Automotive Highlights

While at the 2011 LA Auto Show, we took a break from the major manufacturers to focus on some electric carmakers that have yet to become household names. DOK-ING is a Croatian company that produces mining, firefighting and robotics equipment, but its unique XD prototype looks to make a splash in the automotive world. CODA hit the scene a few years ago and says they're finally ready to bring an EV to market. Will either of these industry outsiders edge their way in?

Jessi and Patrick go back to school – Skip Barber Racing School – to learn the basics of high performance driving in preparation for what's to come on The List.

Dai brings out his team mates Chris and Mike to teach them a lesson on how to drift with his missile 240. Behind the Smoke gives a look into the real life of professional Formula Drift driver, Daijiro Yoshihara.

In the debate over how to reduce carbon emissions a big question is what to do about our addiction to gas-guzzling cars. One Israeli entrepreneur with an ambitious global plan thinks he has the solution. "Within less than a decade the number one selling car in the world will be an electric car", insists Shai Agassi. He is the man behind a bold new plan to end the world's dependence on oil.

We travel to Japan for a look at modding culture. The Japanese don't just modify their cars and motorcycles for performance and style, they trick everything out.

In part IV of our Japanese tour we experience the many trains of Tokyo. Moving 8.7 million people daily, this system must run extremely efficiently in order for mass transit to avoid becoming mass chaos.

We take a spin in George Fortin's homemade masterpiece, the all electric Z-Kart. Powered by a DC motor and resting atop a recycled polyethylene frame, the Z-Kart provides eco-friendly karting fun.

AC Propulsion has provided electric vehicle technology to Tesla Motors and MINI, among others. They're one of the biggest behind the scenes players in the EV market.

It's the battle of the bikes as we pit the 49cc gas-burning Derringer cycle against the 1000 watt E+ TidalForce M750x 2.0 e-bike.

Chinese car exports jumped 50% in the first half of the year to just over 376,000 vehicles but they're selling for nearly $2,000 less than they were two years ago. Toyota and Honda are expected to unleash an incentive war in the U.S. to recapture lost market share once dealers get enough inventory. Fiat plans to introduce a limited-edition model of the Fiat 500 -- the Gucci edition. All that and more, plus John answers your questions and comments in the "You Said It!" segment.

Whats got a V10 with a 7 speed SMG and has 507hps? A Super GT500 racing car? Wrong! Its the BMW M5. We gathered the best from around the world to see which car is up to par with this speed machine from BMW. The Nismo R34 GT-R Z Tune, 911 Carrera S, Lambo Gallardo and M3 CSL go up against the M5 at Tsukuba.