Stop!

It's 2010. Where the heck are the flying cars?  Apparently, they're right around the corner. "Back to the Future fanatics, rejoice: A Massachusetts-based aircraft manufacturer is getting ready to sell a flying car," writes TheStreet.com. MSNBC reports, "The Terrafugia, a small airplane that can drive on roads and has been billed as the first 'flying car,' is now one step closer to becoming street- and sky-legal."  The Terrafugia glided over …

Read more of this story at U.S. News Rankings and Reviews

Tony Stark may need 10-cylinders in his R8 Spyder, but for most people eight-cylinders will do just fine, especially if it’s Audi’s burly 4.2-liter V8. After a year on the market, Audi will begin selling R8 Spyder’s with the “base” V8 engine to compliment the raucous 5.2-liter V10 engine. “Notably, Audi has liberated an extra 10 horsepower from the direct-injected 4.2-liter V8, so it's now rated at 430 hp. Peak torque holds …

Read more of this story at U.S. News Rankings and Reviews

Toyota is back in the news again — but not for reasons the company would like. "As Toyota Motor Corp. strives to improve operations to cope with quality concerns, the car maker said Thursday that it is preparing to recall 270,000 luxury vehicles worldwide, including some of its flagship Lexus LS sedans, to repair an engine problem," says the Wall Street Journal.  Lexus is Toyota's luxury brand. The possible recall …

Read more of this story at U.S. News Rankings and Reviews

The Chrysler PT Cruiser has run its course. “Today, we learned that July 9 will mark the last day of production for the venerable Chrysler PT Cruiser,” writes Automobile Magazine. “With more than 1.3 million units sold, the PT Cruiser represented one of the first executions of a modern retro car for the masses.” Due to its aging design and underpowered engine, the 2010 Chrysler PT Cruiser currently ranks near the bottom …

Read more of this story at U.S. News Rankings and Reviews

Exciting news for Corvette fans: Motor Trend reports that “sources inside GM” have confirmed that the next generation C7 Corvette will feature a 440-horsepower, 5.5-liter small-block V8 engine. “It's likely that this new engine will be the first application of GM's next-gen small block family, and we'd expect it to sport direct injection, E85 capability and a new combustion system design,” writes Autoblog. “One thing not to expect, though: overhead cams. …

Read more of this story at U.S. News Rankings and Reviews

In the highly-competitive class of affordable midsize cars, remaining unchanged means being left behind. While the Accord is already a great car, Honda plans on making it even better. For 2011, it will feature a few styling changes and better fuel economy. According to Autoblog: “Styling updates are mostly limited to the front fascias, which now appear to be more in line with the blocky look of the Accord Crosstour… for …

Read more of this story at U.S. News Rankings and Reviews

Simon and Garfunkle said it first: "Slow down, you move too fast."  As it turns out, a Canadian study has proven them right. "We hear it all the time: Speeding is bad. Now a Canadian study has found a graphic way of phrasing it," writes Kicking Tires. "According to the study, each hour a North American driver spends behind the wheel lowers his or her life expectancy by 20 minutes …

Read more of this story at U.S. News Rankings and Reviews

If you want to buy American, you should head down to your local Ford, GM or Chrysler dealer, right?  Not so fast, Uncle Sam.  Cars.com has released its annual American-Made index — and the results may surprise you. Kicking Tires (the blog for Cars.com) explains: "For the past few years we’ve been ranking cars and trucks built and bought in the U.S. for Cars.com’s American-Made Index. This index, which takes …

Read more of this story at U.S. News Rankings and Reviews