Year: 2008

Drill, Baby, Drill? Pffffft.

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Drill, Baby, Drill isn’t an answer. It’s a cattle call … for sheep. When you actually look at the numbers, you’ll see that whatever oil America has untapped is but a tiny fraction of what we will ultimately need. Yes, we should increase domestic production, but only on shore. In order to quickly create jobs … Read more

September’s Auto Sales a Sea of Red

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How bad were last month’s auto sales? About as bad as it gets … or perhaps, has gotten, so far. Autoblog’s chart of automotive sales for September 2008 tells the bloody tale. These are frightening times. Every automaker, save three, saw double digit sales volume drops over September 2007, despite aggressive discounting and marketing programs. … Read more

2008 Nissan Versa MPG Review

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Nissan Versa MPG-o-Matic Nissan Versa Review Summary: With solid real-world mileage results and a comfortable ride, the Nissan Versa is a worthy contender. After a 700 mile review, it’s clear that a 40 miles per gallon (MPG) average is well within range for light-footed drivers under the right conditions.

The Nissan Versa competes with the Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris, and Chevy Aveo, among others in the subcompact market. Available as both a four door sedan and a five-door liftback, the Versa slots in under the Sentra as the entry-level model in Nissan’s lineup.

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VW Jetta TDI Sets New World Record: 58.82 MPG

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After twenty days, John and Helen Taylor have completed their tour of the 48 contiguous states in a 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI, setting a new Guinness World Record for lowest fuel consumption in their cross-country trek. The Taylors scored a remarkable 58.82 miles per gallon (MPG), despite facing adverse weather conditions. The world record marks an impressive debut for Volkswagen’s new clean diesel technology here in America.

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NY to LA Biodiesel Trek Completed in Record Time

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Nik Bristow and Brian Pierce set out to drive coast-to-coast non-stop from New York City to Los Angeles on “one tank” of biodiesel fuel, but ran short due to miscalculation. Nik and Brian thought they had everything nailed down when they left NYC at 10 PM on Monday night in their 2006 Volkswagen Jetta TDI sedan. They hadn’t planned to pick up an additional 15 gallons of fuel in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Call it NY to LA on one tank and a 15 gallon refill. On a 2903 mile trip that took just one day, 14 hours and 37 minutes, setting an unofficial new record time for a coast-to-coast trip on biodiesel.

Blame the fuel shortfall on short fills and heavy feet …

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