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The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has today agreed to reduce the number of zero-emissions vehicles carmakers are mandated to build each year by 70%, easing an earlier target that would have seen them sell up to 25,000 zero-emissions vehicles between 2012-2014. This figure has now been reduced to just 7,500, and only the top six carmakers have to meet the new regulation. While the reduction may seem like a backwards step, the board is in instead focusing on viable technologies by increasing quotas for fuel-efficient vehicles such as hybrids and plug-in hybrids. In fact, from 2012 to...
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Jaguar sales expected to double with Tata helpJaguar finally changed hands this week with Indian carmaker Tata paying $2.3 billion for both the luxury brand and Land Rover. Although this seems like good value for Tata, Jaguar’s performance of late has been dire. The carmaker sold less than 54,000 units in all of 2007, down from about...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
'Avions Voisin' name revived with new supercar conceptJust as Volkswagen Group’s Veyron supercar revived the longstanding Bugatti label, Portuguese-based designer Ernesto Freitas from Luso Motors envisages his new Voisin Concept injecting some life into France’s forgotten carmaker, Avions Voisin. At the moment his new Voisin Concept...
Ralph Hanson -
Update: 2009 Mercedes-Benz A-Class official detailsEarlier this month Mercedes-Benz took the covers off its facelited B-Class range and now we have first details about the 2009 model year update for the smaller A-Class. Due for release in the second half of the year, the new A-Class gets a slightly revised look, a revamped interior and a cleaner...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Video: BMW's ConnectedDrive in actionChrysler may end up being the first to market with an in-car internet solution, but BMW's ConnectedDrive, announced in advance of this year's Geneva Motor Show, is the first to bring us video of the system in action. An interesting point covered in the videos is that the internet service is routed...
Nelson Ireson -
Video: Alfa 159 GTA Spied At The 'RingAlfa’s 159 GTA sedan has been caught by a spy photographers testing near Germany’s Nurburgring circuit ahead of its sales launch pegged for early next year. Up against established leaders like the BMW M3, Audi RS4 and Mercedes C63 AMG in the performance sedan market, the hotted-up Alfa...
Ralph Hanson -
Lewis Hamilton has been promised a $4 million McLaren supercar for free - if he wins the world titles this year. The 23-year-old British driver told The Sun newspaper that he first clapped eyes on the ultra-rare McLaren LM in the team's F1 factory ten years ago. "When I first went to McLaren it was there and I fell in love with it," he said of the orange LM, one of only five such cars in the world. Dennis, 60, says Hamilton can have the car if he wins the 2008 title, and McLaren is crowned constructors' champion. "Fortunately, our deal gives me a bit of time to save up!" Dennis joked...
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Geely GT concept revealed ahead of 2008 Beijing Auto ShowIt's easy to compare cars, finding a curve here or a swell there that resembles the design of another. Many have said the Ferrari [NYSE:RACE] 599 GTB and Corvette Z06 share a lot in common, for example, although it's certain that neither copied the other. It's just an example of how common design...
Nelson Ireson -
BMW ends V8 diesel productionWith emissions and fuel-economy regulations getting tougher on both sides of the Atlantic, BMW has decided it no longer needs to offer V8 diesel engines in its lineup. Officials feel modern turbocharging and direct-injection technology has reached the point where smaller capacity six-cylinder and...
James Martinez -
Ford Working On 200-HP Fiesta RS: ReportFord has confirmed plans to launch a high performance RS version of the European Focus hatch sometime next year, but according to latest reports the Blue Oval may also launch an RS version of the new Fiesta and this one could become a global model. This means there would be two new sports variants...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
HKS prepped Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution XMost of Japan’s tuners are focused on the arduous task of cracking Nissan’s Fort Knox of an ECU in its GT-R supercar but that doesn’t mean they’ve forgotten about one of the country’s other tuning favorites, Mitsubishi’s new Lancer Evolution X. Turbo performance...
Siddarth Raja -
Seat Leon FR550 diesel hot-hatchCoinciding with the start of this year’s HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) season, Spanish carmaker Seat has taken the wraps off a new performance version of its Leon hatch. Inspired by the diesel-powered BTCC Leon race car, the new model also sports a turbocharged diesel motor...
Kenneth Hall -
With the reveal last week of the LS3-powered Pontiac G8 GXP performance sedan at the New York Auto Show, it was only a matter of time until Holden announced plans for its own version of the car for sale in Australia. Today, Holden’s official in-house tuner HSV revealed changes to its 2008 E-Series Commodore lineup, including the introduction of the GXP's LS3 V8 engine across the board. Unlike U.S. versions, the Aussie-spec LS3 delivers a peak output of 425hp (317kW), up from the GXP’s 402hp (300kW). This peak arrives at 6,000rpm, while max torque of 550Nm (406lb-ft) arrives at...
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America desperate for more Smart carsDespite America’s reluctance to embrace compact econo-cars, Mercedes’ diminutive Smart Fortwo is selling far beyond expectations in the few months that it’s been on sale in the world’s biggest car market. Sales of the car were expected to be strong in urban areas like Los...
Kenneth Hall -
Wald Sports Line Black Bison Edition Mercedes S-ClassWe’re used to seeing plenty of modified Mercs from the German tuners, but rarely do we see a Japanese customizer give the Teutonic saloons and coupes the aftermarket treatment. Wald International is one such tuner that specializes in the modification of some of Europe’s finest, with...
James Martinez -
Fiat still interested in Jaguar and Land Rover technologyWith the sale of Jaguar and Land Rover to India’s Tata Group expected to be announced within days, Italian giant Fiat may finally gain access to premium RWD and AWD technologies it’s always dreamt of. Fiat was one of the first carmakers rumored to be interested in buying Jaguar and Land...
James Martinez -
U.S. military working on next-gen HumveeThe current M998 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (Humvee for short), the truck that spawned the Hummer H1, has been in use by the military for more than 20 years, but a successor could be just around the corner. Earlier this month military officials issued a ‘Request for...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Chrysler needs only half of its SUVsNow that Chrysler is in private hands the tough decisions are coming hard and fast. Last year we saw officials axe cars like the PT Cruiser convertible, Pacifica, Crossfire and Dodge Magnum, and now there are reports that even more models will be dropped from the current lineup. Earlier this month...
Ralph Hanson -
Honda F1 star Jenson Button takes a Civic Type R around the famed German widow-maker, the Nurburgring, and just to make things a bit more interesting he does it while its raining and answering questions from an interviewer. Even for a man used to the fast pace of F1, the ride around the 'ring is, in Button's own words, "a rush". Follow the jump to watch a video of the event in full.
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Peugeot and Citroen consider SUV based on Concept-cXFrench carmakers Peugeot and Citroen could be developing a second SUV model based around Mitsubishi running gear, just as they did with the current 4007 and C7 cars which are based on the Outlander midsize SUV. Mitsubishi is planning to launch its own compact SUV along the lines of last...
Alex Kaufmann -
370HP Golf R32 by ABT SportslineThe Golf R32 is by no means slow but the sheer number of tuning kits available for the torquey hot-hatch reveals there are a lot of people out there who disagree. The latest kit is from Germany’s ABT Sportsline, and although it’s not as nearly as potent as HGP’s 640 twin-turbo...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Scion planning to double lineupAfter a bright start six years ago Scion’s sales have tanked and unless action is taken things are set to get worse. The Toyota budget brand sold just 130,000 cars last year, down 25% on the previous year, and officials are predicting volumes to remain unchanged this year. Most of the blame...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Half of Americans unwilling to help environment by paying more for fuelIf you asked someone whether they would be willing to help the environment, more often than not they would give you a resounding yes as their answer. Ask them if they would be willing to pay extra for fuel to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and nearly half would say no. That’s the...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Lotus celebrating 60 years with unveiling of new EagleLotus has confirmed it will unveil an all-new model at this year’s London Motor Show in June as part of its 60th anniversary celebrations. Although no official details have been given as to the identity of the new model last month’s release of the car’s front suspension and...
Ralph Hanson