Car News
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Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout - APEAL - is how J.D. Power measures the 'gratification' a car owner experiences with each new model on the market. For the fifth year running Porsche took top honors, but several trends in the market show a wide range of improvements. First up: American carmakers have closed the gap on their import counterparts. In 2007, domestics fell 27 points short of imports, while in 2008 that shrunk to 15 points. This year there's just 5 points between domestics and imports, reflecting the huge improvement in design and build quality of American vehicles...
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Ferrari's 599 GTB Handling Pack now available as dealer optionThough the California convertible has grabbed almost all the attention paid to Ferrari in the media recently, the 599 GTB is still just as formidable and attractive as it was the day it hit the streets. For some extremists, however, even a car as superb as the 599 isn’t completely up to...
Alex Kaufmann -
Jaguar X-Type Dies Lonely Death; World Not MovedPoor unloved Jaguar X-Type--the memorial service won't be the media circus of some other recent farewells, will it? The compact luxury sedan has finally met its maker. Production will end in December, reports Autocar, and there will end the massive experiment that probably signaled the end of...
Martin Padgett -
Callum: Jaguar XJ Coupe On the BoardsLast week's gala introduction of the 2010 Jaguar XJ will have a follow-up act--or two. Jaguar's already acknowledged it's working on hybrid versions of its new range-topping sedan. During interviews for the introduction of the aluminum-bodied, sleek new XJ, Jaguar design director Ian Callum also...
Martin Padgett -
Report: BMW, Daimler to end hybrid partnershipBMW and Daimler have been working more and more closely together over the past several years, especially since the need to share costs and improve bottom lines has become so sharp in 2009. But despite ongoing partnerships for vehicle safety technology, the hybrid partnership that spawned the...
Ralph Hanson -
Spy shots: Mercedes Benz SLK caught at the NurburgringThe SLK roadster has served Mercedes Benz well over its life since introduction in 2004, and like all cars its once-cutting-edge design has become somewhat tired, despite a mid-cycle facelift. An all-new SLK is in the works, however, and it's been spotted testing in the still-wintry German weather...
Alex Kaufmann -
If you're in Sioux Falls, Fort Collins, or Chattanooga, your chances of colliding with another vehicle are a lot lower than in most other U.S. cities. On average, a driver in Sioux Falls will go 13.5 years between accidents - more than two and a half times as long as the 5.1 years for Washington, D.C. drivers. The results come from a new study from insurance company Allstate, which has compiled its fifth annual ‘America's Most Improved Driving City report. The report ranks the 200 largest U.S. cities based on collision frequency Among the most-improved cities were Alexandria, Virginia;...
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Bob Lutz confirms Cadillac CTS-V Coupe, hints at Sport WagonA rebadged Pontiac G8 isn’t the only new model General Motors’ new marketing czar Bob Lutz is shouting about. During a Web-chat held on GM’s own FastLane blog, Lutz was open to a number of questions about the company’s future plans and went as far as confirming a couple. One...
James Martinez -
Belgium’s RHJ International emerges as latest bidder for OpelHolding company RHJ International has emerged this week as a strong challenger to Magna International in the bidding war for General Motors' Opel division. The Belgium-based industrial holding firm, which is linked to the U.S. buyout company Ripplewood, confirmed that it was in advanced talks to...
Kenneth Hall -
Nissan unveils fuel-saving dual injector systemNissan today announced the development of a Dual Injector system designed to improve fuel efficiency in small-displacement petrol engines. The new fuel delivery system, the first of its kind in the world (for mass produced cars), uses an injector for each port rather than one per cylinder –...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Peugeot releases more details for new RCZ sports coupeThe midsize Peugeot 308 is one of the most flexible vehicles in the French automaker’s lineup, spawning numerous variants such as the regular three and five-door hatchbacks, SW wagon, as well as the stylish CC convertible. However, there is at least one more 308 variant in the works and...
Kenneth Hall -
Spy shots: Mercedes Benz E-Class Cabrio takes to the 'RingThe previous Mercedes Benz CLK is something of an enigma - built around the C-Class platform, styled like the E-Class, and priced in between the two, the car sits in its own unique segment and has no direct competition from its rivals. Its sales history has been a strong success, especially in the...
Alex Kaufmann -
General Motors' engineers are quick to point out that the 2011 Chevrolet Volt isn't a hybrid at all - it's powered only by electricity, with the combustion engine serving only to extend its range. But according to a new report, GM does have plans for a dedicated, high-efficiency hybrid to one-up the Chevrolet Malibu mild hybrid. Why is GM finally taking its game down the dedicated hybrid road? Because its mild hybrids aren't efficient enough to differentiate themselves from the already rather efficient standard powertrain vehicles, reports GM-Volt. “One of the issues with the Malibu...
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Ferrari opens official store at the NurburgringLast weekend's German Grand Prix was the focus of activity at the Nurburgring, but alongside the dog-and-pony show that Formula 1 has become, Ferrari took a few moments to dedicate its newest retail outlet on the grounds of the hallowed Nurburgring itself. Covering 2,582 square feet, the...
Alex Kaufmann -
Lexus shifting focus to entry-level modelsEveryone in the industry is feeling the burn of a long, slow summer, but few are feeling as keenly as Lexus. Perhaps that's because the luxury import carmaker had so far to fall, having been the dominant force in American luxury cars for most of the past decade. But there's a plan afoot to help...
Ralph Hanson -
Hone your race track skills with Jim Russell’s Mitsubishi Lancer Evo ExperienceMitsubishi has teamed up with America’s Jim Russell Racing Drivers School to create an exciting new driver training course that utilizes the high-performance Lancer Evolution X in an effort to help willing participants hone their race track skills. Called the Jim Russell Lancer Evolution...
James Martinez -
Spy shots: Mercedes Benz SLS AMG Gullwing up closeThe successor to the Mercedes Benz SL Gullwing (and replacement for the SLR) has been spotted in prototype form in and around Germany’s Nurburgring test circuit for several months now, but what only a select few knew is that the car is being developed completely in-house by Mercedes’...
Alex Kaufmann -
BMW M Division Boss: No M7 In The WorksFresh off our experience with BMW's X6 M and discussions of future products with the M Division chief Dr Kay Segler, more news about the future of the M brand has emerged. Once again it's Segler spreading the news, but this time it's not so good: there is no M7 in the works. Instead, the twin-turbo...
Nelson Ireson -
The 350Z Roadster caught a lot of flack for its awkward top-up proportions, and while the new 370Z Roadster has the top-down look nailed, the lack of official top-up shots has us worried it too will fall prey to poor design. Whatever the aesthetics, however, pricing is a known quantity, and it starts at $36,970. That's a hefty premium over the $29,930 coupe, though the Roadster is likely to benefit from a more luxurious and less sport-focused options package that could help explain some of the value difference. Stepping up to the automatic seven-speed transmission will cost $38,270. If you're...
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Lexus HS 250h tops 1,500 pre-orders in JapanThough it has already been ruled out for Europe where diesel is king, the 2010 Lexus HS 250h dedicated hybrid sedan is planned for the U.S. If early sales reports out of Japan are any indication, the HS should prove a bigger hit than some might have predicted. Over 1,500 buyers have placed orders...
Kenneth Hall -
Abu Dhabi investment firm buys 4% of Tesla stake from DaimlerTie-ups between traditionally European brands and Middle Eastern investment firms are becoming increasingly common. Aston Martin's primary shareholder is the Kuwaiti firm Investment Dar, and Porsche is currently hammering out a deal with Qatar, but now Abu Dhabi investment firm Aabar has purchased...
Alex Kaufmann -
Porsche GT3 gets new magnetic engine mounts from DelphiMagneto rheological (MR) fluid has some pretty amazing properties. It can change from a low-viscosity liquid to a very stiff, nearly solid substance in milliseconds with the mere application of a magnetic field. Now that technology is heading from shock absorbers to engine mounts, and the first car...
Nelson Ireson -
Production Volkswagen Bluesport roadster still a possibility?When it first appeared in Detroit back in January the Bluesport concept stirred talk of the revival of the roadster segment, and especially the Porsche 914 and 356. Unfortunately, the Porsche's rebirth was ruled out last month, and this had led to fears that the same fate may ensue for a planned...
Alex Kaufmann -
More details on Mercedes’ all-electric SLS gullwingNot only is the horsepower war not over - contrary to AMG's own declaration last year - the latest reports say it has moved into a whole new range of armaments: electric vehicles. The latest development is a possible all-electric powertrain for the 2011 Mercedes Benz SLS AMG, which is expected to...
Alex Kaufmann