\r\nThe 2009 Dodge Journey combines the best of a\r\npassenger car, a SUV and a mini van. Weather you have a family ready to got on\r\na road trip or need to hall things around town you will love the storage space and\r\nseating possibilities. Most people care about safety and the Dodge Journey has\r\ngot airbags, rear backup camera and much more. What will really get you is the price of\r\nthis amazing iron. With so many features and benefits people really seem to love this vehicle. \r\n

This is either the stupidest idea ever or the most brilliant co-promotion for two brands in the history of mankind. Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, the distributor of Gran Turismo 5 Prologue across the pond, and Nissan are joining forces to host a competition that could place a really good gamer behind the seat of a real Nissan 350Z at a very real 24-hour endurance race in Dubai. The competition is called GT Academy, and the first round will be an online GT5 Prologue tournament hosted on the PLAYSTATION Network (for Europeans only, we presume). Based on the picture provided, it appears that entrants will be racing a Nissan GT-R in a special livery when the competition begins later this month. The rest of the competition will span some eight months, at the end of which the winner will receive a four-month training program to earn actual racing licenses. With his or her newfound knowledge of real physics and how actual damage occurs, the winner will then be given a stint behind the wheel of a Nissan 350Z in the 24-hour endurance race in Dubai.

Based on the press release after the jump, we're a little unclear exactly how GT Academy will whittle down all of these entrants over eight months or how much driving the winner will actually be doing in Dubai. Having raced GT5 Prologue online using the PLAYSTATION Network, we can't imagine qualifying is going to be a pretty sight. There are always plenty of jerks willing to brake late in a corner and buddy bump you into the wall regardless of the game's imposed penalties, especially if they know that seat time in a real 350Z is beyond their own reach.

[SOURCE: autoblog.com VIA Nissan, SCEE READ THE FULL ARTICLE] 

With gloomy weather and poor driving conditions in the rear view mirror, April is the perfect time to give your vehicle a thorough spring cleaning. To help maintain that new car shine through spring and summer, Meguiar's, the century-old leader in vehicle appearance care, presents the "Dirty Dozen" car care myths, and the real facts on how to keep your vehicle looking its best.

Myth 1: Dishwashing detergent is safe to use as car wash. Absolutely Not! Dishwashing detergents remove everything from your paint finish!
Myth 2: Washing and cleaning are the same.
They sound similar, but are vastly different.
Myth 3: If it looks shiny, the cleaning process can be skipped. Not until you complete a thorough physical and visual evaluation of your paint finish.

This year's auto-show season threw up a rich crop of cars that are never likely to make it to production in this decade. 

But who knows what features future cars will have? Solar panels? Mood-sensors? Video-game controls? Built-in Segways?...

Check out the Future Car cnet slideshow...

[SOURCE: cnet.com READ THE FULL ARTICLE] 

Like politics, American big business has its "great families" and its "great characters". And its "great stories" ... This is one of them. In the auto industry, the names Kerkorian, York, Iacocca, Eaton, Lutz and Perot have all had long and strong connections to every one of the Detroit Three, connections several decades long. This week, all those connections again came to light as Kirk Kerkorian's company started buying-up 20-million more shares of Ford (he already owns 100-million shares, almost 8% of the whole company) and advising Ford's CEO, Alan Mulally (a Detroit newcomer), to sell-off that company's Volvo and Mercury divisions.

[READ THE FULL ARTICLE]

Professionals earn pockets full of cash usually because they do whatever it is they do better, faster, stronger than anyone else. Sometimes, though, they get the big bucks because they'll do something again after having nearly killed themselves the first time. That is: they'll get right back on the horse when a lot of non-professionals would instead grab a gin and tonic and watch reruns of I Love Lucy.

Jorge Lorenzo earned his money and a stay in hospital over the weekend during practice for the MotoGP China Grand Prix. On one run the bike bucked under him coming out of a turn, sending the 21-year-old rider up out of his seat like he was riding a bronco but he managed to keep the bike upright and moving. On a following run he wasn't so fortunate, highsiding, somersaulting, and suffering a fractured left ankle, a painful right ankle, a cut heel, a knee abrasion, and forearm compression.

Recognize your auto vanity…

Sexy people don’t just drive cars – they wear them! In the vast majority of cases, the car you choose is a reflection of who you are. Recognizing this, Chevrolet has created a drive-in fitting room in South London, which allows motorists to check out what they look like in their car before they commit to purchase. A recent U.K. survey showed  three out of four (72%) drivers recognize they use their car as a status symbol – wanting other drivers to view it as a reflection of the owner’s personality and success. ...

What if you could make fuel for your car in your backyard for less than you pay at the pump? Would you? Remember back in 1990's when you would pay about a buck for fuel?  Introducing the E-Fuel 100 MicroFueler for your backyard. This ethanol system looks something like a stacked washer and dryer combo and uses a fuel recipe of mainly sugar or feedstock, along with specially packed “time-release yeast”. The process for getting gas is is similar to how your red-neck uncle Pete would brew up his special logger at home. The MicroFueler supplier remarks it could cost a little as a dollar to make a gallon of ethanol!

Buying a hot brand-new used piece of freedom? Take advice from the Ballin on a Budget Pro Mad Mike on how what to look for to save you time and money.

Sponsored by Alsa.