ma section - featured
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The number of vehicles that achieved the highest safety rating in the latest round of crash tests conducted by America’s Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has leapt from 13 to 34 in the period of only one year. Asian carmakers dominated the results, earning 17 top spots, followed by U.S. carmakers with six vehicles on the top rated list and Germany and Sweden with six and five, respectively. Carmakers boosted their standings this year by increasing the number of safety features made as standard equipment. These include the addition of multiple airbags, crumple zones and...
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Volkswagen HyMotion fuel-cell TiguanThe new space up! blue concept isn’t the only Volkswagen packing a new fuel-cell powertrain. Engineers have also installed VW’s high temperature fuel cell system in the Tiguan SUV as their entrant for this year’s Challenge Bidendum in Shanghai this week. The annual event is aimed...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Chevrolet will build a Beat-based minicarChevrolet announced today, at the Los Angeles auto show, its decision to build a minicar based on the Beat concept first shown at the 2007 New York auto show. The vehicle is expected to get 50mpg or more and will be built in South Korea, but will not be sold in the U.S initially. An online poll...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Hyundai’s RWD Genesis Coupe ConceptHyundai was hoping to generate excitement for its upcoming RWD coupe by teasing us with the Genesis Coupe Concept but the plan backfired when images of the actual production version leaked onto the web last week. It seems this latest concept car will eventually end up as a constant reminder to how...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Honda and VW have best resale valuesOf all the car brands Honda and Volkswagen have been picked as the labels with the best resale value, an important distinction for many new car buyers. A survey conducted by Kelley Blue Book (KBB) has found VW to be the brand with the best residual value, while Honda managed to have four vehicles...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Honda FCX Clarity Production Fuel Cell Car AnnouncedMany think the infrastructure for a hydrogen-powered car just isn’t there, and they’re mostly right. There have been a few advances in hydrogen production recently, but the distribution system is the weak point. Honda won’t let that deter the production of a hydrogen fueled car...
Alex Kaufmann -
The idea of a super-fast SUV usually arouses thoughts of the infamous Porsche Cayenne Turbo but with a little help from a tuning company Mercedes’ ML63 has been turned it into a 4WD powerhouse. By fitting two Garrett turbochargers Kleeman was able to lift output to the tune of 800hp and an electronically limited 1,000Nm (737lb-ft) of torque. The standard ML63 7G Speedshift gearbox needed no modifications to handle the massive power increase and easily transfers every horsepower through the 4-Matic drivetrain and out to each of the 20in Kleeman TS-7 wheels. Running on Pirelli P-Zero...
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Volvo mulls moving upmarket despite being in the redWith Jaguar and Land Rover half way out the door Volvo is poised to become the sole remaining brand in Ford’s crumbling Premier Auto Group. It’s also the only brand within Ford that could potentially cover the gaping hole left by the premium British marques. Officials are now...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Only in Japan: A road that plays musicThis is the kind of development that only a country like Japan could envisage. It’s a stretch of road that plays a melody whenever a car drives along it. Small grooves built into the road surface, positioned between 6 and 12mm apart, emit an audible sound when a car passes over them. The size...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
BMW now with Brembo brakesItalian auto supplier Brembo has announced today that it had started supplying braking systems and brake discs to BMW. Over the past quarter some of BMW’s high-performance models swapped to a new set of six-piston caliper brakes manufactured by Brembo and more models are expected to follow...
Ralph Hanson -
Australian hoons beware: Gov’t will smash your car and post the video onlineA program announced today by the government of New South Wales will not just confiscate the cars or bikes of those caught ‘hooning’ along the streets. Once the vehicles are impounded, the sadistic officials want to methodically destroy the vehicles and film the whole thing as a sort of...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Audi’s sales predictions deemed overambitiousAudi’s strong sales performance over the past decade has led officials to predict the brand will be the top selling premium label by 2015, something industry experts say is unlikely to happen. The reasons given are because Audi doesn’t have enough green technology, it doesn’t have...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Despite production of the MG TF roadster slowly starting up at the Longbridge plant in the UK earlier this year, officials claim production lines have since halted because of a recent merger between new owner Nanjing and Chinese rival Shanghai Auto. A spokesman for Nanjing said production is likely to be delayed until the first quarter of next year at the earliest. Another hurdle is signing up new dealers to start selling the cars, but according to the spokesman there’s plenty of interest in the rejuvenated brand and up to 70 dealers will be onboard by next year. Once settled in the UK...
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Preview: 2010 Skoda YetiSkoda will be launching several new models over the coming years to help reach its targeted sales growth rate of 50% by the end of the decade, and one of these new models will be the Yeti SUV arriving in mid 2009. First displayed in concept form back at 2005’s Geneva Motor Show, the Yeti will...
Ralph Hanson -
Mercury offering fashion inspired VOGA trimMercury may be on its last legs but that doesn’t mean Ford has given up on its pseudo luxury brand. Officials today announced the launch of a new line of trim for Mercury called the ‘VOGA’ series, reaffirming CEO Alan Mulally’s desire to see the brand remain in the Ford...
Siddarth Raja -
Mercedes C-class to get Universal Media InterfaceMercedes-Benz will be equipping European and U.S. delivered C-class models early next year with its Universal Media Interface (UMI), designed for connecting mobile entertainment and communication devices such as a cell phone or MP3 music player. Inside the glovebox of cars equipped with the UMI are...
James Martinez -
Mercedes-Benz brings diesel efficiency to petrol engines with CGI techMercedes-Benz has shown that ultra-efficient motoring doesn’t have to be limited to compact diesel and hybrid cars with the launch of its new E350 CGI and second-generation direct petrol injection system. Compared to the regular E350, the fuel consumption of the E350 CGI is lower by around...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Ford Mustang Bullitt returns for 2008Ford has developed a new edition of the Mustang Bullitt to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the original highland green racer from the 1968 Steve McQueen movie. Developed using parts from Ford Racing Technology, the latest version features a 315hp 4.6L V8 engine with 440Nm (325lb-ft) of...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
There’s been so much news surrounding GM’s upcoming RWD models that you’d think developers were no longer focusing on building FWD cars anymore. We’ve heard plenty about the new Zeta-based Pontiac G8 and Camaro plus a new RWD small sedan for Cadillac and, until recently, it was thought GM would also make the replacement for the Chevrolet Impala a powerful rear-driver. However, latest reports claim the next Impala could be spawned from a new mid-sized FWD platform. This new platform will feature a modular design, meaning it can be used for vehicles smaller than the...
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Pratt & Miller will build Corvette C6RS supercar in limited numbersCan’t wait for the ZR-1? Already have a C6 lying around? Then get out your checkbook and make a reservation for a spot on Pratt & Miller’s list of 25 or so lucky owners that will get a fully customized race-inspired C6RS. This is one of the meanest-looking, most awe-inspiring American...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Fiat 500 designer to handle all Fiat designExecs at Fiat have been so impressed with the cute and cheeky design of the 500 that they have promoted its designer, Roberto Giolito, to the head of design at Fiat Automobiles. During his time at the Fiat advanced design studio, Giolito created the Trepiuno concept that was unveiled back in 2004...
James Martinez -
Lexus IS-F hints at the design of all F carsThe new IS-F sedan has shown that engineers at Lexus can build performance cars that can go head-to-head with sport saloons from their German rivals, but convincing buyers the new ‘F’ brand can equal the more established ‘M’ and ‘AMG’ marques is a much tougher...
Ralph Hanson -
Video: Behind the wheel of the Lamborghini ReventonThe Lamborghini Reventon is one of those cars that needs no introduction. Its powerful stance, aggressive lines and the raging bull on the bonnet tells you this is one of the most exclusive cars on the planet. It also signifies that this is a car most of us mere mortals will never get to own. The...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Preview: 2010 Audi A1 five-door and cabrioThe minicar segment is about to explode, with new models planned from most of the major carmakers including, for the first time, premium labels such as Audi. While most are heading down the budget road Audi will be launching an upmarket minicar to tackle the Mini Cooper and a possible BMW version...
Kenneth Hall