synd-vehicle-history
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The race to 300 mph is officially on. Hennessey Performance Engineering plans to begin testing an F5 Venom prototype in 2019, with high-speed validation testing by the end of that year. "We believe our car is capable of going well beyond 300 mph," CEO John Hennessey said. What will enable the F5 Venom to achieve such a lofty goal? The F5 Venom will be slippery (for a supercar) with a drag coefficient of 0.33. A 7.6-liter twin-turbo V-8 will blast it toward the 300-mph barrier. The engine is said to be capable of 1,600 horsepower and 1,300 pound-feet of torque, but Hennessey said it might not...
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Dieter Zetsche to pass Daimler leadership role to Ola Källenius in 2019
A high-level executive shuffle is underway at German auto giant Daimler, parent of the Mercedes-Benz and Smart brands. Daimler confirmed Wednesday that longtime CEO Dieter Zetsche will pass the reins to current sales chief Ola Källenius in 2019. Källenius will also be responsible for the...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
New BMW 3-Series confirmed for 2018 Paris auto show
BMW on Wednesday confirmed that its redesigned, seventh-generation 3-Series sedan will be unveiled to the world October 2 at the 2018 Paris auto show. Together with the confirmation, the automaker released a single teaser shot that reveals the outline of the car's grille along with the headlights'...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2020 Volvo V60 Cross Country is proof SUVs aren't always necessary
Volvo has a redesigned V60 wagon on sale soon, and just like its predecessor the handsome load lugger has spawned a more rugged V60 Cross Country variant. It isn't due until the 2020 model year, meaning the first examples won't hit the road until some time next year, and the only variant at launch...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Chevy Silverado-based Hennessey Goliath 6x6 revealed with 705 horsepower
For Hennessey Performance Engineering faithful that couldn't swallow the idea of owning a Ford-based Velociraptor, the Goliath 6x6 has arrived. It's based on the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, and like the F-150 based pickup, it's powerful, off-road ready, and utterly bonkers. Hennessey revealed...
Sean Szymkowski -
Saleen celebrates 35 years with commemorative 2019 Mustang
Saleen celebrates 35 trips around the sun this year, and it's marking the occasion with a Mustang-based special edition. The car is appropriately called the SA 35, for Saleen Automotive 35, and just 10 examples will be built. These days, Saleen is actually an automobile manufacturer, but the...
Sean Szymkowski -
It was confirmed over the weekend that Porsche is done with selling diesels and will instead focus its efforts on electrifying its lineup and launching new electric cars. Soon, though, we could see most of the automaker's lineup do away with internal combustion engines of all sorts as demand for electric cars grow. CEO Oliver Blume has previously stated that he sees a quarter of Porsche's sales being electric cars by 2025, but Germany's Manager Magazin (subscription required) reported Thursday that revised plans at Porsche sees electric cars potentially accounting for as much as 75 percent of...
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Volvo V60 wagon sharpened with R-Design and R-Design Pro upgrades
Volvo's newest V60 wagon is one handsome load lugger. It's a great alternative to the XC60 if you loathe the idea of driving a crossover SUV but still want the added cargo space, and now it can look downright sporty thanks to the addition of an R-Design package. Buyers in some markets will also be...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
BMW names new chief for M division
After four years on the job, current BMW M boss Frank van Meel will exit the role. BMW has appointed van Meel, formerly of Audi Quattro GmbH (Audi Sport), to chief of total vehicle development. Replacing van Meel will be Markus Flasch, chief engineer for the new 8-Series. Evo reported on the...
Sean Szymkowski -
BMW 3-Series teased: New generation of benchmark sport sedan almost ready
BMW's redesigned 3-Series is almost here. The new sport sedan recently entered the pre-production stage at BMW's main plant in Dingolfing, Germany, and the automaker has given us a glimpse at the new design in a video highlighting some of the assembly steps. The new 3-Series is due out late this...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
President Trump's new limo, "The Beast," has reported for duty
One of the perks of being the head of state of a major country is that you normally receive a heavily armored albeit still plush limo to ride in. And when we're talking nations the size of the United States, you'll find the leaders often receive standalone models you don't get in a showroom. Case...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Porsche is done with diesels–this time for real
Porsche wasn't able to avoid the recent diesel emissions scandal that afflicted a number of Volkswagen Group brands, with a diesel version of its popular Cayenne SUV among the vehicles fitted with emissions cheating software. With regulators now tightening emissions standards and placing extra...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Amazon's family of Alexa-connected devices is ready for a road trip. The online retailer and technology company announced Thursday its Echo Auto, which brings Alexa and its voice controls to the car. Some automakers offer Alexa voice control built-in to their infotainment systems, but for millions of drivers with older vehicles, Echo Auto turns any car into a rolling smart device. All it takes is a smartphone and any car with a radio. Amazon says the preferred method to hook up Echo Auto is via Bluetooth or an auxiliary jack, which many modern cars possess. However, the device can also run...
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2019 Ram 1500 Rebel 12 intersects off-roading and upscale
Ram has added a dose of luxury to its popular off-road 1500 Rebel model. The brand announced Friday the 2019 Ram 1500 Rebel 12 package, which combines some of Ram's luxury and technology features with the off-road capability of the Rebel. The 2019 Ram 1500 Rebel 12 begins life as a standard Rebel...
Sean Szymkowski -
Kahn Design builds wild Land Rover Range Rover Sport SVR
Land Rover's brilliant Range Rover Sport SVR is already quite the wild beast but this latest take from Kahn Design significantly ups the wow factor. It's called the Range Rover Sport SVR Pace Car, and like the vehicle it's based on it's been developed to offer the perfect blend of luxury and...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Relive your childhood by celebrating 50th anniversary of "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang"
In 1968, "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" premiered to the world. Roald Dahl's film adaption of Ian Fleming's classic book took the world by storm. To celebrate the golden anniversary of this iconic film, the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu, England, is rolling out a massive celebration of the film and...
Jeff Glucker -
2019 Ford F-150 Raptor $2,180 pricier than a year ago
Ford has introduced a worthy round of updates on its F-150 Raptor for the 2019 model year, but you're going to have to pay a premium for them as the prices have been increased on the off-road performance truck. Cars Direct has learned from Ford order guides that the base 2019 F-150 Raptor Super Cab...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
BMW and Daimler's joint mobility business will be based in Berlin
Daimler and BMW Group announced in March that the two rivals would join forces and combine their various mobility services under one equally owned joint venture. The two German auto giants have since confirmed that the mobility joint venture will be headquartered in Berlin. The company, which...
Sean Szymkowski -
We're sure there are few out there that will find the sheer luxury of a Mercedes-Maybach lacking, but there are options for those rare—and well-heeled—individuals seeking just a little more opulence and exclusivity. One of the more established names in the business is Germany's Hofele, based in Donzdorf, less than an hour out from Stuttgart—Mercedes' hometown. Hofele's links with Mercedes go back more than a century, with company founders Michael and Martin Hofele's grandfather having served as an apprentice to none other than Carl Benz, considered to be the inventor of the...
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Audi launches car subscription service in Dallas
Three years after launching its Audi On Demand short rental service, the German premium brand has waded into the full-blown car subscription segment with Audi Select. Audi announced Thursday that the new Audi Select car subscription service will launch in Dallas, Texas, starting with a flat...
Sean Szymkowski -
Electric self-driving semi concept previews Ford's long-haul vision
Ford isn't exactly known for semitrucks around the world, but that may soon change. At the IAA Commercial Vehicle Show in Germany on Thursday, Ford showed off its F-Vision Future Truck concept. Ford Otosan, based in Turkey and the automaker's largest commercial vehicle production base, debuted the...
Sean Szymkowski -
Polestar won't sell from traditional dealerships
Polestar said on Thursday it would not sell its cars from traditional dealerships in North America. Instead, the Swedish offshoot of Volvo said it will operate franchised "galleries" called Polestar Spaces. The galleries will be located in city centers. Trained product experts–not salespeople...
Sean Szymkowski -
Radical co-founder working on new track-focused sports car
Radical is a top-tier producer of track-day specials. The British company was founded in 1997 and today sells a number of models for track enthusiasts and racers all over the world. One of the company's co-founders, Phill Abbott, is looking to make a new mark in the race car space. He plans to do...
Jeff Glucker -
Renault envisions convoys of self-driving delivery vehicles with EZ-Pro concept
Following Renault's vision of a self-driving future for ride-hailing with its EZ-Go concept, the French automaker has bestowed the world with a self-driving concept for delivery vehicles. It's called the EZ-Pro, and it was revealed on Wednesday. Unlike some self-driving delivery vehicle concepts...
Sean Szymkowski