Slate Magazine - Gearbox

How a Porsche can be better for the environment than a Prius.

Joe Eaton — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:24:27 EST

It's an unseasonably cool day in August, and I'm screaming down a twisty, two-lane road nestled in the driver's seat of a silver 1966 Porsche 911. The Porsche's owner is riding shotgun, shirt collar popped, trying to look nonchalant as I bring the revs up and shift into third. The trees blur.

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Reviewing the Audi A5 TDI, a clean diesel.

Jason Stein — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 07:02:48 EST

Play a quick game of word association with most North Americans, and here's what you'd get for diesel: Truck, dirty, loud, chuggy, smelly. Clean and sporty? I'll bet you a tank of gasoline that you never thought of that description. Indeed, many people were surprised when the Volkswagen Jetta TDI was named the "Green Car of the Year" for 2009.

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Test-driving the Smart Fortwo.

Seth Stevenson — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 06:58:32 EST

In some ways, Daimler could not have picked a better moment to introduce its Smart car to America. The Smart Fortwo—a Lilliputian, sub-sub-subcompact that fits two adults and almost nothing else—made its debut on these shores in January, and since then, gas prices and demand for small cars have skyrocketed in tandem. American auto-buyers seem to be saying: Shrimp my ride.

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If gas prices are killing you, here's a guide to thrifty motorcycles and scooters.

Sam Whitehead — Thu, 3 Jul 2008 06:57:51 EST

There's nothing like paying upward of $5 for a gallon of gas. It's exhilarating, like being Tasered or getting clocked in the kisser.

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The hybrid that you can take to the country club.

Jason Stein — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:59:13 EST

I've been test-driving cars for about 10 years now, including my share of hybrids: the infamous Toyota Prius; some of the first Ford Escapes; Honda Civics, Accords, and Fits. With hybrids, there have always been excuses to make and myths to bust in response to queries from curious drivers of traditional gas-guzzlers. And so I've compiled what I call the Hybrid Handbook to counter people who think that a) hybrids get 135 miles per gallon (they don't); b) hybrids need to be plugged in at night (they don't); or c) hybrids go only 35 miles per hour (they don't). Still, I confess, I've always believed that d) hybrids come only in small, boring, not-designed-for-hair-raising packages.

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