It’s Wednesday and once again time to link up to some of the coolest car news and hot sites for vehicle info on the web.

Over at Car Gurus, they’re talking about traveling techno-style…with the kids.  They say that while GM and Chrysler struggle to emerge from their nuclear winter, Ford springs ahead with a rolling playroom called the Transit Connect Family One Concept and they ask why it takes five words to name just onecar. Hmmm…

All Word Auto has the inside scoop on recalls and info.

Car Throttle looks at the Antique Automobile Club of America’s AutoFair in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to Repair Act is back in the spotlight as car companies seek to reduce overhead and car sales continue a rapid decline. According to Kathleen Schmatz, president and CEO of the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association, motorists are keeping vehicles longer and since dealership service bays are closing at a swift pace, a growing number of car owners are expected to turn to independent auto repair shops for service.

Recently named as one of the “Greenest Vehicles of 2009″ by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, the 2009 Kia Rio sub-compact sedan has been recognized as the #2 pick for the “Most Fuel-Efficient Cars for the Buck” by Forbes.com. The 2009 Kia Spectra compact sedan was also recognized – placing sixth on the Forbes.com list – with both vehicles earning praise for their impressive fuel economies and low starting prices.

Dining Out For Life – hosted by Subaru – is a one-day fundraiser that generated over $3.9 million in donations for AIDS service providers across North America last year.  Make a reservation at the right place when you go out to eat on April 30, and you’ll be helping to fight against HIV/AIDS. Visit www.diningoutforlife.com/ to make a reservation at a participating restaurant near you.

April is Earth Month, and in response to the nation’s growing desire to be more “green, and less oil dependent, a group of students enrolled in Ohio Technical College’s Alternative Fuel program recently designed and built an all-electric-powered vehicle dubbed the “Electro-Van.”  Ask Patty has the details.

Check out top secret pics of the Hyundai Concept Car, taken before the NY Auto Show, over at Road and Track.

Electric (Motor) City – Michigan’s governor says her state’s future is battery-powered.

The hybrid revolution is well under way. Honda is rolling out the new Insight, the third-gen Prius is coming and even Ford’s got a winner with the Fusion Hybrid. Nice cars one and all, but Wired says these particular vehicles are “about as much fun as a root canal,” and not “something you’d back out of the garage on a Sunday morning to take for a quick blast up your favorite twisty road.”  It’s time to bring on the affordable green sports cars.

Over at Jalopnik, check out 30 Epic Do-It-Yourself Automotive Fabrication Failures and while you’re there, have a look at the Google Street View Time-Lapse Video of Driving on the Golden Gate Bridge.

GM and Segway’s joint venture, the self-balancing Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility Project- or P.U.M.A., if you will - can reach top speeds of 35 MPH, has a lithium battery that lasts up to 35 miles with a single charge, and features vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication which may reduce the number of accidents. No word on when or if this will actually go into production, but if so, it’s expected to be priced at just 25% of a regular automobile.

Have a great week!

- If you’d like to have a blog article listed here next week, just send me an email at: tmockmore@gmail.com.   In the subject heading, write Cool Car News, so I’ll know which file to put it in.  Don’t forget to include your name, the URL of the article and whether you’re the site/blog owner/writer.  If you find something interesting in your web travels that you think is awesome, send it to me!

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