Nelson Ireson, Senior Editor
Articles
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This year Daimler dumped Chrysler and Toyota edged its way into the number two spot in total U.S. sales. Now American domestic luxury car manufacturers have suffered another blow. Import makers are... -
SSC Ultimate Aero TT world record speed runLast week we reported on SSC's world record breaking speed run. This week, we bring you the video of the event, fresh from Shelby SuperCars. The footage is impressive, but what really gets this gearhead's juices flowing is the incredible sound. Listening to the high-pitched roar of the...
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California kicked out of court in suit against car makersThe State of California's suit, which alleged the auto makers were responsible for damaging the state with greenhouse gases that were changing the climate, was thrown out of federal district court today. As always, look forward to an appeal. The six auto makers sued were Ford, GM, Toyota, and the...
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Experts say Tata's bid for Jaguar and Land Rover a mistakeLast month, India's Tata Motors announced it is looking to move into the high-end global auto industry with a bid to purchase Jaguar and Land Rover. Ford Motor Company, the current owner of the luxury marques, has put the companies up for auction to help ease its financial troubles. Now, industry...
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Americans getting too fat to drive?Americans - like their cars - are getting heavier every year. Unfortunately, it seems the tested passenger capacities of the cars they drive are not keeping up. Two-seaters like the Mazda MX-5 and the Chevy Corvette aren't rated to carry two 200lb (91kg) adults - and some, like the Cadillac XLR are...
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Porsche to sue EU over "naive" CO2 standardsEuropean leaders have recently come out in support of proposed EU CO2 standards that aim to cut average CO2 emissions for new vehicles from the present limit of 160g/km by 25% to 120g/km. Porsche does not believe its cars would be able to meet such a standard, and has threatened to take legal...
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It is a sad day for the entire world of motorsport. British newspaper The Times is reporting a helicopter owned by WRC superstar Colin McRae crashed today, leaving no survivors. McRae's five year old... -
Mercedes CEO answers tough questionsGerman weekly Der Spiegel recently sat down with Dieter Zetsche, CEO of DaimlerChrysler, to discuss hybrids, the environment, the split from Chrysler, and cooperating with BMW. No punches were pulled in this ballsy interview, and Zetsche did an admirable job of actually answering each question...
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BMW 1-series to hit U.S. shores under $30,000The 1-series, as sold in the U.S., will come only in coupe form, but will have the option of two different six-cylinder engines. The base 128i model will have 230hp, while the 135i will share a motor with the 335i boasting a conservatively-specified 300hp. Expect 0-60mph to come in 5.1s in the...
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Bugatti Veyron Pur Sang: pure blooded exclusivityUpdated: New images This is the new Bugatti EB Veyron 16.4 Pur Sang, a special edition version of one of the world's fastest cars, limited to a production run of just five units in total. The now "plain" Veyron sold more in a single day in Dubai upon its release in 2005, where six cars were sold in...
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VW: Toyota is our biggest competitorThis year has seen Toyota become one of the "big three" in total sales in the U.S., claiming the number two spot ahead of Ford and Chrysler. Volkswagen has, in turn, set its sights on the leading Japanese automaker, seeking to challenge Toyota on a global scale. VW will certainly have to fight for...
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Ford Focus receives 'kinetic' faceliftFord's Kuga crossover bears the face of what's to come from behind the blue oval's doors, but few cars exemplify the make's present design philosophy as well as the Focus. The newly redesigned Focus will be unveiled at today's Frankfurt Motor Show, facelifted to mesh well with its bigger brother...
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Volkswagen looks to be returning to its roots with the recently unmasked up! concept. A rear-engined, three-door, four-seat city car, the up! evokes many of the key design elements and emotions of...
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Lexus plans global dominationBorn on shaky ground in the U.S. in 1989, Toyota's Lexus marque has since grown to become the nation's best-selling luxury brand. Now Toyota is hoping similar success can be found around the world. Russia and China are welcoming the brand with open arms. Japan, Toyota's home market, has been slower...
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FIA's new evidence in spy case to come from AlonsoFernando Alonso could be set to emerge right at the centre of the espionage saga. Ahead of the latest hearing of the World Motor Sport Council on Thursday, it is rumoured in the Monza paddock on Thursday that the Spaniard could have been among the team employees who knew about chief designer Mike...
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Rental company: "No Porsche for you!"Increasing automobile safety concerns around the world are leading to new airbag rules and improved crash safety standards. Now, German rental company Sixt is moving safety forward in a different manner: by removing all Porsches from its lineup. Citing numerous high-speed accidents sustained by...
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Smart ForTwo creator plans second carThe man originally behind the concept of Smart cars, Swatch chairman Nicolas G. Hayek, has said he’s planning to build a new, greener car. Hayek's previous auto project, the Smart Fortwo, was originally designed as an all-electric vehicle. However, such technology was either not feasible or...
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BMW E92 M3 CSL Spotted at the Nurburgring?Spy photographers have taken the first pictures of what appears to be the latest M3 CSL running around the 'Ring in street clothes. It's not yet clear if this is in fact a CSL prototype at all, or if it's anything more than an early mule, however the wider track and bootlid spoiler are obvious...
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It's hard to overestimate the thirst of the American auto market for sexy, sporty, small roadsters – while sales of the Pontiac Solstice may be slowing down, the Saturn Sky is taking off, and... -
Mercedes plans new hybrid modelsWith Volkswagen pushing ahead on its BlueMotion program and BMW heavily promoting EfficientDynamics, it seems as though Mercedes has been left behind when it comes to green technology in its cars. Not so – Mercedes is in fact hard at work, and it's soon to show. The 2009 ML450 hybrid, capable...
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Oil companies caught gouging consumersAustralia's peak motoring organization, the NRMA, claims it has found proof of oil companies gouging prices. By comparing the price of petrol at the pump to the price of international crude oil, the NMRA says it found evidence of collusion within the oil industry. The “smoking gun”...
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Is Jaguar over the hill?As today marks the 85th anniversary of Jaguar Cars, it seems as if the tepid reception of its newest production sport-luxury sedan may also mark the beginning of the end for the once-iconic marque. Having produced some of the world’s most sophisticated and attractive car designs over the...
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MINI Cooper D - greener than you thinkIt seems diesel fueled cars are getting a bad rap in consumer minds. Most people surveyed by YouGov Plc believed diesel to be more polluting than similar hybrid-electric models. As Motor Authority reported back in May the MINI Cooper D, powered by a 110 hp 1.6 liter 4-cylinder diesel motor, emits a...
Nelson Ireson