ma section - featured
-
There have long been rumors of Fiat developing several new variants of the wildly successful Fiat 500 and recently the first of these, a new wagon or 'Giardinetta,' has been spotted with some heavy camouflage. Despite engineers’ best attempts to cover the car, the prototype is easily recognizable as an extended version of the 500. One of the 500's biggest competitors is the Mini and the recent introduction of the Mini Clubman wagon is reason enough for Fiat to launch its own version. This rendering is a good indication as to what expect for the new wagon, revealing longer rear overhangs...
-
SpeedART BTR-XS 650 Extreme 911 GT2German tuning house speedART has taken the wraps off its latest mad-Porsche, a heavily boosted version of the already extreme 997 GT2. After going under the knife the car comes out with increased power and torque, custom alloys and suspension upgrades, lifting performance to the levels expected...
Ralph Hanson -
Transport for London research shows c-charge actually increases CO2 emissionsPorsche has consistently claimed London Mayor Ken Livingstone’s argument that his new congestion charge will help reduce CO2 levels in the UK capital is based on false information and now the carmaker has some substantial evidence. A report from King’s College never publicly released by...
Alex Kaufmann -
Update: Tesla confirms 2009 Euro launch, planning Top Marques Monaco revealUpdate: From next year onwards the Tesla Roadster will no longer be a U.S. only model as the company has confirmed it will start selling its all-electric car in Europe in just over 12 months. Tesla had always planned to make its Roadster a global model but with the U.S. dollar falling sharply...
James Martinez -
Video: Heffner 850HP Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder TTThe Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder is already one of the most desirable cars on the planet with its stunning good looks and monster of an engine. The owner of this Gallardo Spyder, however, just wasn't happy with the stock 500hp 5.0L V10 so decided to call on Heffner performance to add a couple of...
Alex Kaufmann -
Ford unveils 'Cross Traffic Alert' monitoring systemFord has unveiled two new features designed to aid visibility, the first a simple blind spot side-view mirror and the second is a new radar based blind spot monitoring system. The new side-view mirror will be fitted as standard equipment from next year onwards and features an integrated convex...
Ralph Hanson -
A new system has been developed that measures driver inputs and determines if they are 'aggressive' or not. The system, developed by US company GreenRoad Technologies, works by measuring g-forces acting on a car and compares them to pre-determined 'safe' driving limits. The software in the system can recognize around 120 driver actions and can determine whether they are aggressive or safe. If an action is deemed too aggressive for the system than a red light flashes to warn the driver. The technology uses a g-force meter to recognize 'jerky' driving, including hard accelerating, sharp turns...
-
Scientists crack keyless entry security systemsScientists from Ruhr University Bochum (RUB) in Germany have revealed a major flaw in vehicle keyless entry systems by demonstrating a new device that can ‘learn and record’ radio codes used to lock and unlock car doors. In the same way that a universal remote control can mimic commands...
Kenneth Hall -
VW Eos tops Consumer Reports convertible shoot-outInfluential magazine Consumer Reports has given the Volkswagen Eos the best overall score in its latest convertible comparo, putting it ahead of six other contenders ranging from $32,660 to $49,525 in price. Coming a close second was BMW’s 328i cabrio, followed by the Saab 9-3 and Volvo C70...
Alex Kaufmann -
UK Nissan GT-R sales stronger than expectedOffering supercar performance for high-end sports car prices is a winning formula for obvious reasons. The GT-R's recipe for success has been so well-received around the world that the car's limited supply is being snatched up almost as soon as it's available. UK buyers placed orders for nearly 700...
Nelson Ireson -
Small cars causing big headaches for carmakersWith fuel prices continuing to spiral northwards and consumers around the world adopting a new wave of environmental consciousness, sales of small economical runabouts are skyrocketing and carmakers unaccustomed to building and selling such models are starting to feel the heat. Finding it hardest...
Ralph Hanson -
Report into flagging UK auto industry orderedIt’s no big secret the British auto industry has been floundering. Most of the country’s premier labels are now owned by foreign companies, and with Asia’s car industry continuing to surge last month’s sale of Jaguar and Land Rover to India’s Tata is unlikely to be the...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Updated: New images The gorgeous Ferrari 599 is probably the last car in need of any modifications but German tuner Mansory has developed a range of carbon-fiber accessories and performance upgrades designed specifically for the stunning GT. The tuner has unveiled the latest package for the 599 at the Geneva Motor Show today alongside several other modified supercars including the Mercedes-McLaren SLR and Rolls-Royce Drophead Coupe. The performance kit includes high-performance compressors and custom made intercooling. The supercharging of the V12 power train is supported by a sport air...
-
Garage Defend Nissan R35 GT-R aero-kitModification of the R35 GT-R is still in its infancy but already top-name tuners like Amuse and Mines have set new lap records for Japan’s Tsukuba Circuit with only minor modifications to Nissan’s new super-coupe. The latest firm to join the growing list of GT-R tuners is Garage Defend...
Alex Kaufmann -
Video: Up close with Bugatti’s Veyron Fbg par HermèsFollowing in the footsteps of its previous Pur Sang model, Bugatti unveiled a new ‘special edition’ version of the Veyron at last month’s Geneva Motor Show that it developed with French luxury label Hermès. The relationship between both companies stretches back nearly 80 years...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
A1GP planning Middle East returnThe concept of the nation-based A1GP was original founded by Dubai’s Sheikh Maktoum Hasher back in 2004 but after receiving FIA regulation one year later the series lost many of its links with the Middle East. A1GP now plans a return to the region with the series seeking to hold a race...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Study finds blue lighting keeps drivers awakeThe usual methods of winding down the window or turning up the stereo to stay awake on long journeys are mediocre at best, but carmakers are working hard to develop new safety features to prevent motorists from falling asleep behind the wheel. Mercedes-Benz is testing a system that uses...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
U.S. to account for half of BMW X6 salesBMW has confirmed that its upcoming X6 crossover has been designed with the U.S. market primarily in mind, with official forecasts predicting up to half of the car’s annual production volume will be sold in the world’s biggest market. After the U.S., the next biggest markets for the X6...
Alex Kaufmann -
Incredible demand has created a waiting list for buyers trying to get their hands on a Smart ForTwo in its first year of official U.S. sales. Strong fuel efficiency, easy urban maneuverability and a very positive image have all contributed to the sales success, but now that the NHTSA's first round of tests are out, the Smart's image may no longer be an asset. The results show the ForTwo scores four of five stars for driver protection in a frontal impact, but only three stars for the passenger. Worse, the rating is based on a collision with a similarly-sized car - a near impossibility...
-
CSM forecasts global auto market rebound in 2009Drawing on a host of statistics, trends and no small share of black arts, the industry analyst group CSM Worldwide has announced a forecast for the auto industry that shows a slow 2008 followed by a robust 2009, ramping up to 17.7 million units worldwide by 2014. CSM also sees growth returning to...
Nelson Ireson -
Oldsmobile voted most popular discontinued car brandFour years after being discontinued the Oldsmobile name still carries some cachet as evidenced by a new survey, which quizzed respondents on the brands they most wanted to see revived. Oldsmobile ending up beating a number of other deceased car brands to take out sixth place overall in the results...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Parking tickets rise 500% over five years in UKJust when you thought owning a car in the UK couldn’t get any more expensive, what with all the congestion charges and registration taxes, a new report has found parking a car for free in some areas is becoming near impossible. In just six years, the number of drivers issued with a parking...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Toyota denies claims Japan government funded Prius developmentReports emerged this week claiming the Japanese government helped fund the development of the first generation Toyota Prius more than ten years ago. Toyota has since denied all claims, which were originated from a recent interview with Chrysler exec Jim Press who was working for Toyota at the time...
James Martinez -
Mercedes may launch four-cylinder C-Class in U.S.While the rest of the world can opt for fuel-efficient petrol and diesel four-cylinder versions of the C-Class, the entry-level model in the U.S. sports a V6 powerplant. Given the current concerns about climate change and the increasing cost of fuel, officials at Mercedes-Benz are now considering...
Ralph Hanson