Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Editor
Articles
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The saga between BMW and Daimler forming a strategic alliance dates back more than two years. To this day, nothing major has materialized except a deal over procurement and purchasing of common... -
Toyota-Subaru joint sports car may lead to Celica comebackEarlier this month, Toyota executive vice-president Masatami Takimoto confirmed the company was working on a small hybrid sports coupe for the European market but other than a few sparing details no solid information was revealed. This sent the rumor mill into overdrive, with speculation quickly...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Faralli & Mazzanti launches the V-12-powered Vulca SItaly's Faralli & Mazzanti (F&M) is probably most widely recognized for its Antas V8 but the company has a new hero car, this time with a V-12 heart. Unlike the previous Antas V8, which was based around a donor Maserati chassis, the new Vulca S V12 was designed from the ground up and...
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Melkus launching brand rebirth with RS2000 this NovemberDevelopment of the first new Melkus sports car since 1986 is almost complete with initial plans for a November 2009 relaunch of the brand still on track. The first final design models of the car have been created, and are expected to be shown publicly at the Frankfurt Motor Show before going on...
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Volkswagen launches Golf GTI in Europe, U.S. sales start this SummerAt last year’s Paris Motor Show Volkswagen unveiled a thinly disguised 'concept' of the Mark VI Golf GTI, the latest iteration of one of the most acclaimed hot hatches on the market. New shots released today show the concept car was in fact a doppelganger for the production model, right down...
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Mr. Norm 'Super' Challenger and Cuda enter productionOne of the highlights of last year’s SEMA Auto Show was the seriously upgraded Super Challenger modified by legendary Dodge dealer and tuner Mr. Norm. The outfit’s latest addition to its long-running ‘Super’ line of cars is based around the new Dodge Challenger, more...
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Lexus has finally been knocked from its top ranking in the annual Vehicle Dependability Study run by influential research firm J.D. Power and Associates. The latest study, which ranks brands and... -
Ferrari announces record 2008 profits, retirement of Jean TodtFollowing a record first-quarter profit for Ferrari, the slowing global economy and tightening credit markets slammed into the car industry and ground what had looked like a promising year to a halt. There was talk of tough times at Ferrari. But Ferrari's ledger sheet still looks bright, says the...
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Quandt Family nixes BMW and Daimler 7% share swapping dealThe saga between BMW and Daimler forming a strategic alliance dates back more than two years. To this day, nothing major has materialized except a deal over procurement and purchasing of common components, but there was hope that a resolution would be found following the surface of reports that the...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Weight reduction and four-cylinder engines planned for next-gen Audi S4 and S5Audi took the risky step of replacing the V8 engine in its sporty S5 range with a new supercharged V6. Sure the six-cylinder mill is lighter and more fuel-efficient but what about the prestige of a V8, not to mention the smoothness and aural delight? Audi believes its customers, current and future...
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GM considered Opel’s Insignia for CadillacEarlier this week a report emerged naming Buick the new gateway for Opel’s European models into the U.S. now that the future of Saturn is looking grim. The star in Opel’s crown, the 2009 Insignia sedan, is already on sale in Chinese markets as the Buick Regal but an insider at General...
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Toyota revises Prius mpg rating to 51 city, 48 highway and 50 combinedAfter months of conjecture and Toyota’s own claims for the fuel-economy of its new Prius, came the release last week of “preliminary” Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ratings for the new model. In their haste, the EPA and Toyota had made a slight error in those original...
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At last year’s Los Angeles Auto Show Hyundai rolled out a concept version of its Sonata sedan fitted with the company’s new ‘Blue Drive’ hybrid powertrain. Blue Drive is... -
Report: Chinese government gives Chery Auto approval for Volvo acquisitionFord is having trouble offloading its failing Volvo subsidiary but the company is determined to sell it and has already started approaching potential buyers in spite of the tough economic conditions. The Blue Oval has been in talks with a number of potential suitors in the recent past, and the...
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Pontiac axes Torrent SUV, shifts focus to carsGeneral Motors has confirmed that Pontiac's struggling Torrent SUV will be canned this week due to poor sales and a need to remarket the brand as a lineup that specializes in cars. The news comes from the company’s North American vice-president of Buick, Pontiac and GMC, Susan Docherty, who...
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Obama's stimulus package expands plug-in hybrid incentives, but diesel fans unhappyA new-generation of plug-in hybrid vehicles may still be a couple of years away from reaching showrooms but the $700 billion Wall Street bailout bill passed by Congress and signed into law last October by President Bush and expanded by President Obama's recent stimulus package secures a tax break...
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More power dialed up for facelifted Lotus Exige SAn updated Exige S is set to do battle at race tracks around the world with the help of more power, improved aerodynamics and increased safety. Visual changes to the car include a revised front end and a larger wing made out of carbon-fiber. This wing is based on the design from the Exige GT3 road...
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Volkswagen shows off 71mpg Polo BlueMotion concept carVolkswagen is set to expand its BlueMotion range of fuel misers with the launch of a new version based on the recently revealed fifth-generation Polo hatchback. While the Polo BlueMotion isn’t due to hit the streets until next year, a concept version of the car has made an appearance at...
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Production Skoda Yeti revealed at Geneva Motor ShowVolkswagen's Skoda doesn't get much press in the U.S. but over in Central and Eastern Europe it is one of the most popular automotive brands. Having launched new versions of its mainstream Octavia and Superb sedans in the past year, the company has now announced that it will further expand its...
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European Volt Makes Official Debut As The New Opel AmperaThe Chevrolet Volt is still nearly two full years from production, but the Opel-branded version of it is already on display in Geneva. Today General Motors finally pulled the sheet off its European plug-in hybrid, revealing the car in full photographic detail. The new Ampera is essentially...
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More photos of Chevrolet Spark revealed en route to Geneva Motor Show debutAt last month’s Detroit Auto Show, General Motors confirmed that its all-new Chevrolet Spark minicar would go on sale in the United States by 2011 but apart from the release of a single teaser image no other details were revealed. GM has today released a set of new images of the upcoming...
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Dacia envisages low cost crossovers with new Duster conceptFor many readers of this site the Dacia name will be largely unknown but those in the know will immediately recognize it as Renault’s budget brand for emerging markets. For years the Dacia name could only be found on a limited range of econo sedans but lately it has been showing up at...
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Parts shortages could delay GM’s plan to offer 26 hybrids by 2014General Motors ambitious viability plan announced a fortnight ago called for up to $16.6 billion in additional aid and the reduction of more than 47,000 jobs across the company’s global resources, but there was another major announcement in the plan that went largely unnoticed. GM also...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran