"Gasoline prices are not killing the market, just putting a bit of a drag on it," Schnorbus said. "The sales surge we saw in June and July was caused by incentives overpowering high gasoline prices."

Schnorbus noted that the increase in incentives in June and July created a sales jump similar to what the industry experienced in 2004 when automakers boosted incentives.

"The incentives are different and it's slightly earlier than last year, but it has created a similar boost in sales," Schnorbus said. "Once the 2005 models are gone, sales will return to a more temperate pace."

One vehicle segment that had been struggling in a flourishing market is full-size SUVs, but Schnorbus noted that it has received a large boost from the employee programs. Still, full-size SUV sales are down 12 percent on a year-to-date basis and the segment’s market share has slipped to 3.57 percent from 4.14 percent in 2004. In addition, premium luxury SUV sales are down 7.92 percent compared to a year ago, while the other SUV segments—entry, midsize and entry luxury—are all experiencing year-over-year sales growth.

"The SUV market is not going to disappear as a result of high gasoline prices," Schnorbus said. “In fact, it will grow over the five-year forecast horizon."

Chrysler took a chance when it decided on such a radical design for the 300 and the results speak for themselves. Along with an award like Most Significant of the Year, the 300 will also serve to garner the respect of car buyers who always yearned for something a little different but couldn't justify something exotic to fulfill their wishes. The 300 not only gives them something to aspire to, it gave fans of the American sedan something to be proud of — a most significant feat indeed.

The thinking is, with gasoline prices hitting record highs and traffic in the nation’s major cities becoming increasingly congested, Americans are likely to buy fewer gas-guzzling SUVs and trucks and gravitate toward smaller, more efficient vehicles like the Smart Car - a mere 8 feet, 2 inches long and just over 5 feet tall - according to ZAP's CEO Steve Schneider.

"The market timing for what we are doing couldn't be better," Schneider said. "Fuel prices are at all time highs, and social responsibility about global warming is something that's more in the mainstream and not a left-wing thing," he added. "And there's the issue of our dependency on foreign oil too - all this makes our business plan very timely."

One out of every 200 registered 1999 Acura Integras was stolen last year, said Chicago-based CCC Information Services Inc., an insurance industry tracker of theft and vehicle damage. The list compares loss claims to the total number of registered vehicles.

The 2002 BMW M Roadster was No. 2 on the list and the 1998 Acura Integra was third. Other vehicles in the top 10 include the 1991 GMC V2500, the 2002 Audi S4 and the 2004 Mercury Marauder.

Detroit's latest marketing gambit -- employee discount prices for all -- is proving to be more than a one-month wonder, drawing heavy showroom traffic so far in July after propelling GM to a record June, according to dealers and analysts.

While there's no shortage of concern that today's sales party will mean tomorrow's hangover, dealers are elated that customers continue to snap up end-of-model-year cars and trucks that otherwise might have gathered dust.

Some Big Three dealers are reporting July sales are up as much as 50 percent from a year ago.

"It's really the mental, the cognitive distraction from thinking about something else other than the driving task," says Ann McCartt with the institute.

In a lot of cars today, that's all too easy. As car makers cram more technology into vehicles - from DVD players and navigation systems to MP3 players - the question is: How do you keep your eyes on the road ahead when you're constantly looking at the dashboard?

While much has been made of cell phone use in cars, researchers have yet to determine how much other devices impact driving.

"Drivers are engaged in distracting behaviors of one kind or another a lot of the time," says McCartt. "The key is: Are those distracting behaviors going to lead to a crash?"

For now, industry researchers and car makers agree that multitasking drivers multiply their risk every time they hit the road.

"Maybach's ability to earn first or second place on all of the four pillars of a luxury brand allowed it to break through despite its relatively low awareness and newness," said Milton Pedraza, CEO of the Luxury Institute. "It is clearly an impressive win for Mercedes Benz, which launched the automobile in the hopes of capturing a solid share of the ultra luxury car segment. Still, the resilience of Rolls Royce and Bentley, given the onslaught of models from new competitors such as Maybach, and from traditional competitors such as Ferrari, Maserati, and Aston Martin, is a testament to their ability to adapt while maintaining their heritage and brand identity."

In Texas, the limit went up to 80mph on rural interstates, in Iowa it rises to 70mph, again on rural roads, while in May, the limit in Indiana went from 65mph to 70mph in areas with less than 50,000 population -- one supposes you aren't supposed to count them first. Lorries go faster too -- their limit went up to 65mph.

In Pacific Grove, Calif., parking meters know when a car pulls out of the spot and quickly reset to zero -- eliminating drivers' little joy of parking for free on someone else's quarters.

In Montreal, when cars stay past their time limit, meters send real-time alerts to an enforcement officer's hand-held device, reducing the number of people needed to monitor parking spaces -- not to mention drivers' chances of getting away with violations. Meanwhile, in Aspen, Colo., wireless "in-car" meters may eliminate the need for curbside parking meters altogether: They dangle from the rear-view mirror inside the car, ticking off prepaid time.

In the weekly EIA survey, the West Coast had the most expensive regular unleaded gasoline, with the price up 6.8 cents at $2.48 a gallon. San Francisco was at the top of the agency’s survey of cities, with the price of gasoline up 5.6 cents at $2.58.

The Gulf Coast states, where many refineries are located, had the cheapest fuel, with the price up 11.8 cents at $2.24 per gallon. Among major cities, Houston had the lowest pump price, with fuel up 9.4 cents at $2.19.

After crude surged through $60 a barrel last week, nervous investors were pinning their hopes on a build-up in US oil-stocks to depress prices in the coming months.

But Simmons believes surging demand will keep prices bubbling well above $50. "We could be at $100 by this winter. We have the biggest risk we have ever had of demand exceeding supply. We are now just about to face up to the biggest crisis we have ever had," he said.

Like tens of thousands of her fellow citizens, she is running her zippy red Fiat on pure ethanol extracted from Brazilian sugar cane. On a recent morning in Brazil's largest city, the clear liquid was selling for less than half the price of gasoline, a sweet deal for the 26-year-old lawyer.

"You save money and you don't pollute as much," said Rossini, who paid about $18 to fill her nearly empty tank. "And it's a good thing that the product is made here."

"There are cases of children dying on days as cool as 70 degrees Fahrenheit," lead researcher Dr. Catherine McLaren said in a news release.

Researchers measured the temperature rise inside a parked car on sunny days with highs ranging from 72 to 96 degrees Fahrenheit. Their results, published in the July issue of the journal Pediatrics, showed that a car's interior can heat up by an average of 40 degrees within an hour, regardless of outside temperature. And 80 percent of the temperature rise occurred within the first half-hour.

The satellite-based system will monitor the speed limit and apply the brakes or cut out the accelerator if the driver tries to exceed it. A government-funded trial has concluded that the scheme promotes safer driving.

Drivers in London could be among the first to have the "speed spy" devices fitted. They would be offered a discount on the congestion charge if they use the system.

J.D. Power projects that hybrids, which accounted for just 0.5 percent of the U.S. market last year, will increase to 3.5 percent by 2012 -- totaling 650,000 vehicles. Diesels are expected to grow from a 3.4 percent market share in 2004 to 7.5 percent or 1.37 million.

Americans bought 16.9 million new vehicles last year, and Power is projecting the market at more than 18 million in 2012.