Nelson Ireson, Senior Editor
Articles
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They may be vintage rides with pristine paint jobs and immaculate interiors, or they may be beat-up jalopies held together with duct tape and hope, but the top 10 most stolen vehicles in the U.S. for... -
GM: Volt won't have huge impact on fuel savings before 2015The upcoming CAFE standards are making carmakers nervous, with most of the major players speaking out about the huge cost and difficult technical challenges they face. High-tech plug-in hybrids like GM's Volt and Toyota's recently confirmed car have been the central hope for getting fleet averages...
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Ford focusing on Mexico for new production plansRising costs, shifting demand and a maturing market in North America, combined with high labor costs and tough union negotiations are pushing Ford to look for ways to improve its situation, and according the company's local CEO, Mexico is rising as an integral part of Ford's global future. The...
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McLaren offering signed, diamond-encrusted Monaco F1 helmetsOne of the key identifying factors of the individual drivers in their cars, race helmets develop and evolve over a driver's career to reflect sponsorships, personality and nationality, among other things. For fans of McLaren-Mercedes F1 team, and especially those backing Lewis Hamilton, the team's...
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BMW CEO Reithofer speaks on the company's future powertrainsDespite the rapid pace of change in today's automobile market, the business of designing and building cars requires the adoption of a longer-range view. That includes anticipating periods of rapid change and technological developments. Though a bit behind the curve, the German maker is nonetheless...
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London mayor Johnson fulfills campaign promise to stop c-charge hikeBoris Johnson, London’s mayor and the replacement to Ken Livingstone, has scrapped the plan to triple the city's controversial congestion charge on heavier-emissions vehicles. Widespread public and corporate opposition and an estimated £123 million cost have posed strong arguments against...
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Tata's Nano ultra-affordable microcar continues to make waves that its original target price of $2,500 set the automotive world alight, and its low price is still causing fear for the future of the... -
Tesla Using Dodge Magnum Bodies To Disguise Model S Test Mules?Just as General Motors has been driving Volt powertrains around Detroit in last-generation Malibu sedans, so the latest reports indicate Tesla may be testing its Model S sedan under Dodge Magnum wagon skins. While the corporate connection isn't as clear, the argument for something unusual going on...
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Report: GM considering Volt unveiling to distract from economic troublesWhether it's 'Monica Missiles' or 'Economic Stimulus Packages' the political misdirection is a tried and true method of shifting the media's attention from something undesirable and toward another issue that's easier to deal with. General Motors is reported to be considering just such an action in...
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Sweden and the U.S. working together on plug-in hybrid techA joint effort between the energy departments of the United States and Sweden, through the Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago and the Lindholmen Science Park in Gothenburg, will see the two countries work together under a $37 million program to develop new plug-in hybrid technology. Swedish...
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Update: Saleen officially announces Racecraft brand, 420S MustangUpdate: The long-standing Saleen in-house parts brand, Racecraft, has graduated to full standalone status, with the announcement today of the first set of Racecraft-branded cars focused at the everyday enthusiast, rather than the wealthy sportsman or collector. Three principles guide the design of...
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First U.S. Nissan GT-R delivered in CaliforniaAfter months of anticipation the Nissan GT-R supercar has finally gone on sale in the U.S. with the first car being delivered this morning to a Southern California customer. The keys to the Black Obsidian GT-R Premium model were handed to Daryl Alison of Costa Mesa, California, by dealer...
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Mercedes' GL500 SUV isn't necessarily the first vehicle that comes to mind to the average enthusiast when adding power and performance is the goal, but Carlsson has taken the challenge and come out... -
Report: Volkswagen has killed its European and U.S. pickup programThe long-awaited and much anticipated Volkswagen Robust pickup truck has been canceled for European sale, according to the latest reports. The truck will still be sold in South America, but the U.S. is also off the table. New analysis of fuel prices and market demand show there is no logical place...
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Calls for lower speed limits in the U.S. spreading, but will it work?Earlier this week Michigan's governor Jennifer Granholm called for a lower speed limit, though she neglected to offer a new target, and yesterday Virginia Senator John Warner renewed the call for 55mph speed limits. It wouldn't be the first time lower speed limits were imposed in an attempt to save...
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Italdesign-Giugiaro celebrates 40th anniversary, 70th birthdayFounded in 1968 by Giorgetto Giugiaro and Aldo Mantovani, the Italian design firm Italdesign has been involved with some of the most iconic designs of the past four decades, including the Audi 80, Lancia Delta, Saab 9000 Turbo and the Fiat Panda. The Quaranta concept shown at this year's Geneva...
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American-made index ranks cars by U.S. contentAmericans often place a premium on buying vehicles made of domestic parts and assembled in U.S. factories. To aid buyers interested in keeping their purchases American-made, a list is composed every six months that analyzes the content of each car's makeup. The newest edition shows the Ford F-150...
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Gordon Murray provides specs on new T25 city carGordon Murray is widely regarded as one of the most brilliant minds in automotive design today, having been the driving force behind both the McLaren F1 supercar and more recently the Caparo T1. His T25 project is looking for extreme performance in another respect, however, focusing on lightweight...
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The Challenger has barely begun delivery to the first batch of retail customers and already Chrysler is working on a new drag-race focused special edition of the SRT8 called the Super Stock. The... -
One-off Maybach Exelero offered for saleWhat may be the world's most expensive mobile tire test bed, the Maybach Exelero Concept, is being offered for sale at a starting price of €5,000,000 ($7,843,000). The retro-futuristic twin-turbo V12 concept car is capable of sprinting to 100km/h in 4.4 seconds and a top speed of 351km/h...
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TAG Heuer announces Racing Awards driver competitionIn a potentially groundbreaking move, TAG Heuer is founding a competition this year to determine the 'best driver in the world.' A jury of ex-drivers, team principles race promoters and journalists decide the results and determine the best driver across five of the most popular race series in the...
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David Coulthard announces retirement from F1David Coulthard on Thursday announced he will retire as a formula one race driver at the end of 2008. The Scottish veteran, at 37 the oldest racer on the grid, said in a media statement he will thereafter remain involved in the sport as a consultant to his current team, Red Bull, "focusing on...
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Seat reveals new model plan through 2010, new SUV and Ibiza CupraThe Spanish arm of Volkswagen Group's automotive operations, Seat, has announced their schedule for new models through 2010, and included in the bonanza are the as-yet-unnamed SUV and the new Ibiza Cupra and Sportback. The Ibiza models will come first, with the SUV following in 2010. The start of...
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Spy Shots: Porsche Targa 4 caught before offical launchThe mid-generation refresh of its 911 line is well underway, and the most recent evidence of the changes comes by way of a few pictures of the new Targa 4 caught in public ahead of its official launch, scheduled to happen within the next month. Like the rest of the upgraded 911 range, the Targa...
Nelson Ireson