From cavalry and cannon demonstrations and costumed reenactments to period music, lectures, and film, history comes alive next week on the usually quiet fields of Manassas, Virginia. To honor the 150th anniversary of the First Battle of Manassas/Bull Run, the National Park Service is joining Prince William County and the City of Manassas to hold a series of commemorative events 21-24 July.

Can Sam Fiorani and his wife fit three kids, their luggage, and enough sand toys and boogie boards for a week at the beach into this vehicle? A post-vacation report on Toyota’s contribution to the minivan market.

Sam Fiorani experiments with gas-saving driving tips in a Toyota Sienna on his recent family vacation to the Outer Banks of North Carolina—and learns how easy it is to save a little cash.

An al fresco eatery and a canine boutique make Market Square a good stopover when touring the New Hampshire coast.

On 4 July 1957, the original Fiat 500 was introduced in Italy to an eager public. Now, on Independence Day 2011, Fiat is hoping for lightning to strike twice: The automaker launches its first national ad campaign for the New Fiat 500 with a four-page ad wrapped around today’s issue of USA Today (the 1 July 2011 Weekend Edition, as the newspaper is not published on weekends or certain national holidays, including the Fourth of July).

A 1931 Bugatti Type 51 Coupe takes home Best of Show at the 29th annual event.

Evolution… or Intelligent Design? Mitsubishi offers the Lancer compact in a bewilderingly wide number of models. Richard Truesdell and Sam Fiorani get behind the wheel of three of them: the entry-level ES, the Sportback Ralliart, and the scary-fast Evolution MR-Touring.

Sam Fiorani checks out the orphan in VW’s lineup. Is the luxury hybrid worth the price?

Auto enthusiasts have been arguing the merits and viability—even the very existence—of a Mustang-based station wagon for 45 years. Now, RK Motors is putting a bona fide example on the block… a one-off Mustang 5.0 Shooting Brake.

And you did not think this car had enough storage space for a road trip!

At the inaugural event, judges named the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing owned by John La Barbera as the “Best in Show.”

As the last Cadillac-powered Cadillac rolls off the line, an era ends. Sam Fiorani asks whether anyone cares.