Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Editor
Articles
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Toyota is now well-recognized as the world’s biggest and most profitable carmaker but even it cannot afford to see its closest rivals go out of business. Given the tightly interlinked ties... -
Chrysler proposing four-day work week to reduce costsThe struggle to save energy is forcing businesses and governments alike to rethink their energy usage from every angle. Chrysler has come up with a proposal for the UAW that would see both the Detroit company and all of its employees using less energy every day during production by switching to a...
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GM expands XFE line to include SUVs and pickupsGeneral Motors is building on the segment-leading fuel economy of its full-size pickups and SUVs with new XFE (eXtra Fuel Economy) versions of its 2009 Chevy Silverado, Chevy Tahoe, GMC Sierra and GMC Yukon models. Following on the success of the carmaker’s first XFE model, the Chevrolet...
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Update: Scion rethinking its brand in face of weak salesUpdate: Originally targeted at the youth market and intended to have an ever-changing line of new models that didn't resemble those of the previous generation, Scion has instead ended up producing a series very similar vehicles at a fairly slow pace. Now pundits and the company itself are...
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Subaru planning extensive product line updatesDespite a lack of heavy incentives, new models or ‘green’ cars such as hybrids and diesels, Subaru's sales continue to rise while many of its rivals struggle to stay afloat - especially in the volatile U.S. market. The carmaker has experienced sales growth of close to 4.5% for the first...
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Video: Early look at production Chevrolet VoltUpdate: While some may doubt the likelihood of General Motors' upcoming Chevrolet Volt appearing on time, the carmaker’s engineers and designers don’t seem to have the same qualms. In a video for ABC news, GM's exterior design executive director Michael Simcoe gave a preview of the...
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The CEO of Pininfarina, Andrea Pininfarina, was killed early this morning after the motorbike he was riding on collided with a car near the company’s Cambiano design center in Turin, Italy....
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America's legendary Packard brand up for saleDefunct American luxury automobile manufacturer Packard may be the next legendary auto brand to be revitalized, with latest reports indicating the rights to the company as well as a V12 prototype is now up for sale. Former Arizona residents Roy and Barbara Gullickson are looking for a buyer for the...
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Nissan unveils next-generation electric and hybrid prototypesNissan has been selling a hybrid version of its Altima sedan for the past two years but the core technology of the vehicle, the petrol-electric hybrid drivetrain, is based on technology borrowed from Toyota. Nissan has always promised to deliver a vehicle using its own proprietary hybrid drive...
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California recycles waste tires into new roadsTire waste is a major problem in developed areas where often millions of tires do not get recycled for a variety of reasons, contributing to landfills and destroying the environment. In California alone around 42 million waste tires are generated every year, and while 75% of these tires are...
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Environmental groups demand 35mpg by 2015, not 2020The debate between embattled auto manufacturers and environmental groups continues today, with environmental groups urging the government to speed up federally mandated fuel economy requirements. The proposal calls for the federal goal of a '35mpg standard by 2020' to be moved up to 2015, and...
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Ford Flex earns five-star NHTSA safety ratingThe 2009 Ford Flex has earned five-star frontal and side-impact crashworthiness ratings in the latest round of vehicle crash-safety tests conducted by America’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The Flex only scored a four-star rating, however, for both FWD and AWD...
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UPDATE: The special one-off Mustang AV8R has sold for $500,000 at the Gathering of Eagles charity auction, with the funds going to support the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) AirVenture...
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Obama calls for one million plug-in hybrids by 2015Presidential hopeful Barack Obama has expressed his desire to see America set a goal of having at least one million plug-in electric hybrid vehicles on its roads by 2015 - an arduous goal to achieve in just seven years considering major carmakers are still years away from offering such vehicles for...
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Ford may be forced to sell Mazda stakeFord is still reeling from its $8.7 billion second quarter loss announced late last month, but already analysts are predicting more drastic things to come. Some analysts fear Ford may be forced to sell its stake in Mazda to help raise capital to fund its future projects, just as it has done with...
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Mahindra & Mahindra keen to purchase HummerThe rest of the SUV market is screeching to a halt, but Indian manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra wants to bring a whole new line of the vehicles to America. The company is developing a network of around 300 dealerships across the U.S. to sell the vehicles, with a $125,000 fee being asked from...
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Bertone BAT 11 Could Enter Limited ProductionOnly a few months ago legendary Italian design house Bertone was on the verge of bankruptcy and was reported to be an acquisition target for a number of firms in India and China. Then, in April, the design house gained a new management team headed by former Aprilia CEO Teresio Gaudio. Under the new...
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Nissan's new ECO pedal - taking 'helpful' driver technology too far?While most carmakers attempt to improve the fuel efficiency of their vehicles by shedding weight, improving aerodynamics or downsizing engines, Nissan is taking a slightly different approach by conditioning motorists to drive more conservatively. Nissan unveiled today a new device called the ECO...
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Despite claims made by Audi board manager Frank Dreves as recently as May that a petrol-electric Q7 SUV hybrid was in the works, latest reports indicate the project has been shelved. The shift in... -
Ford and GM in talks to co-develop powertrainsFord and General Motors are reportedly in talks about co-developing new powertrain technologies as the two Detroit giants struggle to reduce costs in the wake of massive losses this year. According to sources at both companies, GM first approached Ford over a month ago and since that time there...
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Chrysler replaces leases with new incentive programAs the U.S. market makes a shift from leasing to retail purchasing, Chrysler has announced that in August it will repackage its incentives to make vehicle purchases more affordable. The new strategy includes 72-month finance deals on an expanded range of compact, mid-size and full-size vehicles...
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No hybrid option planned for Mazda6Mazda has no plans to introduce a hybrid version of its new 2009 Mazda6, despite possessing the ability and technology to do so. The Japanese carmaker already produces a hybrid powertrain for its Tribute SUV – developed together with Ford - but has decided not to transfer the technology to...
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380HP MTM Audi S3 8PWell known Audi-tuner MTM has given the Audi S3 a power upgrade for a little more oomph. Taking the latest 2.0L TFSI engine, MTM has boosted output to 380hp (283kW) and 340lb-ft (460Nm) of torque. Not only is there excellent top-end power, the engine has also been tuned to deliver great pulling...
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First Road-Legal Maserati MC12 Versione Corse On SaleThe Versione Corse is a track-only car based on Maserati’s MC12 GT1 race car from the FIA GT-championship–the same car that won the Manufacturers' Championship back in 2005. This black example is the first of the 12 Versione Corses built, and it's being sold at an auction in Germany and...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran