Time, as they say, has flown.

It seems like just yesterday we were nursing New Year's hangovers and saying things like "GM declare bankruptcy? Never!", and today, we find ourselves in late November, weary and bleary and kind of amazed that so much has happened so fast. We're moving deep into holiday territory now, which for blogs like this means two things: (1) a bunch of year-end wrap-ups, and (2) holiday shopping guides. We're still working on those first items (believe us, they're coming), but since we're just a week away from Americans call "Black Friday", now's  as good a time as any to start dispensing the gift-giving guidance.

Just to...

The news takes a bit less serious tint on Friday, with everything from smashed up Audi R8s and BMW 6-Series to a rather cheeky video spot for the MINI Cooper Convertible. There are still some sober moments, however, including the recall of Belkin's TuneBase in-car MP3 adapter for a potential fire hazard.

On more purely car-related territory, news of further work toward an all-electric Rolls Royce Phantom has emerged, with company CEO Tom Purves noting that pure, silent power is an ideal complement to Rolls Royce's luxurious conveyances. Sticking with luxury for a moment, how about a $7,400 Abarth-branded watch? What if it were cased in...

We've been keeping a close eye on the evolving Ford/Volvo/Geely saga. So far, the biggest point of contention in the brou-ha-ha has been Ford's concerns about intellectual property, which Geely might or might not respect after the ink dries. (China hasn't exactly been at the forefront of IP law.) However, there have also been unspoken worries about the shift in production that could result from such a deal, moving factories and jobs from Europe to the Far East. Geely tried to quell some of those concerns by saying that it intends to keep Volvo's production in Europe -- if the sale goes through, of course -- but there's also talk of a new,...