rival Iranian-born car dealer.

If "Winnebego Man" was the epitome of curse-filled vehicular salesmanship, this may be it's one-take zenith from the late 1960s. Remember, Ralph Williams Bay Shore Chrysler-Plymouth is your home for rape and pillage. Warning: NSFW.

Last week, Groupon and a Michigan car dealer announced the first Groupon for new cars, offering $500 off the price of a new or used vehicle for $200. This bold embrace of modern Internet marketing netted exactly four takers.

A start-up penny auction company decided to earn some publicity by going big-ticket for their first online sale by offering a new Chevy Camaro SS. The winning bidder paid $5.28. Who says Internet economics don't make sense?

Writers often have to take outside jobs while they hone their skills, but a New York used car salesman has managed to combine his work and hobby into the most literary sales pitches since Kurt Vonnegut owned a Saab dealership.

When Chevrolet announced last year it would import the Australian-built Chevy Caprice sedan as police-only fleet car, enthusiasts begged for a civilian version to no avail. Now one Maryland dealer says it will buck GM and sell 13 Caprices to the public. UPDATE: It's legit — but not for long.

After the financial crisis exposed the devastation caused by predatory lending, state and federal authorities vowed to protect consumers from practices that lured them into debt they couldn't afford.

Missouri car dealer Max Motors has upped the ante in its longstanding free-gun-with-purchase promotion, offering a .50 caliber sniper rifle to anyone who buys a Dodge Viper. The next step? Air vents laced with powdered Viagra. (Thanks mike4700!) [Max Motors]