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The folks over at Caparo are well known for their totally impractical but still mesmerizing F1-car-for-the-road, the T1 supercar. Now the company is offering 32 lucky drivers the opportunity to race these vehicles in a special one-make Caparo T1 racing series. Details are still emerging, but for now it appears that there will be two race series held specifically for the Caparo T1 next year - one series will be for professional drivers and will consist of ten races held in different racing venues around the UK, while the second series will be for amateurs and will likely consist of just six...
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USGPE, three other teams seeking Cosworth engines for 2010Four teams have reportedly paid the necessary deposit to reserve a supply of Cosworth's customer formula one engine for 2010. Accompanying the sport's lower-cost future, the independent British company is set to return to F1 next year at the initiative of the FIA, guaranteeing a low-cost engine...
Kenneth Hall -
Mazda France to celebrate 20 years of the MX-5 at Le MansOrganizing an exclusive event for one of the most inclusive sports cars ever made - the Mazda MX-5 Miata - may seem paradoxical, but that's exactly what Mazda France is doing this June at the Le Mans 24 Hours race. A maximum of 200 MX-5s and their owners will gather for a show and shine celebration...
Ralph Hanson -
Chrysler unveils $448 million electric vehicle planChrysler today submitted three proposals outlining a $448-million plan to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in order to rapidly bring electric vehicles (EV) and plug-in hybrid models to market. The proposals were submitted in order to receive two initiatives established by the DOE - the Electric...
James Martinez -
Report: UAW agrees to 17.5% stake in restructured GM, bondholders reject tender offerIn a hugely positive step for General Motors, the carmaker, together with the U.S. Treasury and United Auto Workers (UAW), reached a tentative bargain on how they'll deal with changes to the current agreement in the face of the industry's problems and GM's increasingly probably bankruptcy. The...
Ralph Hanson -
GM delivers Corvette ZR1 to German princePrince Albert von Thurn und Taxis, offspring of one of Germany’s old and wealthy noble families and an avid race car driver, took delivery recently of a new Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 in Bonstetten, Switzerland. The car was a “must have” for the prince but despite his racing pedigree...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Every automotive enthusiast with an internet connection has likely seen the video of Ken Block drifting his Subaru Impreza WRX STI around a closed airbase Gymkhana style - it's the sort of stuff that builds legends. But for Ken Block, that's not enough, and he's planning a second video that promises even more incredible displays of car control. The video below is the second teaser for the upcoming exhibition, and while it doesn't show any actual sideways, backwards, tire-smoking, pirouetting, donuts-around-a-moving-Segway action, it does document Crawford Performance's tear-down and build-up...
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Zero Pollution Motors plans 2011 U.S. launch for 106mpg air-powered carWhile major auto manufacturers race to bring new electric and hybrid cars to market, other companies are looking at alternatives to electricity - including using air to power cars. The idea of an air-powered car is nothing new, and companies have been touting the technology for the past few years...
Kenneth Hall -
Style at speed: MTM Birkin Edition Bentley Continental GTWhen dealing with the amount of money and prestige involved with a custom Bentley Continental, it's easy to get carried away - and there are plenty of examples to attest to that. But sometimes a custom house pulls off an upgrade that actually enhances the original, and that's exactly what we have...
Nelson Ireson -
Mercedes holding off on E-Class cabrio, wagonAnnouncements of the delays of new car models are almost more numerous than the new cars themselves, and it seems no one is immune to the practice. Mercedes-Benz today revealed it won't be releasing the new E-Class Cabrio (spied here) at Frankfurt this fall, and the E-Class Wagon will be delayed a...
Alex Kaufmann -
2010 Lexus HS 250h first driveGet behind the wheel of the 2010 Lexus HS 250h, and one of the first things you'll realize is that the seemingly inevitable comparison to the Prius isn't entirely appropriate. The Lexus is certainly destined to be more expensive and exclusive than Toyota's popular hybrid, but it's also a...
Ralph Hanson -
AT&T prepares to launch 22-channel CruiseCast satellite TV service for carsJust in case you didn't have enough gadgets in your car to keep you distracted on the drive to work, communications giant AT&T recently began testing of its new CruiseCast system - something that AT&T calls a "total in-car entertainment service", but is essentially a satellite TV feed direct to...
James Martinez -
BMW’s current N54 series straight-six engine is one of the most praised engines in the industry today, having taken out the coveted International Engine of the Year award last year and appearing in a vast array of BMW models. With the unveiling of the new 5-series GT last week, BMW has announced a new variation of the 3.0L engine which will debut in the crossover at the end of the year. The N54 features a twin-turbocharging system, as well as direct-fuel injection and BMW’s own Valvetronic technology, and in its most potent configuration develops up to 326hp (243kW) at 5,800rpm...
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Debt-riddled Porsche receives $980 million lifeline from VolkswagenThere was a point in time when Porsche was the veritable king of carmakers, boasting strong sales, record profits and virtually unmatched customer loyalty numbers even while many of its rivals teetered on the edge of bankruptcy. But like all things that go up, there was bound to be an inevitable...
Alex Kaufmann -
BMW wants to develop its EV technology completely in-houseSince the release of BMW’s official strategy back in September 2007, media sources around the world have speculated about the carmaker looking to either launch its own new brand or acquire one to help its expansion. Instead, BMW established a new environmental think-tank dubbed 'Project i'...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Wal-Mart CEO commissions one-off 'Golden Ferrari' 599Famed Italian coachbuilder and design house Pininfarina is most widely recognized for designing stunning cars like the Ferrari 599 but the company also dabbles every now and then in the area of coachbuilding special one-off creations for wealthy clients. Back in 2006 we saw the personalized Ferrari...
Alex Kaufmann -
‘Volvo - The Game’ now available for downloadMany carmakers have ventured into the field of video games, from the Gran Turismo and Need for Speed series to one-off games made for the iPhone and other platforms. Volvo is now joining those ranks with a new game to promote the S60 Concept as well as its racing efforts. Some of the other vehicles...
Nelson Ireson -
Toyota may cut back U.S. Prius allocation as demand in Japan soarsBuyers in the U.S. looking forward to purchasing the new 2010 Toyota Prius may have to wait longer than they initially bargained for, following strong demand for the latest hybrid in Japan. Going on sale just a week ago in Japan, the third-generation Prius was a hit before it even descended on...
Ralph Hanson -
Nissan may be releasing a new all-electric vehicle next year, but the styling of the car has yet to be finalized, which makes speculation about its appearance rather difficult. To help us out, Nissan's chief designer Shiro Nakamura has come out and provided some clues about the new EV's styling. The new Nissan EV will shock viewers with its appearance, Nakamura explained to Automotive News, adding that this is a tactic designed on purpose to make sure the public knows that this is an all-electric car and not just a hybrid. In this vein, the car will be avoiding the wedge-shape adopted by the...
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VW and BYD sign deal to work together on electric carsDuring an informational visit by the Chinese carmaker BYD (Build Your Dreams), company chairman Wang Chuanfu and the CEO of Volkswagen Martin Winterkorn signed a memorandum of understanding in the area of electric mobility. The objective of signing a memorandum of understanding between the two...
Alex Kaufmann -
Patent application reveals new direct-injection rotary engine from MazdaMazda's renowned rotary Wankel engine has been a staple in some of the carmaker’s sports cars for the last 44 years, with its first appearance in 1965 and its continuing application in the current RX-8 model. Throughout that period the engine has gone through a number of significant changes...
Jeremy Weber -
New York bans cars from Times SquareTimes Square in New York may be one of the most famous landmarks in the world, thanks to its stunning array of giant, lit-up billboards and location for the city’s world famous New Years Eve celebrations, but the area will be experiencing drastic changes in the near future as the local...
James Martinez -
Preview: New Seat Ibiza ST wagonThe once cash-strapped Seat brand is on the verge of developing a range of new models, with no less than four different vehicles planned for production within the next three to four years. The launch of the Ibiza hatch last year was just the tip of the iceberg as the Spanish carmaker is now working...
Alex Kaufmann -
Former heroes return to form in MonacoConditions were ideal in Monaco for today’s race, with temperatures reaching 77 degrees and the competition close, but in the end there was one clear winner. However, some former heroes showed a return to form but sadly the reprise was not enough to clench the final win. Ferrari was finally...
Kenneth Hall