James Martinez, Author
Articles
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Mobile communications devices are truly coming into their own with the BlackBerry, iPhone, Sidekick and more making it easier than ever to stay connected via the Internet, voice and text. But all... -
Tesla announces new CEO, confirms layoffsYet another senior management reshuffle has taken place at electric car company Tesla, with chairman and key investor Elon Musk replacing Ze’ev Drori as CEO. Drori stepped into the top job as recently as December 2007 - replacing Tesla founder Martin Eberhard - and now moves to the position...
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Katech Matches ZR1 Performance With Air Attack LS7 Package For The Z06The 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is currently listed at a lofty $103,300 (not including taxes) but you can get similar performance in a standard Corvette, at least in a straight line, with the addition of Katech’s new 'Air Attack LS7 Supercharged' crate engine. The latest powerplant from the...
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Chrysler considering merger, but nothing signed yetFollowing a number of weekend reports claiming Chrysler could be sold to General Motors comes the first official confirmation from its CEO that major structural reforms are being considered at the Auburn Hills carmaker. Bob Nardelli told employees in a memo today that Chrysler has been in...
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Infiniti plans updates for 2010 EX crossoverInfiniti is updating its EX luxury crossover less than a year out from its original launch in response to customer criticism that it lacks rear-passenger space. The vehicle’s striking design and already generous standard equipment list were not enough to woo customers who tended to buy more...
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Update: GM approached Ford before ChryslerCapping off a week that saw General Motors’ share price take a 31% hit in a single day comes a new report claiming the carmaker is in talks with Chrysler over a possible merger deal. According to an inside source familiar with the talks, GM approached Chrysler more than a month ago to discuss...
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Lexus has used this week’s Sydney Motor Show to present a new sports concept car based on its IS250 sedan fitted with the full gamut of F-Sport performance accessories unveiled last year, plus... -
Audi rules out diesels, hybrids, and SUVs for RS lineupMercedes Benz has offered a diesel model under its AMG label (in Europe at least) as well as a SUV, and BMW’s usually stringent M Division is currently working on a pair of new SUV models and has even hinted at installing a hybrid energy-recovery system in its future models, but the guys at...
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Ford launches FR500 ‘Cobra Jet’ Mustang drag packageWidely regarded as the quickest Mustang to come out of the muscle car era, the 1968 Cobra Jet Mustang will always hold a special place in the heart of any Blue Oval enthusiast. After all, a car capable of accelerating from 0-100km/h in less than 5.5 seconds back in 1968 was no common sight. Now...
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RKSport prepping custom Hyundai Genesis Sedan for SEMAHyundai’s new Genesis Coupe won’t be the only modified model on the South Korean carmaker’s stands at next month’s SEMA Auto Show in Las Vegas. Joining the Rhys Millen Racing, Street Concepts, and HKS prepped Coupes will be a customized version of the new Genesis Sedan...
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Neiman Marcus Shoppers Get An Early Chance To Buy The New 7-SeriesChristmas will come early for Neiman Marcus’ customers, with the all-new 2009 BMW 7-series saloon soon to be available for sale in the retailer’s annual end of year catalogue. The new 7-series isn’t scheduled to go on sale in the United States until early next year but 31 lucky...
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Canadian GP dropped from 2009 calendarNorth America’s sole remaining F1 stage, the Canadian GP at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, has been left off next year’s calendar. After a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council on Tuesday, the sport's governing body issued an amended 18-race calendar, omitting the race...
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In its efforts to improve vehicle safety, especially amongst teenage drivers, Ford has announced plans to introduce its new ‘MyKey’ vehicle control system. Designed to help parents...
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Golf Mark VI limited to three year product cycleVolkswagen’s Mark VI Golf has just made its world debut to much fanfare at the recent Paris Motor Show but confidential papers leaked from the carmaker’s Wolfsburg headquarters reveal that the car has already been marked for ‘End of Production’ by December 2011. The new Mark...
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Chrysler raises prices on all 2009 models by an average $500Chrysler has revealed that the pricing for its 2009 model vehicles will be increased by an average of $500, in line with rising raw material and labor costs. In addition to this, Chrysler will be raising the price for shipping by about $50 per vehicle, reflecting the increased cost of...
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Renault updates Megane Trophy race car for 2009The World Series by Renault (WSR) is a single-seater competition held in Europe since 2005 that allows enthusiasts to run and compete with their own privately funded race teams using a Renault-backed factory race car. One of the cars that has starred in the competition since its inception is the...
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$25 billion auto industry loan package approved by President BushCall it a bailout or call it an aid package, the car industry is only concerned with securing the funds it believes it needs to remain competitive as CAFE standards tighten. The federal government has taken heed of calls from both unions and the carmakers, with both houses of Congress having...
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Artisan preparing turbocharged IS-F for SEMAThe annual Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas is a little more than a month away but already we have a number of details for several of this year’s highlights. We’ve already seen renderings for a widebody Mercedes Benz GLK, as well as a street racer Hyundai...
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Earlier this week we saw reports emerge claiming that Germany’s RUF was working on an all-electric version of the Porsche Cayman, and now we have details about a Porsche Boxster that has been... -
Acura adds manual gearbox to 2010 TLAcura unveiled its completely redesigned 2009 TL sedan earlier this month, adding the company’s SH-AWD system to the lineup and introducing two new V6 engines. Both cars were announced with a Sequential Sportshift five-speed automatic gearbox as standard but Acura has now revealed that its...
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Toyota Leads Brand Value Survey, Mercedes Leads Luxury BrandsBrand value can be a fickle thing. It’s impossible to measure accurately and it can be affected by numerous volatile factors, but at the end of the day if a consumer is willing to pay more for one brand over another then brand value becomes a vital indicator of a company’s overall...
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Lincoln updates Navigator SUV for 2009Ford’s venerable luxo-barge, the Lincoln Navigator, has been updated for the 2009 model year, receiving a host of new features as well as a slightly more fuel efficient powertrain. The big news is the addition of a power lift gate, heated seats, parking sensors, a 14-speaker stereo, and E85...
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Chrysler minivan plug-in hybrid promises 40 mile electric only rangeThe third and final production-intent electric prototype unveiled by Chrysler today is arguably the most important of the carmaker’s future electric vehicles as it is likely to be the highest seller of the trio. Designed around the more mainstream Town & Country minivan, the prototype...
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BMW releases new images for 2009 7-seriesBMW has finally released full details and images for its fifth-generation 7-series flagship following the premature leak yesterday of several images and sketchy details. As expected, the car picks up several influences from the previous CS Concept including new LED elements on the headlights, an...
James Martinez