Nelson Ireson, Senior Editor

Articles

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  2009 Mazda MX-5 makes North American debut at Chicago Auto Show Nelson Ireson February 12, 2009

  Fresh from its de facto split from Ford, Mazda is moving forward with the final touches on its 2009 lineup. Most of the 2009 U.S. range was revealed in mid-2008, but the MX-5 facelift has been kept...
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  Toyota rolls out 2010 Tundra with new 4.6L V8

  Big, brawny work trucks often find another purpose on American roads - hauling big, brawny Americans around. Toyota's latest gladiator to join the big-truck arena is the 2010 Tundra, and it's packing an all-new 4.6L V8. The big engine may not stand up to the likes of the 6.7L Cummins turbodiesel or...

  Nelson Ireson February 11, 2009
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  Hyundai Announces Rhys Millen Racing Red Bull Formula Drift Team

  The past several months have been poor ones for the world of motorsports, with carmakers pulling out of such diverse venues as Formula 1 and rally racing. But Hyundai is bucking the trend today, announcing the launch of its Rhys Millen Racing Red Bull Formula Drift team. The team will compete in...

  Nelson Ireson February 11, 2009
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  GM planning quick upgrades for Volt thanks to high-tech platform

  One of the harder things about designing a new car is making it sufficiently futuristic that it's actually current when it finally makes it to market. Then the struggle becomes keeping it fresh and relevant - in terms of not just design, but capability and features. Chevrolet thinks it has a winner...

  Nelson Ireson February 11, 2009
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  Hyundai unveils Genesis Coupe R-Spec, prices lineup

  High-performance, inexpensive rear-wheel drive coupes are uncommon sights, but Hyundai has just added one to the short list with its new Genesis Coupe R-Spec. Starting at $23,750 and offering a minimal range of features - the better for later customization - the R-Spec promises to be just what the...

  Nelson Ireson February 11, 2009
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  Maybach bringing back Zeppelin nameplate for Geneva Motor Show

  Faltering sales and weak brand recognition have plagued Maybach in recent years, but the company continues offering new models for its core cadre of affluent aficionados. The latest is the Zeppelin, a super-luxury treatment for the 57 S and 62 sedans, due to be unveiled at the 2009 Geneva Motor...

  Nelson Ireson February 11, 2009
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  Vauxhall unveils 560hp VXR8 Bathurst Editions Nelson Ireson February 11, 2009

  General Motors has already cast doubt on next-generation hopes for the Pontiac G8 in the U.S., but the current generation of the car is still slated to get its GXP variant, equivalent to Vauxhall's...
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  Ford builds $10,000 balloon car to test safety systems

  Smashing cars into one another is a great thing for testing safety systems, but it's expensive. Since frugality is the new theme in Detroit, cutting out excess crash testing has opened the door to more creative solutions. Enter the balloon car, Ford's $10,000 answer to continued crash testing...

  Nelson Ireson February 10, 2009
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  Treasury announces $1 trillion consumer lending plan

  Much bloviation has been unleashed on the poor economy and its impact on the auto industry, but even where consumers have cash and carmakers have cars to sell, it's the credit industry that's failing them both. To help mend that breach, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has proposed a $1 trillion...

  Nelson Ireson February 10, 2009
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  AVL Turbohybrid Concept mates driving fun with efficiency

  Turbocharged, fun-to-drive hatchbacks and sedans - not the first things that come to mind when we hear the word 'hybrid' but one company is working to change that. Hybrid technology has become hugely important in the industry and to many eco-conscious drivers as well, and though it offers some...

  Nelson Ireson February 10, 2009
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  Mini considering U.S.-market diesel by 2011

  Diesel engines are still failing to gain much traction in the U.S., in part because of a national memory of the diesels of three decades ago, and in part because diesel fuel and engines are still too expensive to make good business sense. But Mini is thinking a small, sporty and efficient diesel...

  Nelson Ireson February 10, 2009
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  Mark II Mini Cabrio John Cooper Works official details

  The Geneva Motor Show is still about a month away, but already information for the Mini Cooper Cabrio John Cooper Works (JCW) has been released. Based around the same framework as the new Mark II Mini Cooper Cabrio, the JCW variant adds a healthy serving of style and speed. At 211hp (157kW) the JCW...

  Nelson Ireson February 10, 2009
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  Rafael Reston imagines the Viper if it had been born in 1967 Nelson Ireson February 9, 2009

  Flights of fancy in the automotive design world are common, if vain, but occasionally they yield some treasure that shows what might have been. Rafael Reston, a Milanese designer, has done just that,...
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  Vath V58K turns Mercedes' SLK55 AMG up to 565hp

  Tuner cars are often examples of the worst sort of overkill, but occasionally a car will sneak through with less-than-typical appearance modifications and a monstrously re-engineered heart. Such is the case with the Vath V58K, an extreme take on the SLK 55 AMG. The Germans at Vath decided that 5.5L...

  Nelson Ireson February 9, 2009
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  Mercedes-Benz unveils E-Guard armored E-Class

  Luxurious yet well-armored vehicles are nothing new, but the innovations being made in materials and techniques are nearly as rapid and multifarious as the weapons employed against them. Mercedes-Benz's latest armored car, based on the new E-Class and dubbed the E-Guard, is an example of the latest...

  Nelson Ireson February 9, 2009
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  Bob Lutz to retire from GM at end of 2009

  Bob Lutz, the iconic and often polemic Vice Chairman of General Motors' global product development team, has announced he will be retiring from the company at the end of 2009. Until then, Lutz will adopt a new role as Vice Chairman and Senior Advisor starting April 1. During his 46 year career in...

  Nelson Ireson February 9, 2009
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  Mitsubishi planning hot trio of cars including Evo X FQ400

  Factory-upgraded versions of typically sedate sedans and hatchbacks have become de rigeur for most major carmakers. Mitsubishi's have been largely hit-or-miss, but the company's next trio of factory specials promise to be on target. The much-lauded Lancer Evolution X gets FQ400 treatment, pushing...

  Nelson Ireson February 8, 2009
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  Lexus Prices 2010 RX 350 To Start At $36,800

  The RX line of SUVs has been Lexus' best-selling luxury utility vehicle since its launch in 1998, and the new generation takes the vehicle into a larger, more powerful realm, while at the same time adding new efficiency-enhancing measures in the hybrid model. Launched in Los Angeles at last year's...

  Nelson Ireson February 6, 2009
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  Shelby unveils Prudhomme 800hp GT500 SuperSnake drag race package Nelson Ireson February 6, 2009

  Don "The Snake" Prudhomme is one of the best-known names in drag racing, and today Shelby Automobiles announced the legendary duo has rejoined for a limited-edition GT500 conversion. The car will be...
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  Ford study claims SYNC reduces driver distractions

  Jim Morrisson sang what may have been the best driving advice in rock and roll history in the quintessential "Roadhouse Blues": Keep your eyes on the road and your hands upon the wheel. While that advice may have been aimed at keeping a half-potted rocker between the lines, it's equally apposite in...

  Nelson Ireson February 5, 2009
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  BMW 335d and X5 diesel qualify for IRS tax credit

  Tax incentives designed to help promote the adoption of technology that is slightly more expensive but in the end, more fuel efficient, are growing rapidly. The IRS' Lean Burn Technology Motor Vehicle Tax Credit, for example, is targeted at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. BMW announced today...

  Nelson Ireson February 4, 2009
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  New IndyCar engine plans stirring global interest despite delay to 2012

  Tough times and cutbacks, or even outright cancellation of programs, are mode throughout today's motorsports programs, and while the Indy Racing League (IRL) has announced it will delay application of its new engine package until 2012, the proposed format is already drawing interest from diverse...

  Nelson Ireson February 4, 2009
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  China outpaces U.S. in January cars sales

  The phenomenally weak market in the U.S. is setting record lows on a regular basis, and today is no exception: China has surpassed the U.S. in total car sales for the month of January. Conservative estimates for 2009 have the U.S. market selling 10.5 million or more vehicles, but so far this year...

  Nelson Ireson February 4, 2009
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  Nissan Confirms Infiniti QX56 And Nissan Quest, Armada To Be Phased Out Of U.S. Production

  Large SUVs and minivans have fallen on the hardest of times in the industry's late downturn, and casualties of the recession mount daily. Today's trio in triage are the Infiniti QX56, Nissan Quest and Nissan Armada. Nissan today confirmed that it would be bringing U.S. production of the three large...

  Nelson Ireson February 4, 2009