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Mini is resurrecting one of its most famous models, a car that once belonged to Beatles member George Harrison. Decked out in psychedelic paintings, the legendary Beatle Mini Cooper appeared in the rock group’s 'Magical Mystery Tour', and now Mini is dedicating a reinterpretation of Harrison's vehicle to the man himself. The latest car is being produced strictly as a one-off for the brand's 50th birthday and will be given to Harrison's widow, Olivia Harrison. The ceremony will take place at the world's biggest Mini fan event, Mini United, in the UK later this month and the car will then...
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Lincoln reveals pricing for MKS with 355hp EcoBoost V6The Lincoln MKS has been a sales success for Ford, with the regular V6 version launched last year racking up thousands of sales and regaining market share lost mainly to Cadillac in the recent past. Lincoln is now expanding the MKS range to make even more flexible with the sales launch of the new...
Jeremy Weber -
Nissan Japan offers retrofit upgrades and SpecV parts for early model GT-RsThe Nissan GT-R first went on sale in Japan in December of 2007 and since then has undergone a series of minor updates to arrive at the current 2010 model year ‘Series II’ specification. During this time we’ve also seen the introduction of the lighter and stiffer SpecV model...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Ford offers 100,000 test drives of new Fiesta in lead up to next year’s U.S. launchFord's new Fiesta won’t be arriving in local showrooms until early next year, but the company is pulling out all the stops to promote the small car with various social marketing campaigns to build excitement. To further this, the Blue Oval has announced that it has set a goal to get 100,000...
James Martinez -
Ford boasts profitability by 2011Of the Detroit 3 carmakers, Ford is easily the strongest and compared with its global competition the Blue Oval isn’t looking too shabby either – impressive considering U.S. new car sales are at their lowest level in decades. Furthermore, Ford insists it will be able to reach...
Ralph Hanson -
Flying cash stops traffic in GermanyIn a new case of a driver having more dollars than sense, or in this instance more Euros, a 23-year old man in Germany managed to shutdown a highway when an envelope full of cash he was carrying sprayed all over the road. The man was out testing an Audi A3 Cabrio and carelessly left the envelope of...
Alex Kaufmann -
Fast cars and rock and roll - it's a classic combination that never gets old. So Audi's decision to tap into some of the 1970s and 1980s top musical talent for its new motorsport theme song is no surprise, though the result is certainly interesting. Leslie Mandoki (pictured), one of Germany's most successful and internationally active music producers, was hired to put together the project, which yielded a theme entitled 'Is There a Dream Left.' He had previously managed the musical market launch of the Audi Q7, so matching music with cars wasn't new for Mandoki. "The song is a hymn of praise...
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Chrysler reveals more details on plans to cut 789 dealers by June 9Cutting back production and right-sizing brands and lineups is just one aspect of the restructuring underway at the hands of the U.S. federal government. Earlier this week hard cuts in both labor and dealership numbers were discussed, foreshadowing the next steps to come, and today a Chrysler memo...
Ralph Hanson -
Ghosn: Nissan to grow its connections with Renault to help boost earningsJust days after reporting its first loss since Carlos Ghosn took the helm in 1999, Nissan is looking for ways to get back on track, and Ghosn thinks that means tightening its relationship with Renault. More cooperation could mean lower total costs and therefore more profitability, but the specifics...
Ralph Hanson -
Wimmer custom Porsche GT2 puts down 680hpWith the tight tolerances, high-quality materials and top-level engineering that goes into today's cars, there's often a surprising amount of potential left inside their engines. It appears the Porsche GT2 is no exception, with the tuners at Wimmer Rennsporttechnik Solingen finding another 150hp...
Alex Kaufmann -
Ferrari will mark end of F430 production by auctioning final model for charityStaking out a very safe place as Ferrari's highest development of the production mid-engine V8 berlinetta - thus far, at least - the F430 has seen a five-year lifespan, and will soon be replaced. When the final car rolls off the line later this year, it will be auctioned off to support the people...
Nelson Ireson -
Audi RS5 will use same 4.2L V8 as RS4, Cabrio model in the worksLate last month we brought you exclusive spy shots of a prototype for the new RS5, Audi’s upcoming M3 rival, and just like its rival from Munich the Audi super-coupe will be fitted with a naturally-aspirated and high-revving V8 engine. The engine will be the same 4.2L unit found under the...
Kenneth Hall -
Chronicling MG's path through the last decade is tough enough, and delving further back borders on the arcane, but under SAIC's ownership, the line of British-built roadsters has been brought back to life, starting with the currently-available TF LE-500, and soon to be joined by an updated version of the TF 135. Those familiar with MG's UK operations will remember the TF 135 model name, and the vast majority of the car itself, from 2005, when MG was still MG Rover, before it was bought out by the Chinese. The car rejoining the British market is largely the same - it looks essentially...
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New company aims to make supercar clubs affordableThe idea of pooling resources to get access to a wide range of the most exotic four-wheeled machinery available isn't new, though it is still rather exclusive. Groups like P1 International in the UK and The Supercar Club in Australia have built the genre over the past few years, while newcomers...
Kenneth Hall -
Electric Volkswagen up! minicar coming in 2013Volkswagen's upcoming up! minicar project is destined to go electric but the first examples won’t be around until 2013. Currently, the up! is being developed with conventional petrol and diesel options and will be sold under various guises through the VW, Seat and Skoda brands by 2011. The...
Alex Kaufmann -
Rare Porsche and other classics being auctioned at Brands HatchOnly a month ago we saw two of the rarest cars in the world being put up for auction - including a 1967 Ferrari 330 P4, as well as a 1965 Shelby Daytona Coupe that was expected to sell for between $10 million and $15 million. Potential buyers will now also be able to bid on a handful of other rare...
Kenneth Hall -
Report: Nissan still working on convertible MuranoIt's a weird world we live in, but Nissan is apparently going forward with its plans to build a convertible Nissan Murano crossover SUV. Why? No one knows, especially in this market. Rumors initially popped up late last year, but nothing was heard since - until today. The report appears credible...
Ralph Hanson -
Toyota launches new build-your-own Prius configuratorToyota may have just sold its millionth hybrid vehicle in the United States last month, but that hasn't stopped the industry giant from getting trounced in its home market of Japan when it comes to hybrid sales. Last month the company has released official pricing for the 2010 Prius, starting at...
Jeremy Weber -
Fiat is trying to tie together Chrysler and GM via Opel, so perhaps the idea of a BMW-Daimler tie-up isn't the strangest corporate pairing in the works, but it is potentially one of the most contentious. Lastweek Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche said he'd like to see a partnership of equals between the two companies, and this week BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer has expressed trepidation about the idea. Reithofer is fearful of the impact a tie-up with Daimler might have on the BMW brand itself. "There are clear limits. The BMW brand, which one study has valued at $24 billion, must not be diluted or the...
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Renault joins Ferrari, threatens to quit F1 in 2010As was expected on Wednesday, Renault confirmed that it too is threatening to quit formula one over the budget cap issue. The Flavio Briatore-led outfit said it is the two-tier element of Max Mosley's 2010 rules that has caused its French parent to "reconsider its entry in next year's" world...
Ralph Hanson -
Laid-off Detroit auto workers invited to exclusive Eminem concert on Jimmy Kimmel showAs many of you would know, the current financial crisis has led to certain industries being forced to lay off hundreds, or even thousands of workers. The Detroit auto industry was one of the worst hit, with major companies such as General Motors and Chrysler teetering on the brink up bankruptcy for...
James Martinez -
Better Place shows off its automated EV battery switching stationShai Agassi's ambitious Better Place project has been rolling out plans for test-market EVs around the world for over a year now, and today the project took a huge leap forward with the demonstration of its first automated battery swapping station. The proof-of-concept facility was demonstrated in...
Nelson Ireson -
Porsche wins 'most recommended brand' title, Japan and Detroit dominate 'most recommended vehicles'Devoted Porsche owners have given the brand the top ranking in a survey designed to figure out which brand and model of car most new car buyers would recommend to other potential purchasers. The survey, which was given to around 25,000 people who had bought cars between September and December 2008...
Kenneth Hall -
Crooked Lamborghini dealer pleads guilty to fraudYou may recall in November of last year the biggest Lamborghini dealership in the world, the prestigious Lamborghini Orange County, suddenly shut its doors without any reason apart from speculation that the owner was involved in several unsuccessful side-ventures. It appears there was a great deal...
James Martinez