Nelson Ireson, Senior Editor
Articles
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The Frankfurt Auto Show launch of the Saab Turbo X commemorated the 30th anniversary of Saab's first turbocharged car, the 99 Turbo, and the latest Turbo in Saab's line-up is finally available for... -
U.S. NHTSA considering stronger roof-crush standardsCurrent roof-crush regulations require all cars sold in the U.S. to support 1.5 times their weight on their roofs on one side of the car. New rules proposed by the NHTSA would have the entire roof required to support 2.5 times the car's weight. Strong opposition is arising in the U.S. Senate, with...
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Buick Lucerne will survive large RWD purge at GMFor the last several years enthusiasts had been awaiting GM's new round of rear-wheel drive large sedans with bated breath, and as late as a few months ago, those hopes looked like they would be fulfilled. The advent of new and strict CAFE standard, rising fuel prices and GM's corporate...
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Ford, Mercury Climb Initial Quality Rankings, Lincoln, Chrysler Fall BehindUnsurprisingly, luxury makers topped the charts of J.D. Power's latest initial quality survey, but Ford's Mercury marque has risen to settle just behind Toyota for second among the mainstream brands. General Motors' brands also had a strong showing, with four of the maker's nameplates ranking above...
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Update: Nissan GT-R scorches the 'Ring in 7:29Updated with official video. At first glance the R35 Nissan GT-R is a physical paradox. The 3,800lb car's 480hp twin-turbo V6 just shouldn't be able to move it around like it does, and the base model's 20-inch Dunlop Sport tires shouldn't let it be thrown through the corners with such abandon...
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A closer look at May's U.S. sales figuresThere's no doubt that the U.S. auto industry is facing tough times for foreign and domestic manufacturers alike. But it's not all doom and gloom - even though the overall market is down, and several companies are showing significant losses, a few dark horses are making a run at increases, including...
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The Prancing Horse is recalling 366 of its 612 Scagliettis for a defect in their F1 transmissions. A faulty sensor causes the internal components to overheat, resulting in transmission failure.... -
CAW feels betrayed by GM, sees more bad news aheadThe restructuring plan announced today by General Motors shows a complete corporate strategy for adapting to the structural changes taking place in the American market. Unfortunately, that means some plants will have to be closed and some jobs cut. Among the first to go will be the Oshawa truck...
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CAFE won't kill the Camaro, but will force it to adaptYesterday word leaked on the UK getting a shipment of right-hand drive Camaros, and it seems the company is determined to move forward with a full-scale launch of the car. Believing the platform is equally well suited to V6 and even four-cylinder engines as the more traditional V8s, General Motors...
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Chrysler's Project Genesis seeing resultsDetroit's Big Three have come under fire lately for their lack of preparation for the CAFE regulations and rising fuel prices. But good news about the changes that are being made inside their operations is starting to issue from the carmakers, and Chrysler is among the first to show improvement...
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Right-hand drive Camaro confirmed for EuropeThe shift to small, economical cars isn't the only thing going on in General Motors' product development pipeline, despite what all the headlines may say. The Camaro is coming, and now it's confirmed to be coming to Europe as well, with a right-hand drive conversion going to the UK. About 600 cars...
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New compact car for GM in 2009The current Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 are among the smallest cars in the GM line-up, especially in coupe form. Sources are now confirming a new, more compact car is due in 2009 and that Cobalt production may not be continuing past June 2010. The new car will be shared across five GM brands...
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Although Porsche hasn't come out with the brusque attitude of Lamborghini, it doesn't think the new fuel standards will affect its U.S. product line-up in any significant way. More fuel-efficient... -
Leaky batteries slow GM hybrid productionWith all the industry talk lately about batteries, the plants that build them and the technologies used in their construction it's clear that much of the automotive future will center around them. It turns out that a good portion of GM's present does too, thanks to 9,000 hybrids failing due to...
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Cerberus denies selling half of Chrysler and GMAC stakeCerberus Capital Management has denied selling any portion of its investment in Chrysler. A report earlier today by Financial Times, which was widely propagated by other sites, claimed that Cerberus Capial Management had sold over half its stake in the two firms to a consortium of 90 private...
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Detroit looking forward to 2010 turnaroundThe past decade hasn't been a success story for any of the Big Three American automakers, and the past year has been particularly tough. But as new, more fuel-efficient models and revised union contracts come into play starting in 2010, Detroit thinks it has a future worth looking forward to. Sales...
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From 356 to Panamera: 60 years of PorscheJune 8th marks the 60th anniversary of the homologation and road-approval of the German maker's first sports car, and the first true Porsche prototype, a 356 known internally as 356-001. The culmination of Ferry Porsche's search for the perfect car, the 356 began what would become one of the most...
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Toyota Night View features pedestrian detectionThe Japanese-market-only Toyota Crown Hybrid first debuted as a concept at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, and was revealed as a production model in April of this year. Now the luxury hybrid sedan is getting a cutting-edge pedestrian detection system for its Night View night vision computer. The...
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Eleven days ago Mercedes-Benz announced the $7.3 million purchase of the defunct Chrysler Pacifica Advanced Product Design Center and now the company is detailing its plans for the studio. With three... -
New Mini Cooper Convertible coming in March 2009The current Mini Cooper Convertible (pictured) is the first generation of the design, which debuted in 2004, three years after the regular version of the retro-hatchback first arrived. Since the Mk II Mini Cooper hatchback arrived in 2007, fans of the soft-top variant have been wondering when the...
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BMW to build X1 small SUV in Leipzig plantRising production costs and tighter margins are leading BMW to shift production of its vehicles to their most popular markets. Because BMW expects the X1 small SUV to sell primarily in Europe, and especially Germany, the company has announced it will produce it at the Leipzig plant. The X1 small...
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SEAT developing eCar safety and infotainment systemSEAT is attempting to make the entire driving experience safer and more comfortable through its eCar Project. The project is being jointly developed by the SEAT tech center and Telefonica Espana and the aim of the project is to apply new information and communication technologies into SEAT cars...
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Free gas schemes could end up hurting carmakersCar buyers, especially those in the U.S., have historically been at little risk of over-thinking a purchase decision, instead relying on emotional or aesthetic factors. But as fuel prices soar, more buyers are purchasing with their heads, not their hearts, and that could drive consumers away from...
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Toyota could build Prius in U.S.The world's best-selling hybrid is currently built in Japan and China, but with demand for the efficient cars in the U.S. remaining high, Toyota is reportedly considering adding Prius production to its joint-venture facility operated with General Motors. The two companies already use the New United...
Nelson Ireson