Tomorrow's initial public offering of stock in Tesla could be a make-or-break event for the electric-car maker. After all, the company has lost money every single quarter since its inception in 2003, burning through $230.5 million in cash along the way. It expects to continue to flush money for at least another couple of years, until its affordable -- compared to the $109,000 Roadster, that is -- Model S sedan is ready to go. Meanwhile, CEO and main shareholder Elon Musk, whose personal fortune from the sale of PayPal and other companies has thus far kept the company afloat, is facing liquidity issues.

But on the plus side of the ledger, Toyota has agreed to buy $50 million of stock when it goes on sale tomorrow, and the two companies may -- though this is still a very loose idea at this point -- collaborate or somehow work together in the future. Not bad having the world's largest automaker on your side. Also, in a move that speaks of increased confidence from the company, as well as demand from investors, Tesla announced today in revised Securities and Exchange Commission paperwork that it was increasing the number of shares offered, from 11.1 million to 13.3 million. Major shareholders will sell more stock, as well -- 1.42 million shares, up from 1.1 million. 

Designer Gordon Murray gained fame for his pen that drew the McLaren F1 and the Mercedes McLaren SLR super cars. Now, he's shifting gears to something greener.

Murray has pulled the wraps off his T25 city car, after hinting at its design for the better part of two years.

The T25 is smaller than a Smart ForTwo or the Toyota iQ, which we'll see in the United States soon as a Scion.

 

With all the hype -- and ink spilled, as it were -- surrounding the Chevy Volt, it seems as if the car has been out for a while now. Not so, of course: The extended-range electric vehicle doesn't go on sale until the end of this year, and even then only in select markets such as Los Angeles, Michigan and Washington, D.C. However, the staff at Consumer Reports got their hands on a production model, and the magazine's blog has published its initial findings. A rundown of some of the highlights is below, and the video review is posted after the jump. 

This past weekend, amid stiff competition for sporting attention from the likes of the World Cup, Wimbledon and a great few days of baseball, one of the most exciting events in motorsports took place: the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, also known as the Race to the Clouds.

In Colorado Springs, Colo., racers across a number of 4- and 2-wheel categories tackled the 14,110-foot ascent, which is composed of dirt, gravel and paved sections of road -- much the same course originally raced when the contest began way back in 1916. The victor in the most closely watched category -- "unlimited," which as the name suggests allows all types of highly modified 4-wheel rides -- was the current record holder, Japanese racer Nobuhiro "Monster" Tajima. While there was significant buzz that Monster, thanks to a more powerful car, would break his own record of 10 minutes, 1 second (and therefore likely break the 10-minute mark) he managed only 10 minutes, 11 seconds in his Suzuki SX4. But that was still good enough for the win, his fifth overall victory in a row.

 

Kia Motors is considering changing its U.S. lineup nomenclature from product names to alphanumerics.

The move is being considered at the highest levels of the Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group. In a recent interview, Hyundai Motor Co. Vice Chairman Chung Eui-sun said the company is considering the change.

Kia's lineup in South Korea and some other markets already is partially alphanumeric. In Korea, the mid-sized sedan based on what was known as the Optima is named the K5, a large sedan known as Cadenza in some markets--but not yet sold in the United States--is named the K7, and the Forte likely will become the K3.

 

If this isn't the craziest thing you see all day, I don't want your job... or, perhaps, I want it very much.

A preview clip for TLC's new show "Out of Control Drivers" shows -- and know there's no way to do this justice, you're just going to have to watch the clip -- a pickup truck plowing through a gas station, taking out a pump, and slamming at high speed straight into the convenience store area.

Incredibly, no one was hurt -- including the cashier, who watched a post beam fly directly past her head. Turns out the driver had fallen asleep behind the wheel after working the night shift.

Don't drive tired, folks. "Out of Control Drivers" will premiere Sunday night on TLC. Check out the video after the jump. 

Yet another recall for Lexus (and their parent company, Toyota): the 2011 hybrid Lexus HS 250h vehicles have failed an NHTSA rear crash test, with safety officials noting a fuel leak post-crash. In a statement, Lexus has said that the HS 250h passed this same test when conducted by Lexus, and the company was investigating why the NHTSA's results differed from their own. (It is up to manufacturer's to prove compliance with safety standards, but the safety agency does, as in this case, conduct its own spot-checks of certain tests.)

The agency has halted sales of the vehicle until the investigation is complete, and has already recalled the 17,000 or so vehicles that have been sold. 

The warm months are upon us, and like many, the Mazda2 is getting ready for its big summer debut by getting rid of its extra weight.

The five-door subcompact hatch, the smallest (and lowest-priced) car that will be offered in Mazda's lineup, is set to hit dealer lots in August. It's the third-generation version, but the first to roll into North America. While the small car shares some underpinnings with the sporty Ford Fiesta, it doesn't boast the same horsepower or torque numbers: the Fiesta puts out 120 horses and 112 pound-feet of torque from its 1.6-liter four-cylinder, while the Mazda2 gets only 100 hp and 98 pound-feet of torque from its 1.5-liter. To make up for it, and in keeping with the badge's "zoom-zoom" mentality, the company has looked everywhere possible to cut weight. From Automotive News: