May 19, 2011 4:43 PM ET

Enjoying the Long Haul

Ronald Ahrens, a regular contributor to Wheels, recently moved his effects from Michigan to California in a 26-foot truck, while towing a Kia Soul on a dual-axle trailer.

May 19, 2011 3:22 PM ET

Amid Record Prices for Used Cars, eBay Introduces Auction App for iPhone

The app lets bidders track the status of auctions as well as tailor parts purchases for vehicles they already own.

May 19, 2011 11:31 AM ET

Wheelies: The Power Plant Edition

Italian and German brands dominate the International Engine of the Year Awards, a struggle emerges between battery partners and Mazda showcases a 1.3-liter engine.

From the Automobiles Section

Behind the Wheel | 2011 Audi A5 and S5

Perfectly Tailored Two-Doors Coming Up Short on Charisma

By JOHN PEARLEY HUFFMAN

V-8 The 2011 Audi S5 coupe offers a 354-horsepower version of the engine the company puts in its R8 sports car.

The Audi A5 and S5 coupes and convertibles are two-door versions of the A4 sedan. But while the cars are in many ways wonderful vehicles, they lack mechanical character.

Slide Show: In Search of Star Power

Collecting

ONE-OFF The Paxton Phoenix steam car, designed by Brooks Stevens, was the at Meadow Brook Concours in 2010.

Dreaming of Steam, but Running on Gas

By PAUL STENQUIST

The Paxton Phoenix was conceived to run on steam, but it didn’t turn out that way. No matter, the car was designed by Brooks Stevens and is still one of the more notable cars of the 1950s.

Slide Show: Powered by an Idea

From the Pen of a Giant of Industrial Design

By PAUL STENQUIST

Brooks Stevens designed a broad range of products, like the common clothes iron, but the cars he created are still recognized as fresh and distinctive departures.

Technology

Name-Dropping in Designer Audio

By STEPHEN WILLIAMS

General Motors introduced high-end audio to cars almost 30 years ago, and now most cars have premium sound systems, either as standard equipment or an option.

Motoring

NO TOUCH The MyFord Touch system, shown on the 2011 Ford Explorer, is having several problems with its functions, including voice recognition.

Touchy Ford Telematics

By SCOTT STURGIS

This round of technical service bulletins show Ford telematics systems that have gone haywire and Chryslers and Dodges that can’t get out of Park.

Hybrids with yellow stickers are allowed in carpool lanes in California â€” until July 1.

Hybrid Owners Look to Extend Carpool Privilege

By FELICITY BARRINGER

In 2004, California allowed 75,000 owners of the gas-stingiest hybrid cars access to carpool lanes, but on July 1, that privilege will end.

Safety Agency Cracks Down on Novelty Motorcycle Helmets

By JERRY GARRETT

Perceiving a rise in the use of untested helmets among riders, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has revised aspects of its labeling process.

A row of Chevrolet Corvairs in Maxwell, Neb., which will be available in a salvage-yard auction planned for July.

In Nebraska, Alfresco Automobile Trove Awaits Bidders

By PAUL STENQUIST

The classic contents of a 50-year-old wrecking yard will go to the auction block in Maxwell, Neb., in July.

A Fly-Through of the Ralph Lauren Collection

By THE NEW YORK TIMES

The Musee des Arts Decoratifs offers a unique, virtual vantage of the fashion designer's car collection.

HÃ©lÃ¨ne Renault-Dingli with a portrait of her father, Jean-Louis Renault, and a bust of Louis Renault in the background, is one of seven family members seeking to overturn the nationalization of the car company.

To Restore Reputation of a Renault Founder, Family Goes to Court

By DAVID JOLLY and MATTHEW SALTMARSH 8:03 PM ET

Nearly 70 years after Louis Renault died in prison, his grandchildren are seeking to restore his reputation — and gain compensation for what they say was the illegal confiscation of his car company.