Nelson Ireson, Senior Editor
Articles
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A class action lawsuit filed in Federal court in Manhattan accuses Ford and Roush of building twice as many limited-edition Stage 3 BlackJack Mustangs as it said it would. That has resulted in... -
Rising costs could eat Tata Nano's profitsThe climbing price of steel and other materials could be the undoing of Tata Motors' ultra-cheap Nano. The company is being forced into a difficult position by the rising costs, having to choose between reduced demand due to a higher retail price or reduced profits due to a smaller margin. With so...
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Tesla hires away Mazda's chief designerThe man at the head of Mazda's design studios in Irvine, CA, Franz von Holzhausen, has left the company to lead Tesla's design unit. His first two challenges will include the 'Model S' sedan and an affordable sport compact EV, but after more than three years as the lead designer for Mazda's highly...
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Update: Chrysler could release new vehicles and platforms as early as next yearUpdate: Chrysler CEO Robert Nardelli has put to rest fears the carmaker’s new midsize global platform - internally known as ‘Project D’ – is taking up too many resources and could be delayed by announcing that several unexpected vehicles and platforms could be unveiled by as...
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Update: Chrysler in further negotiations with Nissan, still talking with Fiat and TataUpdate: Yesterday reports emerged claiming Chrysler was in talks with Tata and Fiat over a deal to sell its Jeep Wrangler SUV in India and other parts of Asia. Latest reports indicate that Chrysler is still in talks with Nissan, and is even considering building a new pickup truck for the Japanese...
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Toyota tops CAFE ratings for 2007With its industry-leading hybrid program pushing it forward, Toyota has claimed the top spot in the annual CAFE fuel efficiency ratings in the U.S. The result confirms the company's fuel-efficient image as legitimate, though both Honda and Hyundai trailed within just a few tenths of a mile per...
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Updated: General Motors announced today that it would stay in the leasing business through August at the least. The obvious implication is that the company, via its GMAC finance corporation, is... -
Ford chooses Honeywell for first EcoBoost turboThe first EcoBoost engine to hit Ford's lineup will be powered in part by a Honeywell turbocharger. Lincoln's 2010 MKS (2009 model pictured) will feature a 3.5L V6 that is the first application of Ford's efficiency-enhancing downsizing EcoBoost strategy. Honeywell was chosen for its status as a...
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Report: Porsche to post $17 billion profit, exceeds revenuesOn revenues of $13.3 billion, Porsche is expected to report a profit of $17.05 billion for the 2007 fiscal year. How a company manages to make more money than it takes in is a technicality of accounting, but the result is no less staggering. The upside-down figures are due to a revaluation of the...
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GM has small engines ready, waiting for customer demandThe automobile industry - and especially the players in the U.S. market - have long been engaged in an all-out battle for more power and performance. The 2008 fuel crunch has shaken that strategy up somewhat, but General Motors says it still needs a signal from buyers that they are willing to...
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U.S. drivers continue to cut back travelRising fuel prices are having a real impact on American driving habits for the first time in decades. Over 40 billion fewer total miles were driven through the first four months of 2008 than over the same period in 2007. In May alone, Americans drove 9.6 billion fewer miles than the previous year...
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GM planning Volt sneak peek for employeesGeneral Motors has revealed that it will unveil the Volt plug-in hybrid in near-production form to employees in a special sneak preview this September. Celebrating 100 years in the car business on September 16th, GM is reportedly nearly finished with the car's basic design, and is now working on...
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Teaming up with Rhys Millen Racing to build a SEMA show car, Hyundai will perform its part of the bargain by supplying a 2.0L turbocharged version of the car. Designed to showcase the tuning... -
2010 Chevrolet Camaro officially unveiledUpdated with new video. Since 2006, General Motors has been teasing the automotive world with the Camaro Concept, and now the production car is officially revealed to the world. Due to start production February 16th, 2009, the car is being marketed as a high-tech and efficient high-performance car...
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Ford raises lease prices to combat lossesFollowing on the heels of Detroit cohorts Chrysler and GM, Ford has announced it is having major lease difficulties as well. Unlike its competition, however, Ford will simply price its leases higher by readjusting residual values of several vehicles. The move will make it less affordable to lease...
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Mazda reveals details for 2009 U.S. lineupFocusing on enhanced efficiency through lighter packaging and incremental improvements, Mazda's 2009 lineup includes mostly expected changes. News of the next version of what may be Mazda's most tantalizing model - the MX-5 Miata - remains in shadows, however. Changes to the aging RX-8 are minimal...
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Update: Progressive gets detailed on use-based insuranceUpdate: Progressive has announced a more fine-grained approach to use-based insurance pricing. Cars can be fitted with a ‘black box’-type device that records acceleration patterns, brake usage and other important data the insurance company believes contributes to a driver’s risk...
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Eaton working on new supercharger tech as demand growsToday's superchargers are high-performance, computer-designed and thermally efficient, but they are still based on the same basic design that's been on the market for decades. New developments, including variable speed units and superchargers for hybrids promise to offer even more benefits...
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Industry research and development specialist Ricardo plc has unveiled a research prototype car with a demonstration version of its new electromagnetically-actuated transmission technology. The... -
Aptera scores $24 million in funding, Typ-1 closer to realityIn March, Aptera announced it had done all the development necessary to head to production, and that all it needed was to move into acquiring the right equipment and workforce to do so. Now the company has revealed that a new infusion of $24 million in cash is moving the process along. If...
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Update: GM paying Hummer dealers early bonuses, preparing to buyout storesUpdate: With General Motors publicly announcing its doubts about Hummer's viability and plans to sell the brand, many dealers were upset about the carmaker’s seeming lack of care for the predicament they had been placed in by the comments and the potential loss of the multi-million dollar...
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GM to cut pickup production, shorten Saab warrantiesPart of the company's continuing reorganization plan, General Motors has taken several actions today to lighten its load in the face of reduced demand. Cutting back truck production, much like rival Ford recently announced, has been expected for some time. But reducing the warranty terms on U.S...
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Update: Fiat loses Chinese patent claim against Panda cloneUpdated: In counterpoint to a recent Italian court's ruling prohibiting sale of Great Wall Motors' (GWM) GWPeri in Europe, a Chinese court has found Fiat's patent claim against the company to be without merit. Undeterred, Fiat is now weighing its options to continue prosecuting the matter. The...
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AC Schnitzer reworks the BMW X6The somewhat ungainly proportions of BMW's not-a-sedan, not-an-SUV X6 have been the subject of intense debate. It's not ugly in the traditional sense, but it's not especially attractive either. AC Schnitzer has nevertheless decided to take on the challenge of tuning the X6, focusing its efforts on...
Nelson Ireson