FAST LANE.

KIA's WEB SITE IS TOPS

The site ranks highest among automotive manufacturers' Web sites for usefulness in new-vehicle shopping, according to a study by J.D. Power and Associates, based in Westlake Village.

The semiannual study measures the usefulness of automotive manufacturer Web sites during the new-vehicle shopping process. New-vehicle shoppers evaluate Web sites in four key areas: appearance, speed, navigation and information/content.

Kia ranked highest with an index score of 872 on a 1,000-point scale, a nine-point increase from the prior edition.

Ford (871) and Mazda (870) followed close behind, with Ford performing particularly well in the appearance factor. Also performing significantly above the industry average are Honda, Jeep, Lincoln, Porsche, BMW, Cadillac and Subaru.

FORD MOST AMERICAN

Color Ford Motor Co.'s F-150 pickup truck red, white and blue.

The F-150 is the most American of vehicles, according to the Cars.com semiannual American-Made Index. It's the fifth consecutive time Ford's truck claimed the top spot.

The index ranks the most-American vehicles based on percentage, by cost, of parts made domestically, location of vehicle assembly and how popular each car is with U.S. buyers.

In addition to holding the top spot on Cars.com's American-Made Index, Ford was chosen by consumers as the most-American automaker, according to a recent survey conducted by Cars.com. In the survey, 49 percent of respondents perceived Ford to be the most-American manufacturer. Chevrolet ranked a distant second, with 29 percent of participants calling it the most-American automaker.

In keeping with consumer perception, vehicles from Ford and Chevrolet's parent, GM, comprised more than half of this year's American-Made Index.

HARLEY'S FEMALE CHALLENGE

To help inspire women to get into the sport of motorcycling, Harley-Davidson has challenged female filmmakers to capture the passion and independence that embodies the spirit of female riders.

Female filmmakers are encouraged to submit a two-minute film about women riders for the chance to win $5,000, a high-def video camera, Harley-Davidson clothing and the chance to showcase their film at a premiere party in Los Angeles.

"This contest aims to capture the passion, self-confidence and beauty of female riders and inspire those who are thinking about riding to grab life by the handlebars and hit the open road," said Leslie Prevish, women's outreach manager for Harley-Davidson Motor Co.

The deadline for submissions is Sept. 30. For rules and more information, see www.bikescameraaction.tv.

GM CONSIDERS MINICAR

General Motors Corp. is considering a new Chevrolet minicar for the United States as it reworks its product lineup to cope with a dramatic shift from trucks to cars linked to high gas prices.

The Chevrolet Beat is about the size of a Honda Fit or Toyota Yaris minicar. It is a front-wheel-drive, three-door hatchback powered by a 1.2-liter turbocharged gas engine.

The Beat, to be built in South Korea, will be rolled out in other global markets faster than it would be in the U.S., the company said. However, the car still must be engineered to meet U.S. safety and emissions standards.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Kia Optima

(2 -- color) Ford F-150

(3 -- color) no caption (Harley-Davidson)