2008 Scion tC Gets Price Bump

The 2008 Scion tC gets a few new features, at a cost. Buyers will pay an additional $600 for the new tC — $17,000 for the manual version and $17,800 for the automatic. The price increase is due to new standard equipment, including a Pioneer subwoofer and iPod connector.

Other changes include a different front grille, new headlights and taillights, and new interior finishes.

There’s also a tC Spec Package that doesn’t have as many standard features and costs $15,300 for the manual and $16,100 for the automatic. None of the prices include destination and handling charges. The 2008 tC will be available next month.

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2008 Scion tC Gets Standard iPod Integration, New Grille (KickingTires)
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Speed Racer Ready for Hollywood

This is it: The first image of a “real” Mach 5, Speed Racer’s trusty, gadget-laden car from the upcoming live-action “Speed Racer” movie. The only problem? The movie won’t be out until next summer — May 9, 2008, to be exact. It’s being directed by the Wachowski brothers, the pair behind “The Matrix” trilogy, and is being produced by Joel Silver. It stars Emile Hirsch as Speed, Christina Ricci as Trixie, Matthew Fox as Racer X and, yes, a live monkey as Chim Chim. We’ll have to let the “Transformers” movie hold us over for our car-crazed fun this year, but May 9 is already marked on our 2008 calendars.

First Look: 'Speed Racer's' Demon on Wheels (USAToday)

Cars.com's 2007 Hybrid Buying Guide

It's getting hot out, and the pain at the pump is no doubt getting more people thinking about hybrids and whether or not it's finally time to bite the bullet and buy one. We here at Cars.com want to help. Today, we launched our annual Hybrid Buying Guide, which covers hybrid cars and SUVs, including many new 2008 models. From the buying guide, you can research each vehicle and see which ones we picked as Best Bets.

2007 Hybrid Buying Guide

Fast Cars & Superstars: Serena Williams

CONCORD, N.C. — The tennis pro was a little overwhelmed during her ride-along in the Cars.com car at Lowe’s Motor Speedway as part of “Fast Cars & Superstars — Gillette Young Guns Celebrity Race” reality show, which Cars.com is sponsoring, and which begins airing June 7 on ABC. She rode with NASCAR driver Kurt Busch, and afterward she seemed moved by the experience.

What moved her the most?

“The fact that they’re driving 200 mph behind each other and there’s like two inches that separate them,” she said. “And then if, they just, you know — it’s crazy.”

Volvo C70 and Saab 9-3 Earn First-Ever Top Safety Pick Designation for Convertibles

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has released its first crash tests of convertible models. Two of the 10 cars tested earned the organization’s Top Safety Pick designation: the Volvo C70 and the Saab 9-3. What was on the opposite side of the spectrum? The Pontiac G6 convertible scored only an Acceptable grade in frontal crashes and Marginal in side- and rear-impact tests.

Most surprising were the low side-impact scores registered by the all-new BMW 3 Series convertible and the Audi A4 Cabriolet (convertible). Both cars received marginal side-impact scores even though they’re both equipped with seat-mounted head and torso airbags. They also received poor grades in rear crash tests. For a full chart of the results, click below. 

Cars.com Reviews 2007 350Z

My week driving the 2007 350Z involved a daily commute to downtown Chicago, hundreds of highway miles and a few rounds on a racetrack. I don’t usually get to give each car that thorough a thrashing, but the stars aligned for the new Nissan, and luckily the car held up to the added scrutiny. Check out the full review to see just how much Nissan has improved its affordable sports car. 

2007 Nissan 350Z Expert Review

Which pickup trumps the rest at the pump?

A common question we see here at Cars.com has to do with fuel efficiency. Lately, truck buyers — the ones who actually need to buy a full-size pickup — have been more curious about which one gets the best fuel economy. Our research staff at Ask.cars.com got on the case and delivers a full list, using 2007 EPA estimates, of V-6- and V-8-powered full-size pickups. Check out which truck bests the rest in this category.

What truck gets the best mileage? (Ask.cars.com)

Gas Prices Begin Retreat

It was easy to predict for some, but many had to wait and see the price of gasoline fall before believing it might not hit $4 this summer. Today, gas prices fell to $3.197 from a record high of $3.227 on May 24. Analysts are saying this is the beginning of a decline, but there could be another spike around the July 4 holiday.

It’s not all gasoline and roses though — gas prices are still more than 30 cents higher than they were at the same time last year. A number of problems with U.S. refineries led to the recent spike, and if they come back online — and there are no other unforeseen issues — gas prices could continue to decline.

Gas Prices: 'We're on the Verge of Real Relief' (USAToday) 

Fast Cars & Superstars: Kurt Busch

CONCORD, N.C. — From small things, big things eventually grow.

For Kurt Busch, the road to becoming a successful NASCAR driver started small. Looking back, Busch admits he was driving for some time before he legally could.

“Yeah, I was probably into some cars way too early,” Busch said. “I do know that I drove when I was 15 and a half with my learner’s permit, in a car that my dad and I built. It was a 1964 Volkswagen Bug. We bought it for 500 bucks and restored it from the ground up.”

With a car that old, you might wonder how often Busch wound up replacing parts, including the clutch.

New Toyota Tundra Running Into Engine Failures

In some of the first 2007 Toyota Tundra pickups that rolled off the assembly line, optional V-8 engines are failing due to faulty camshafts. The company says the problem should only impact a limited number of the redesigned full-size pickups, but hasn’t yet figured out what that number is. The company sold 37,000 of the new Tundras with the powerful 5.7-liter V-8 in its first three months on the market.

The company is replacing the entire engine of any truck affected by the problem, which stems from a part built by an outside supplier. So far, 20 trucks have reported the engine failures, and Toyota is actively tracking down the vehicles at risk. When we get more information about the investigation, we’ll post it here.

Toyota Fixing Engine Failures in New Tundra truck (USAToday)

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Toyota Offering $1,500 Rebate on All-New Tundra (KickingTires)
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