An insurance company in the UK called Hiscox (yes, really) commissioned an experiment in the hopes of discovering that people really can feel a physical attraction for cars.

A strange topic to invest money in, Hiscox went on to test something Italian car owners knew all along…

The Test

The test is simple, 40 men and women listened to recordings of three exotic Italian sports cars and one mid sized German car rev their engines.

Cars They Tested

• Maserati
• Lamborghini
• Ferrari
• Volkswagen Polo

After listening to each recording a sample of the test subjects’ saliva was collected and analyzed for testosterone levels. Read more

Southern California is arguably the land of the cars, a land of more automobiles, freeways and roadways than one can count.

The lack of a strong public transit system certainly contributes to our need for cars.

But it’s fascinating to look at which types of cars are popular in certain areas of Greater Los Angeles or the sprawling San Diego County.

Something Different for Every Californian

For example, in family-heavy east Ventura County, the minivans heyday through the 1990s crowded roads with them in Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks and Moorpark. Read more

In today’s automotive world, changing models into new configurations or classes hardly surprise the motoring public. The consumer expects to see more fuel economy and better technology in smaller vehicles.

But one of the strangest areas to add more classifications is the minivan. 

What Exactly is a Compact Minivan?

By the 2007 model year, only two compact minivans remained on the American market, the Mazda5 and the Kia Rondo, and in the years before that pickings were slim.

The history of the small minivan dates back to the late 1980s-early 1990s, with the Mitsubishi Expo and Nissan Axxess, according to Wikipedia. Read more

Few motorists are aware, but auto industry experts say the station wagon died a quiet death in the 1990s. Mainly due to the growing popularity of the minivan, and later, the sport utility vehicle.

That’s not to say you won’t see any on roadways. Some older models remain, and a new model might surface from year to year. However the days of mass production – and consumption – for the station wagon are over.

Station Wagon Defined

Most station wagons have bodies that essentially are modified sedans. They are passenger vehicles, but with an expanded rear cargo area, and almost always a rear window that is nearly vertical. Read more

It used to be that you looked at a car’s make and model, and maybe chose some trim options, paint color or transmission, and you were on your way with your shiny new car.

How far the automotive industry has progressed these days. Some might even argue that it has digressed.

So Many Choices Almost Makes it Hard to Decide

Take for example the 2009 Toyota Corolla. It’s not so simple to just take one and roll from a dealer’s lot.

The compact comes in six different styles, differing in price from a little over $14,000 up to almost $20,000. Read more

The Color of your car can say a lot about you.

The way technology is advancing, someday you’ll be able to change the color of your vehicle depending upon your mood.

Until then automakers are wowing consumers with a wide assortment of interesting colors.

Alubeam

For the 40th anniversary of its CL65 AMG, Mercedes-Benz announced the limited use of a new color that takes its traditional silver to a new realm.

The new Alubeam is said to gleam like liquid metal and appear to have been stretched over the car’s body. The effect would be emphasizing the 2008 coupe’s eye-attracting lines. Read more