ma section - featured
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Forty-five years after he introduced the original Ford Mustang at the 1964 New York World's Fair, auto industry stalwart Lee Iacocca today announced a new version of the famous muscle car – the Iacocca Silver 45th Anniversary Edition Ford Mustang. Featuring a unique Mustang fastback look, only 45 of the "2009½" special edition cars will be built, each finished in a unique "Iacocca" chosen silver hue. Nearly two years in the making, the Iacocca Silver Edition Mustang is a collaborative effort by Iacocca, designer Michael Leone, and coachbuilder Gaffoglio Family Metalcrafters. The...
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Spy shots: Volkswagen Phaeton receives second faceliftVolkswagen will be updating its Phaeton flagship for the second time in its short life, reaffirming the lackluster opinion of the car in the full-size luxury sedan market. With a brand new BMW 7-series already on sale, a facelifted Mercedes Benz S-Class just around the corner and a completely...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2009 Audi Q5 first drive reviewUntil the Lincoln Navigator plowed into existence in the late 1990s, the idea of a luxury sport-utility vehicle was largely limited to the Range Rover. Hideously expensive off-roaders were a perplexing thought: who’d want to wrinkle all that pricey sheetmetal, and get those lambswool carpets...
Martin Padgett -
New Zealand's Hulme Supercar Company Developing Three New ModelsWhen it comes to stripped-down race cars for the road, there are a number of options already available for drivers out there, such as the KTM X-Bow and Caparo T1. Hoping to shake things up a bit with these marques is a company all the way from New Zealand, Hulme, which is developing its own...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Lamborghini hints at hybrid future in new environmental strategyMore stringent fuel economy and emissions regulations rolling in across major markets around the globe have all automakers, even ultra luxury marques, rethinking their designs and manufacturing processes in an effort to become greener. Both Bentley and Ferrari have confirmed their commitment to...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Official: Penske Automotive agrees to buy SaturnGeneral Motors and Penske Automotive Group today confirmed details of a proposed transaction under which Penske would acquire the Saturn brand. If completed, the deal would save more than 350 dealerships and 13,000 jobs at Saturn and its retailers in the U.S., as well as preserving the brand...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
General Motors today announced that it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy following an agreement reached with the U.S. Treasury and the governments of Canada and Ontario to accelerate its reinvention and create a leaner and stronger "New GM". The filing is the third-largest in U.S. history and the largest-ever U.S. manufacturing bankruptcy, and involves up to $172.81 billion in debts. If all goes to plan, the New GM is expected to launch in about 60 to 90 days as a separate and independent company from the current GM, with two distinct advantages: it will be built from only GM's best brands...
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Driven: 2009 Aston Martin Vantage RoadsterWhat do you do with a supercar on the traffic-clogged streets of Los Angeles when the valet tosses you the keys to a $152,465 2009 Aston Martin Vantage? Hint: the answer isn't "flee to Mexico" or "scratch off the VIN plate and park it at home until the insurance report's filed." The proper answer...
Martin Padgett -
Cadillac SRX goes on sale this summer, priced from $34,155Cadillac’s North American model lineup is about to expand with the addition of two exciting new models: the 2010 model year SRX crossover and CTS Sport Wagon. The first model to go on sale will be the SRX, which Cadillac has confirmed today will be priced from $34,155 when it arrives in...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
BMW’s new 5-series GT makes official debutIn late 2007 BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer revealed plans for several all-new models including a design study called the Progressive Activity Sedan (PAS). Then, at March's Geneva Motor Show, BMW gave us the first tangible evidence of the new PAS in the form of the 5-series Gran Turismo (GT) concept...
Alex Kaufmann -
Volkswagen Scirocco R Debuts At Nürburgring 24 Hours RaceAll our American readers look away because pictured here is a new high-performance variant of the Volkswagen Scirocco coupe, a car that has officially been ruled out for U.S. sale. VW first hinted at a new high-performance version of the Scirocco when it revealed the GT24 race concept back at the...
Alex Kaufmann -
Obama unveils new national fuel efficiency policy, 35.5mpg by 2016Carmakers are already fretting at the thought of achieving the new 35mpg CAFE standards imposed by the U.S. government by the current 2020 deadline, but an announcement by President Barack Obama today revealed the plan to get the standard up to 35.5mpg by 2016. The plan requires a gain of over 5%...
James Martinez -
For a few days in May the town of Reifnitz, Austria is overrun with a plethora of Audi and Volkswagen models as fans of both marques attend the world’s largest Volkswagen Group gathering. Known as the Worthersee Tour, the event has been running for almost 30 years and this year Audi decided to offer up some of its most die-hard fans a special treat in the form of an extensively customized Q5 SUV. Audi is featuring a number of vehicles at the show, including the TT RS, the V10-engined R8 and the previously revealed A1 Sportback concept car. But the star of the show will almost certainly...
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Ventross expands range with new GT-R styling kitVorsteiner is an American tuning firm that until now has specialized in modifying German performance cars from the likes of BMW, Mercedes Benz, and Porsche. The company has now established a subdivision called Ventross that will be focused on Japanese models, and its second order of business after...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Spy shots: Next-gen Jaguar XJ disguised as BMW prototypeJaguar is only months away from revealing its next-generation XJ saloon, which is scheduled to debut on July 9th at a special presentation in London before going on sale by the end of the year. Speaking at the Shanghai Motor Show last month, Jaguar Mike O'Driscoll released some new details about...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Official: Ferrari threatens to pull out of 2010 F1 seasonAs predicted as the budget cap row escalates, Ferrari’s Board of Directors, chaired by Luca di Montezemolo, has confirmed that the Italian company won’t be competing in Formula 1 next year. The announcement comes following the FIA’s decision to introduce two different sets of...
Alex Kaufmann -
Spy shots: Maserati GranTurismo SpyderMaserati officials have confirmed the convertible version of the GranTurismo will arrive in showrooms by March of next year and now we have a few new details about the car, which is expected to go by the name GranTurismo Spyder. Maserati is yet to reveal if the car will sport a traditional canvas...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Volkswagen adds sporty GT TDI to Scirocco lineupIt’s bad enough that Volkswagen has ruled out its handsome Scirocco Coupe for U.S. sale, but to add insult to injury the carmaker in the process of developing a range of new exciting performance versions. While the 270hp (201kW) R20 model seen testing in Germany is still several months away...
Alex Kaufmann -
In what may prove to be a major blow for the BMW 3-Series Coupe and Audi A5, the upcoming Mercedes Benz E-Class Coupe will actually cost less than the E-Class Sedan on which it is based. Despite the new Coupe’s predecessor - the CLK - costing thousands of dollars more than the E-Class Sedan in most markets - the U.S. being a notable exception - this differential will no longer exist for the latest breed of E-Class variants. The sedan itself is competitively priced as well, starting at $4,600 below the previous model's base price. The entry model, the 2010 E350, will start at $49,475...
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Jaguar-Land Rover announces plans for Indian salesIndia has become an increasingly important player on the global car scene, with the rise of companies like Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra. Mahindra is poised to enter the American market for the first time this year and now Tata has announced its plans to take Jaguar and Land Rover into the...
Kenneth Hall -
Chrysler and Fiat finally form global strategic allianceBankruptcy is the word of the day for Chrysler, but 'merger' will soon be replacing it. The whole bankruptcy process is being pushed forward quickly to eliminate the remaining obstacles between Chrysler's viability and the Fiat merger. President Obama's speech today reflected this path, confirming...
Nelson Ireson -
White House confirms bankruptcy plans for Chrysler, Nardelli to step downThe White House has announced Chrysler's entry into bankruptcy protection today, with talks between the Treasury Department and the carmaker failing to reach an agreement on the last day before the auto industry task force’s restructuring deadline. No further talks are planned but President...
Ralph Hanson -
Spy shots: Next-gen BMW 6-series takes to the 'RingBMW’s next-generation 6-series isn’t due to arrive until late 2010 at the earliest as the current model was only given its mid-cycle facelift a little over a year ago. Prototypes of the new car, however, are already testing in Europe and have been captured by spy photographers for the...
Kenneth Hall -
Spy shots: Jaguar’s next XJ caught at the NurburgringJaguar is only months away from revealing next-generation XJ saloon, which is scheduled for a debut on July 9th at a special presentation in London before going on sale by the end of the year. We’ve already had a glimpse at the final version following the release of an official teaser at last...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran