Recession Drives Boom in Auto Fraud

(NEWSER) - Car owners sideswiped by the economy have spurred a nationwide wave of arson and abandonment—last-ditch attempts to collect on insurance, the Wall Street Journal reports. Auto arson claims rose 6% nationally in 2008; in some particularly speculative states, the rate jumped as much as 18%. “Lots of desperate people out there,” said one Las Vegas detective who investigates the incidents. More»

(NEWSER) - Rolls-Royce has good news for cash-strapped millionaires: They won’t have to condescend to buy a Bentley, Time reports. The automaker, known for its gigantic limousines, is about to release the Ghost, a short, sleek four-door sedan priced at a mere $245,000. That’s a sight lower than the $380,000 the company’s flagship Phantom sells for, but up from Bentley’s Continental line of low(er)-priced luxury cars. More»

(NEWSER) - Recession be damned, desire for the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro far outstrips supply—and some dealers are even charging a premium for the sporty new ride, USA Today reports. “Our current production schedule can’t meet the demand,” a General Motors spokesman said. But “that supply-demand tension is good. We don’t want to over-produce, nor do we want people waiting an unreasonable amount of time.” More»

(NEWSER) - As General Motors' Pontiac line is phased out, Ben Wojdyla, on Jalopnik, remembers the truly great cars that bore the mark. If you've got one, keep your garage clean and await a payday.

• 2009 G8 GXP: "GM should be saved for no other reason than to put the G8 GXP on the road." This car fulfills the promise of the Pontiac brand in spades, 415 HP V8 and all.
• 1964 GTO: The vehicle that "ignited the original muscle car wars" will "always have a special place in every car guy's heart." A 325-horsepower V8 doesn't hurt.

(NEWSER) - As the economy sours, a stunning number of drivers are cutting back or dropping their insurance, MSNBC reports—and that has regulators and safety activists worried. “We may be looking at record numbers of uninsured motorists across the nation,” said the president of the Northwest Insurance Council. An industry research group predicts that by next year, 1 in 6 US drivers won’t have insurance. More»