A former race car driver has lost his appeal to force the return of his Porsche, which is on display at an Indiana museum.

An appeals court in Chicago upheld the lower court’s decision not to give the Porsche 935 K3 back to ex-racer Reginald Whittington, the Associated Press reports. Whittington listed the car’s value as more than $75,000.

Whittington filed the case in 2004, claiming that the car was a loan – not a gift as the museum argued – for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum.

The court said no record of transfer exists, as the transaction was validated by a “handshake deal.” Without clear records, the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided that Whittington’s behavior after the transaction “was more consistent with the car being a gift rather than a loan.”

The five-time Indianapolis 500 and 10-time NASCAR drove the Kremer Racing Porsche 953 K3 in an endurance race in France, which he won with his brother in 1979.

On Monday, the American Academy of Neurology released new guidelines to help family members conclude when it is appropriate to take driving privileges away from relatives who are suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia.

While admitting that no one source of information is capable of determining when a senior citizen should stop driving, lead guideline author Donald Iverson and his colleagues found that a specific dementia test and the input of family members are the two best ways of making an informed decision.

After scrutinizing more than 400 studies, the investigators determined that families should identify relatives as unsafe to drive by utilizing the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scale, which can be accessed through any personal care physician.

They also stressed that family members should trust their instincts and not rely on driving tests. One study that the team examined found that as many as 76 percent of people with dementia can still pass driving tests, even though they are at a elevated risk of getting into an accident, according to Health Day News.

“As a doctor, I absolutely have to rely on the family’s observations,” said David Knopman, a professor of neurology at the Mayo Clinic.”The brain supports the capacity for insight into your own actions or capabilities. That is critically eroded in patients with Alzheimer’s.”

Over the years, consumers have viewed used cars as an excellent means of keeping costs down when shopping for a new car. According to a new release from noted customer advocates Consumer Reports (CR), not only are used cars more affordable, they may also be more reliable.

In its Annual Auto Survey, CR found that 5-year-old vehicles have about one-third fewer problems than their newer counterparts, and that only around 1 percent showed any kind of major engine or transmission problems.

The best value for automotive shoppers was found to be 2- or 3-year-old models. These vehicles are seen as just on the other side of the steep value depreciation curve that all cars go through, and contain many of the most modern safety features, according to the Hartford Courant. Three-quarters of the owners surveyed reported no problems over the previous year of ownership, with the most common problems being relatively minor issues, such as squeaks and rattles with power windows and locks.

“That means that buying used,” writes the news provider, “isn’t the gamble [shoppers] might have thought, especially if [they] steer clear of trouble-prone models.”

The New York International Auto Show has a history of being one of the most exciting and transcendent public events in the area each year. With record-setting crowds and a plethora of innovative technologies on display, the 2010 show was no different.

Unfortunately, last weekend’s event was marred by a string of violent incidents that occurred not far from the Javits Center soon after the show concluded.

According to the Associated Press, hundreds of young men reportedly left the auto show and were caught brawling in the streets in midtown Manhattan late Sunday evening.

New York Police Department chief spokesman, Paul Browne, said that the mini riot resulted in 54 arrests, mostly on charges of disorderly conduct. Brown also noted that four people were shot during the melee and several alleged gang members were taken into custody. He added that those who were arrested were a bunch of “young men looking for trouble.”

It is still unclear whether the people who fired the shots were among those locked up for the evening. None of those who were injured are considered to be in life-threatening condition.

The high number of arrests may have been due to the fact that local police were on special alert, as this is not the first time that violence has broken out after the auto show.

In 2005, approximately 80 gang members of the Crips and Bloods engaged in a massive fistfight inside the convention center during the event. One year later, nearly 200 “rowdy teens” in the area created enough trouble that “the NYPD raised the white flag and told Times Square businesses to close for their safety,” according to The New York Post reports.

Unfortunately for the organizers of this year’s event, the riot spoiled what commentators called the best show in the six-year history of the car expo.

“We had an amazing crowd, a very family-oriented crowd,” said auto show spokesman Chris Sams. “The type of person who makes an auto show great, people listening to the presenters.”

Officials with the auto show also noted that the riot broke out nearly a mile away from the event, and that there has been no confirmation whether all of those who were arrested had attended the expo.

Although talking on the phone while driving may be safe for a select few, new research has found that an overwhelming majority of motorists are putting their life in their hands by using their cell phone in transit.

According to a recent University of Utah study, only 2.5 percent of people – known as supertaskers – can successfully drive while simultaneously using their cellular telephone, Health Day News reports.

“Given the number of individuals who routinely talk on the phone while driving, one would have hoped that there would be a greater percentage of supertaskers,” said study co-author and psychologist Jason Watson.

“And while we’d probably all like to think we are the exception to the rule, the odds are overwhelmingly against it,” he added.

In the study, the research team analyzed 200 people who took part in a simulated freeway driving session. Watson and his colleagues were shocked to find that nearly every participant took 20 percent longer to hit the brakes while talking on the phone than they did while driving normally.

Moreover, their memory performance, math skills and ability to properly follow the vehicle in front of them suffered considerably.

Following two days of press conferences on Wednesday and Thursday, the annual New York International Auto Show will open this Friday and will showcase some of the most innovative vehicle designs of the coming year.

Early media reports indicate that the theme of this year’s auto show will be fuel efficiency and sustainability. In fact, the majority of the hyped cars to be shown off this weekend are hybrid or green vehicles.

Ironically, the Obama administration plans to announce the finalized fuel economy mandates for 2012-16 model cars on the eve of the event. Although hybrids still only account for less than 3 percent of the market share in North America in 2010, automakers are gambling that the current administration’s standards will make fuel-efficient, environmentally-friendly vehicles the wave of the future, according to The Globe and Mail.

Car manufacturers who plan on unveiling new hybrid versions of some of their premium models include Ford, Porsche, Nissan and Hyundai.
The event will be held at New York’s Javits Center and will run through Sunday, April 11.

Teenage drivers in New Jersey will soon be easily recognizable. Following through on legislation approved last year by former Governor Jon Corzine, the Motor Vehicle Commission recently introduced red decals that most motorists under the age of 21 will be forced to display on their license plates.

The new law requiring decals, which will begin to be enforced on May 1, will alert police of anyone who is driving on a learner’s permit or a probationary license, according to KYW1060.com.

Pam Fischer, director of New Jersey’s Division of Highway Traffic Safety, says the law will help police enforce “things like a curfew, making sure they’re not having too many passengers in the car, they’re complying with the ban on hand-held and hands-free cell phones and so forth.”

After drivers have completed the 12-month provisional-license period, they will no longer be required to display the decal.

Meanwhile, local teenagers are speaking out against the regulation, stating that it unfairly targets a specific age group.

“It’s already scary being a new driver, but to know that you have a scarlet letter on your car can make you even more nervous,” said Christina Lombardo, the chapter vice president of Students Against Destructive Decisions at Old Bridge High School, quoted by Philly.com.

The decals cost $4 and will go on sale April 12 at Motor Vehicle Commission offices statewide.

A few years ago, the automobile experts from About.com put together a list of the top 10 cars for female drivers. While admittedly taking into account several stereotypes along with their market research, the site found that the majority of women heavily consider cargo space, safety, reasonable prices and low operating costs when they are shopping around for a new or used car.

After taking into consideration all the factors involved, the website found that the 2006 Ford Focus and the 2007 Honda Civic best met the female-specific criteria that their researchers assembled.

The 2006 Ford Focus, which is available as a sedan, hatchback or wagon, is fun to drive, moderately priced and has a rather unique style compared to the rest of the compact car segment.

Equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder gas engine capable of 136 horsepower or an optional 2.3-liter V4 good for 151 hp, the ’06 Focus has plenty of pep, but also superior handling for either highway or city driving, Edmunds.com reports. Its fuel economy is above average for its class, with both engines offering EPA mileage ratings in the high-20s for city driving and the mid-30s for highway driving.

“The 2006 Ford Focus is a wonderful small car that’s fun to drive, fuel efficient, and offered in such a wide variety of configurations,” concludes the news source. “It would be hard not to find one that suits your needs.”

Meanwhile, female car buyers who are looking for a strictly sensible and rational sedan may want to take a look at the 2007 Honda Civic.

While it doesn’t come with all the optional bells and whistles that complement the Focus, the ’07 Civic is exceptionally safe, comfortable and fuel-efficient.

Each model year Civic comes standard with front seat-mounted side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags and active front head restraints. They are also equipped with antilock brakes and optional stability control.

The 2007 Civic sedan earned a five-star rating from the National Highway Transportation Safety Institute for its ability to protect all occupants from frontal impacts. Honda’s hallmark compact sedan also boasts one of the lowest costs of ownership ratings in any car segment.

“The 2007 Honda Civic continues to set the bar for the small car segment,” says Edmunds.” Strong on comfort, safety and customization, this is one car that every shopper needs to consider.”