Car News
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Most of Japan’s tuners are focused on the arduous task of cracking Nissan’s Fort Knox of an ECU in its GT-R supercar but that doesn’t mean they’ve forgotten about one of the country’s other tuning favorites, Mitsubishi’s new Lancer Evolution X. Turbo performance experts HKS has now revealed its full specs for the Mitsubishi including a 376hp version of the car’s 2.0L mill. The engine pack consists of a higher power turbo, an upgraded intake manifold and a modded ECU. All these goodies push output to a license-threatening 376hp while torque gets an...
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Official: Ford sells Jaguar & Land Rover to Tata for $2.3bAfter months of speculation, leaked information and hearsay, Ford has finally confirmed it will sell its Jaguar and Land Rover operations to India’s Tata. The sale is expected to close by the end of the next quarter and still requires approval from several European regulatory bodies, but...
Alex Kaufmann -
Seat Leon FR550 diesel hot-hatchCoinciding with the start of this year’s HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) season, Spanish carmaker Seat has taken the wraps off a new performance version of its Leon hatch. Inspired by the diesel-powered BTCC Leon race car, the new model also sports a turbocharged diesel motor...
Kenneth Hall -
HSV Commodore Range Gets 6.2-Liter LS3 PowerplantWith the reveal last week of the LS3-powered Pontiac G8 GXP performance sedan at the New York Auto Show, it was only a matter of time until Holden announced plans for its own version of the car for sale in Australia. Today, Holden’s official in-house tuner HSV revealed changes to its 2008...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Nissan GT-R mods hit the marketDespite fears Nissan’s new GT-R wouldn’t tolerate anyone tinkering around with its innards, Japan’s industrious tuning firms have managed to develop a number of aftermarket parts claimed to boost performance of the supercar. Initial testing showed that even simple mods such as...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Mercedes-Benz design chief to retire after 40 yearsAfter a 40 year stint at Mercedes-Benz, 30 years as its official design chief, automotive engineer and designer Peter Pfeiffer is set to retire. Pfeiffer, who turns 65 this year, first joined the carmaker back in 1968 and was promoted to head of design just ten years later. Mercedes is yet to name...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
It never ceases to amaze us how many people are out there for whom a car as perfect as the Lamborghini Murcielago is simply not enough. That’s where tuners like Japan’s Premier4509 step in, developing a range of aerodynamic performance enhancements, wheel and tire packages and interior mods. The new kit is limited to just 300 sets worldwide and will feature a numbered serial plate. The complete package includes a full front bumper with a boxed bumper support system, side skirts and a rear bumper with optional adjustable rear spoiler. The pieces are manufactured with a combination...
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Nearly half of all Challengers sold will be V6sJust a few days after Bob Lutz told the press in New York that the Camaro could be getting a turbocharged four-cylinder powerplant, Chrysler has announced that it estimates 40% of Challenger sales will be V6-powered base models, like its competitor, the Ford Mustang. Although the company has been...
Nelson Ireson -
America desperate for more Smart carsDespite America’s reluctance to embrace compact econo-cars, Mercedes’ diminutive Smart Fortwo is selling far beyond expectations in the few months that it’s been on sale in the world’s biggest car market. Sales of the car were expected to be strong in urban areas like Los...
Kenneth Hall -
Combination 2/4-stroke engine prototype testedSmaller, more powerful motors are the future of the auto industry. GM and Chrysler are focusing on smaller four- and six-cylinder motors for their Camaro and Challenger, while others are pushing the envelopes of forced-induction sub-2.0L powerplants. A new technology has appeared on the horizon...
Nelson Ireson -
Wald Sports Line Black Bison Edition Mercedes S-ClassWe’re used to seeing plenty of modified Mercs from the German tuners, but rarely do we see a Japanese customizer give the Teutonic saloons and coupes the aftermarket treatment. Wald International is one such tuner that specializes in the modification of some of Europe’s finest, with...
James Martinez -
Fiat still interested in Jaguar and Land Rover technologyWith the sale of Jaguar and Land Rover to India’s Tata Group expected to be announced within days, Italian giant Fiat may finally gain access to premium RWD and AWD technologies it’s always dreamt of. Fiat was one of the first carmakers rumored to be interested in buying Jaguar and Land...
James Martinez -
Porsche has a major challenge on its hands in the form of strict new fuel-economy and emissions regulations set to roll in across the U.S. and Europe in coming years. Carmakers are being forced to improve their average fleet-wide mileage and carbon emissions levels and for a niche brand like Porsche, which sells a limited range of high-performance models, meeting these new standards will be near impossible given the current deadlines. To get around the new regulations, Porsche may be able to merge its fuel-economy and emissions data with those of Volkswagen because of its increased stake in...
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Toyota shopping mall opens in JapanIn what may lead to a new trend among carmakers, the cash-rich ones at least, Toyota has opened a new shopping mall aimed at selling and promoting its cars. The new site is located in Yokohama, Japan, and features the usual assortment of restaurants and specialty stores you would find in any...
Ralph Hanson -
World’s tallest man gets custom carAt 2.58m (8ft 5in) tall, Ukrainian born Leonid Stadnyk, the world’s tallest man, will find it tough getting behind the wheel of almost any vehicle. That’s why the Ukrainian government, at the request of its President Viktor Yushchenko, has delivered to Stadnyk a custom Chevrolet minivan...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Video: 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI test driveUp against the aggressively styled Mitsubishi Evo X and Nissan GT-R, Subaru’s new Impreza WRX STI looks a little timid and ungainly. At least the hot-hatch at least has little to worry about when it comes to the track as this latest clip form Fifth Gear reveals. Follow the jump for the full...
Ralph Hanson -
Fiat in talks with Detroit 3 over Alfa Romeo productionThe worsening exchange rate differential between the strengthening euro and weakening U.S. dollar means importing European manufactured models to North America is now significantly more expensive than just a few years ago. It’s a problem Alfa Romeo has to juggle with as it attempts to...
Siddarth Raja -
Bentley rules out diesel for nowWith almost one out of every two cars sold in Europe powered by a diesel and demand steadily growing in North America, carmakers that previously would have never been associated with the oil-burners are now examining the possibility of adding the frugal powertrains to their lineups. Bentley is a...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
The current M998 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (Humvee for short), the truck that spawned the Hummer H1, has been in use by the military for more than 20 years, but a successor could be just around the corner. Earlier this month military officials issued a ‘Request for Proposals’ to suppliers, soliciting concepts for what it calls a new Joint Light Tactical family of Vehicles (JLTVs). The new model will replace the Hummvee and will come with no less than 10 variations. Seven firms are now working on the design of the new truck, with first proposals due by the middle...
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Chrysler needs only half of its SUVsNow that Chrysler is in private hands the tough decisions are coming hard and fast. Last year we saw officials axe cars like the PT Cruiser convertible, Pacifica, Crossfire and Dodge Magnum, and now there are reports that even more models will be dropped from the current lineup. Earlier this month...
Ralph Hanson -
F1 night race concept to go to China, KoreaBernie Ecclestone is now hoping to install night races in China and South Korea, after revealing on Sunday that Malaysia has finally agreed to floodlighting the Sepang circuit from 2009. "We'll speak to the people in China, see what we can do there," the 77-year-old F1 chief executive is quoted as...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Sirius-XM merger approved by DOJThe U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) approved the merger of satellite radio providers Sirius and XM. The merger has been in the works since last February, and now that the government's antitrust division has given the all-clear, the final hurdle is the FCC. Initial rumors about the deal popped up...
Nelson Ireson -
Ford planning Capri comeback?After bowing out of the market in the late 1980s, Ford’s European Capri sports coupe could make a return as a rival to Volkswagen’s rejuvenated Scirocco coupe. Several reports coming out of Germany claim Ford is prepping a new a concept to celebrate next year’s 40th anniversary of...
Siddarth Raja -
Lamborghini lends its name to Bluetooth headsetThere’s usually nothing worth mentioning about a Bluetooth headset but here’s one that will get the attention of most performance enthusiasts. The device is the ‘Tonino Lamborghini Bello’ and apart from Lamborghini’s shield emblem on the outer casing there’s not...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran