Car News
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Chrysler announced in March that it would close its Pacifica Advance Product Design Center located just outside of San Diego, California, but the studio won’t be idled permanently as Mercedes-Benz is planning to buy the site. Both carmakers have signed a purchase agreement for the sale of the site, which was listed at $7.3 million. The main building measures more than 35,000 square-feet and employed up to 20 staff when in was in Chrysler’s hands. It is credited with a number of important models including the 300 sedan and Dodge Challenger muscle car, and it was also one of the...
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Small cabrios unsafe in rollover testsIt may seem like common sense that small convertibles are less than ideal vehicles in which to perform rollovers and expect safe passage, but testing by Germany's ADAC bears that out with real-world data. When the dust settled, it turned out that none of the cars tested are really safe, though some...
Nelson Ireson -
Mercedes considering Romanian plantAs it looks for new ways to grow its business, expanding into new markets and moving existing models to markets it already inhabits, Mercedes-Benz is including Eastern Europe in its plans. The latest reports have the company eying production in the western Romanian county of Timis. Production at...
Nelson Ireson -
Hybrid cars may not be as eco-friendly as they seemReal-world tests have shown hybrid cars fall well short of their claimed emissions and fuel efficiency figures, raising the question of whether the technology has so far been anything more than a very effective marketing gimmick. Some diesel-powered cars also received bad marks in the review...
Nelson Ireson -
Toyota to build 18 greener models for EuropeAlready known for its wide range of hybrids, Toyota has committed to producing 18 new or reworked models in an effort to decrease its fleet average carbon dioxide emissions. The move will help the company meet tighter regulations and reduce the amount of taxes its customers must pay on their cars...
Nelson Ireson -
Opel reveals new logo to accompany brand refreshJust like its corporate cousin Vauxhall did earlier this year, Opel is set to unveil a new logo in time for the addition of the Insignia to its ranks. The all-new sedan is the first of a series of new cars that will replace the aging line-up with a fresh design language and a new commitment to...
Nelson Ireson -
Despite the rising cost of fuel, road trips are one of the defining elements of summer, and as the Northern Hemisphere heads into the hottest months, Kelley Blue Book has named its top 10 road trip vehicles. Although many are solid choices, one stands out from the crowd, and not just because it's a looker - the Bugatti Veyron. You might be wondering how an ultra-limited production (fewer than 300 examples will ever exist) incredibly expensive, 1,001hp, sixteen-cylinder quad-turbo-powered 250mph beast is rubbing shoulders with the likes of Chevy's Malibu and Toyota's Prius. Well, so is...
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Ford being investigated for another fire threatFederal safety officials in the U.S. are investigating a potential fire risk in Ford’s Windstar minivan model produced between 1995 and 2003 after authorities received more than 130 consumer complaints about vehicle fires. The investigation is still in its early stages but it could lead to...
Alex Kaufmann -
Toyota to export U.S.-built cars to emerging marketsSales of Toyota’s heavy SUV and pickups have been on the decline in the U.S. for the past several months with rising fuel prices and growing environmental concerns shifting consumer demand towards smaller and more economical vehicles. The carmaker, which usually prides itself on productivity...
Ralph Hanson -
EU to unveil ESP and tire safety standards next weekSafety standards in the European Union are about to be toughened significantly with new mandates for carmakers set to be revealed next week. Some of the new rules likely to be introduced will include the fitment of advanced low-noise tires, electronic stability control and tire pressure monitoring...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Ford cutting production at Volvo, possibly seeking buyerVolvo’s sales slump of the past several months has led to a pretax loss of $151 million for the first quarter of the year, and with no sign of turnaround in sight parent company Ford plans to cut production in the hope that it will reduce costs. Latest reports claim Ford is hoping to improve...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Prodrive tuned Alfa Romeo Brera SBritish motorsport company Prodrive has finally released details about its new tuning kit for the Alfa Romeo Brera coupe, which is set to go on sale through Alfa dealerships in the UK in the following months. The kit has been in development for more than a year, with engineers focusing mainly on...
Ralph Hanson -
Driving in a fuel-efficient manner is often a matter of common sense, but it's still not a common practice. To increase awareness of things motorists can do to improve their car's fuel efficiency a coalition of auto manufacturers and private businesses are launching a campaign centered around a website that challenges people to drive smarter. The campaign will be officially launched tomorrow, May 20 in Washington, DC. The website, called Drive Smarter Challenge, features an interactive interface that allows the user to select the manufacturer, model, year and engine of their car and then...
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Nissan begins EV push with joint venture, test projectWe've been covering Nissan's plans for an all-electric car since 2007, but until now there has been little tangible progress, at least in the public eye, aside from the concept debuted at this year's New York Auto Show. A joint venture with NEC to mass produce advanced lithium-ion batteries and the...
Nelson Ireson -
Two-thirds of teenagers killed on U.S. roads at night not wearing seatbeltsDespite widespread safety campaigns and harsher penalties for not abiding to seatbelt laws, a new study has found that more than two thirds of all teenagers killed in vehicle accidents at night were not wearing a seatbelt. Though seatbelt use in the U.S. is rising slowly – 82% last year, up...
James Martinez -
Toyota Camry to overtake Ford F-150 as U.S. top sellerThe shift away from fuel heavy SUV and pickups is taking its toll on even America’s top selling Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado, with dealers groups revealing the Toyota Camry – the nation’s best-selling passenger car – is poised to take the number one overall spot if the...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Designer envisages a modern Bizzarrini P538A legendary name in sports car circles, Giotto Bizzarrini's work, both for his own brand and for others, has contributed to some of the sexiest, fastest and most desirable designs of all time. Now a new take on a Bizzarrini classic, the 1966 P538S, is due to be unveiled next month, with a...
Nelson Ireson -
Ford bringing Kuga, C-Max to the U.S. after FocusAlready Ford has announced its plans to bring the global Fiesta small hatch to the U.S., and the Focus is now also slated to join its littler sibling. Alongside those two, due in 2010 and 2011 respectively, will come the Kuga and C-Max, Ford's global crossover SUV and MPV - the third and fourth of...
Nelson Ireson -
Chrysler has revealed another element of its three year turnaround plan with news today from the carmaker’s purchasing chief John Campi that plans are in place to reduce costs by 25 percent over the next three years. Speaking at a recent supplier conference, Campi said that significant changes in manufacturing and purchasing operations will help reach the target and that any potential savings will be shared among the suppliers as well. Some of the initiatives include a 30 day timeframe for production schedule changes rather than the one-week notice presently used, increased parts...
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Spy Shots: Ferrari F430 Spider with new hardtop roofFerrari recently reveal its all-new California grand tourer complete with the carmaker’s first-ever folding hard top roof, but the latest model addition may not be the only coupe-cabrio Ferrari has in the works as revealed by these latest spy shots. The new images depict an F430 Spider with a...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Honda could boost U.S. car prices in response to climbing materials costsEarlier this month Toyota announced it would be raising prices across its U.S. line-up, and now it seems Honda may be following suit. The cause is a confluence of factors, with a weak U.S. dollar, high raw materials costs and the global downturn in sales conspiring to make the price rises...
Nelson Ireson -
Next-gen Saab 9-5 to enter production at Opel plant in 2009The Saab 9-5 is long overdue for an overhaul, with the current model first hitting streets as far back as 1997, but the next-generation model due late next year may not even be built at Saab’s traditional home in Sweden. Latest reports claim the new model will be sourced from Opel’s...
Alex Kaufmann -
GM study attempts to predict future of SUV and pickupsAs sales of heavy SUVs and pickups continue to dwindle and at the same time pull down the market share of the Detroit 3, product planners are now contemplating the final demise of truck-based designs and doing as much as they can to pick up the pieces. We saw earlier today that Ford is planning to...
Ralph Hanson -
Spy Shots: 2010 Maserati Quattroporte saloonThe Maserati Quattroporte has been on sale in its current guise for almost four years but that’s set to change as a facelifted model is just around the corner. The new car seen here testing in prototype form will hit the streets early next year as a 2010 model and could incorporate a number...
Alex Kaufmann