Someday, psychologists will plumb the dented brainpans of auto journalists to figure out why so many are so in love with the humble station wagon. But maybe I’ve got it figured out: for all our unhealthy obsessions with racy-yet-unattainable beauties, we’re mostly dorks who secretly want to settle down with a nice, smart, practical girl (or guy).

And there’s nothing smarter and more practical -- yet still reasonably fun and handsome -- than a wagon. SUVs generally don’t handle as well, or get as good fuel economy. Minivans? Even auto writers have standards.

 

The cost of auto insurance varies state by state, and while it's a necessary expense, it also ranks low on most people's priorities list when it comes to where they actually do live: Very few people, of course, would relocated to another state based mainly on the cost of auto insurance. That being said, USA Today does have some tips for cutting back your cost, no matter where you call home.

First, make sure you're not spending too much money insuring a pile of junk. Of course you have to keep some insurance, but going keeping full coverage on a clunker means you may be insuring it for more than it's worth -- and in case the car is totaled, you'll be paid out based on the car's actual value rather than the value at which you insured it. (Check Kelley Blue Book for your car's current value.) 

Custom-body designer Lumma Design worked over the fire-breathing BMW X6 to create an even more powerful version bolstered with carbon and aerodynamic enhancements.

It's called the Lumma CLR X 650 M, and as always, speed is paramount. It pumps out 670 hp and has a top speed of 193 mph.

 

As if California drivers don't have enough to worry about between rising summer gas prices, congestion, and the fact that the state's coffers are essentially empty (so don't worry about getting any of those terrible roads fixed, unless you're in Beverly Hills), we now have to hope with all our might that a bill proposing this inanity doesn't get anywhere near passing.

That's right: California is looking into way to turn drivers' license plates into an advertising platform.

According to bill SB 1453, which passed without a dissenting vote on May 28, the DMV is authorized to partner with companies for R&D purposes aimed towards (and here I quote Gizmag): "the utilization of digital electronic license plates with specified areas of discussion and to conduct “real world” trials to gather data on the ability for DELP technology to deliver cost savings, workflow efficiencies and revenue generation." 

The Crackdown 2 video game doesn't go on sale until July 6, but the sweepstakes to win the “Crackdown Cruiser” has already begun.

Based on the 2011 Dub Edition Ford Mustang V6, the customized car features Crackdown 2 graphics and 20-inch wheels fitted with Pirelli Zero Nero tires.

Paying homage to gaming, the cruiser also includes two Xbox 360s and an LCD screen in its trunk. Performance fans can also opt for a Roush fascia, splitter, lowering springs or window louvers.

 

(6/23 UPDATE: According to the New York Times Wheels blog, the Porsche was privately owned -- which means Porsche did not actually partake in any official capacity.)

MINI challenged; Porsche demurred. MINI went on the offensive; Porsche went silent.

In the end, the most shocking thing about Porsche's two-second victory at Road Atlanta is that the automotive giant partook at all. As I predicted, even in defeat the race was a victory for MINI, who now has a cute marketing gimmick: that two-second victory amounts to $38,000 per second when comparing the price of the two vehicles. Still, head of MINI North America Jim McDowell still has to wear a t-shirt that reads "We did not beat Porsche" at his next public appearance.

Notice how the BMW-run MINI failed to mention that the race wasn't even held on a real track, but rather a "handling track" at Road Atlanta's inner paddock. (Their explanation is that the twisting, turning course, almost completely devoid of significant straightaways -- thus hampering Porsche's most obvious asset, horsepower -- is more indicative of "real world" driving.)

A video of the race, after the jump. For some reason, stand-up comedian, Ultimate Fighting Championship color commentator, and former Fear Factor host Joe Rogan is presiding. Also, for some reason, the race simply repeats itself around the 2:08 mark -- no real need to watch past that point. 

Lincoln seems to have been wandering the automotive wasteland for a few years now. With the brand’s meat-and-potato Town Car model gone from the ranks, few buyers really have a grasp on what Ford’s entry-level luxury brand is still doing making cars. While General Motors is in the midst of a successful rebranding of its once-geriatric Buick line, Lincoln seems content to plod along as an also-ran. Or at least it did. The brand just announced that the EPA has certified the brand-new 2011 hybrid version of the Lincoln MKZ at 41 mpg city and 36 mpg highway, making it the most fuel-efficient luxury sedan in the United States. 

After my meeting with GM's Lowell Paddock and Michael Albano I headed to the World Expo: the unspeakably massive collection of pavilions representative of countries and corporations from around the world. For those who missed the massive media blitz when the Expo opened on April 30, think of it as an 3.2-square mile Epcot Center but built with the combined resources of several dozen nations and major companies, not to mention more money spent by the Chinese government on preparation than was allotted to cleaning up Beijing before the last Olympics.

I was met at the Expo by GM specialist Tina Qiu, who was kind enough to pull me from the incessant drizzle and give me a thorough rundown on what the GM-SAIC pavilion is all about. The concept of the pavilion is the "drive to 2030," a look at the possibilities of urban transport 20 years into the future. Given that some reports put the number of daily visitors at the several hundred thousand mark, long lines are the norm, and GM-SAIC pavilion guests who make it inside are treated to a pre-show video projected onto the walls of the waiting room. The pre-show was of course in Chinese, though it included English subtitles -- which, given the fact that the actual show was also in Chinese but without subtitles, meant it was the last bit of specific information I understood. (They do also run some shows in English, but I missed the boat on that one.) The pre-show was simple, tracing the life cycle of a man and woman's relationship over the years -- meeting, courtship, marriage, etc. -- as the narrative that also allowed viewers to see the progress of automotive design and technology over the same time frame.