2010
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One of the hottest cars set to grace the stands at next month’s Geneva Motor Show has been revealed today in the form of the all-new 2010 Mercedes Benz E-Class Coupe. The svelte two-door is the hotly anticipated replacement for the aging CLK Coupe, which has been falling behind against newer competition such as the Audi A5 and E92 BMW 3-series Coupe, and on initial inspection it looks like the latest E-Class Coupe has the competition nailed in the styling department. The Coupe’s styling is based heavily on the new 2010 E-Class Sedan, unveiled at last month’s Detroit Auto...
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Ford working four-cylinders into every car and crossover in its rangeSo smaller engines get better fuel economy - big surprise, right? Ford has recently been making a lot of noises about a transition to smaller engines based around their EcoBoost twin-turbo technology, but today the company is saying they'll be going four-pot in every car and crossover they offer by...
Nelson Ireson -
Audi A4 Allroad quattro revealed ahead of Geneva Motor Show debutAudi has expanded its A4 range with the introduction of the all-new A4 Allroad quattro, a taller and tougher version of the A4 Avant wagon with permanent AWD and off-road capability. Making its world debut at next month’s Geneva Motor Show, the A4 Allroad is packed with a range of new...
Alex Kaufmann -
2010 Toyota Camry previewToyota revealed its facelifted Camry sedan last month at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, which for the 2010 model year has been given a new look both inside and out and has received an upgraded 2.5L four-cylinder as the base engine. Today pricing was revealed, with a six-speed base car starting out at...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Nissan halts alliance plans with ChryslerBefore Chrysler was ever involved in alliance talks with Fiat, the Auburn Hills carmaker was already tied with Nissan over several platform swapping and production sharing deals. Both Chrysler and Nissan have now confirmed that two out of the three original product-sharing deals have been put on...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Porsche reveals interior and U.S. pricing for Panamera sedanHaving released initial specifications for the Panamera late last year, Porsche is for the first time presenting details for the interior of its new sedan. The car is scheduled to go on sale in the U.S. this October and initially the range will be available exclusively with V8 powerplants. Boasting...
Alex Kaufmann -
With all the excitement of this week’s Chicago Auto Show, it is easy to forget that just north of the border Canada is running its national auto show in Toronto. While the Canadian Auto Show is rarely recognized for its global debuts, Mazda has decided to use the event to unveil the 2010 model-year facelift for the CX-7 midsize SUV. A new 161hp (120kW) naturally aspirated 2.5L engine has been added to the CX-7 range for 2010, and is joined by a number of minor exterior and interior styling updates. This engine is the same MZR four-cylinder unit found in the Mazda6. It produces its peak...
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Toyota rolls out 2010 Tundra with new 4.6L V8Big, brawny work trucks often find another purpose on American roads - hauling big, brawny Americans around. Toyota's latest gladiator to join the big-truck arena is the 2010 Tundra, and it's packing an all-new 4.6L V8. The big engine may not stand up to the likes of the 6.7L Cummins turbodiesel or...
Nelson Ireson -
Hyundai Announces Rhys Millen Racing Red Bull Formula Drift TeamThe past several months have been poor ones for the world of motorsports, with carmakers pulling out of such diverse venues as Formula 1 and rally racing. But Hyundai is bucking the trend today, announcing the launch of its Rhys Millen Racing Red Bull Formula Drift team. The team will compete in...
Nelson Ireson -
U.S.-spec Kia Forte debuts at Chicago Auto ShowKia’s new Forte sedan has been on sale in South Korea since August of last year but the car is just making its North American debut, launching today at the Chicago Auto Show. The Forte draws heavily on the styling of the recently revealed Kia Koup concept and features a new, edgier look...
James Martinez -
Saab 9-3X revealed ahead of Geneva Motor Show debutTapping into the burgeoning wagon-based crossover market, currently dominated by the likes of the Subaru Outback and Volvo XC70, Saab has released a new contender in the form of the 9-3X. Set to make its world debut at next month’s Geneva Motor Show, the 9-3X is ideal for those looking for...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Ford revives performance sedan heritage with 2010 Taurus SHOFast factory versions of frumpy family sedans are nothing new - they've been around almost as long as the industry has - but few really capture the mind of the auto enthusiast like the Ford Taurus SHO (Super High Output) did during the 1990s. Perhaps because it was one of the few American takes on...
James Martinez -
Smashing cars into one another is a great thing for testing safety systems, but it's expensive. Since frugality is the new theme in Detroit, cutting out excess crash testing has opened the door to more creative solutions. Enter the balloon car, Ford's $10,000 answer to continued crash testing without the crashed cars. Even with budgets being cut almost indiscriminately in Detroit, safety testing is still high on the list of requirements. The engineers at Ford's Dearborn Development Center have found a way to keep testing their new Adaptive Cruise Control with Collision Warning with Brake...
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Mazda MX-5 celebrates 20th Anniversary this weekJust a few weeks ago the first photos of the upcoming U.S. version of the 2009 Mazda MX-5 facelift broke cover ahead of its impending Chicago Auto Show debut. The reveal of the car in the U.S. is timely, since this week in 1989 saw the unveiling of the very first Miata at the very same auto show...
Kenneth Hall -
Mini considering U.S.-market diesel by 2011Diesel engines are still failing to gain much traction in the U.S., in part because of a national memory of the diesels of three decades ago, and in part because diesel fuel and engines are still too expensive to make good business sense. But Mini is thinking a small, sporty and efficient diesel...
Nelson Ireson -
Seat adds ST wagon to Exeo lineupThe once cash-strapped Seat brand is on the verge of developing a range of new models, with no less than four different vehicles planned for production within the next three to four years. The launch of the Ibiza hatch last April was just the tip of the iceberg as the Spanish carmaker is now...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Ford reveals 2010 Harley-Davidson F-150 ahead of Chicago Auto Show debutFord will use this week’s Chicago Auto Show to debut a new Harley-Davidson edition of its F-150 pickup truck. Coming in as a 2010 model, the special edition truck receives a new front fascia and grille along with an updated interior and model-specific ornamentation. The Harley-Davidson F-150...
Ralph Hanson -
Rolls Royce 'EX200' concept planned for Geneva Motor ShowRolls Royce is currently developing a new model positioned below the current Phantom for launch in 2010, which is expected to double the number of vehicles built by the ultra-luxury carmaker each year. The new car carries the internal name ‘RR4’ and a concept version of it will be...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Luxurious yet well-armored vehicles are nothing new, but the innovations being made in materials and techniques are nearly as rapid and multifarious as the weapons employed against them. Mercedes-Benz's latest armored car, based on the new E-Class and dubbed the E-Guard, is an example of the latest breed. Starting with a standard E-Class, the E-Guard is made by inserting special steel plates and aramid throughout the chassis, while the typical glass windows are replaced with heavy-duty polycarbonate. The result is an armored car that's visually indistinguishable from a standard E-Class on the...
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Audi adds S tronic dual-clutch transmission to European A4 and A5Shifting into a higher gear in Audi A4 and A5 models for European drivers could take as little as 0.2 seconds from this month as the S tronic dual-clutch automatic transmission is now available in the base 2.0L TFSI quattro versions of the A4 Sedan and Avant models as well as the A5 Coupe. In Sedan...
Kenneth Hall -
Kia considers production of Soul’ster pickupKia rolled out an oddly styled pickup concept based on its new Soul compact car at last month’s Detroit Auto Show as way to drum up excitement for the regular hatch model which is set to go sale in March. The concept, called the Soul’ster, was never intended to be produced but strong...
James Martinez -
Ford unveils global-engineered Transit Connect van, electric version coming in 2010We rarely cover news about commercial vehicles on this site but Ford’s new 2010 Transit Connect has some significance as it is the first of a new range of globally designed and engineered vehicles being brought over to the U.S. market. Aimed at small business users, the Transit Connect is a...
James Martinez -
Chevrolet Camaro returns as Official Pace Car for 51st Daytona 500After a 40 year hiatus the Chevrolet Camaro is set to return to the ‘Great American Race’, starring as the Official Pace Car for the Daytona 500. The annual event, now in its 51st year, is regarded by many as the most important race on the NASCAR calendar and a Camaro has paced the...
James Martinez -
Spy shots: Mercedes Benz S-Class AMG faceliftThe current generation Mercedes Benz S-Class and its associated AMG performance models have been on the market since the middle of the decade and are due to receive a minor update later this year to keep them fresh for their rivalry with the recently revealed BMW 7-series and next-generation Audi...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran