Toyota is struggling to sell trucks and SUVs like everyone else, but unlike the competition, no full-time workers from stalled factories are getting laid off. The 4,500 workers at idled plants are instead bettering themselves through eduction by taking classes on safety, diversity, and Toyota history. They're also doing community service while on the clock and even some gardening.

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Let's take a quick vote here. We won't be tabulating the totals, so we'll keep this unofficial, but we want you to be honest. How many of you, deep inside, wonder if you couldn't have made it as a professional racing driver? Maybe not the next Michael Schumacher, but at least a promising prospect.

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Worries over the serviceable lifespan of battery packs have been at the forefront of many critics dislike of hybrid cars. With doom-and-gloom scenarios of pricey replacements and short service life, the pundits have posited the Prius’ long-term impracticality. But an Australian taxi outfit has compiled enough real-world data to put that idea to sleep.

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Combining the hottest power source of the moment with one of the hottest hatchbacks on backorder makes for a good chance of success. With the statistics the Micro-Vett Fiat 500 electric car presents, the chances are even better.

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While most of our recent hot hatch affection has been aimed at the Ford Focus RS, Renault brought its own racy three-door to the London Motor Show party, and now we're torn. Admittedly, the Focus RS is easily the more suitable day-to-day driver – it's got a full interior and air conditioning -- but the Renaultsport Megane R26.R has all the kit for a serious track-day assault. Hell, it even has two Rs in its name.

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Back in the 70s, the first great oil shock threatened to obliterate the fun in driving. This time around, that's not the case. Modern electronic management systems and highly efficient engines are allowing engineers to create drivetrains that provide outstanding fuel economy and performance. Combine those two elements with a great chassis and you can have a blast behind the wheel -- without draining your wallet or your conscience.

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The Land Rover Freelander is under attack by a striking 4x4 from Mazda. This is the stunning new Kazamai, which is due to make its debut at the Moscow Motor Show in August.

The Kazamai – which is Japanese for ‘swirling crosswinds’ – has been made specially for the Russian show and is a sporty, compact off-roader. It will lead to the development of an all-new car to be launched by the company in 2010.

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Chevrolet's ongoing American Revolution came to NHRA Pro Stock with the introduction of the Chevy Cobalt at Bristol Dragway on April 29, 2005. It didn't take long for the new Chevy to earn a place in the NHRA record book. On June 18, 2005, Kurt Johnson qualified his ACDelco Cobalt in the No. 1 spot at the K&N Filters Super Nationals in Englishtown, N.J. One week later, Johnson put his Cobalt in the winner's circle at the Sears Craftsman NHRA Nationals in Madison, Ill. In 2007, Chevy Cobalt drivers combined for seven victories in 12 final-round appearances, with Dave Connolly finishing third in the final Pro Stock standings and Johnson finishing fifth.

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Fiat 500 and Ferrari: two universal motoring icons which represent Made in Italy, one cute and the other exclusive. This is why the Maranello House has chosen the Fiat model as its courtesy car for its customers, who appreciate Italian style and like unique products. In actual fact, two hundred Fiat 500 have been manufactured exclusively for the Ferrari sales network and will be driving on all of Europes roads.

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The new Nissan Cube will be unveiled the morning of November 19 at the Los Angeles Auto Show, and the automaker has begun the buildup to its arrival. The Cube now has an official website, where you can count down the days and see more on the Cube art cars that design students prepared for the '08 New York Auto Show, among other things. Nissan's covering all the bases, also getting the Cube set up on Facebook and other social networking sites in the meantime.

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For those of you queuing for the Q5, Audi has let loose a flood of new info on its high performance, low consumption, relatively low emission sports SUV. Consumers outside the U.S., get to choose between one of two diesel-sipping TDIs -- of 170 hp and 240 hp -- that are the envy of Stateside quattrophiles. Even with that 240 hp and 369 lb-ft, you'll still get 31 MPG. Folks in the fifty U.S. will need to make do with the 211 hp, 2.0-liter V6 FSI... which isn't exactly a complaint.

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If you're in France, the phrase caveat emptor can probably be joined by caveat reporter after police raided the French magazine Auto Plus. The po-po were called last August to begin an investigation because the magazine published detailed photos of the coming Renault Megane, which Renault said wasn't supposed to hit showrooms for another three years. The raid was the next step in the Sherlock Holmes treatment.

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These photos likely come from the Polish facilities at Tychy, where the Fiat 500 and the Ford Ka are assembled. The Ford can be seen here before it has been completely revealed, with the intention of distinguishing itself from its Italian cousin.

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We might say that white is not really its color, and the three-quarter shots of the front don’t really do it justice. Peugeot is releasing the first pics of the 308 Coupé Cabriolet, the classic open top version with rigid folding roof.

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If you own an Italian masterpiece adorned with a prancing horse, your good fortune is likely tempered with a few mechanical or electrical maladies. If and when that happens, most of us would expect an expensive loaner to take our minds off of our troubles, but team Ferrari has a "better idea." Fiat has created 200 special edition 500s that are done up to Ferrari standards, including red paint, a top notch sound system, electric sunroof, automatic climate control, a black steering wheel with red stitching and 16-inch aluminum wheels.

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