Car Models

In the Car Models Channel, read about some of the most popular cars to hit the showroom floor. Check out the HowStuffWorks Car Models Channel.

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Here's Why the US Government 3-D Printed a Classic Muscle Car

The Department of Energy created a classic Shelby Cobra with a 3-D printer. That's cool, but what does it mean for the auto industry?

By Kristen Hall-Geisler Oct 16, 2015 Muscle Cars / Mucle Car Information

The 5 Groups of People Maddest About Volkswagen’s Shenanigans

Volkswagen used lines of code as a defeat device to make it seem as if its clean diesel engines were cleaner than they really were.

By Kristen Hall-Geisler Oct 5, 2015 Modern Cars / Other Moden Car Manufacturers

Why the Ford Edsel Failed

Ford whipped the public into a frenzy back in 1957 with its marketing campaign for the Edsel, "the car of the future." The Edsel was supposed to be everything American car buyers wanted. But — for many, many reasons — it was a terrible flop.

By Jamie Page Deaton Classic and Collectible Cars of the 1950s / Classic and Collectible Edsel Cars of the 1950s

How the Audi Sport Quattro Laserlight Concept Works

Laser headlights: Sounds like something out of a spy movie, right? Well, not quite. Audi's latest breakthrough may not be able to carve up your enemies in a high-speed chase, but they will dramatically improve your field of vision at night.

By Jamie Page Deaton Car Models / Concept Cars

How the Land Rover Invisible Hood Works

An invisible hood, you say? What kind of sorcery is this? While Land Rover's latest innovation may sound like pure magic, it's actually a pretty simple trick — and pretty handy if you're navigating some particularly craggy terrain.

By Jamie Page Deaton Car Models / Concept Cars

How the Personal Air and Land Vehicle (PAL-V) Works

Whether it's "Back to the Future," "The Jetsons" or "Blade Runner," we've been promised flying cars for a while now. Yet dream as we might, this fantastical future has always eluded us — that is, until the PAL-V showed up in all its flying glory.

By Jamie Page Deaton Car Models / Unusual Cars

Was the Ford Edsel really that much of a failure?

After an unsuccessful (and very expensive) launch in 1957, the Ford Edsel was discontinued in 1959. Everyone knows the Edsel wasn't up to Ford's standards, but was it really as bad as history makes it out to be?

By Cherise Threewitt Classic and Collectible Cars of the 1950s / Classic and Collectible Edsel Cars of the 1950s

How the Rimac Concept One Will Work

Some twentysomethings like to party. Others design and build million-dollar sports cars. That's exactly what Mate Rimac, founder of Rimac Automobili, accomplished with his Concept_One supercar.

By Cherise Threewitt Car Models / Concept Cars

How Bare Metal Hot Rods Work

Bare metal cars make up a relatively small subculture of hot rodding, and examples can run the gamut from gritty to glamorous. Would you dare to bare it all?

By Cherise Threewitt Car Models / Unusual Cars

10 Fastest Cars in the World

When a 'Top 10 Fastest Cars' list begins at 230 mph (370 kph), you know you're in for a real high-speed treat. Did your favorite fast car make the list?

By Cherise Threewitt Car Models / Exotic Cars

How the Lamborghini Urus Will Work

An SUV might be the last vehicle to jump to mind when somebody says “Lamborghini.” But the Lamborghini Urus is just that: a super-luxury SUV with a V-10 engine that's expected to produce about 600-horsepower.

By Cherise Threewitt Car Models / Concept Cars

How the 2015 Ford Mustang Works

The 2015 Ford Mustang was revealed (literally) around the world by Ford Motor Company on Dec. 5, 2013. Find out how this sixth-generation pony car stands up to its predecessors.

By Cherise Threewitt Modern Cars / Modern Ford Car Models

How the Audi Nanuk Quattro Works

The Audi Nanuk Quattro is a German car with a French name that was born in Italy. It's a rugged, yet sophisticated, concept -- a crossover supercar designed to handle any terrain.

By Cherise Threewitt Car Models / Concept Cars

10 Worst Cars of the 20th Century

The 20th century was a time when cars and new car companies were still trying to find their way. Some were wildly successful, but there were also many failures.

By Kristen Hall-Geisler Car Models / Unusual Cars

10 Famous Cars and the Drivers Who Drove Them

This list has it all -- 10 examples of famous cars along with their famous (and sometimes infamous) drivers from television, the movies and even real life.

By Cherise Threewitt Car Models / Unusual Cars

How the Tesla Model S Works

There are several all-electric options available to drivers these days; however, the Tesla Model S seems to be the most coveted. What makes the Model S so exclusive and noteworthy?

By Cherise Threewitt Auto / Car Models

How the Popemobile Works

Most armored vehicles go for a subtle, inconspicuous outward appearance; but the popemobile is a lot more obvious. A bold move by the Vatican -- considering all that glass.

By Cherise Threewitt Car Models / Unusual Cars

Is an all-electric car a bad investment?

Are all-electric cars a smart investment of resources for automakers -- and the governments that sometimes subsidize them?

By Akweli Parker Car Models / Hybrid Cars

How the 2013 Shelby GT500 Super Snake Works

With so many hybrids crowding the street, it's easy to think of muscle cars as a thing of the past. But maybe you're just not looking hard enough?

By Christopher Neiger Modern Cars / Modern Ford Car Models

How the C7 Corvette Works

With about a year to go, we're getting a better picture of what the 2014 Corvette might look like. So, what do we think we know about the C7?

By Cherise Threewitt Corvette Sports Cars / Corvette Cars of the 2000s

How the 2013 SRT Viper Works

With a fire-breathing V-10 engine under its hood, the 2013 SRT Viper comes across like Superman in a world of 4-cylinder Clark Kents.

By Christopher Lampton Other Sport Car Manufacturers / Other American Sports Car Manufacturers

Do driverless cars offer safer, lower-cost and more efficient transportation?

In true Google fashion, the company is already working on a solution: driverless cars. The idea might sound farfetched, but today’s artificial-intelligence software coupled with high-tech sensors and cameras create a more efficient car.

By Alice Truong Car Models / Concept Cars

Is there a future for tiny, high-tech luxury cars?

Is bigger always better? Imagine trying to sleep two people in a twin size bed and then think of how much easier it would be in a king size bed. In that case bigger is definitely better!

By Marc Carter Car Models / Luxury Cars

How the Lazareth Wazuma Works

Lazareth isn't known for simplicity, economy or sacrifice. Everything is chosen because it's the best that can be had -- the Wazuma is the latest and most over-the-top example.

By Cherise Threewitt Car Models / Unusual Cars

How big is the world's smallest electric car?

Scientists in Switzerland and the Netherlands have created what can be called the world's smallest electric car. With standard four-wheel-drive, could this be your next new car?

By Jamie Page Deaton Car Models / Unusual Cars