2009

Tuner cars are often examples of the worst sort of overkill, but occasionally a car will sneak through with less-than-typical appearance modifications and a monstrously re-engineered heart. Such is the case with the Vath V58K, an extreme take on the SLK 55 AMG. The Germans at Vath decided that 5.5L...

The Release Series of limited-edition Scions gets another member this year as the tC Release Series 5.0 (tC RS 5.0) joins the ranks. The car will be unveiled February 11 at the 2009 Chicago Auto Show, one year after the debut of its predecessor, the tC RS 4.0. Pricing of the new car checks in at...

Bob Lutz, the iconic and often polemic Vice Chairman of General Motors' global product development team, has announced he will be retiring from the company at the end of 2009. Until then, Lutz will adopt a new role as Vice Chairman and Senior Advisor starting April 1. During his 46 year career in...

Audi first debuted its all-new Q5 midsized SUV as far back as the April 2008 Beijing Motor Show but now the vehicle is due to start rolling into U.S. dealerships next week. Audi has confirmed that it will be available with a 3.2L V6 FSI direct injection engine, quattro AWD, and a six-speed...

BMW’s M division has tallied a record year of sales, topping 24,000 units between January and December 2008. Strong sales of the M3 and its new Cabrio and Sedan variants are the driving force behind the record feat, accounting for over 18,000 of the M-cars sold. In August of last year, BMW...

Honda is currently in the process of developing a new crossover vehicle to cover a wider range of segments in its lineup, and a recent sighting of a prototype testing in the U.S. suggests that the North American market may receive this vehicle in lieu of the current Accord Euro ‘Tourer’...

The rally-car wars just got a little hotter, as Mitsubishi has today confirmed it will be bringing the Lancer Sportback to the U.S. The hatchback bodystyle equips it to do battle on equal footing with Subaru's Impreza and WRX hatches when it arrives in the U.S. around the middle of the year...

At next month’s 2009 Chicago Auto Show Suzuki will unveil a trio of customized Equator pickup trucks co-developed with three different off-road and lifestyle magazines. The first vehicle from the lineup has already been revealed in the form of the Truckin' Equator, which has been fitted with...

Advanced multimedia systems are becoming increasingly central to daily life with modern cars. Especially at the luxury end of the segment, where BMW's iDrive, Mercedes-Benz's COMAND, Lexus's new haptic system with Enform and Audi's MMI all compete for top honors. The latest iteration of Audi's MMI...

Just days ago Honda confirmed that its 2009 model-year S2000 would be the last of the line of the stylish sports cars, and today the company announced that it would mark the event with the release of a special ‘Ultimate Edition’ model. Set to make its debut at the Geneva Motor Show, the...

A next-generation Buick small sedan, headed for sale in the U.S. and China, could be built around the FWD Delta II platform in Opel's Russelsheim, Germany plant, according to sources inside Opel. The move would displace some Saab production, but the next-generation 9-3 is already expected to be...

General Motors yesterday announced it would be laying off 2,000 workers and reducing production at 10 North American plants over the coming months. At the same time, AM General, producer of the Hummer H2, laid off 200 workers from its Mishawaka, Indiana plant. Now GM's extended production halts...

A high-revving, sweet-sounding V8 is a marvelous thing, and BMW's 4.0L V8 in the M3 is a capital example. The tuners at G-Power weren't satisfied with the factory-supplied 414hp (309kW), and decided to strap on a supercharger and boost output to a tire-vaporizing 635hp (473kW). About what you'd...

Japanese tuning house Wald International has a wide range of styling and performance kits for nearly every Japanese-made car on the market. It's no surprise, then, the company has turned its hand to one of the most recent high-performance sedans to issue from Lexus, and the resulting restyle shows...

Mini is the latest car brand to launch a new green labeling system for its vehicles, with the company revealing this week its new ‘Minimalism’ tag. The new branding will be used to designate base models that have been fitted with several features to help reduce fuel consumption. Similar...

Earlier this month word of Honda's decision to cancel its Honda/Acura V8 program, the CR-Z convertible and the next-generation S2000 emerged, but today Honda has officially announced that the 2009 S2000 will be the last. Produced for a full decade, from 1999 (as a 2000 model year car) through 2009...

The ongoing economic recession continues to impact the car industry and General Motors Company [NYSE:GM] with reduced revenue and the need to cut production. Reducing production means cutting back on labor, resulting in today's announcement of 2,000 jobs to be cut. Along with the lost jobs, GM will...

Straight out of the box the Mercedes Benz SL is already one of the most stylish and sporty models in the luxury carmaker’s lineup, but it was never going to satisfy the guys at German tuner Kicherer. Applying lessons learned from its previous K60 Evo, the tuner has developed a new aerodynamic...

It’s been well documented that the Nissan GT-R has what it takes to beat its German rivals when it comes to speed, be it in a straight line or at the track. Cars like the BMW M3, Audi RS4 and Porsche 911 Turbo all fall by the wayside time and time again whenever Nissan’s new supercar is...

Straight out of the box the Mercedes Benz SL63 AMG is already one of the sportiest models in the carmaker’s lineup, but the car’s heady 525hp (392kW) output was never going to satisfy the guys at German tuner Carlsson. Applying lessons learned from its previous CK50 kit based on the...