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Building a vehicle that can react to the most minute changes in grip and stability, compensate for them and alert the driver of the situation has become almost the standard of the industry. Carmakers are now looking for ways to push beyond the simple traction control/stability control paradigm and find new technologies to improve safety even further. Nissan things it has one in its slip-hazard alert system. Enhancing the car's on-board electronics and driver aids with information about the road, its statistical likelihood for accidents and slippery conditions at certain points, plus a...
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Report: Audi will not sell the Q7 V12 TDI in U.S.The Audi Q7 V12 TDI was first revealed in production trim at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year but withheld key information, such as when the vehicle would eventually go on sale and what its specifications would look like, until last month. Now Audi has reportedly revealed that the Q7 V12 TDI...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
FPV Celebrates 5th Anniversary With Special Edition Falcon GTAustralia’s Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) recently celebrated its 20th anniversary with the unveiling of the 505hp (375kW) W427 LS7-powered saloon at February’s Melbourne Motor Show. At this week’s Sydney Motor Show, its closest rival, Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV), marked its...
Jeremy Weber -
Force Performance Dodge Charger loses two doors but adds three blowersVehicle customizer Force Performance based in Miami is currently working on a highly modified Dodge Charger, which the tuner has designed to replicate the classic B-Body Chargers from the 1960s and ‘70s. Listening to requests from customers saddened that Dodge brought back the Charger as a...
Ralph Hanson -
BMW exec reveals future powertrain plansMimicking similar statements made by Mercedes Benz last July, BMW’s EfficientDynamics chief engineer has revealed plans for the carmaker’s future powertrains and expressed his desire to see waste-exhaust power generation systems fitted across the lineup. As carmaker’s battle with...
Alex Kaufmann -
Automakers warn hybrids not certified for commercial useNew York City may have to backpedal on its recently introduced legislation that mandates all new taxis to be either hybrids or have fuel economy of at least 25mpg (9.4L/100km). The reasoning is that by state law taxis are also required to have partitions installed between the driver and the...
Ralph Hanson -
Teenagers are one of the highest-risk segments of the driving public due to inexperience behind the wheel. Now a new study in the UK has shown that getting several teenagers together in a car can make the problem even greater, as much as tripling the risk of a fatal accident. According to the Association of British Insurers, the greatest period of risk for teens traveling in a group is during the first 30 weeks after passing the driving test, reports The Times. The report itself puts its findings in no uncertain terms: “Young passengers can both distract young drivers and encourage them...
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GM to begin OnStar stolen vehicle slowdown rollout on 2009 modelsGM announced late last year that its OnStar system would be getting a new feature that could remotely bring a car to a rolling stop in emergency situations. Now that technology has begun to arrive, with the launch of the Stolen Vehicle Slowdown feature across its 2009 model lineup in the U.S. and...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Saturn will get only sedan version of Opel Insignia to replace AuraEarlier this year we reported that General Motors could possibly delay the launch of the next-generation Saturn Aura, or possibly drop the model altogether, but according to GM vice chairman Bob Lutz the new car is on track albeit with some major changes. Lutz confirmed at the time that the Opel...
Siddarth Raja -
Lexus IS250C and IS350C confirmed for the U.S.Three years after the introduction of the second-generation IS sedan Lexus introduced a new convertible model at the Paris Motor Show last week. The convertible version of the IS is denoted by the letter C and is available initially in IS250C and IS350C trim, going on sale in the first half of...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Ford launches FR500 ‘Cobra Jet’ Mustang drag packageWidely regarded as the quickest Mustang to come out of the muscle car era, the 1968 Cobra Jet Mustang will always hold a special place in the heart of any Blue Oval enthusiast. After all, a car capable of accelerating from 0-100km/h in less than 5.5 seconds back in 1968 was no common sight. Now...
James Martinez -
Report: Lexus will likely become a hybrid-only brandAlready known as the luxury segment’s “greenest” brand, Lexus is reportedly looking to build upon this reputation by moving to a completely hybrid lineup in the medium to long term. The statements were made by Toyota managing officer Toshio Furutani to Japan’s Nikkei...
Jeremy Weber -
With no new models in the pipeline and a paltry 146 units sold in all of 2007, there has been plenty of speculation that Maybach could be running at a loss and eventually dropped from Daimler’s portfolio. Considering rival brands Rolls Royce and Bentley are experiencing record sales and growth, walking away from Maybach was an idea suggested by Daimler’s CEO Dieter Zetsche as recently as March. However, in his latest interview with Automotive News, Zetsche has revealed that Maybach is not running at a loss and the brand won’t be dropped anytime soon. He revealed that there...
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HSV unveils 40th anniversary GTS and new SV08Holden Special Vehicles (HSV), the official performance arm of GM’s Aussie subsidiary, has unveiled two new models at today’s Sydney Motor Show, commemorating the 40th anniversary of its GTS performance badge and reviving the SV nomenclature for the latest E-Series range of cars...
Ralph Hanson -
RKSport prepping custom Hyundai Genesis Sedan for SEMAHyundai’s new Genesis Coupe won’t be the only modified model on the South Korean carmaker’s stands at next month’s SEMA Auto Show in Las Vegas. Joining the Rhys Millen Racing, Street Concepts, and HKS prepped Coupes will be a customized version of the new Genesis Sedan...
James Martinez -
Fiat releases eco:Drive efficiency datalogging applicationIn a new twist on the idea of car technology that helps improve the driver, Fiat has released a software program called eco:Drive that hopes to improve green driving habits by recording exactly what is going on behind the wheel. Incorporating Microsoft's Blue&Me system to log the information to a...
Ralph Hanson -
Wiedeking says Porsche won't cut Audi's lineupThe Audi R8 has been a primary target of concern for Audi lovers ever since Porsche began posturing for a takeover of the VW Group. It was speculated that Audi products, such as the R8, that impinged to closely on what Porsche believed to be its territory would be cut. Porsche CEO Wendelin...
Nelson Ireson -
No convertible for Dodge ChallengerThe era of the muscle car may be waning, but Dodge's Challenger is working to stay relevant with a broad range of engine and trim choices, including a relatively efficient V6 engine. One option that won't be available on the Challenger, however, is a convertible top. Ranging in price from $21,195...
Nelson Ireson -
The rising influence of governmental and popular desire for more environmentally friendly vehicles is pushing carmakers to consider every alternative available. For Citroen, that means looking to its C-Cactus concept, which was designed from the ground up with ecologically sound production and operation in mind. First shown at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show, the C-Cactus also focuses an low cost, proving that emissions don't have to be inversely proportional to price. It combines the low-emissions, low-price goals by essentializing the vehicle to its minimum. Stripping out the interior...
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Honda shows V4 Concept motorcycle at IntermotThe Intermot, or Cologne Motorcycle Show, is being held this week and Honda has taken the opportunity to display a conceptual motorcycle. Dubbed the V4 after its innovative engine configuration, the bike is more of a design study than anything else - a highly stylized and non-functional sculpture...
Nelson Ireson -
Hyundai develops high-performance ‘RS’ Lambda V6Hyundai is pulling out all the stops for its upcoming Genesis Coupe, already confirming the car will ship with Brembo brakes and now with a newly developed high-performance V6 engine as well. Based on the Lambda V6 family first introduced in 2004, the new mill has been given a number of...
Alex Kaufmann -
Neiman Marcus Shoppers Get An Early Chance To Buy The New 7-SeriesChristmas will come early for Neiman Marcus’ customers, with the all-new 2009 BMW 7-series saloon soon to be available for sale in the retailer’s annual end of year catalogue. The new 7-series isn’t scheduled to go on sale in the United States until early next year but 31 lucky...
James Martinez -
Tiny Secma F16 Roadster offers unique French take on track-day toyIt shares its name with a famous American fighter jet for the obvious connotative reasons, but the resemblance ends there. A sports-roadster on the scale of a Smart ForTwo, the Secma F16 offers a bare-bones take on the sports car. Gullwing doors, a retractable top and the overall vibrant look make...
Kenneth Hall -
Iran working on female-specific carThere's no doubt that the gender values of the West often clash with those of other cultures, and vice versa, and the newest project at Iran's state-funded carmaker, Khodro, illustrates that point well. Building a car specifically and exclusively for women may seem like a progressive viewpoint, but...
Ralph Hanson