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The 1-series has been a popular staple among premium small-car buyers in Europe for some time, but it has only hit the U.S. recently. The fun-to-drive and attractive compact has just gained a new sibling in the form of the 116d, powered by an efficient four-cylinder diesel. Unfortunately it's only...

Mercedes-Benz has been fined $28.9 million for failure to meet federal fuel efficiency standards by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) this week. The amount is the second-largest in the history of agency. Part of the U.S. CAFE standards, enforced by the NHTSA includes a...

Ford is enhancing the connectivity capabilities of its vehicles by introducing exclusive new SYNC real-time information features that deliver personalized news updates to drivers’ mobile phones while also helping them navigate around trouble spots in the hope to save time and fuel. SYNC is an...

The final details on Zele International's carbon-fiber bodykit and power enhancement for the Nissan GT-R have been released, with the tuning firm announcing that it plans to start taking orders for the completed car globally at the end of March. On display at this weekend’s 2009 Tokyo...

Audi has recorded sales of over one million cars in a 12 month period for the first time, and at the same time achieved its 13th record year of sales in a row. Worldwide, the carmaker’s sales increased 4.1% through 2008, with 12 new models and expansion into new markets helping to boost the...

The Tokyo Auto Show gets underway this Friday, but already the exhibits of the major carmakers are hitting the web. Nissan released its set of show cars today, including a range of custom packages for the 370Z, GT-R and Cube. Nissan's GT-R super-coupe is shown off by NISMO in Club Sports form...

Custom Porsche 911s are almost as common as the cars themselves, but the W3 Triposto is not likely to be lumped in with the crowd. With a center-seated driving position, speedster profile and outlandish design, the Triposto is anything but common. Built in 2005 by Clyde and Hugh Kwok, a father-son...

As the Detroit Auto Show approaches, more vehicles that will be on display are coming to light. Today Scion announced the xB Release Series 6.0, the latest in its limited-edition Release Series (RS) line of vehicles. Starting at just $1,743 over the base xB's pricing of $16,420, the RS 6.0 will get...

Students of the FH Joanneum University of Applied Sciences in Graz, Austria have designed a set of six KTM-inspired concepts. Using the edgy, futuristic design language made famous in KTM's motorcycles and X-Bow roadster, the students have styled a high-performance buggy, an...

In a reversal on Bush's prior commitment to make a decision on the issue of Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today revealed it will not make a decision before President-Elect Barack Obama takes office later this month. Proposed CAFE...

Fiat, through its Abarth performance division, is reportedly working on a new sports coupe based on its 500 minicar to be launched sometime next year. The car will simply be called the Abarth Coupe and will join the existing Punto and 500 models in the Abarth lineup. Due to its humble 500...

Earlier this week we saw Porsche finally acquire a majority stake in the Volkswagen Group, with its direct ownership in the German giant moving up to 50.76%. While Porsche is no rush to increase its holding, the sports carmaker has confirmed that it is still planning to raise its holding to 75%. A...

With such an opulent base as a Rolls Royce to begin with, many modification houses - even Rolls Royce's own Bespoke program - end up with creations so extravagant they are nearly obscene. Project Kahn has dodged that bullet with the Phantom Drophead Coupe, however, keeping to the minimalist styling...

Jaguar recently revealed details for its brand new AJ-V6D Gen III S 3.0L six-cylinder turbodiesel engine, which in its most powerful trim is rated at 271hp (202kW) and 443lb-ft (600Nm) of torque. A less powerful 237hp (177kW) is also available and according to latest reports the new...

The 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 company has planned to shut down all 12 of its Japanese plants for a total of 11 days in...

Industry cutbacks, especially in the areas of advertising and marketing, are taking more and more visible forms as carmakers such as Nissan decide to skip major shows such as the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. Previously, though the company itself had decided to pull out of the show, local Detroit-area...

Next year will the launch of a new compact hatch in the form of the Audi A1, which is expected to arrive on the market as a 2011 model. The car won’t be an affordable city car in the same vein as the Toyota iQ and the production version of the Volkswagen up! concept, but rather a premium...

Japanese tuning house Matchless Crowd Racing (MCR) has revealed some early shots of its customized 2009 Nissan 370Z – less than a week before the car is due to be unveiled at the Tokyo Auto Salon. The images reveal the new 370Z with handsome aerodynamic modifications and fitted with a MCR...

After displaying a concept version of its ‘Tornado’ Cayenne GTS early last year, Porsche tuning specialist Gemballa has revealed full production specs for its latest kit based on the original concept. Only 50 Tornado models will be completed, with two different versions available and...

Ever since the sleek new Genesis Coupe hit the scene, speculation about a possible convertible version has been brewing, but today Hyundai shut down all hopes, stating flatly that there are no plans for a drop-top Genesis. Miles Johnson, manager of product public relations for Hyundai Motor America...