Nelson Ireson, Senior Editor

Articles

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  Tata considering Daimler Motor Company revival Nelson Ireson July 28, 2008

  As part of the purchase of Jaguar and Land Rover, finalized in June, Tata Motors secured the rights to the UK-based Daimler Motor Company name. That opens the door for Tata's revival of the marque...
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  Ford will reduce pickup trucks to 38% of overall sales

  Currently Ford's sales rely heavily on its pickup truck line, which constituted 52% of its volume last year. The rapid fall in pickup sales volume precipitated by a weak economy and rising fuel prices was reflected directly in the F-150's race down the best-seller list in the U.S. To fix the...

  Nelson Ireson July 27, 2008
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  Mercury gets a mission: support Lincoln

  Rumors of Mercury's imminent demise have run rampant for the past year, with even Jerry York, adviser to billionaire stockholder Kirk Kerkorian, urging Ford to sell the brand. A dearth of updates in the pipeline beyond 2011 appeared to indicate it would die a silent death. But new plans from Ford...

  Nelson Ireson July 26, 2008
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  GM and Chrysler extend incentives, Chrysler cuts leasing

  Detroit's carmakers announced their expected tough profit and loss statements this week, and now they're announcing another round of incentives in an effort to help push the bottom line back toward black. General Motors and Chrysler have both released word of their extended incentive programs...

  Nelson Ireson July 25, 2008
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  Abt Tweaks The Volkswagen CC

  One of the first remixes of Volkswagen's sporty-looking four-door coupe, the Passat CC, Abt's tuning job adds power and appearance modifications to push the car to the next level. Whether you choose the diesel or petrol versions, Abt has it covered. Noting that the Passat CC's two-letter...

  Nelson Ireson July 25, 2008
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  Tesla working on third, sub-$30,000 car

  The world-famous Tesla Roadster - check out our recent test here - has been known for some time to have a sedan sibling in the works, codenamed 'Whitestar'. But now Tesla's chairman of the board, Elon Musk, is talking about the third car to bear the Tesla name, and it's targeting a sub-$30,000...

  Nelson Ireson July 25, 2008
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  Audi R8 sold out through 2009 Nelson Ireson July 25, 2008

  The Germans in Ingolstadt may be fearing Porsche's imminent takeover, especially as it might affect their 911-fighting R8 sportscar, but if popular demand has any role to play, the car will be safe....
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  Ariel Adds A Windscreen To The Atom

  The skeleton-framed two-seat open-top rocket ship that is the Ariel Atom has gained notoriety not just for its commanding performance and unique styling, but also for it's face-stretching capabilities. Outfitted with no wind-deflecting device whatsoever, the Ariel Atom is best driven at high speed...

  Nelson Ireson July 25, 2008
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  Sirius, XM radio merger draws nearer to conclusion

  Updated: The final legal hurdle to the merger of the two satellite radio giants XM and Sirius has finally been cleared - unofficially. FCC approval of the deal was secured after the two companies agreed to pay fees in relation to prior violations of FCC regulations. "I think it's fair to say an...

  Nelson Ireson July 24, 2008
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  Small trucks crash tested, results not good

  As more buyers in the market for a pickup truck eye the smaller, more fuel-efficient alternatives to the major brands' full-size offerings, the attention is beginning to reveal some unpleasant details. Safety ratings based on IIHS crash tests indicate that many of the smaller pickup trucks on the...

  Nelson Ireson July 24, 2008
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  HEVT reveals plug-in hybrid Ford F-150

  Billed as the first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) version of the world famous pickup truck, the HEVT (Hybrid Electric Vehicle Technologies, Inc.) F-150 makes significant improvements in fuel mileage while maintaining the utility of its Ford chassis. The truck is intended as an exhibition...

  Nelson Ireson July 24, 2008
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  Gemballa GT crashed on circuit in France

  Gemballa is famous for building highly modified Porsches, many of which are based on the discontinued Carrera GT supercar. The tuner company has even introduced a number of variations on the theme, with prices starting at about €225,000 ($348,000) - on top of the price of your own Carrera GT...

  Nelson Ireson July 24, 2008
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  First half results are in: industry is down, but not out Nelson Ireson July 24, 2008

  While the automotive universe has certainly been shaken at its foundations with a confluence of unfortunate events this year, all is not lost. Cloudy second-quarter and first-half results appear to...
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  U.S. to miss out on Audi RS6 Avant, sedan still coming

  The U.S., despite being the world's premier car market, often misses out on some of the most brilliant cars, simply because what sells in America isn't the same as what sells everywhere else. The latest casualty of the market disparity is the Audi RS6 Avant, one of the hottest wagons available...

  Nelson Ireson July 23, 2008
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  Toyota Prius taxi tops 340,000mi, dispels battery myth

  Worries over the serviceable lifespan of battery packs have been at the forefront of many critics dislike of hybrid cars. With doom-and-gloom scenarios of pricey replacements and short service life, the pundits have posited the Prius' long-term impracticality. But an Australian taxi outfit has...

  Nelson Ireson July 23, 2008
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  Dodge Challenger SRT8 not selling as well as expected?

  Despite claims at the car's debut that the run of 6,400 2008 Challenger SRT8s had almost sold out, the truth is that many of them are still available. The problem could be, at least in part, driven by dealer markups, though the general downturn in the U.S. market is also likely playing a role. Over...

  Nelson Ireson July 23, 2008
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  Nice builds Micro-Vett electric Fiat 500

  Combining the hottest power source of the moment with one of the hottest hatchbacks on backorder makes for a good chance of success. With the statistics the Micro-Vett Fiat 500 electric car presents, the chances are even better. Built by NICE, the same company that presented the all-new MyCar...

  Nelson Ireson July 23, 2008
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  Aspid Sports Car Revealed At British Motor Show

  With a design that combines modern tastes, an enclosed cockpit and composite materials with a classic Lotus Seven-style semi-open-wheeled layout, the IFR Aspid Sports Car looks both thoroughly modern and quintessentially British, though it is in fact developed in Spain by IFR and Ignacio...

  Nelson Ireson July 22, 2008
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  Lotus Names New 2+2 GT ‘Evora’ Nelson Ireson July 22, 2008

  Lotus has revealed the new name of its latest model, a 2+2 GT that made its official debut today at the London Motor Show. The car will from now be known as the ‘Evora’ (named after a...
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  Renault reveals new Megane R26.R

  The latest addition to the Renault Sport performance family is the Megane R26.R, which was displayed today for the first time at the London Motor Show. The new car is based on the existing Megane F1 Team R26 and uses the same engine, gearbox and limited slip differential, but has been lightened by...

  Nelson Ireson July 22, 2008
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  enviroSportscar Series seeks to bring green racing to the masses

  One of the first race series to be founded on the premise of using energy-efficient, the enviroSportscars Series will team professional race drivers with celebrities in a pan-European series that spans three racing genres, including circuits, drag strips and city-center rallies. The cars themselves...

  Nelson Ireson July 21, 2008
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  Update: VW up! delayed due to switch to FWD layout

  Update: Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn has confirmed that the production version of the up! concept car will be offered with a front engine FWD configuration only. The original concept car featured a rear-mounted engine spinning the rear axle but this option was ruled out due to cost. Placing the...

  Nelson Ireson July 21, 2008
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  First Foose Coupes get delivered to customers

  Chip Foose's space-age hotrod, called simply the Foose Coupe, is an exercise in the extremes of automotive design and materials. So far, only four have been built however, and only two of those have been offered to the public, the last one at Barrett-Jackson's famed auction in 2007. The newest...

  Nelson Ireson July 19, 2008
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  Chrysler could cut top-end Avenger and Sebring

  Cutting models while adding value to existing mid-range trims could be the new tactic at Chrysler as it fights to regain sales and stability in the turbulent market. The changes are wrapped up in a plan called "Fight Back" that the carmaker is rolling out to parts suppliers this week, and things...

  Nelson Ireson July 19, 2008