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Hybrid-electric and other green propulsion systems are as much a theme of the current climate as is the restructuring and 'right-sizing' of the industry - even more so, at ground-level. Audi is doing its part to contribute to the swell of green vehicles and announcements by revealing its plans to bring a Q5 hybrid SUV to the U.S., most likely by 2011. Already Lexus' new RX 450h is leading the compact crossover hybrid race and BMW is positioned to make an entry eventually with the X6 ActiveHybrid, so Audi's decision is as much about competition as it is innovation. TheCarConnection is...
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Significant changes planned for ‘new’ Chrysler lineupChrysler’s viability plan presented to the U.S. Treasury back in February turned out to be a goldmine for information about the company’s future plans. Not only were there details about the next-generation Chrysler 300 and 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, but the documents also outlined...
Jeremy Weber -
White House promises no more bailouts for Detroit 3With accusations and hyperbole that the U.S. government's bailout of the Detroit 3 is a clear step towards socialism, President Barack Obama's automotive task force that has been charged with overseeing the restructuring of GM and Chrysler has promised that the government will not be putting any...
James Martinez -
Pebble Beach to host former Bentley Boys cars in addition to Arnage unveilingFor those not familiar with the Bentley Boys, they were a group of hard-driving, wealthy and dedicated works team racers that helped push Bentley to its racing success in the 1920s. This year, a few of the cars they drove over 80 years ago will be re-convened at the Pebble Beach Concours...
Alex Kaufmann -
The Bugatti Veyron experience isn't priceless: it's $25,000 a dayWith only about 300 of the Bugatti Veyrons in existence, a single-day rental may be the only chance some get to experience the car first hand. And for £16,000 ($25,000) the folks at Holders Vehicle Contracts in the UK will deliver exactly that. The single-day rate might sound like a pittance...
Ralph Hanson -
U.S. satellite listeners to get live broadcast of entire 24 Hours of Le MansThe battle for the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans is already heating up with Peugeot protesting Audi's R15 race car, and things will only get hotter as the weekend approaches. If you don't want to miss a minute, then you'd better have satellite radio, because Sirius XM will be covering the event from...
Kenneth Hall -
While production of the Camry Solara Coupe has already bowed out, we can confirm today that the more expensive Solara Convertible won’t be produced anymore either due to flagging sales in the midsize convertible market. However, existing stockpiles will see the car in showrooms for at least the next two years but there are no plans for a replacement. This means that the new Lexus IS C drop-top will eventually be the most affordable Toyota/Lexus convertible in the North American market. Speaking with Ward’s Auto, Toyota’s U.S. manufacturing spokesman Rick Hesterberg said...
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Caractere enhances Audi’s A5 Cabrio range with new styling kitUnlike many of their competitors, the Belgians at Caractere don't do the European version of tacky, flashy tuner cars. Instead, they focus on adding minor enhancements that give the owner a unique look without clamoring for attention. The design program for the Audi A5 Cabrio offers a range of...
Alex Kaufmann -
Chrysler passed on multi-million dollar offers for Dodge Viper businessYou would think that an entity with as much cachet as the Dodge Viper business would have no trouble being sold during a fire sale but according to Chrysler the business couldn’t even muster up offers of $10 million. Reports last month that only one offer was made for the Viper business has...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Official details and photos for Mini's F1-Commemorative ‘World Championship 50’ editionWhat was previously just a rumor and then confirmed in late May has now become official: the Mini John Cooper Works (JCW) World Championship 50 special edition. The car was unveiled at its 50th anniversary celebrations a few weeks ago, revealing a new special-edition Mini to mark the event as well...
Kenneth Hall -
ACEA calls for new FIA constitution, Ferrari rejects 2010 F1 entryToday the FIA published the 2010 Formula 1 entry list to a cold reception from Ferrari and the Red Bull/Scuderia Toro Rosso teams as all three were included when they'd submitted written notice to be left off the list. As a result, the European Automobile Manufacturer's Association (ACEA) has...
Nelson Ireson -
3 versions of John DeLorean biopic in the worksWhether it's for the quirky but ultimately flawed stainless-steel DeLorean DMC-12, his legacy as the developer of the Pontiac GTO, or his role behind the scenes at Packard and General Motors, John DeLorean will be remembered as one of the 20th Century's most influential automotive personalities...
Ralph Hanson -
In an odd and somewhat comical reversal of the usual state of things, China has today announced the halt of import of four Renault models on the back of 'serious safety risks' and non-compliance with regulations. The models affected include the Laguna, Scenic, Megane and Megane Coupe-Cabriolet - in short, some of Renault's most successful models. The decision was made by the laboriously-named General Administration of Quality Supervision Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ), reports Automotive News. "[W]e have repeatedly found batches of passenger vehicles made by the French Renault ... do not...
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Last batch of SLR Roadsters get ‘McLaren Orange’ paint schemeMercedes Benz first confirmed in July last year that its longstanding partnership with British motorsports company McLaren to build the SLR supercar will soon be coming to an end. In the lead up to the actual date, which is expected to fall in the second half of this year, a special 'McLaren...
Kenneth Hall -
Lamborghini sees no recovery until 2011, sales down 30% so far this yearLast year was Lamborghini’s most successful year on record but even it cannot escape the effects of the world economic crisis. Lamborghini sales are down more than 30% for the first five months of the year and the company is expecting things to stay this way until at least 2011. Speaking with...
Kenneth Hall -
Russian designer Krasnov Igor creates another supercar masterpieceBudding Russian car designer Krasnov Igor has already managed to impress a number of people with his renderings of what a four-door Ferrari may look like, but now the designer has unveiled his latest project, one that is definitely sportier than the last car he tackled. Looking like something of a...
Alex Kaufmann -
GM plans major changes for remaining dealershipsGeneral Motors already has plans to slash hundreds of its dealers late next year, but for the dealers who make it through the cuts it won't just be a case of 'business as usual'. Instead, the struggling automaker will be modifying its contracts with the remaining 4,100 or so dealers in its network...
James Martinez -
Superior Glass Works turns Corvette parts into retro-styled wagonStart with a pile of C5 Corvette parts, some tube steel and a wealth of experience fabricating hot rods, drag racers, custom cars and resto-mods, and you might end up with something like the Superior 54 Sport Wagon. Using donor parts where it matters most and linking it all together with a custom...
Nelson Ireson -
Earlier this year Audi's plans for a lighter pair of next-generation S4 and S5 performance variants were revealed. Now Volkswagen has been tied to a similar program with its popular Golf platform (2010 Volkswagen Golf Mark VI pictured). The lighter weight makes it easier to maintain performance with smaller, and therefore more efficient engines. The project to build a new lightweight Golf is actually a part of a larger project founded by the European Commission involving 32 suppliers and several other carmakers, including Renault, Volvo, Opel and Daimler, dubbed the SuperlightCar project. The...
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Supreme Court allows sale of Chrysler to FiatThe Supreme Court has approved the sale of substantially all of Chrysler's assets to Fiat, helping to finalize their alliance as well as the American automaker’s bankruptcy proceedings. Approval was given for the $2 billion sale of the assets to a new company that will be 68% controlled by a...
Ralph Hanson -
Chevrolet Equinox two-mode hybrid coming in 2011Before the financial crisis hit, General Motors had some major plans for its Saturn brand including the launch of a two-mode hybrid Vue and eventually a plug-in hybrid version. Development and engineering for both vehicles had been completed and production of the two-mode hybrid Vue was originally...
Ralph Hanson -
House approves revised Cash for Clunkers billEarlier this year the original ‘Cash for Clunkers’ bill was rejected by the Senate because of research that showed the program wouldn't have made much impact on auto sales or emissions. A revised version of that bill has since been presented to Congress and was approved by the House in...
James Martinez -
Audi Q5 takes top marks in both IIHS and NHTSA safety testsSafety is no joke, especially to families on the go, and the arms race to get top ratings from the key safety evaluators - the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) - is a never-ending battle to include the biggest standard...
Nelson Ireson -
Ed Whitacre to be named chairman of New GMA bit over a week into GM's bankruptcy and we're starting to see announcements that mirror those made by Chrysler about a month ago. Today's is the naming of the post-reorganization chairman of GM, Edward E. Whitacre Jr. The appointment of a new chairman, to take the place of GM's interim chairman...
Ralph Hanson