Car News
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We've shown you spy shots of the upcoming AMG-powered version of the 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK, but a fresh crop of photos reveals even more detail on the two-seat sportscar. While taking the clearest set of photos yet, our spies says the engine sounded like a V-8, which could mean the twin-turbo AMG 5.5-liter V-8 is the roadster's source of power. At the SLK press drive earlier this year, Benz engineers wouldn't divulge the final displacement or horsepower numbers on the engine, but said to expect a dual-clutch transmission at some point in the AMG model, if not at launch. Look for the SLK AMG...
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Vintage 1906 Oldsmobile Built Using Google Books DownloadsAccessing the internet in your car is nothing new these days. Using the internet to build your car is rather more special. That's exactly what Kentucky-based vintage car enthusiast Bob Ferry did, constructing his "brand new" 1906 Oldsmobile Model B Runabout using information downloaded from Google...
Antony Ingram -
2011 Lexus CT 200h Named A Top Safety PickThe high-mileage Lexus CT 200h hybrid has been named an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick. The CT 200h was among a group of 13 small cars the agency recently tested; of those, six (including the Toyota Prius, Chevrolet Volt, and Nissan Leaf) received the accolade. Top...
Bengt Halvorson -
Memorial Day: 6 Apps For Your 3-Day WeekendIf you're one of our U.S. readers, you're probably (well, hopefully) preparing for a three-day weekend. And although gas prices are sky high, chances are good that many of you are planning road trips over the Memorial Day holiday. If you're in that number, we'd like to suggest a few apps that'll...
Richard Read -
Audi A9 To Rival Mercedes-Benz CL, Spawn Convertible: ReportAudi is thought to be readying a brand new model positioned above its current A8 and designed to take on the likes of the Mercedes-Benz CL as well as a rumored coupe version of the next Jaguar XJ. However, the mega Audi, which will likely be called the A9 if it makes production, is still in the...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Ford Takes Its Talking Vehicles On The RoadWhile EVs and plug-in hybrids may be drawing most of the headlines these days, there's another tech development on the horizon that could bring bigger changes for drivers -- and the planet. Vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) technology is a promising, affordable solution to many of today's transportation...
Richard Read -
This weekend the spectacle that is Formula 1 heads to the luxury playground of Monte Carlo for the 2011 Monaco Grand Prix, one of the most important and prestigious races, not only on the F1 calendar, but in the whole world. The narrow roads of the famous street circuit, with all its elevation changes, tight corners and trademark tunnel, creates plenty of drama each year and 2011 is expected to be no different. Drivers will complete 78 laps of the 2.08 mile track for a total 161.88 miles. A recent truck fire at Ste-Devote, near the first corner of the race, managed to cause some damage to the...
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2014 Chevrolet Impala’s Move To Detroit Could Spell End For Commodore HopesGeneral Motors Company's [NYSE:GM] announcement this week to move production of the next-generation 2014 Chevrolet Impala to its Detroit-Hamtramck manufacturing plant, where it will join the Volt and redesigned Malibu, could spell the end for any hope that the rear-wheel drive Holden Commodore...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Volvo Testing Flywheel KERS, Claims 20 Percent Fuel Consumption DropWe’ve seen it in Formula 1 over the years, and Porsche has relatively successfully implanted one in its 911 GT3 R Hybrid race cars, but now Volvo is testing one with an aim to bring it to the world of production cars. We’re of course talking about a Kinetic Energy Recovery System...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Jaguar Crossover To Get Aluminum Body, Ian Callum Design: ReportThe purists may hate the thought of it, but in this global economic environment a luxurious crossover looks to be a necessity if Jaguar hopes to remain viable in the future. Not only are the high-riding models crucial for gaining a foothold in emerging markets such as Russia, India and China, where...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2012 Ford Focus ST Spy ShotsOver the next 12 to 18 months or so, we’re about to see two new hot hatches from Ford make their debut, the long-awaited ‘ST’ variants of the latest 2012 Ford Focus and Fiesta. While the Fiesta ST isn’t expected to bow in until late next year as a 2013 model, its bigger...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
BMW To Add Customizable LCD Instrument Panel To Facelifted 5 And 7-SeriesEveryone else is doing it, so why not Bimmer? Simply because the technology isn't quite ready yet. We're talking about using a customizable digital instrument panel in place of more standard hardware. Mercedes-Benz has one in the S-Class and Jaguar Land Rover has added them in a few vehicles. It's...
Chris Weiss -
Eight Guilty Pleasures posts and no Ford products? I'll remedy that oversight right now. The folks at Dearborn have made all manner of interesting machinery that, these days, seems to fall through the cracks when it comes to pleasing the fickle hearts of car freaks. For example, the second-generation Mercury Marauder; the 1963-65 Marauders are favorites at those tedious car shows with "Hot Rod Lincoln" playing on an endless loop over scratchy PA speakers, and you can find hordes of Ford Panther obsessives squeezing out joyful tears at the sight of a DOHC 2003-04 Marauder. Mention the 1969-70...
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Arrinera's Polish (Yes, Polish) SupercarNo, that's not the latest Lamborghini Murcielago tune. No, really, it's not. It's an all-new supercar from none other than Poland. It seems that all you need is a flag and a population these days to have a supercar. In the past few years, we've seen supercar concepts in countries like Russia...
Chris Weiss -
Ugly Car Guide: 1945 VW Studebaker Wiesel"We call it the tank," the ad proclaims, and if ever there was an ugly relic that best summed up the military-industrial history of two countries, it's this one. According to the sellers out of Littlerock, California, this here's a 1945 Studebaker Wiesel. As far as we can tell, it's a Robot...
Martin Padgett -
BMW X7: Seven-Passenger Full-Size SUV Rumors ResurfaceIt's been almost eight months since the last round of talk about a seven-passenger BMW X7 arose, so it's probably time for another go. Answering the call, the pot-stirrers at Automobile Magazine have spilled some digital ink on the matter. Said to bear the codename F17, the X7 would effectively be...
Nelson Ireson -
Rumormill Working Overtime On BMW M1Ever since the M1 Homage concept was shown at the Villa D'Este Concours in 2008, the rumor mongerers have been swinging for the fences. Now there appears to be a veneer of reality surrounding the idea of a reborn M1, though if that's the case, it's still little more than a twinkle in a designer's...
Nelson Ireson -
2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS Accessorizes With Apple iPad AppAutomotive apps are all the rage, but it's a special kind of car that gets an app all to itself. The luxury 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class four-door coupe is just such a car, and a free app available through the Apple App Store allows owners and potential owners to access information about the car...
Antony Ingram -
The fantastic festival of carbon fiber that is the James Glickenhaus Ferrari P4/5 Competizione was built as a one-off project for endurance racing, with its first major event to be the 24 Hours of Nurburgring next month. But now it looks like it could be exiting the racing sector because of a rules issue. So what's the issue? The P4/5 race team says they need movable aerodynamic elements to be competitive in the class. It has plenty of downforce, the team says, but that downforce limits the top speed of the car through drag. Unfortunately, movable aero, like in F1, is specifically disallowed...
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McLaren MP4-12C Prototype Crashes On The 'Ring In Suspected Hot Lap AttemptAs useless as it is to try to compare Nurburgring Nordschleife lap times (the variables are nearly endless) it's nonetheless a favorite pastime for the industry, media, and enthusiasts. Accordingly, it makes sense that McLaren would be doing a share of its final testing of the MP4-12C there, tuning...
Nelson Ireson -
2012 Hyundai Genesis Sedan Priced From $34,200Though it's largely unchanged for the 2012 model year, there are a few new tweaks and twists to the Hyundai Genesis Sedan, along with a new slate of pricing info, released today. The good news is that it's pretty easy to get into a base V-6 model, which starts at just $34,200. That's right in the...
Nelson Ireson -
Maserati To Build Its Own Version Of Alfa Romeo 4C: ReportRevealed in concept form at this year's Geneva Motor Show, the compact and dashing Alfa Romeo 4C coupe is already tagged as the brand's leader in the return to the U.S. market, but it may get some in-house competition in the form of a Maserati-branded version. The details are still a bit sketchy...
Nelson Ireson -
2012 MINI Roadster To Feature Manual Folding Soft Top?Electric-folding soft tops have become the norm in convertibles over the past few years, where they haven't been replaced by complex power hard tops, but MINI is going back to basics for its upcoming Roadster two-seater, according to the latest reports. The news is a bit surprising given MINI's...
Nelson Ireson -
Dimostra Automuseo Launches Online Store For High-Quality Car ArtRemember Dimostra Automuseo’s online storage service for car collectors and photographers? Well the company has now expanded the service with a new online store where virtually anyone can have the stunning artwork typical of the material in Dimostra Automuseo’s database in their very...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran