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Last year we saw the first test-mules for the next-generation BMW 1-series driving around the streets of Munich in Germany. At first appearance the test vehicles looked like ordinary 1-series hatchbacks but on closer inspection a number of key features revealed several vital clues about the next model. The images revealed that the next 1-series will be bigger than the current model, with a slightly longer wheelbase and wider track. This latter element ties in with BMW’s desire to make the new car sportier than the current one. This also lends to the idea that a new high-performance...
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GM delays Australian Cadillac launch indefinitelyGeneral Motors Company [NYSE:GM] today announced that the introduction of Cadillac into the Australia market had been delayed indefinitely. Confirming the bad news was the boss of GM’s Holden subsidiary, Mark Reuss, who said the downturn in the local automotive market plus the broader global...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Toyota confirms iQ under consideration for U.S.Toyota’s new iQ minicar is set to go on sale in Japan and most parts of Europe very soon, but there are now indications from one of the carmaker’s top officials that the diminutive hatch could make its way to the United States. There has been plenty of speculation that the iQ could be...
Ralph Hanson -
Mercedes Benz releases AMG sports pack for new E-ClassHaving already unveiled its all-new E-Class Sedan at last week’s Detroit Auto Show, Mercedes Benz released today new images of the svelte saloon wrapped in the carmaker’s new AMG styling package. The package includes a number features not available individually and gives us a preview of...
Jeremy Weber -
Top Gear's Stig revealed as racing legend Bill CollinsThe BBC's Top Gear is perhaps the most well-recognized and widely-watched motoring program on earth, and the series' dependence on a hired gun that plies the world's best supercars at the show's test track is equally well-known. That driver's identity has been a closely guarded secret of the show...
Kenneth Hall -
GM sells 8.35 million vehicles in 2008, down 11% on previous yearGM has announced today that its global sales tally for 2008 has come in at 8.35 million vehicles, which represents a 10.8% decline on 2007’s levels and a substantial 616,000 units short of Toyota’s tally over the same period. Toyota also experienced a sales decline over 2008, with its...
Jeremy Weber -
In the never-ending pursuit of efficiency, performance and smooth power delivery, the next step forward for many carmakers is the adoption of the dual-clutch transmission. Once the province of high-end performance cars, dual-clutch units have been finding their way into everyday vehicles from Volkswagen, Volvo, Audi and more for years. Now Ford has announced its U.S. products will be joining the list starting in 2010. The corporate technology behind the upcoming Ford dual clutch is dubbed Powershift, and Volvo has already begun rolling the units out in its C30 and other vehicles. Like many...
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Mercedes-Benz R-Class soldiers onThere's something to be said for persistence, especially in the face of rejection, but in the case of the Mercedes-Benz R-Class, persistence may not be enough. The slow-selling crossover has hit its zenith, but is still short of the hopes Mercedes had for it when it debuted in 2005. Built in the...
Alex Kaufmann -
Honda releases details for European-spec Insight hybridThe production Honda Insight hybrid vehicle made its world debut last week at the Detroit Auto Show but the car on display was the version designed specifically for sale in North America. Honda has now released full details and images for its European-spec Insight hybrid, revealing that its average...
Alex Kaufmann -
Ford Focus RS enters productionThe first 2010 Ford Focus RS rolled off the production line today at the Blue Oval’s Saarlouis plant in Germany, with the first cars expected to hit showrooms in April. The Focus RS will be available in more than 20 European countries including Russia, with the UK, Switzerland and Germany...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
BMW, Renault and Williams launch 2009 F1 carsPerpetual front-runners Ferrari and McLaren-Mercedes have already revealed their contenders for the 2009 Formula 1 World Championship, and as the weeks remaining until the kickoff of the new season in Melbourne tick away, more and more teams follow suit. This week the new debuts include the BMW...
Nelson Ireson -
Bentley's Production V-8 Turns 50Fifty years ago Bentley first installed a V8 engine in its iconic S2 Continental, and the legacy of that original 6.2L aluminum powerplant can still be found today in cars like the 530hp (395kW) Brooklands coupe, Arnage saloon and Azure convertible. To celebrate the achievement, Bentley’s...
Kenneth Hall -
American carmakers recently secured a multi-billion dollar loan guarantee from the federal government but their counterparts across the pond haven’t been so lucky. Late last year the European Commission approved plans to provide up to $6 billion to its automotive industry, far short of the $55 billion in loans Europe’s carmakers had been hoping for, and since then no aid package has been finalized. According to a new report, BMW is now considering applying to the German government for a state guarantee to back up its borrowings. The news was first reported by Bild Zeitung, which...
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Toyota founder’s grandson will replace CEO by JuneFollowing Toyota’s shock announcement recently that the company is expecting to post a ¥150 billion ($1.7 billion) loss for the year ending March 2009, comes an official announcement that Akio Toyoda, the 52 year-old grandson of Toyota's founder Kiichiro Toyoda, will step into the role of...
Kenneth Hall -
Leaked brochure confirms EcoBoost for 2010 Ford TaurusIt's amazing what a few lines of text can do, and while a few leaked details on the powertrain of the 2010 Ford Taurus is not in a league with the Declaration of Independence, both serve to illustrate the power of words. In this case, it's the power of an acronym - 3.5L GTDI - that conveys a hint...
Nelson Ireson -
Audi's A4 outsells all other premium sedans in GermanyThough overall sales figures have slumped through the end of 2008 and start of 2009, there are occasional bright patches of news as carmakers grab market share from long-time competitors or reach individual sales records. Audi has done just that, beating BMW's 3-series and Mercedes-Benz's C-Class...
Nelson Ireson -
Next-gen Ford Focus could feature EcoBoost powerplant, 43mpgAlthough Lincoln's C Concept may have struck few chords with show-goers, its theoretical internals could live on in a future Ford Focus. The latest reports indicate Ford is considering a 1.6L 180hp (134kW) four-cylinder EcoBoost engine for its next Focus, capable of pushing highway fuel economy as...
Nelson Ireson -
Mazda-Ford relationship strained, weakeningThe tight and mutually beneficial relationship between Ford and Mazda has been an exemplar of symbiosis in the auto industry, but now that Ford has sold off its controlling interest in Mazda, that cooperation may be difficult or impossible due to legal roadblocks. Already the two companies are...
Ralph Hanson -
Toyota used last week’s Detroit Auto Show to unveil its new FT-EV concept, a compact urban runabout based on the iQ minicar and powered by an all-electric drivetrain. The carmaker also used the Detroit event to announce plans to launch an urban commuter ‘battery-electric vehicle’ (BEV) by 2012 in the United States. While it’s safe to assume the new electric vehicle will be similar in shape and size to the FT-EV concept, Toyota’s national alternative-fuel vehicle manager in the U.S., Bill Reinert, has revealed to Automotive News that the carmaker is still...
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Report: Toyota to halve Japanese productionThe global downturn in car sales is a familiar topic these days, and even the production juggernaut of Toyota is facing unseen declines in demand for its products. To help realign output with that demand, the carmaker recently announced plans to shut down all 12 of its Japanese plants for a total...
Jeremy Weber -
GM money woes kill hopes of production ConverjOne of the most exciting cars from last week’s Detroit Auto Show was the Cadillac Converj concept car, which General Motors used to showcase its plug-in hybrid technology in a luxury platform. Despite the concept featuring one of the most striking designs we’ve seen in a while, GM vice...
James Martinez -
First Hurst 50th Anniversary Dodge Viper sells for $275,000 at Barrett-Jackson auctionThis past weekend’s Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, saw a number of special vehicles go under the hammer, including this striking Dodge Viper that was prepared by vehicle customizer Hurst. The particular model is the first of the new Hurst 50th Anniversary Dodge...
Jeremy Weber -
Volvo pulls out of 2009 Tokyo Motor ShowThe Japan Automobile Manufacturers' Association (JAMA) is still deciding whether or not to cancel this year’s Tokyo Motor Show, currently scheduled for October, but with a string of carmakers confirming their non-attendance the show’s current status is looking grim. America’s...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Saleen reveals SMS 570 Dodge ChallengerAmerican performance carmaker Saleen and its new SMS supercar offshoot has finally revealed its first official product, the Signature Series performance line based on the 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T. The lineup will consist of two new vehicles, the SMS 570 and SMS 570X Challengers, both fully...
Ralph Hanson