Autoblog

Cool doesn't have to be expensive. At least that's what the folks over at Kelley Blue Book figure. The website of the authoritative car-buying resource has put together a list of what they figure are the ten coolest cars you can buy with less than $18,000.

There are some definite good choices on the list, but some of their choices – and how they arrived at them – leave us scratching our heads and wondering if their cool-meter doesn't need recalibration. Rather than taking the entirely subjective Top Gear "Cool Wall" approach and anointing a car cool or not based purely on image, KBB.com came up with a list of criteria. A cool car, they figure, should have folding seats. Huh? Yeah, versatility was their first criteria, including such features as "clever cubbies and innovative storage solutions" as a prerequisite for classifying a car as cool or not. (That way you've got more places to hide your coolness.) Also taken into consideration were such factors as safety, fuel economy and cabin space, before subjective assessments came into the mix.

The resulting list includes a Chevy pick-up at the top, followed by a Focus, a tiny Honda, an Hyundai, a Jeep, a Mazda3, a Nissan hatch, a Scion, a Suzuki and a VW. Each was included in the sub-$18k list based on Kelley's own proprietary blue-book value; follow the link to find out what made each of these cars cool enough to make the cut.

[Source: Kelley Blue Book]

We thought it was getting to be a long time since Forbes had put together another Top Ten list, but this time the journal of choice for successful businessmen put a twist on the annual tradition: instead of simply picking ten cars and assigning ranks by degree of sexiness, Forbes picked the sexiest ride for each of ten categories of personalities, including ballers, mobsters, divorcés and talent agents. If you don't fit into any of the categories, chances are you probably don't have the cash to spend on any of these cars. But if you've got the greenbacks and don't match the list, you might have to figure it out for yourself.

It's all a matter of taste, but Chris Bangle fans will notice the conspicuous absence of any BMWs, while enthusiasts of Italian automobiles will take note of the the Maserati, the Lamborghini and the two Ferraris that made the cut.

Here's what Forbes has nominated for this year:

• Sexiest Car for Hip-Hop Moguls: Rolls-Royce Phantom
• Sexiest Car for Hollywood Agents: Lexus LS Hybrid
• Sexiest Car for Miami Beach Plastic Surgeons: Lamborghini Murciélago Roadster
• Sexiest Car for Mobsters: Cadillac Escalade & EXT
• Sexiest Car for Newly Divorced Dads: Chevrolet Corvette Convertible
• Sexiest Car for Newly Divorced Moms: Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG
• Sexiest Car for Lobbyists: Cadillac CTS
• Sexiest Car for Forbes Readers: Maserati Quattroporte
• Sexiest Car for NBA Players: Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano
• Sexiest Car for Driving Purists: Aston Martin DB9 and Ferrari F430 (tie)

We'll take one of each, please.

[Source: Forbes]

Clarkson's at it again, casting shadows of doubt on the future of Top Gear. The celebrity automotive journalist (perhaps the most well-known, period) claims that while the BBC program ranks among the most watched television shows on the air, and that its audience continues to climb "like an F-15 on combat power," Top Gear is facing serious problems which could jeopardize its future.

The first, according to Jezza, is that following Richard Hammond's miraculous recovery and return to the show, the production schedule got horribly delayed. Clarkson figures that it takes about half a year to produce a season, which puts them severely behind schedule for the next series. Even if the show were to return in October, which he figures is the earliest a new series could air, Clarkson cites disgruntled fans who lamented the lack of content in the hastily-produced and recently-concluded 9th season.

"The series that's just finished was full of us three cocking about, and almost completely devoid of anything you might fairly call a 'road test,'" surmised Clarkson in his recent column. "This has gone down very badly with the people in internet land." (Hey, is he talking about us?)

Clarkson fears that most television viewers don't want to see him and the gang driving Ferraris and Lamborghinis, but just want to be entertained, and that if and when the show does return for a tenth season, it stands the danger of being watered-down. But it's the extraordinary track tests and tire-munching road trips that made the show as popular as it is. Top Gear, it seems, needs to be rescued from its own success.

Cheerio for the tip, Kim.

[Source: Top Gear]

Precision engineering. Artful design. Exclusive prestige. The kind of machine you can enjoy using every day. Are we talking about the finest automobiles or timepieces? We're referring to both, because these and so many other superlatives and qualities can be attributed to both, and both are among the favorite purchases of those with the means.

It should come as no surprise, then, that these two industries have been crossing over at increasing frequency. The result of the mingling of the two worlds has been a wide array of automotive-inspired watches, taking more or less design cues and construction materials from the automotive industry. On some of the most lusted-after timepieces in jeweler's windows today you'll see such materials as aluminum, titanium, ceramics and carbon fiber; you'll see rubber wrist straps with tire-tread patterns; and you'll see ultra-exclusive watches sharing their name with the most prestigious automobiles and motor races in the world. Of course, some of them cost as much as some cars as well, but there's a wide range of choices for every budget. Here are our Top Ten favorites.