Since Internet time is measured in the same manner as dog years, that's a long time. Back then, there were only a small number of automotive sites on the Web, several pioneering online sales, a couple run by still-skeptical automakers, and most of the rest run by fans and enthusiasts who'd post copy if and when they pleased. TheCarConnection.com was a pivotal force in the transformation of the autos-online world, if you'll allow us to skip the false modesty. It brought the rigor, great writing and credibility of traditional print, then merged it with the immediacy of the Internet.

The new "look" and "feel" of the "new" TheCarConnection reflects the reality of the fast-changing Internet, what we called, back in 1997, the "information superhighway." Change is not only good, but essential. And TheCarConnection.com is responding with a design that, first of all, makes it easier to see and navigate through the massive and diverse range of content you'll find on the site, everything from news to reviews to spy shots - along with a host of new features.

That brings me to the next big headline: our new affiliation with J.D. Power and Associates. Like the founders of TheCarConnection.com, Dave Power began his company working on the family dining room table, in his case sorting through consumer surveys with his late wife Julie. Today, J.D. Power is a major entity on its own and a subsidiary of the mega-publisher, The McGraw-Hill Companies. Most importantly, it's a leader in helping companies improve their quality and customer satisfaction through the voice of the customer. J.D. Power also helps consumers make more informed purchase decisions by providing product and service ratings from millions of verified owners around the world.

For several years, the Power Circle Ratings have been a popular feature on TheCarConnection.com. Now we've teamed up to provide even more resources for our readers, with a vastly expanded Consumer Center powered by J.D. Power and Associates. Use it to access Power's benchmark quality and reliability ratings, which are based on the company's newest independent studies.  Power also helps readers "build" a virtual car, and compare product prices and features. 

And here's a hint: Even more features will be rolled out over the course of the coming year as J.D. Power and TheCarConnection.com expand their alliance.

That alone would be big news, I think, but there's plenty more on TCC 10.0. Along with the expanded consumer shopping center, TheCarConnection.com's redesign introduces a new Podcast feature, expanded RSS feeds and enhanced news coverage. That includes an updated version of TheCarConnection's award-winning automotive news service, Daily Edition. You'll find more reviews, "spy shots," and TCC Tips, along with an expanded Buyer's Guide covering every car, truck and crossover on the U.S. market.

Yet some things aren't changing. Continue to count on TheCarConnection.com to provide the best writers, along with the most accurate and complete coverage anywhere in the automotive world. Sure, we've got plenty to say, and award-winning columnists, like Doug and Jerry Flint, will continue to burst the industry's piñatas, but we won't blur the critical line between fact and opinion. You'll get them both from the site that continues to earn its reputation as the Web's Automotive Authority, TheCarConnection.com.