Believe it or not, some people dread having to buy car tires. They stick with what’s on their car for as long as possible, even to the point of said tires going bald, endangering the lives of anyone in the vicinity. But for the uninitiated, or those who haven’t bought a tire since everything was sized in purely imperial measurements, buying a car tire of any kind, let alone the perfect one, can often be painful and confusing. That said, here’s a simple guide and some tips for buying the right car tires.

Tire Ratings System

The alphanumeric rating system of tires can be maddening, even for car enthusiasts. Throw in the fact that the letters for speed ratings are, as some might hope or expect, not in alphabetical order, and that each manufacturer trots out their “branded” technology, and you can safely say that even the informed amongst us can sometimes get confused on how to choose the right tire. But rest assured, you can still find the perfect tire for your vehicle without using the confusing alphanumeric tire rating system.

At this years Turkey Run auto show in Daytona Beach, Fl there were a number of fantastic and interesting hot rods and classics, but one car stood out as a modern classic that was stealing some of the spotlight. This 1998 Nissan Skyline GT-R may have been overlooked by some as some strange import, but there were plenty of people on hand who drew a bee-line straight to this tuners delight upon seeing it. Few other Asian imports command the respect and awe that the Skyline GT-R does.

The right-hand drive Skyline GT-R is coveted by many and this particular 1998 is available to anyone willing to put forth the $39,000 asking price. As the day came to an end on Saturday it had not appeared that any takers were in attendance at this years Turkey Run. If you are on the look-out for your own Skyline GT-R or cannot afford the new Nissan GT-R then this might just be the winner for you. Follow the link for additional photos.

Land Rover presented their Special Edition Defender SVX destined to sell out in the UK when it is released for sale in the Summer of 2008. As a special preview Land Rover presented the first Defender two-seat drop-top to the Red Cross to be auctioned off to raise money for their humanitarian efforts. The winner of the auction will be the first to own Land Rovers make-over of the off-road vehicle that has traversed the world. With its new chrome grill surround, clear headlights and polished roll bars the revised Defender is sure to catch many eyes, both human and animal, when they make their way along the worlds unpaved trails.

Land Rover plans to make only 200 of their Special Edition Defender, so if you are in the UK and have a true yearning for one you best act fast.

Chrysler appears to be stepping outside of the boxy reputation and into the Environmental Revolution. For the 2008 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, Michigan Chrysler will be introducing 3 brand new hybrid concepts that are unlike anything they have shown before. Well… the Jeep resembles a prior concept, but what motivates it is completely new for the brand. There will be 3 hybrids from 3 brands from the New Chrysler that is in search of a new image. Let us see how the 3 hybrids stack up in the renderings that have been let loose so far.

For those heavy traffic commuters who fear being runover in a Smart car the people of 5th Gear over in the Mother Land have found a Smart solution. In the Smart ForFun2 you can easily take up your share of the road and even more easily stare down that trucker crowding your lane at HIS eye level. While matting a Smart-for-two car with a Mercedes UniMog might seem to oppose the philosophy that drives the Smart car it does make for one entertaining ride.

For the ultimate in high-speed luxury BRABUS presents its record holding Maybach 57. BRABUS set the World Record at 205.2 mph for the Worlds Fastest and Most Exclusive Ultra-Luxury Sedan with their version of the Maybach 57. This record setting run bested their last record setting run in the Maybach 57 that reached 195 mph.

To push the luxury to that world class speed they supplanted their 6.3L SV12 S Biturbo Engine and its upgraded 730-hp beneath the Maybach bonnet. Thus as every business executive is want to do they can now be transported from meeting to meeting in race conditions and from the comfort of their own reclining custom leather seat. They can even throw-up (not literally, but maybe) their latest stock information on the 15 in. flat screen displays that rest comfortably in the headrests of the drivers and front passengers seats.

According to the Automotive News and a few sources from GM the odds look good that Pontiac could be the recipient of a new Ute and Sportswagon to model along their G8. GM’s Australian company Holden received some positive attention from their release of the VE Commodore Ute; especially when they included their 362-hp V8 engine in its SS package. Pontiac will hope to make the same splash with their version of the Ute in the US.

Consideration was made about making both models GMC cars, but it was decided that the VE Commodore Ute and the Sportwagon concept would compliment the Pontiac lineup best.

There seems to be a number of people and firms and companies out there looking for the next alternative fuel. We have had numerous suggestions from corn to methane to sugar cane to algae to electricity derived from the sun. But the latest news of a new entrant into the alternative fuel hunt is the sweetest of them all. A company called Ecotec out of the UK is taking the waste from a Chocolate Factory and turning it into 100% bio-diesel. And to prove the effectiveness of their delicious alternative fuel (no, the fuel is not edible but the idea is pretty sweet) they plan to drive their chocolate fueled car from the UK to Timbuktu. At a cost of 15 pence a litre (approx. $1.16 US per gallon) that is a far more affordable trip than if it were fueled by regular diesel.

With the Chevy Tahoe and the other large SUV’s under the umbrella of GM and those infused with the Mode 2 Hybrid drive system there are now tanks achieving the fuel mileage of jeeps on the automotive battlefield. At an average of 20mpg in city driving the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid achieves a fuel mileage rating that is as good or better than some cars. For the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid that is a 40% savings in fuel consumption from their non-hybrid model. So while a 20-mpg fuel rating may not sound all that Green to the judges at the LA Auto Show it seems the 40% improvement in fuel consumption won them over.

Some of the big names that served on this years judging panel that chose the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid are Carrol Shelby, Jay Leno, Carol Pope and Jean Michel Cousteau. Rounding out the field of judges were industry leaders and several motor journalists. So did the lacking of a new 40mpg model leave the judges with no other clear alternative except the Tahoe Hybrid?

There has been plenty of talk and speculation about Hyundai’s Genesis Coupe Concept over the past many months, but Hyundai put all that to an end with the cars unveiling yesterday evening. …or did they? In a stunning coat of orange and black and its vented hood the Genesis Coupe Concept appears ready to hit the streets even though the final production version of the car will not be revealed until the New York Auto Show in March.

Here is the official unveiling from LA as captured live by AutoBlog:

More about the Genesis Coupe Concept after the leap.