Car News
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The Splinter, a wooden car designed by a group of college students, has made the rounds to the recent International Woodworking Fair, where it met with acclaim, and now the project is nearing the final stages of development. It is being run by Joe Harmon Design and North Carolina State University, and has progressed to the stage where the car's hand-crafted body has been mated to the chassis. The group have also sourced a new engine – a twin-supercharged 32-valve Cadillac Northstar V8 developing upwards of 700hp (522kW). Drive is sent to the rear wheels via a rear-mounted 6-speed...
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Spy shots: Mercedes Benz E-Class Coupe with glass roofThe Mercedes -Benz E-class Coupe has been officially unveiled. Click here for more images and information. The current 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...
James Martinez -
Official: Porsche now owns more than 50% of VWYet another chapter of the Porsche-VW takeover saga has unfolded today as Porsche has finally pushed its holding in VW over 50%. Porsche has held an interest of 74.1% in combined stock and options in VW since late last year, but was waiting on more favorable economic conditions to further increase...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
New Renault-Nissan V6 diesel to power wide range of cars, SUVsDiesel engine sales have stagnated in the U.S. because of lingering perceptions of the clattering, foul-smelling contraptions of the 1970s and earlier. Many carmakers have been reluctant to even offer them in America because of the cost of emissions certification and small profit margins, but...
Nelson Ireson -
GM starts seeking concessions from UAW, bondholdersThe UAW's near-stranglehold on the domestic auto industry has taken a lot of the blame for the current condition of the carmakers. Whether it's a fair conclusion or not, however, for companies like General Motors to survive, there will have to be concessions from labor and investors alike. Formal...
Ralph Hanson -
Video: Behind the scenes of BMW's X6 M developmentLast week BMW gave us a behind-the-scenes look at the development and testing of the 2010 Z4 roadster, and this week we get a look at what's going on in the X6 M high-performance SUV's development. The latest video shows BMW's engineers and development team as they mold the coupe-like SUV into a...
Nelson Ireson -
American company Race Car Replicas (RCR) has unveiled its handsome Superlite Coupe sports car that starts at just $43,995 for a rolling kit package. The package includes hung suspension, steering, fitted brake calipers and rotors, brake lines, the body, and fitted wheels and tires, while the engine, gearbox and interior will all be up to the customer to provide. The "engine bay will accept any longitudinal engine trans package", but RCR themselves recommend something from GM's line of LS engines, such as the mighty 7.0L LS7 from the Corvette Z06. Alternatively, the engine bay will also take a...
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Carmakers to offer Internet radio as factory optionIn-car multimedia specialist Blaupunkt is teaming up with Internet radio company miRoamer to unveil what they claim is the "world's first Internet car radio". The two companies state that the newly-developed system will enable drivers of vehicles fitted with Blaupunkt Internet stereos to tune into...
James Martinez -
Chrysler receives $4 billion in restructuring loansLate Friday evening Chrysler received its first $4 billion in government loan money from the $17.4 billion approved as an emergency measure late in December, pushing its bottom line closer to the $2.5-3 billion minimum it needs to remain in operation. Covering debts and meeting supplier payment...
Ralph Hanson -
1,000hp Dodge Challenger SRT8 by RDP PerformanceOhio tuning firm RDP Performance has cooked up a special version of the new Dodge Challenger SRT8 for last month's Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Show in Florida. Taking a stock SRT8, which comes with an already impressive 425hp when it rolls out of the factory, RDP Performance has extensively...
James Martinez -
Cadillac SRX unveiled ahead of 2009 Detroit Auto ShowSporty, luxurious crossovers, like the crossover niche in general, haven't had the success the industry might have hoped for. Nevertheless, there is a definite market for the vehicles, and Cadillac has just unveiled its latest contender for the driveways of those buyers. Cadillac gave us a sneak...
Nelson Ireson -
Huet Brothers Unveil 1950s-Inspired HB Special RoadsterHuet Brothers is a Dutch company that specializes in nostalgic driving tours of Europe, and to truly recreate an authentic experience the outfit has unveiled its new HB Special roadster. The roadster has been inspired by the Le Mans racers of the mid 1950s, as well as Barchetta racing cars that...
Kenneth Hall -
A company based in Florida has found itself an interesting niche in the automotive world - converting Porsche models into electric vehicles that combine sports car handling ability with the economy of a battery-powered electrical motor. On top of this, the company also specializes in making their electric Porsche's resemble other cars, such as Lamborghini models and even iconic Porsche racing cars, such as their electric 962 with over 2,600lb-ft (3,500Nm) of torque. The company, which is named EvPorsche, is hoping to compete against companies such as Tesla that are already producing their own...
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Hamann announces upgrade program for Bentley Continental GT and GT SpeedGerman tuner and custom coachbuilder Hamann is perhaps best known for its work with BMW's machines, but now it has unveiled its plans for an upgrade program for the Bentley Continental GT and GT Speed. Full details of the upgrade kit are yet to be revealed, but so far Hamann has released these four...
Kenneth Hall -
GMAC loses exclusive GM financing in Treasury loan agreementIn a filing today with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) GMAC revealed that it will no longer have the exclusive right to finance all of General Motors vehicles, and it will cease all lease financing as well. The new business arrangements are part of the terms of GMAC's agreement with...
Ralph Hanson -
Mercedes unveils CLS Grand Edition fashion carThe four-door coupe segment is rapidly growing, but the modern progenitor of the niche, Mercedes-Benz's CLS, is still powering along. Today the company released an all-new special edition of the CLS dubbed the Grand Edition. Mercedes' obsession with tying cars to fashion finds another outlet in the...
Nelson Ireson -
Honda developing electric motorcycle for 2010Honda announced today that it will be developing an electric-powered motorcycle, with sales of the bike expected to begin some time next year. The news will be pleasing for those of you who remember Honda's electric moped concept that was unveiled back in 2004 but failed to see production. Honda's...
James Martinez -
Spy shots: More Jaguar XF-RThe XF-R has been revealed. Click here for all the details. If Jaguar is serious about pitting its XF saloon against the BMW 5-series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class, it will have to expand its lineup beyond the current handful of models. Jaguar currently has two gaping holes in its XF range, an...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Carroll Shelby's name is legendary among Ford fans, and for good reason. Since the 1960s, cars bearing the Shelby logo have been feared by foes and cherished by owners. The latest in the Shelby line, the 2010 GT500, is primed to carry on the tradition, taking the title of Ford's most powerful SVT-tuned Mustang ever. “We’re proud of the many enhancements that were developed jointly by the Ford and Shelby Automobiles team last year that we’ve now incorporated into the new 2010 Shelby GT500,” said Carroll Shelby, founder of Shelby Automobiles. “Building on what we...
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Lotus working on range-extending electric vehicleLotus is working on an electric sports car to battle the likes of Tesla's Roadster and Fisker's Karma. According to its CEO, Michael Kimberley, the company is already "working on the technologies that will go behind" the electric Lotus, and that consumers should not be "surprised to see an electric...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
GM gets first $4 billion in aid money, Chrysler waitsThe $17.4 billion bridge loan package signed into action by President Bush late in December has begun disbursement, with General Motors receiving $4 billion on Wednesday. Chrysler is still waiting on the finalization of details with the U.S. Treasury before it will be able to tap into the loans...
Nelson Ireson -
Report: Toyota secretly working on solar carThe Toyota Prius has spent a decade as the world's preferred hybrid, but now competition is arising from all quarters. A new plug-in version of the Prius is expected soon, but already Toyota is thought to be working on a project to bring solar power to mass production automobiles in an effort to...
Ralph Hanson -
San Francisco congestion charge under considerationEfforts to duplicate London's much maligned congestion charge system in New York earlier this year failed dismally, and now a similar move in California's more progressive city of San Francisco is being met with similar disdain from residents. Currently, San Francisco city officials are considering...
James Martinez -
One-off McLaren-tuned Dodge Viper Diamondback for saleA one-of-a-kind Dodge Viper tuned by McLaren has been put up for sale, with an asking price that comes close to $295,000. Known as the ASC Diamondback Viper, the car was first unveiled by American Specialty Cars (ASC) back at the 2006 Detroit Auto Show featuring a bevy of performance modifications...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran