Nelson Ireson, Senior Editor

Articles

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  2010 Toyota Prius First Drive Nelson Ireson March 25, 2009

  Testing the new Prius in the desert hills around Tucson, I came to a realization I'm still only half-comfortable with: I actually like this car. It doesn't go fast, it's not ultra-luxurious and it...

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  Hefley true variable displacement tech on sale for $500 million

  Multi-displacement system, displacement-on-demand, cylinder deactivation - call it what you will, they're all based around the same principle: turn off some part of the engine when it's not needed. But an engine designed and patented by Carl Hefley takes an entirely different approach to the idea...

  Nelson Ireson March 24, 2009
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  Kia unveils Forte LPI Hybrid in Korea

  Pushing the cutting edge of technology forward has been a job traditionally set on the shoulders of the car industry's leaders, as they have the R&D budgets to finance the expensive and time-consuming work. But Hyundai-Kia is pushing technology on its own of late with the introduction of a pair of...

  Nelson Ireson March 24, 2009
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  Small car, hybrid sales taking a long drive off a short pier

  The short-sightedness of the car-buying public is breathtaking. It was just months ago that fears over $4 gas prices had people scurrying about, dumping loaded SUVs for a fraction of their purchase price and replacing them with smaller, more efficient vehicles. But today, with fuel well under $2...

  Nelson Ireson March 24, 2009
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  Kia considering brand-wide name changes

  Getting young people to buy cars is tougher than it sounds. Fashion, mode and politics all play a role in addition to the classical considerations for car buying: price, features and performance. But Kia is determined to grow its business with younger buyers, as its current 52-year-old average...

  Nelson Ireson March 23, 2009
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  Tata Nano finally goes on sale at just over $2,000

  Violent protests closed its plant in West Bengal, soaring materials prices threatened to drive its price well beyond the targeted $2,500 mark and yet Tata soldiered on with its Nano, billed as the world's cheapest car. The diminutive car has overcome those hurdles and more on the way to its...

  Nelson Ireson March 23, 2009
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  Corvette GT-1 Chamionship Edition photos revealed Nelson Ireson March 20, 2009

  In January Corvette put a price to its new Competition Sport appearance package designed to appeal to hardcore Corvette racing fans. Now another similar package called the GT-1 Championship Edition -...
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  BMW to pit 135i against F1 car, V8 Supercar at Australian GP

  While the main event at any Formula 1 calendar stop is invariably the focus of most media attention, there are often some truly brilliant side shows and feature races put on alongside them to make for even more entertainment for the crowd. The first event of the 2009 season, the Australian GP, will...

  Nelson Ireson March 20, 2009
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  Chery gets literal, launches two new sub-brands in China: Riich and Rely

  The American car industry as a whole may be under fire for its current situation, but there's always a bright side. Like Arkansans are fond of saying, "thank God for Mississippi" when it comes to state-by-state rankings, Detroit no doubt finds similar relief in the misadventures of Chinese...

  Nelson Ireson March 20, 2009
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  Development has started on two-seater Jaguar roadster

  Jaguar's transfer to new ownership last year had many, from customers to dealers to industry analysts, worried about what might come of it. But Tata Motors' ownership has so far proven reassuring in its commitment to the Jaguar brand. The latest word from Ratan Tata reaffirms the vision Tata has...

  Nelson Ireson March 20, 2009
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  Tazzari Zero EV headed to U.S. early next year

  The Zero EV was originally designed by Britain’s NICE car company, the maker of the MyCar, Ze-O and the Mega City, but from the start its gestation has been handled by design teams in Italy. The goal for the Zero EV was to create a “high performance” micro-EV with a little Italian...

  Nelson Ireson March 19, 2009
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  Genesis Coupe 2.0T dyno test hints at 225hp+ true output

  Hyundai's new turbocharged 2.0L Genesis Coupe has had import tuner fanboys foaming at mouth, and their more resevered cohorts awaiting with interest, for months now. As the car begins to make the press rounds, it's starting to look like it may have more under the hood than the 210hp promised by...

  Nelson Ireson March 17, 2009
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  Report: Mini Planning John Cooper Works Crossover Nelson Ireson March 17, 2009

  Heating up the hot hatch world has become a game of diminishing returns - finding a way to fit 300hp, smart looks and a roomy interior all into an affordable price tag is not easy. But Mini has...
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  Jeep unveils three-pack of Rocky Mountain Edition models

  Adding value to a vehicle intended for dual-duty city and offroad use isn't a hard thing to do. Doing it in this economy, and actually selling vehicles, is another. Chrysler is hoping it's hit the right balance with the new Rocky Mountain Edition Jeeps, released today. The packages combine a set of...

  Nelson Ireson March 16, 2009
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  Nissan hikes GT-R prices yet again

  In an ongoing series of price rises that threaten to take away any pretensions at the GT-R's 'budget' title, Nissan has topped the $80,000 mark for both base and premium models today. The initial pricing of the car was a scant $69,850 for the base model and $71,900 for the premium. A price hike...

  Nelson Ireson March 16, 2009
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  Chevy launches new Camaro site, releases full details as production starts

  The 2010 Chevrolet Camaro starts production today, and the company is celebrating the kick off of production of the 14,000 cars already pre-ordered. Rated at a stellar-for-its-niche 29mpg highway by the EPA, the all-new Camaro is now the most fuel efficient muscle car soon to hit the market. In...

  Nelson Ireson March 16, 2009
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  Photo update: up close and personal with Audi's R15 TDI Le Mans racer

  Diesel is fast - scary fast - as Audi's R10 TDI proved when it swept through the world of Le Mans and endurance racing by storm. Since then rule changes have dampened the flame somewhat, but it's still a competitive and formidable platform. This season, it's getting a full-scale upgrade with the...

  Nelson Ireson March 13, 2009
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  U.S. Volkswagen CEO: EVs won't be viable for 35 years

  If the futurism of the 1950s and 1960s taught us anything as a culture, it's that what seems a sure thing today may prove laughably optimistic in a few decades. Stefan Jacoby, CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, thinks a similar situation is playing out with electric cars today. Jacoby's main...

  Nelson Ireson March 13, 2009
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  MINI Clubman and Airstream trailer concept headed to Salone del Mobile in Milan Nelson Ireson March 12, 2009

  What do you get when you combine a MINI Cooper S Clubman with a renowned furniture design company? An Airstream trailer concept, of course. Well, maybe the result isn't so obvious, but that's exactly...
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  FROST design study puts mean into the green at Th!nk

  Th!nk's financial saga has seen it bounce from owner to owner, into bankruptcy and back out, and now it's looking for government aid, but still its vehicles and ideas are inspiring people. The FROST design study, for instance, was penned by a Norwegian design student as a Th!nk concept, intended to...

  Nelson Ireson March 12, 2009
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  Video: Remote car sales coming to a dealership near you?

  In the future, no one will ever leave their homes. Work, play, business - it will all be done remotely. Or at least that's what it's beginning to seem like. So-called 'telepresence' is one of the buzzwords in the burgeoning robotics industry, but carmakers like Honda are leapfrogging the system...

  Nelson Ireson March 11, 2009
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  UK auto aid approved by EU, now accepting bids for share of £2.3 billion

  The weak economy knows no borders, rampaging across the globe taking its toll in lost jobs and bankruptcies. The car industry in particular is no stranger to this strife, and some might say Great Britain's carmakers most of all, considering their rocky history. In late January UK Business Secretary...

  Nelson Ireson March 11, 2009
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  Peeling back the layers of Aston Martin's DBS

  What makes a hand-built car so different from a standard robot-assembled production line car? Some might say it's attention to detail, but the scanning cameras and computer software of a modern assembly line might disagree. In truth, it's craftsmanship, and nothing illustrates that better than a...

  Nelson Ireson March 11, 2009
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  Video: McLaren fans inspire remote-control F1 car

  In a viral video Cinderella story that could only happen on the Internet, two McLaren Formula 1 fans have helped to inspire one of the most incredible remote control cars ever: a full-scale, fully functional remote control F1 car. And it's piloted - remotely - by Lewis Hamilton. Two bored office...

  Nelson Ireson March 10, 2009