Car News
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Just weeks after UAW's strike on GM, the union is going after Chrysler. A deadline came and went without an agreement this morning at 11:00am US Eastern time. The strike could have devastating effects on the launch of Chrysler's new minivans in the U.S. and Canada. Jeep's four-door Wrangler could also face short supply due to the strike. Both are currently below industry-standard 60-day supply backup levels. The auto maker is just reaching full-scale production of the new Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans at its St. Louis, Missouri, and Windsor, Ontario, Canada plants...
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Prodrive confirms McLaren deal offFollowing reports of uncertainty about its 2008 entry in formula one, Prodrive's David Richards has now ruled out using an identical McLaren-Mercedes package next year. "We cannot do the plan that we had with McLaren now," the Briton said on Wednesday, according to the news agency Reuters. "There...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Video: Rundown of Nissan’s Tokyo conceptsThe Tokyo Motor Show is still two weeks away but already we’ve seen plenty of images of the new concepts and now we have a video showcasing several of Nissan’s upcoming designs. This latest video shows the new NV200 lifestyle van, the open top Round Box roadster and the stylish Intima...
Siddarth Raja -
Kentucky seeks to make Corvette official state carSince 1953, all Corvettes have been manufactured in only one plant in Warren County, Kentucky. Now a Kentucky State Representative, C.B. Embry, has introduced a bill to designate the Corvette as Kentucky's official state sports car. Embry is aware the move is a controversial one, as Kentucky is...
Nelson Ireson -
BMW's Quandt family to reveal Nazi-era activitiesThe Quandt family, whose members own large amounts of BMW stock, is seeking to clear the air around the family name. Upset by some of the accusations raised against the family, in part by a recent German TV documentary alleging wartime abuses of former prisoners at a Quandt-owned battery plant, the...
Nelson Ireson -
Mercedes-Benz could partner with Fiat for next A and B-ClassIt’s widely reported that Mercedes-Benz is looking for a partner to develop the next range of A-Class and B-Class compact cars but until now it was thought BMW was the only potential target. Latest reports suggest Fiat is also in talks with Mercedes but in a move sure to engender knowing...
Nelson Ireson -
Unveiled at the recent Frankfurt motor show, Saab's newest 9-3 variant is being produced as a sort of 30th-anniversary celebration. Undoubtedly one of the most anticipated models to issue from the snowy north in recent years, the Saab Turbo X Limited edition is slated for a production run of just 2,000 cars. Of those 2,000, only 175 will stay in Sweden, upsetting many native fans of the carmaker. The U.S. has 600 of the cars ear-marked for import, which is the largest single allocation, reports Auto Motor & Sport. Britain will see 500 of the cars, certainly the best per capita ratio of...
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Nissan NV200 lifestyle van conceptDesigned at the Nissan’s European design studio in London, the NV200 is the follow up to Nissan’s previous Bevel lifestyle and recreational van concept that was displayed at January’s Detroit Show. This latest concept will be showcased at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show and is...
Alex Kaufmann -
Toyota Hi-CT plug-in hybrid conceptAt first glance Toyota’s Hi-CT could be mistaken as being a basic box on wheels but look a little closer and you’ll see that it features plenty of innovations that’s sure to attract the youth market. The vehicle’s plug-in hybrid drivetrain features 1.5L motor mated to an...
Siddarth Raja -
Nissan Round Box (R.D/B.X)The Round Box represents Nissan’s take on open-air motoring and is designed as a roadster with seating capacity for four and a removable glass roof. Designers have also added "road surface windows" to give occupants a greater sense of speed. These are basically small glass panels placed close...
Alex Kaufmann -
Toyota i-REAL previews future of personal mobilityToyota’s personal mobility concept, the i-Real, is an evolution of the I-Swing that debuted at 2005’s Tokyo Motor Show and the model has certainly not lost any of its older brother’s unique looks. The i-Real does, however, offer up some interesting technologies in an attempt to...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Toyota RiN ‘Well Being’ ConceptThe Tokyo show just wouldn’t be complete without a concept so outrageous and unthinkable that it would cause you to question the sanity of its designers. Luckily, Toyota stepped up to the plate with its RiN concept, which can be summed up as a greenhouse on wheels. Some of its earth-inspired...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
While most concepts coming out of the Tokyo show look other-worldly, the Nissan Intima concept looks like it could be produced and sold tomorrow if officials wanted to. The concept takes a cue from Mazda’s RX-8, picking up a pair of rear-opening suicide doors to give it four-door functionality but with coupe grace. Nissan’s design approach of “Modern Living” highlights just how much the car has become a part of living – the concept even includes a matching toiletries set to demonstrate that. The interior dons a minimalist design and includes a swooping centre...
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Toyota’s 1/X carbon-fiber plug-in conceptToyota’s 1/X concept, (pronounced one/Xth) is a hybrid concept that doubles the fuel efficiency figures of the Prius hybrid in a mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive four-door body. While the interior space remains similar to that of a Prius, the concept ways a mere 420kg, or around one third the...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Vandenbrink Design GTO based on the Ferrari 599GTBVandenbrink Design has taken the wraps off its new coachbuilt GTO, which is set to enter production next year in a limited run of just five cars. The car is based on a Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano and will set you back close to a million euros on the top of the cost of the donor Ferrari to park one in...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Lexus reveals new LF-Xh hybrid SUV conceptLexus may still be establishing itself in the Japanese domestic market but that hasn’t stopped it from preparing two concept vehicles and six production models for the nation’s premier auto show. Set to grace the stands at the upcoming Tokyo event will be the all-new LF-Xh performance...
Kenneth Hall -
Toyota prepping nine concepts for TokyoToyota’s focus at this month’s Tokyo Motor Show is sustainable motoring and to show its dedication in the field it will be displaying no less than nine eco-friendly concepts. The vehicles range from tiny personal mobility solutions to luxury sedans and high-performance sports cars, and...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
BMW documents confirm 7-speed gearbox for M3We were disappointed to see that BMW launched the new M3 Sedan with only the six-speed manual gearbox when we know that there’s likely to be a new dual-clutch gearbox in the works. We now have confirmation that a seven-speed gearbox is planned for the M3 Sedan and even have the final gear...
Alex Kaufmann -
The Caparo T1 supercar is in the final rounds of its testing phase but it appears developers still have some major bugs to iron out. While driving one of the final prototypes, British Touring Car Championship driver and Fifth Gear presenter Jason Plato was hurt when the car’s engine burst into flames at an estimated 150mph. Plato received burns to his hands, face, and the back of the neck, and was immediately rushed to the nearest hospital. In a statement, he said he felt a slight loss of power, then saw smoke in the mirrors before suddenly feeling intense heat. “The car...
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FIA probes McLaren for Alonso sabotage - reportF1's governing body has opened a new investigation into McLaren, amid claims that the Woking based team may have sabotaged Fernando Alonso's car in China, reports on Tuesday said. At the conclusion of the espionage saga last month, FIA president Max Mosley warned that the Paris body would closely...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
First look: 2009 Pontiac Vibe GTNot to be outdone by the massive release of models ahead of the Tokyo Motor Show, GM has released a first teaser image of the all-new 2009 Pontiac Vibe. Pegged as smaller, more practical mix between a SUV and station wagon, the Vibe is the result of a joint venture between GM and Toyota and is...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Gallery: Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMGWe’re sure most of you would agree that no justification is really needed for posting up images of an AMG prepped model so enjoy this new gallery of the Affalterbach tuned CL mega-coupe. These latest shots show the CL65 in sunny California, its ‘natural habitat.’ The car is...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
China's BYD could beat GM and Toyota to plug-in marketChinese manufacturer BYD Automobile has revealed that it will start mass producing rechargeable plug-in electric cars next year despite industry giants Toyota and GM admitting they’re still several years away from doing the same. After four years of research and development BYD believe it has...
James Martinez -
Exiga Touring Concept from SubaruSubaru may not be as large as the likes of Honda or Toyota but that hasn’t stopped it from preparing an equally strong showcase for the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show. In addition to the all-new Impreza WRX STI Subaru will be displaying two concept cars, the G4e electric minicar and Exiga...
Alex Kaufmann