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Chrysler will drop its all-wheel-drive option for the 2009 Dodge Avenger, Caliber and Chrysler Sebring because of low demand. The information was confirmed by company spokesman Jiyan Cadiz, who said the option never really caught on since its introduction for those particular models late last year...

One of the biggest hindrances to the rollout of more hybrid vehicles is the high relative cost of their petrol-electric powertains over standalone internal combustion engines. A petrol-electric hybrid vehicle on average costs about $6,000 more than a comparable petrol model, but according to a new...

Honda has endorsed the American government's decision to provide the Detroit 3 with a $25 billion loan, describing the aid package as “totally proper” and important for the development of more fuel-efficient models. According to the carmaker’s CEO Takeo Fukui, General Motors, Ford...

Just as Chrysler was preparing to begin bringing a dual-clutch transmission to its North American fleet, a dispute with Getrag has sent plans for yearly production of up to 700,000 of the units up in smoke. Earlier this month Chrysler brought a lawsuit against Getrag, and now the German gearbox...

Chrysler’s new Dodge Durango and Aspen hybrid SUVs finally began rolling off assembly lines in late August at the company’s Newark plant in Delaware. The two SUVs are Chrysler’s first entries in the hybrid market and are now able to backup Chrysler's claimed fuel efficiency...

Mercedes Benz has confirmed that its longstanding partnership with British sports car manufacturer McLaren to build the SLR supercar will soon come to an end, and to celebrate production of the last SLR Roadster a special edition model will go up for auction. The car has been designed specifically...

Volkswagen has one of the widest and most interesting engine range in the automotive industry but in the United States its offering consists of a paltry line of four, five and six-cylinder units that are mostly petrol. That is set to change, however, as construction of a plant in Chattanooga...

Mobile communications devices are truly coming into their own with the BlackBerry, iPhone, Sidekick and more making it easier than ever to stay connected via the Internet, voice and text. But all that connectivity can be a major distraction behind the wheel, and so Aegis Mobility has developed a...

Rumors are circulating of a possible Los Angeles Auto Show reveal for the upcoming facelifted Jaguar XK, but according to the company, there will be nothing new from Jaguar in Los Angeles. Nevertheless, the new car is expected to make its debut sometime during the first quarter of 2009, meaning...

Earlier this year the UK's Caterham joined with RS Performance to launch its official performance arm. This new branch of the company claims to offer "the ultimate in bespoke Seven coach building" and the first project for the new section was the Caterham RS Levante, a 500hp (373kW) track special...

The Chinese government has reportedly suspended the majority of vehicle imports from South Korea following a complaint made by several Chinese dealers that Hyundai-Kia is backing its own dealer groups at the expense of independent firms. The decision comes after the filing of a petition against...

Late on Friday it was reported that General Motors was in preliminary talks with Chrysler’s parent company Cerberus Capital Management over a possible deal to acquire the Auburn Hills carmaker. Since then Chrysler CEO Bob Nardelli has confirmed that the talks had taken place but stated that...

German tuner Irmscher is a specialist when it comes to modifying Opels, having worked with the brand for more than 40 years and previously installing a V8 engine in the compact Opel GT. Not surprisingly, it's one of the first companies to work on the new 2009 Insignia sedan, and has now released a...

Porsche is expected to release another set of high profit figures for this financial year on the back of its growing stake in VW and its own successful sports car range, but despite this success the carmaker is critical of the poor performance of some of its rivals and the U.S. government bailout...

General Motors has announced a new CEO for Hummer as the brand experiences one of the most tumultuous periods in its history. Moving into the CEO position is former Cadillac general manager Jim Taylor, whose appointment comes just weeks after GM confirmed a sale of the SUV brand. The move is part...

Unlike some of the recently announced and soon-to-be-shown SEMA design concepts for the Mercedes-Benz GLK - one of which was even done by Brabus - the Brabus version of the GLK that will see public sale is considerably more restrained. With no gratuitous side-scoops, a minimal front-end redesign...

Small cars are the next step forward for better fuel economy and functional urban transport, and Ford has already announced it will be building six new models in Europe, and using them to broaden the U.S. lineup. One of those six is thought to be the all-new B-Max, designed to fit between the...

Personal transport is often as much about personalization as it is transport, and choosing a color is part of that process. It turns out that a large portion of the public choose the same color - silver - but now other colors such as white, black and even blue, are starting to make inroads on the...

The American car buyer is reputed to be warming to the idea of diesel power after several decades of disinterest, though few carmakers have dared to test the strength of that demand. So far the primary candidates have been luxury and sedans, but now Cadillac is rumored to be working on a fitment...

Cutting back on SUV and pickup truck production while shifting focus to smaller and mid-size cars means some reallocation of the workload among General Motors' North American factories. While many factories are just changing what they do, some will have to be closed to align with the new face of...