Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Editor
Articles
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Ford’s recent purchase of the Rover nameplate from BMW is likely to disappoint Chinese car maker, SAIC Motor Corp, who owns the technology for the Rover 75 and 25 vehicles. SAIC, who hopes to... -
Toyota considers outsourcing engines for the first timeToyota Motor Corporation, one of the most successful outsourcing companies in the world, may for the first time go outside the company for a diesel engine. The Japanese giant would be breaking with 50 years of tradition in the US by opting for a diesel powerplant for its new Tundra pickup via an...
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The future of McLaren supercar design?McLaren Automotive in collaboration with students from the Istituto Europeo di Design School in Turin, Italy, has developed a “dream project” range of models depicting the supercars of tomorrow. A total 39 students participated to help produce several 1:4 scale sized models of...
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Paris preview: Lamborghini Gallardo NeraThough it’s not the upgraded Gallardo we were all hoping for, Lamborghini will be showing off a special edition Gallardo called the Nera at this month’s Paris Motor Show. The Nera is designed to showcase the customization options available to customers. This particular model comes with...
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The Saleen S7 Competition: More power, better handlingThe ballistic Saleen S7 has just been given the track treatment with a new Competition package being made available as an option. Of course, 750 horsepower is just too little these days, and so the Competition package ups the ante to an astounding 1,000 hp. The extra horsepower comes from...
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Active speed bumps on the way
One of the biggest drawbacks with speeding cameras is that you’re usually caught, get the fine a week later in the mail, and rarely learn your lesson. Studies have shown that drivers are more likely to curb their speeding if they’re shown a sign with their speed, and their number plate...
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We had to check it wasn’t April Fool’s day when we read this announcement. After all the talk about Ford’s Way Forward, it seemed strange that they would now consider building cars... -
Mystery Investor Gives Noble A Fighting ChanceSmall British carmakers have always been risky prospects, but Noble, makers of the M14 coupe and the upcoming M15, has managed to gain a large financial backing. A mystery investor has fronted the money that will allow Noble to complete its M15 coupe, which is bein pitched against the Porsche 911...
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Spy shots: 2008 Ford Five HundredFord is planning on giving its Five Hundred sedan a significant facelift in 2008, before the introduction of a brand new model in 2012. Visually, the signature three-bar chrome grill will be changed along with head and tail lamps. The current 3L V6 will be replaced by a 3.5L variant, which should...
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Toyota prepping to overtake GMAt a time when the country’s largest carmakers are cutting back on factories and laying off their workforce, Toyota is steadily marching ahead towards global domination of the world car industry by increasing its already massive overseas output by a whopping 40%. Toyota wants total overseas...
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Ford and GM - the ultimate merger?It seems that Ford and GM, the two biggest auto manufacturers in North America, have been in talks about a possible merger between the two. Automotive News reports that the talks were held in July after Nissan and Renault broached a separate proposal of an alliance between Renault, Nissan and GM...
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New collection of high-end CL accessoriesSo you’ve just dropped a hundred grand on a new Merc CL and want everyone to know about it. Rather than trying to slip references to it in conversations, you can try buying one of the new range of accessories Mercedes has just released to accompany your car. There are the usual executive toys...
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Ford has announced the details of its upgraded Way Forward turnaround plan, with the major announcements being a reduction in operating costs through offering employee buyouts, acceleration of... -
Renault to supply engines for Red Bull in 2007At least one Red Bull team will use Renault engines next year after the French company announced it had won the deal. Red Bull currently uses Ferrari engines in the main team and Cosworth V10s in their Scuderia Toro Rosso team. To make things interesting, Red Bull still has an engine contract with...
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Ford won't dump any brandsOne of the rumors surrounding Ford’s imminent Way Forward 2.0 announcement was that they would drop some brands, the most likely one being Mercury, whose sales have halved in the last few years. But in an interview with the Detroit Free Press, a Ford spokesperson confirmed they would keep all...
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Dude, You Just Spun Your KoenigseggTurns out that the reputation most supercar owners have of being bad drivers is actually true in some cases. Witness Tommy Sharif of Norway, who became the second person in the country to own a Koenigsegg, in his case a brand new CCX worth over $1 million. Sharif took the car out in front of a...
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Nissan developing drink drive-proof carsNissan is planning to build cars with equipment that would prevent drunk drivers from operating the vehicles amid concerns over a spate of accidents involving drunk drivers in Japan. Other Japanese automakers may follow suit in view of growing public awareness against drunken driving. Last month an...
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Car electronic systems to benefit from IBM and Magna collaborationIBM and Magna Electronics have struck a deal to jointly develop technologies that will improve vehicle safety and functionality. Magna Electronics specializes in vehicle electronics systems and IBM’s expertise in the computer world is well known around the world. The collaboration between the...
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It seems these days that red light cameras, speed cameras and other such devices are on the rise, and of course the issue of revenue raising is brought up time and time again by motorists. Usually... -
Audi And BMW Fight Over The PopeThe two rivals both claimed the right to be the official limousine for the Pope during his recent visit to Bavaria. With both companies locking horns, it required the Munich Archibishop’s office to broker a compromise. When in Munich, the Pope would be driven in a 7-Series but during his...
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Mercedes Benz CL63 AMG details releasedThe CL we’ve all been waiting for has finally been unveiled by Mercedes, and will take prime position in the model line-up as their best luxury coupe. It’s propelled by an AMG 6.3L V8 with a maximum output of 386 kW/525 HP and 630 Nm. Other AMG equipment includes an enhanced body kit...
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Ford makes stability control standard on all cars by 2009Ford has jumped the gun on a potential mandate requiring stability control on all cars by announcing that all models by the end of 2009 will come with life-saving feature as standard. Stability control systems greatly reduce the risk of rollover in any vehicle with a high center of gravity, such as...
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Alonso trash talks SchumacherIn a scathing interview with Radio Marca in Spain, Fernando Alonso has called soon-to-retire Michael Schumacher "the most unsporting driver in the history of Formula One." He goes on to say that "[Zinedine] Zidane retired with more glory than Schumacher," and that “he has the largest number...
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Ford talks up product placementIt’s no secret that car companies love product placements. What better place to showcase your new sports car than in the hands of a hero that’ll throw it around and use it to kill evil people? This season, Ford is supplying a large collection of vehicles to be featured in major TV shows...
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