Car News
-
In the midst of its U.S. marketing blitz for the 2010 IS C, Lexus is working hard to build enough cars to meet consumer demand. Currently about 1,200 cars are leaving the Kyushu factory each month, but according to a Lexus official, that's just barely enough. The IS-C was introduced last October at the Paris Motor Show, and now that the hardtop convertible is finally in full swing in the U.S., Lexus is carefully managing the supply, reports Wards Auto. “I don't think we're going to outstrip demand with our build rate,” said Scott Wracher, Lexus's general manager for the Eastern...
-
Report: Karmann survives on electric car lifeline from VWGerman independent vehicle manufacturer Karmann shut its doors for the last time late last month as the company heads into bankruptcy but the move may not be final according to latest reports. Karmann has reportedly inked a $14 million deal with Volkswagen to help with the development and supply of...
Alex Kaufmann -
Audi A1 and A8 will miss September’s Frankfurt Motor ShowAudi is working on a handful of new models set for launch over the next 12 months but despite the prominence of the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show two of the key models won’t be appearing. The cars are the all-new A1 minicar and next-generation A8 flagship. Both cars are expected to be...
Alex Kaufmann -
Mantide supercar to challenge Corvette ZR1’s Nurburgring lap timeWith a hexagon-centric theme and styling that looks like it was sent back through a space-time rift from 2020, the Bertone Mantide is a new and polarizing figure in the design world. Soon, however, it may also be a prominent figure in the performance world as the owner of the car reportedly wants...
Jeremy Weber -
New M-Sport package for BMW X6 will come with power upgradesJust weeks after the unveiling of the new M-Sport package for the new 7-series saloon comes news that BMW will be releasing a similar range of upgrades for its sporty X6 crossover as well as some power mods. The X6 xDrive35d and xDrive50i will be gifted with a few extra horsepower, with the 306hp...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Report: Lexus IS F Convertible planned for early 2011 launchDespite there being no plans yet for an IS Coupe or a high-performance F version of the new IS C Convertible, officially, a new report has surfaced and claims that a Lexus IS F Convertible is in the works. Coupe and convertible versions of the IS-F would be welcome by fans, and it would also likely...
Ralph Hanson -
While big brand automakers like Toyota and General Motors are still more than a year away from launching their respective plug-in hybrid vehicles, small start-ups such as California's Fisker Automotive intends on having its own plug-in hybrid on sale this November. The company today took a step closer to production reality of its Karma plug-in hybrid luxury saloon by signing a $10.2 million deal with Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide Inc. to supply the car's advanced plug-in hybrid system. The deal calls for Quantum to supply its advanced Q-Drive powertrain for the Karma as well as...
-
Aston Martin releases mega-gallery for DBS VolanteFew automakers have the pedigree - the panache - of Aston Martin, and even fewer cars can match the elegant DBS. Now Aston Martin has seen fit to add a drop-top version of the DBS, called the Volante. The DBS Volante is powered by the same 6.0L V12 engine rated at 510hp (380kW) and 420lb-ft (570Nm)...
Kenneth Hall -
Spy Shots: First Ferrari F450 PrototypesThe first examples of Ferrari’s latest model, the California convertible, are still arriving in showrooms around the world but already development on several all-new models is well underway. Late last year we saw images of a shortened 599 testing in Germany, suggesting that Ferrari may be...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2010 BMW 5-Series GT May Replace Wagon in U.S.BMW's controversially styled new 5-Series GT will be heading to U.S. showrooms later this year. When it does, it could take the place of the current 5-Series Wagon altogether. According to BMW's Martin Birkmann, head of product planning, "it's possible" that the hatchback 5-Series could be the...
Nelson Ireson -
And Now, The Mercedes-Benz That Fits In Its Own TrunkMost Mercedes-Benz vehicles have four wheels, lots of airbags and a big trunk, but the German automaker's latest effort doesn't meet any of those criteria. In fact, this latest Benz just folds under pressure. It's the latest version of the Mercedes-Benz Folding Bike, one of the handful of...
Martin Padgett -
Right-hand-drive Tesla Roadster coming next yearJust a few weeks ago Tesla got a new lease on life with a $465 million U.S. Department of Energy loan to build the infrastructure it needs for the mass-production of the Model S luxury-electric sedan. Soon after that the company announced plans to grow its brand overseas while also opening its...
James Martinez -
When General Motors sells Saturn later this year, it will lose more than a quarter of its sales of hybrid vehicles. Saturn, with no V8 models, fullsize SUVs or pickups, is GM’s most fuel-efficient brand and is second only to Chevrolet for overall hybrid sales with its Vue and Aura mild-hybrid models. Saturn also planned to launch a new Two-Mode hybrid version of the Vue by the middle of the year, as well as an advanced plug-in hybrid version next year. While reports emerged earlier this year claiming all these vehicles had been canceled, GM’s vice chairman of global product...
-
Hyundai Tiburon replacement will get 140hp direct-injected four-cylinderHyundai isn’t keeping quiet about its future product line, with the company’s U.S. chief previously revealing details about the company’s upcoming hybrid and electric vehicle plans and now details about the company’s replacement for the Tiburon. Speaking with Edmunds...
Ralph Hanson -
Pebble Beach Concours Debut For New 'Grand Bentley' Arnage ReplacementToday's Arnage is showing its age against modern ultra-luxury rivals like the Rolls Royce Phantom and Maybach saloons, but testing of a new model is well underway. Despite the head start of its rivals, Bentley is planning to pause almost a full year from this September before going into production...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Future Buicks: small cars, front-drivers, and four-cylinders aheadWith GM sailing off into the future minus a handful of brands--Saturn, HUMMER, Saab and Pontiac among them--Buick counts itself as one of the lucky nameplates in the new GM. What's next? A compact Buick lineup of four or five vehicles, with more compact dimensions and smaller engines than fans of...
Martin Padgett -
First Drive: 2010 BMW X6 MHurtling along at a cool 143mph (230km/h) in BMW's 2010 X6 M at Road Atlanta just before you shut it down hard for turn 10A, there's a brief moment where you wonder if it's even physically possible for the 5,324lb (2,415kg) missile you're now a part of to slow down enough to make the turn and avoid...
Nelson Ireson -
Car Czar Rattner Wants Cadillac Free, And SoonWith General Motors setting a land-speed record in clearing bankruptcy court, the White House and de facto car czar Steven Rattner want out of General Motors, and quick. GM could exit bankruptcy as soon as tomorrow, now that a federal court has okayed the Section 363 sale of the "new GM" assets to...
Martin Padgett -
Tesla has announced that it is partnering with the Bank of America to offer a range of new financing packages for its all-electric Roadster in the hope to "significantly" expand the number of customers who can experience the groundbreaking Bank of America will directly finance, document, and service vehicle loans for customers, providing a very easy online interface for these services. Importantly, all agreements and payments will be between the customer and Bank of America. This doesn't mean that almost anyone with a decent credit rating can come in and drive away with a new Tesla Roadster...
-
Caterham increases production as demand soarsCaterham has responded to the strong demand for its iconic Seven roadsters by increasing production levels by more than 10%. With the company recently attaining European-wide homologation for its range of lightweight roadsters, demand has reached above forecast levels and new markets are...
Kenneth Hall -
Germany's Mileworks joins electric car race with new E-Rod roadsterIt seems these days that a new electric sports car concept is announced almost every month but it's not often that we get to see the actual concept in the metal, so to speak, or in the case of the new E-Rod, in the carbon-fiber composite. The E-Rod electric roadster is the latest creation of German...
Alex Kaufmann -
Spy shots: Saab’s next-gen 9-5 takes shapeThe Saab 9-5 is long overdue for an overhaul, with the current model first hitting the streets as far back as 1997. A totally redesigned model was rumoured to make an appearance last year but its release was pushed back due to limited resources at Saab and the introduction of the facelifted 9-3...
James Martinez -
Sporty R-Design XC60 joins 2010 Volvo lineupVolvo has revealed the latest addition to its sporty R-Design lineup with the introduction of the all-new XC60 R-Design SUV. Set to go on sale shortly after its debut at this September's Frankfurt Motor Show, the modified XC60 has been spruced up with a specially tuned lowered sports chassis and a...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
BMW's M Division head talks about M3 GT4 production, diesels and moreSitting down to dinner with Dr. Kay Segler, head of BMW's M Division and former chief of Mini, is an engaging prospect for any performance and luxury car enthusiast, but this dinner proved not only entertaining, but enlightening. There's no better source for what's planned behind the scenes at...
Nelson Ireson