Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Editor
Articles
-
The replacement for the Saturn Aura has already been revealed in the form of the European Opel (Vauxhall) Insignia sedan, which goes on sale later this year. The car was expected to reach North... -
Lawmakers want tougher rules than 35MPG-2020 CAFE standardThe House committee on climate change and energy independence has told the U.S. government that current CAFE regulations forcing carmaker fleet-wide fuel economy levels to average 35mpg by 2020 is not enough. Instead, the committee wants to see that deadline brought forward to 2015. The...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Wagoner asks Obama for more R&D fundingPresidential hopeful Barack Obama met with the CEOs of both Ford and GM this week and has come to the conclusion that there is a consensus on what needs to be done to turnaround the U.S. auto industry. One of the most common solutions is the need for greater federal funding for new technology...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Volkswagen Golf 'Twin Drive' plug-in hybridClick here for all the official information and pictures for the 2009 Volkswagen Golf Mark VI Volkswagen has revealed its intentions to enter the race to build and market ultra-efficient plug-in hybrid vehicles with the unveiling today of the new Golf Twin Drive. The new concept car receives its...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
New Audi valve-lift system boosts power & efficiencyAudi will implement a new valve-lift system for its direct-injection 2.8L and 3.2L V6 engines in the A4, A5, A6 and A8 models that’s claimed to boost power and torque while also reducing fuel-consumption. The new valve-lift system works by opening and closing the valves in such a way that the...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Edo Competition Lamborghini Gallardo SLEGermany’s Edo Competition is an expert when it comes to modifying ultra-rare exotics so who better to tune one of Lamborghini’s fastest and most hardcore cars ever produced – the limited edition Gallardo Superleggera. Squeezing more power from the car’s highly strung V10...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Production of the Porsche Boxster and Cayman will switch from Finland's Valmet Automotive to Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria, from 2012 onwards, Porsche announced today. The Austrian manufacturer... -
230HP Turbo-Four Confirmed For Alfa Romeo MiTo GTAAlfa Romeo CEO Luca de Meo has just spilled the beans on the upcoming GTA variant of the ultra-stylish Mi.To hatch, confirming the car will arrive in mid-2009 packing a brand new 1.75L four-cylinder petrol engine turbocharged to the tune of 230hp (172kW). The engine will feature direct injection...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Mazda targeting 30% cut in fuel consumption by 2015Mazda has announced that it will cut vehicle fuel consumption 30% by 2015 with a completely renewed powertrain lineup and a new generation of lighter vehicle platforms and fuel-saving technologies. Some of the initiatives include using lightweight technologies, introducing engine stop-start...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
McCain proposes $300 million prize for battery techRepublican presidential candidate John McCain has intensified his efforts to fight global warming by proposing a $300 million government prize to the first person or corporation to develop vehicle battery technology superior to anything currently available. Speaking at Fresno State University in...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Ford suspends Boss V8 programFalling demand for powerful pickups and SUVs plus soaring fuel prices has forced Ford to rethink its big-block V8 program and will likely see it stop production of some powertrain units in coming months. Inside sources have revealed that suppliers have been asked to stop production of a new 6.2L V8...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Maserati reveals facelifted Quattroporte and Quattroporte SThe Maserati Quattroporte has been on sale in its current guise for almost five years and has managed to rack up more than 15,000 sales in that time. Being one of the most successful models in Maserati’s history, designers weren’t about to drastically change the sedan’s svelte...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Grid penalties and mechanical setbacks were the story of this weekend’s French GP at Magny-Cours. Felipe Massa took the win after pole-sitter and race leader Kimi Raikkonnen's exhaust broke...
-
Analysts warn of dependence on foreign batteriesAs focus in the auto industry shifts from conventional petrol and diesel powered models to a new generation of hydrogen fuel-cell, all-electric and hybrid vehicles, demand for components to support the new technology is skyrocketing and those companies that have been in the business for years are...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Infiniti to launch entry-level coupe based on new Z-carNissan is hard at work developing its next-generation Z-car for launch next year, but according to latest reports the car’s mechanical package will eventually spawn a brand new coupe for the upmarket Infiniti brand. Nissan execs hinted at the project at the Nissan 360 media event in Portugal...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
GM to build 70,000 Volts by 2012GM is targeting a 2010 launch date for its new Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid vehicle and despite the hype surround its development only 10,000 examples are expected to be built in its first year of production. Depending on its success, GM will lift production to 60,000 units in the following year...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Preview: 2012 Volkswagen BeetleVolkswagen’s new Beetle has been on the market now for just on ten years and has enjoyed relatively strong sales despite the lack of significant changes during its life. More than one million new Beetles have been built at VW’s Puebla plant in Mexico and it looks like developers have...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
NHTSA to investigate 2.7m GM models over engine firesThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has intensified an investigation of 21 GM truck and SUV models manufactured between 2006 and 2008 because of the possibility of an engine compartment fire. More than 2.7 million vehicles are now subject to the investigation, which...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Opel’s new Insignia sedan will debut with a dual-function front camera system designed to read passing speed limit and no-overtaking signs and relay this information to the driver via the... -
Chevrolet Camaro SS to get 500HP supercharged LS8GM is counting on V6 equipped Camaros to account for the bulk of its sales but there’s talk of a turbocharged four-cylinder engine among the ranks as well the usual V8 lineup. Latest reports suggest that the flagship Camaro SS will be powered by GM’s 6.2L LS8 small block V8 with a...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Update: Chevrolet reveals pricing and performance numbers for 2009 Corvette ZR1Updated with new video of the 2009 Corvette ZR1 being constructed. Chevrolet has already revealed horsepower and torque figures for its mighty Corvette ZR1 supercar, and now we know what those performance numbers are capable of. The new ZR1 is officially the fastest production Corvette ever...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Nissan could build Chrysler's new compact carRising fuel prices, which have led to flagging sales of SUVs and pickups, have also forced the Detroit 3 to cut production and layoff thousands of workers. At the same time, Japanese carmakers, which lead the industry in the compact car segment, have been benefiting from record sales as consumers...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Hummer may still have a place within GMWhen General Motors first revealed that its Hummer brand was under review during its official restructuring announcement earlier this month, most suspected that the SUV label – and all its associated dealers – would be sold to another company or axed altogether. However, the decision is...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Update: Volkswagen Reveals European Scirocco Pricing And SpecsUPDATE: Volkswagen has announced that its new Scirocco coupe will go on sale in Europe this August with prices starting at £20,500 (approximately US$40,258) for the base 1.4L TSI petrol variant with 120hp (90kW). The entry-level model also comes standard with 17in alloys, leather trim for the...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran