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Ford President of the Americas Mark Fields has confirmed that there have been no discussions between Ford and Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn, despite news reports to the contrary. Ford intends to improve its North American business without the help of an outside party and especially one that is foreign based. Industry analysts had expected Ghosn to turn to Ford in hope of an alliance after the recent breakdown in talks with General Motors. Instead, Ford will focus on its original Way Forward turnaround plan by which it expects to shed up to $5 billion in costs by the end of 2008. The first...
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Corvette-based Anteros Coupe and Convertible heading for SEMAAfter showcasing the Anteros XTR Convertible at last year’s SEMA show, the company plans to display a new Coupe and Targa version of the same car alongside the original roadster. All three cars are built off the Corvette C6 platform with bodywork that’s reminiscent of the European...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Land Rover Looks To Aluminum To Shed The PoundsIn an effort to reduce weight, Land Rover is considering the use of aluminum for its next generation of vehicles, which is estimated to save close to 1,100 pounds in some models. Land Rover would borrow technology from Jaguar, which already uses the lightweight metal for the structure of its XJ...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Mercedes Benz S600 Guard hits the roadsThe final variation of the new S-class has been announced with news that Mercedes has developed an armoured special-protection model. Labelled the Mercedes S600 Guard, the new car has had its protective elements fully integrated into the vehicle direct from the Sindelfingen plant in Germany...
Siddarth Raja -
2007 Volvo XC90 features DivX playbackVolvo’s 2007 XC90 SUV will feature DivX playback with its optional Rear Seat Entertainment System. Sourced from Visteon, the new player will be the first factory installed unit to support the DivX certification and allows you to play all your downloaded videos, legal or not. DivX is a video...
Ralph Hanson -
Speed sign monitoring system stops you from speedingSiemens VDO has developed a Traffic Sign Recognition system that’s set up to alert drivers if they’re driving too fast. A camera is installed that constantly monitors the road ahead and can recognize speed limits on traffic signs. Information is then relayed to the driver, warning them...
Ralph Hanson -
Gas stations across the country are serving a new ultra-clean diesel fuel with 97 percent less sulfur than the old formulation it replaces. Thanks to the delivery of the new fuel over the past week, most gas stations across the country are ready to serve the fuel as of Sunday the 15th of this month. Benefits of the cleaner diesel include a reduction in soot emissions of 10 percent, while the next generation of diesel powered vehicles should cut emissions by up to 95 percent according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. Starting from the January 1st of next year, all diesel engines sold...
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VW Touareg becomes pickup truckPictured above is a pickup version of the Volkswagen Touareg SUV that has had its rear section chopped off and replaced with an aluminium tray. The vehicle is based on an extended platform of the standard SUV and was built by Volkswagen as a concept back in 2000. Now, VW Individual has developed a...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
DIY gadgets for your carSometimes, doing things yourself can be extremely worthwhile and fun as well. Nowhere is this truer than when it comes to tinkering with your car. Nowadays, there are a multitude of cheap electronic gadgets that you can install in your car, and most of them can be done over a single weekend. One of...
Ralph Hanson -
GM looks to Daewoo for small car platformsGeneral Motors is desperate for more small cars in its line-up, but instead of looking to Opel, its European arm, the company has decided to base its entire range of small cars on Daewoo platforms. GM should be ashamed for not having a proper small car strategy in place, something that almost every...
Siddarth Raja -
Updated: SAIC’s Roewe 750E caught testingWe reported on Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp’s Roewe brand yesterday, and wake up today to find new spy shots of this car in testing. SAIC has big plans for the brand, including possible export to the US. Apparently, this model is much larger than the outgoing Rover 75 upon which...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
BMW prepping 3-series shooting brake?German magazine Autobild is reporting that BMW may be working on a shooting brake version of its best-selling 3-series range. They’re claiming BMW will release such a model in 2008 and that it will be based on the 3-series coupe. Interestingly, their chop shows a new face for the 3-series...
Ralph Hanson -
The state owned Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. (SAIC) announced today that the company will be launching its first ever own-branded car. Until now, SAIC has been developing cars in separate partnerships with both General Motors and Volkswagen, and now it will independently launch its Roewe car on the 24th of this month. Previously, it was speculated that the SAIC would launch vehicles based on the MG or Rover platforms, but lost out in a bid for the Rover brand to Ford, while its rival, Nanjing Automobile Group, purchased the bulk of Rover's assets. The name for the new has been confirmed...
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Ford’s going all out for SEMAWe previously reported that GM was planning to display modified Buick Lucernes at the SEMA show, to tap the lucrative $3 billion aftermarket industry. The latest news is that Ford will debut several cars and trucks including specially modified Shelby GT500s and the first show appearance of the new...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Audi to launch Q7 hybrid in 2008 if market improvesThe popularity of hybrid vehicles will depend on whether or not US auto sales increase beyond its current levels, according to a statement from Audi engineer Marius Lehna to Reuters. Despite rising fuel prices, the German car maker will only expand its hybrid range if the market development...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
SEAT Considers Building Tango Small CarSeat is considering developing a production version of the Tango concept that it unveiled five years ago, but will only commit to the project if it proves commercially viable. UK’s Autocar is reporting that Seat in an effort to save costs and fast-track a new vehicle, will utilize components...
Kenneth Hall -
Video: Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 runway sprintYet another pointless video that’s just so cool that we had to post it. This time round the clip features a bright orange Lamborghini Murcielago rushing down an airport runway.
James Martinez -
Ford's Steve McQueen adsAfter years of being bombarded with silly, inane, over hyped and Dr. Z-filled car advertisements, you’ll excuse us if we’re more than a little cynical about the ads made today. Still, this cool Ford Puma ad from a few years back put a smile on our faces. After the jump there’s...
Kenneth Hall -
Carlsson has turned the already intimidating Mercedes-Benz GL500 SUV into a monstrous beast with its latest CK50 package for the big Merc. Engine work on the naturally aspirated V8 produces 435bhp (320kW) over the standard car’s 388bhp (285kW), and torque tops out at 600Nm peaking at just 2800rpm. This is enough to move the big SUV from 0-100km/h in just 6.1 seconds with a top speed of 248km/h. Performance modifications include stainless-steel rear silencers with quad tailpipes, an adjustable electronic suspension set-up dubbed C-tronic that can reduce the ride height by up to 35mm as...
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Video: New BMW M3 caught testing in the USHere’s a short clip of BMW’s upcoming M3 coupe due for release in the second half of next year. Quality is down for this video but we do get a feel for the car’s explosive sound and acceleration. Caution: Curse words make this video not safe for work.
Ralph Hanson -
UK insurers to install vehicle monitoring black boxesWe can see it coming, the days when insurance claims are dealt with using information stored on a car’s data logger or black box are almost upon us. Many car manufacturers are already introducing the boxes on its vehicles and now insurance companies are moving in. Drivers in the UK are being...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
BMW 1-Series destined for USBMW’s new CEO, Norbert Reithofer, has confirmed that the compact 1-Series will be sold in the United States, but not in its current form. Unlike Europe, where premium hatches are particularly popular, the U.S. version will likely follow its larger 3-Series sibling with the introduction of...
Kenneth Hall -
New images of the Sivax Izana design conceptThe current crop of Japanese cars offer good value for money and class leading reliability but are often plagued by boring and unimaginative design that pales in comparison to some of their European counterparts. Japanese design office Sivax may change all that if its Izana concept that was...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
No retro designs for LamborghiniLamborghini boss Stephan Winkelmann has laid down the claim that any new models from the supercar maker won’t be following any retro cues. Even though the company’s most recent Miura concept that was displayed back in January was based on a car released 40 years ago, any new Lambo...
Kenneth Hall