Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Editor
Articles
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General Motors has widely been reported to be considering dropping several brands as it struggles in a climate of falling demand, rising fuel prices and material costs and increased competition, but... -
Volkswagen previews future vehicle design with 2028 conceptsVolkswagen has launched a new microsite (www.Volkswagen2028.com) designed to preview the carmaker’s future vehicle design through the display of a trio of new concept cars. A video presentation showcases a possible future, describing the different vehicle concepts that VW imagines could one...
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Update: U.S. government launches new crash test ratingsUpdate: Federal officials have revealed changes to the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), which will now consolidate front and side impact and rollover results into one rating, simulate striking a pole with a vehicle and include female crash dummies. The new rating system will also include testing...
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Update: Fiat announces partnership with BMWUpdate: The long-awaited return of Alfa Romeo to U.S. sales is finally beginning to make some tangible progress - today Fiat and BMW announced a possible partnership with BMW's Mini dealerships that will allow the German company to sell Alfas in its stores. The news means that Alfa could have at...
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Salica Cars reveals specs for new GT supercarSalica Cars is a niche sports car manufacturer that’s most notable for building and modifying Noble kit cars, however the British firm has now released first details and images for a new supercar, called the Salica GT, which is set to go on sale at the end of the year. The car will be...
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Liquid petroleum gas and lithium batteries to power Hyundai's first hybridOn the back of news that Hyundai is now the world’s fifth biggest carmaker in terms of vehicle sales (when sales of its Kia subsidiary are included) comes the announcement that the South Korean carmaker will launch the world’s first hybrid vehicle powered by advanced lithium-polymer...
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Mazda is one of the few carmakers to buck the trend of building bigger and heavier cars with every new model generation, with engineers managing to shave up to 100kg from the already small Mazda2... -
Fiat releases 500 Abarth 'Opening Edition'Fiat has released a second Abarth version of its new 500 minicar that will be produced in an ultra-exclusive run of just 100 cars for the Italian market. The new model is dubbed the ‘500 Abarth Opening Edition’ and it features a revised version of the 135hp (100kW) 1.4L turbocharged...
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Toyota to fit solar panels to next-generation PriusThere are already a number of independent firms that will retro-fit solar panels to the roofs of hybrid vehicles like the Toyota Prius to help extend the car’s electric-only driving range, however, from next year onwards the Prius will be available with the panels direct from the factory. The...
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Update: Toyota F1 and Batmobile at British GPUpdated with official photos Toyota has announced that its formula one cars will feature artwork to promote the new Warner Brothers film 'The Dark Knight' at the British grand prix this weekend. Additionally, the overalls of drivers Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock, as well as the Japanese team's motor...
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VW 1-Liter Tandem City Car Tipped For 2010 ProductionAs outrageous as the idea of a production 1L/100km (235mpg) car sounds, more reports have emerged confirming the ultra-frugal car is in fact in development and that it could be on the market by as early as 2010. At last year's Frankfurt Motor Show senior VW exec Ferdinand Piëch claimed the car...
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Mercedes confirms McLaren partnership will end next yearMercedes-Benz has confirmed that its partnership with British sports car manufacturer McLaren will come to an end when the current agreement to build the SLR supercar expires next year. The next generation of Mercedes’ super sports cars are currently under development by the carmaker’s...
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Carmakers have been vocal about the increase to vehicle prices new CAFE regulations will likely cause, with GM execs, including vice chairman Bob Lutz, revealing it could add up to $6,000 to the... -
U.S. auto sales plummet in JuneMost major carmakers saw double digit percentage drops for their June U.S. sales levels as consumers continued to shift away from gas-guzzling SUVs and pickups and seek out more fuel-efficient compact cars and hybrids. GM saw its sales drop 19% in June on the back of a similar result in May, while...
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Land Rover launches 2009 Range Rover AutobiographyLand Rover is set to debut a new special edition Range Rover SUV at this month’s London Motor Show, which the company claims will be the most luxurious production Range Rover yet. The new model is called the ‘Autobiography’ and it comes equipped with 20in diamond-turned...
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Peugeot set to revive 504 coupeWith the appointment of new design boss Jerome Gallix, Peugeot is set to revise its entire lineup over the coming years with a fresh look and to start the ball rolling the carmaker will debut a brand new premium coupe. In a recent interview, Gallix confirmed that the first model of the rejuvenated...
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Hyundai-Kia now ranked fifth in auto industryOver the past two decades Hyundai has moved from being a manufacturer of cheap poor quality cars to become a serious player in the auto industry with world class cars that equal or better more established brands in reliability, performance and price. One of the most influential executives to spur...
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Report: Ford held talks with Renault to sell VolvoFollowing the news that Ford has been in talks with a number of firms from China and Russia about a possible sale of its Volvo subsidiary comes new reports claiming that Renault was one of the initial carmakers interested in acquiring the Swedish label. An inside source close to the negotiations...
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Tesla announced today plans for its second model, a new electric sedan to be called the Model S. It will be manufactured at a new plant in California, though Tesla did not disclose its location....
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New Spectra will spawn Kia's first coupe modelKia will launch its first ever coupe model next year with the launch of the next-generation Spectra (Cerato range). The new model, which is expected to draw heavy influences from the recently revealed Koup Concept (pictured), will replace the current Spectra and could even adopt a new name. The car...
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eBay Watch: <em>Gone in 60 Seconds</em> 1967 Ford Shelby Mustang 'Eleanor' up for saleOne of the original ‘Eleanor’ Mustangs from the movie Gone in 60 Seconds is currently up for sale on eBay with bidding set to close on July 4. The car is in fact one of three running examples of the 1967 Mustang Shelby GT500s created for the movie – there were eight other shell...
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Alfa Romeo boss rules out 8C Competizione platform for new 169 sedanAlfa Romeo sees the introduction of more rear-drive performance models as a key factor in establishing itself as a genuine rival to premium European rivals such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz, but developing the suitable technology is proving to be an expensive process. The carmaker already builds the...
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Porsche may add Panamera Targa and diesel modelsNext year around March Porsche will launch a diesel version of its Cayenne but the big SUV isn’t the only model from the sports carmaker destined to feature an efficient oil-burner. The upcoming Panamera sedan, due in early 2010, will also feature a diesel option, according to leaked...
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Audi reveals official details for new supercharged TFSIUpdated with official details. While many of its rivals have adopted turbochargers in their quest to boost performance without significantly increasing fuel-consumption, Audi has decided to focus on supercharging technology for its latest V6 engine. Its latest forced-induction engine displaces 3.0L...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran